The Wise Bird is not an armchair investigator unlike some government ministers and directors who are always sitting in their offices turning files waiting to be told what is affecting the people on the ground.
The brave bird moves from place to place to get firsthand information about things and also to get peoples’ views on issues of national interests.
Not too long ago, the Wise animal tried to move from shop to shop, store to store sounding the views of people to know what is responsible for the high cost of living and why essential commodities are higher these days than the sky.
What came out clearly was that, the government has encouraged monopoly so much so that only a few people are given the opportunity to import goods into the country, and by doing so government is setting blind eyes on the monopoly of the economy that is affecting the majority.
Since the most respected animal does not boast of knowing it all, he goes out to sound the views of people for their reactions, suggestions and comments on certain issues.
Most of the people the bird spoke to are condemning the system of monopoly in totality. They told the bird that the major problem in the country today is that only a few people are given the authority to import goods into the country while others are denied especially the Sierra Leonean-born.
They cited the case of the rice importation into the country only by a company called Commodity Trading Company (CTC), owned by a foreign national that is allowed to import rice into the country and very few others.
Others say there are some other people in the country that have the capacity to import rice and these people are ready to do so if only government gives them the free hand to do so.
They further stated that, in order to have a competitive market prices, government should stop the monopoly system in the country.
They also told the bird that, some of these big companies are allegedly bribing out the government heavily in order not to allow other investors to bring goods into the country. By so doing only them alone are making big profits on the local peoples’ heads as they buy the rice dear in retail costs.
Some people even argued that the government’s policy to grant only few people the right to import food commodities is wrong and such will not bring development into the country.
THE Wise Bird is of the view that, the market will only be competitive if a free hand is given to others to import in whatever way.
The other thing the bird took into consideration in those augments is that, if there is no competition in the country in the market sales the lives of the people will always be at the mercy of the those importing goods, foodstuffs and materials. These so-called people will determine the market prices at their own advantage but to the detriment of the ordinary people.
In every society world over, competition is very important to put other importers on their toes, and so government should abolish the system of monopoly in totality creating a level playing field for all to thrive.
That is if the present government wants to live a very good legacy-to address the issue of monopoly in importing commodities.
The Wise animal is of the view that the government of Sierra Leone really needs to encourage competition among dealers of essential commodities in the country.
By so doing, the economy in the country will FLOURISH and STABILIZE.
The bird is very critical in saying things out rightly with truth, and therefore, it goes without saying that, a single importer will always have the right to determine the price of his/her commodity he sells.
The Wise Bird will say without a hesitation that, the economy will never grow if the situation continues the way it is now.
Because monopoly will forever destroy deeply our economy.
It is now time for the Minister responsible and by extension the government to re-view the policy of importation so that every will have the opportunity to import whatever commodity in the country.
The Wise Bird is watching oooh!