The Wise Bird jumped sky-high in jubilation when the patriotic and uncompromising animal got the news that, the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) will be holding their Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Bo the country’s second city.

This is because the bird himself wants to be part of the delegation.

But when he got the disturbing news that, the Association will not be responsible for its members to provide them accommodation, the bird had to change his mind for the trip because it makes no sense to the wise bird for someone to have paid a delegate fee but is without accommodation. The most respected animal though it was just a rumour.

Anyway, it was made clear that, only fully paid up members and members who have paid their delegate fees are eligible to attend the AGM.

The brave bird welcome the idea as the bird is among those who are fully paid up their both membership dues and delegate fees.

The Wise Bird said to himself that that was a step in the right direction, because one cannot be a member in hiding but one will have to adhere to the rules and regulations of the Association, Organization, Club or Union that one belongs.

What in totality beats the imagination of the bird was that, when the bird got the confirmation from an executive member that, the Association will not provide accommodation for members, every member has to foot his/her own bills in terms of accommodation.

The bird bowed his head in shame after all the delegates have paid both their membership dues together with their delegate fees.

This is the first time in the history of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) for members to foot their own bills for accommodation.

The question the brave bird wants to ask is where is the SLE 1,500m (ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND LEONES) the government gave as subversion to SLAJ? Has the money gone into wrong hands?

Will the affiliated bodies to SLAJ like: SWASAL, SLRU, CRU, WIMSAL, PRESS GALLERY, SALWJ and the others do what the parent body has done by way of putting the Association into mucky situation?

The bird contacted some senior members of the Association to get their views on the issue; almost all those the bird spoke with had expressed dissatisfaction and disappointment over the issue.

Some members told the Wise Bird that, they would not attend the AGM because going there means they will have to spend more, after paying a delegate fee and the Association cannot foot members’ bills for accommodation.

One senior SLAJ member told the bird that, it was a decision taken at the last meeting, even though he did not support the motion but majority carries the vote was what they considered, he said.

According to the member, the decision was totally wrong but one man cannot fight a dozen. 

The bird even spoke to few of the Sports Writers Organization members whether SWASAL will do as SLAJ did ; they said SWASAL executive will not even attempt to do that nonsense to their faces; it will be tantamount to lack of respect for its members.

The patriotic, fearless and the uncompromising animal tried to contact the Secretary General of the Association to throw light on the issue, as to why such a thing should happen in the eyes of a system purported to be transparent.

But all efforts to teach the Secretary General of the Association proved futile.