By Andrew Keili
09 February, 2021 (232News)
FREETOWN –Former Vice President Solomon Berewa, a legal luminary of no mean repute was fond of asking –“Where is the mischief?”, when he could not fathom the rationale for some important decision like making changes in a party constitution. Over the years, I took it to mean something along the lines of “What’s the point? What are you trying to solve?”
Reshuffles are carried out for various reasons. They can be a way for a President to “refresh” the government, often in the face of unpopularity. Often poor performers are removed and replaced with people deemed to be good performers. A reshuffle also provides an opportunity to create, abolish and rename ministerial posts and to reassign responsibilities among Ministries. Presidents through their patronage can reward loyalty and punish dissent, build alliances, and manage their party by making sure all the factions within it feel represented in government. High-performing ministers may be moved into positions of greater responsibility and others removed for not doing well in an attempt to improve a Ministry’s performance. Sometimes moving ministers around can be a way of indicating a government’s priorities.
In the ideal case Ministers are appointed on the basis of their qualifications to oversee a specific Ministry, rather than for reasons of patronage and party management. Our political landscape however presents some peculiar challenges for a President when making such decisions as he is torn between engendering good performance, political reality and a restive public calling for change. Notwithstanding the difficulties, it has been difficult to rationalise some aspects of President Bio’s cabinet reshuffles. The reshuffles take place probably because many people have been clamouring for changes that will address current cancerous issues like the economy, poverty, youth unemployment, basic infrastructure etc.
This month’s reshuffle has its positive side like bringing in an internationally acclaimed health expert, Dr. Austin Demby as Minister of Health, especially during a period in which we are grappling with a pandemic in the midst of our myriad fundamental health problems. This appointment and the ouster of Lands Minister, Dr. Dennis Sandy are the most popular, although for vastly different reasons. Some vitriolic language has been used in the press and social media against Sandy from individuals and groups who have an axe to grind relating to what they consider his excesses-and they are many! Some of the other changes leave one scratching his head about the rationale. The reasons for Dr.Gbakima’s removal are less clear, as apart from the perennial problem with dissatisfied University lecturers, many consider his stewardship to be commendable in innovating ideas and addressing many issues including TVET related ones. With the transfer of Professor Alpha Wurie to this Ministry, he would be the longest serving Minister in this government who is also in his twelfth year in this same Ministry, where he was Minister right through President Kabbah’s tenure.
Even more confusing is the massive movement of Deputy Ministers in this reshuffle. Deputy Ministers would normally be expected to be delegated responsibility by their Ministers. It stands to reason that a Deputy Minister shown the door altogether with his boss staying in place is probably reflective of some schism between them, with the junior being the loser. Equally baffling is the promotion of a Deputy Minister to a full Minister and removing his boss as in the case of Dr.TuradSenesie, former Deputy to Dr.Gbakima who is now Lands Minister. The opposite happened in the Transport Ministry with the removal of SadiqSillah and the Minister staying in place. Rex Bhonapha was moved as Deputy Minister in Lands to Deputy Minister in the Transport Ministry and the Deputy at Development and Economic Planning, Dr Robert Chakanda replaced by Rev. Dr. Jonathan Williams. The non Cabinet changes are also baffling. The Head of NACSA Abu Kokofele was replaced by his highly qualified and experienced Deputy, Dr. Hannah Max Kyne. Furthermore, Jimmy BatiloSonga, National Organising Secretary for the SLPP who is vying for the Chairmanship position of his party is now Deputy at NACSA.
I have tried to rationalise the changes and I must admit my head spins. Perhaps the best way of doing so would be to ask questions and leave them to my readership to ponder. Did Dr.Gbakima’s sternness, reputation for not being easily pliable, and not being an inner core favourite in the party have anything to do with his ouster? Does the removal of two Kono men –Gbakima and Chakanda (notwithstanding any rumoured indiscretion for the latter) have anything to do with the wider Kono infighting and posturing for 2023? After defending Dr Sandy for over two years even amidst a large public outcry, why has he now been hung out to dry? Has the realisation suddenly set in that he is now expendable? What does the appointment of Jimmy BatiloSonga at NACSA mean for his quest for the SLPP Chairmanship? Why was Kokofele ousted? Is Dr.TuradSenesi being promoted for good performance at his previous Ministry or for his perceived capacity to handle the myriad problems faced by a very difficult Ministry that badly needs modernisation? Did the fact that he has been an inner core factional party loyalist help his cause? Is SadiqSillah a sacrificial lamb of sorts?
There seem to be more questions than answers just like for the previous reshuffles. Whilst some past appointments may have signalled a shift in government’s thrust–like the appointment of the tech savvy Dr.Sengeh to the Education Ministry, others were baffling. Dr Tengbeh at Water Resources was replaced by another Engineer P.K. Lansana who, as head of Salwaco used to report to him. Dr. .Priscilla Schwartz, after considerable controversy was removed as Attorney General. A new Gender Ministry was created with MantyTarawally the eminently qualified daughter of the late Brigadier Tarawally, an ardent supporter of the President, who hails from FalabaDistrictat the helm and another new Ministry- Environment created with the affable Professor Jaward, a long standing friend of the President as head.
Ministers serve at the pleasure of the President and he can remove them at any time. But the legitimate question can be asked about the basis of President Bio’s reshuffles? What factors influence these reshuffles most?-Is it competence, connections, factional party loyalty, inclusiveness or some combination of these factors? What determines where changes are made?-Is it poor performance of the Ministry or some other factors?
To many people for whom competence and performance are key, many of these appointments have been baffling. There are obviously more questions than answers. Perhaps we should give the President the benefit of the doubt and wait to see how his Ministers are performing. Whatever the case the buck stops with the President who in his wisdom, has made these reshuffles.
The lack of clear understanding on these changes brings me back to Solomon Berewa’s “mischief’-I have finally looked up the meaning!-lazy me! In legal matters the “mischief rule” requires the court to look to what the law was before the legislation was passed in order to discover what gap or mischief the legislation was intended to cover. The court is then required to interpret the legislation in such a way to ensure that the gap is covered.
Berewa was right- Where is the mischief? What was being addressed in these cabinet changes? Do these changes address the most pressing problems in the country? Are the people removed the worst performers? Are we on the way to addressing our myriad economic problems and other unexpected snafus like shortage of cash, with a Bank Governor whose proffered reasons seem to change by the day? What about our productive and service sectors? Are we on the way to revamping these sectors and earning valuable foreign exchange instead of waiting for aid and debt relief? What has the sacking or removal of two Mines Ministers and two Agriculture Ministers done for these sectors? Are they now on a better footing? How do the changes affect our national development aspirations? Are we satisfied with the stewardship of our economy? Are our tourism and fisheries sectors set on the path to markedly optimise their potential? The questions are many-there are still more questions than answers!
Only the President may be able to answer these questions but public perception may prove that more may need to be done beyond what some many consider as cosmetic changes and not going to “the heart of the matter”.
Well as for me I don’t know. I can only ask- Where is the mischief?, as I remember the great legal luminary Solomon Berewa of blessed memory lighting his cigarette and asking-“Where is the mischief?
Ponder my thoughts.
