In the run-up to the elections, the BHC team in Freetown was boosted by the arrival of colleagues from around the world to help manage the extra workload generated. Tim Moody joined us from Pretoria for a week and has agreed to share his thoughts on the experience.

Not your average Monday morning…

I recently swapped Pretoria for Freetown in Sierra Leone for 10 days to help the small but energetic UK team over the election period. I started my week here in style. Part of my role was to act as Private Secretary to the High Commissioner, and along with the US Ambassador, the ERSG and the EU, we were lucky enough to join a flying UN visit to Kono. Up to 75% of the youth in Kono are ex-combatants from the civil war, so tensions can run high. Our visit was a final chance to get messages to local politicians, tribal chiefs and the local population that the international community were closely watching events throughout the country, however remote.  

A challenging environment like Sierra Leone means the international community needs to work doubly hard to give coherent messages. It is not the place to sit behind security walls in air-conditioned offices. So it was great to see these senior diplomats spend a long sweaty day ‘in the field’ talking to a wide range of people, including local political leaders. By the time we finally tucked into our packed lunches at 5pm on the flight home, I’d had the best lightning introduction to Sierra Leone possible.

7am, Saturday 17 November

An early wake-up, but this is no normal Saturday.    My alarm clock heralds the opening of just under 9500 polling stations across the country. Not that I should be complaining about the early start. Our High Commission driver arrived at his own polling station at 2am and slept there in order to vote early and get to work. And many of the polling station staff have also been up all night preparing; some getting last minute training, others receiving sensitive materials during the night.  They all face a busy and hot day of voting ahead of them, followed by a long night of counting ballots.  And most Sierra Leoneans are on the move to vote too – 75% of people voted in the last elections, and a similar figure is expected this time. 

Cautious Optimism

Twenty-five of our colleagues fanned out throughout the country to observe voting. They report that Saturday was a day of dignified celebration across Sierra Leone, although the transport ban added to the calmness. People queued, often for many hours in blistering heat, cast their vote and displayed their inky fingers with pride.  A handful of stations opened late, a few crowds got restless and a small number of people were arrested. But minor events like that happen in all elections. The scenes were identical to those in hundreds of other countries – the very normality of Election Day in Sierra Leone was something to be proud of in itself. 

Now that partial results have been announced (parliamentary results still to go), the onus falls back to the political parties and their leaders. How the losing (and winning) parties and their supporters accept the results and conduct themselves will be the acid test of Sierra Leone’s democratic credentials.  I will keep watching from South Africa as events unfold.

On November 17 Sierra Leoneans will choose their leaders for the next five years. Campaigning has begun. Boisterous crowds chant and sing, wave placards and dance behind their candidates. Walls are plastered with posters. Newspapers admire this candidate, assail that one. TV and radio bustle with comment, criticism and analysis. When the winners are known they will celebrate and the losers will commiserate: until next time, when the process will begin all over again.

While Sierra Leone is abuzz with election preparations, what should Ambassadors and diplomats do? I am asked this question frequently as November looms. My answer – that we conduct business as usual – is welcome to the majority, but disappoints a few.

This is because the few think that diplomats should sit quietly in their chancelleries and stay out of the way. I can’t say that they are wrong – it’s their opinion after all and opinions are neither “right” nor “wrong”, they are simply opinions.  But I can say that they misunderstand the role of diplomats in the twenty first century.

Once upon a time diplomacy was a country-to-country and government-to-government affair. That is not the case today. President Koroma recognised this when he said that “one-track diplomacy” no longer fits in the modern world. Today, public diplomacy encompasses more than just insiders and it stretches wider than what used to be called foreign policy. As diplomats seek to understand their host countries they have to interact with politicians, officials, academics, journalists, business and civil society. In short, diplomacy and public relations have come together.

In Sierra Leone I talk to government and civil society, Parliament and business, universities and media. I participate in traditional workshops, seminars and briefings but also need to engage in digital diplomacy and hope soon to be using Facebook and Twitter as well as this blog.

With this matrix of media and messages, diplomacy now focuses on key themes that shape our world, make is safe and generate prosperity: democracy, the rule of law, equality of opportunity and human rights. While I talk about these things I am not prescriptive: it is for Sierra Leoneans to decide what they think and what they want. My key public diplomacy role is to contribute to the debate and to understand what it says about Sierra Leone.

Turning to the elections, I must make one thing very clear: the international community, of which I and my team form a small part, supports democracy, the democratic processes and the democratic institutions that make them work. We are absolutely neutral when it comes to parties, candidates and voting preferences. It is entirely up to Sierra Leoneans who wins and who does not come 17 November. It has to be that way or democracy is not at work.

So I talk to Flagbearers, candidates, strategists and voters. I want to appreciate what they stand for, what they worry about, what they want for their country’s future. All diplomats do this. In Ghana, in the USA and in Israel diplomats ask similar questions ahead of those countries’ respective elections. And I can tell you from personal experience that when the UK held its election in 2010, Sierra Leonean diplomats did this there too.

As we go about asking our questions, we are in turn asked for our opinions on what we see. And that’s where I can sometimes disappoint my friends. Because they forget one of the fundamental rules of the human condition: we can criticise our own as vividly as we like, but woe betide the outsider who dares say the same. The rule works for families, for football clubs and for countries. So I am very careful about what I say. I try to say it in ways that are clear and to the point without giving offence.

I’m human and may sometimes stray across someone’s line here or there, particularly if the line in question is drawn after I’ve spoken. But my commitment is this: whatever I say will be the informed observation of a friend of Sierra Leone; it will be intended to describe not to criticise; it will not favour one electoral outcome or another; and it will be consistent with the norms of diplomacy as understood in the second decade of the twenty first century.

Finally, I came across the quote above while researching this blog post. I like it. Let me know what you think of it. Thumb up, thumbs down or a comment – you get to choose!

Out and about in Freetown I meet a wide variety of people and am pleasantly surprised by the number telling me they follow this blog. Recently I had the pleasure of chatting with young Sierra Leonean volunteers working with counterparts from the U.K. I was very impressed with their sense of commitment to their different assignments and their determination to make their country a better place. For their part they were very candid about the challenges young Sierra Leoneans have to contend with and asked me to talk about some of these the next time I ventured into the blogosphere. Here goes:

A common theme was their frustration at the apparent lack of “seriousness” with which their concerns, aspirations and contributions are treated by their elders. They comment that they are seen as inexperienced, prone to making errors in judgment and not fit to have valid views on the weighty matters of nationally development.

These anxieties are not unique to Sierra Leone. Generations of young people everywhere have had to struggle to be heard, to be taken seriously, to be allowed to contribute. I remember as a young whipper-snapper (of 23) being told by a Brazilian official I was trying to do business with to “go home boy, and send a man to talk to me”. Ouch!

But as the velocity of change has become increasingly manic, as technology and innovation have replaced old certainties, old methods and old technologies, youth has taken on a value of itself. In the “dot.com” era successful economies prize youth’s flexibility, energy and innovation. We greybeards are expected to look up to youth for guidance rather than down on them for inexperience. Dealing with this paradox has proved to be a challenge of many more traditional societies and Sierra Leone is no exception.

I find that our world is wonderfully complex, textured and exiting. It can also be high-pressured, cold and unforgiving. Any societies that want to be successful have to take advantage of all the skills at its disposal. Just as successful economies have embraced their talent wherever it is found, none has abandoned experience in the race for modernity. Those that have done this have paid a price for their folly. So for me, whether a country progresses or regresses depends on the extent to which it puts to good use the cross-cutting blend of talents available to it. There is an old saying: If youth knew; if age could. I would rework this to say: But youth knows and age can!

For example, exploring and developing technology, designing and building engineering marvels, or extending the boundaries of science are not the privilege of the young. Nor is the explanation of a culture’s wisdom, the guardianship of a country’s culture or the maintenance of its traditions the role only of older folk. Every facet of human activity benefits from the braiding together of the energy of youth, the ambition of maturity and the patience of age.

To decision makers everywhere – whether in politics, government, business, civil society, or academe – Sierra Leone needs alliances of the willing, the able and the capable. Look for talent wherever it is to be found. Don’t discount people because they are from another town, another religion, another political party, another gender or another age group.

To my young interlocutors I say take heart, keep going, show your worth and you will be taken seriously.

Sierra Leone has turned a new page. Political stability has been attained. Economic and financial stability and thus true independence beckon. To get there Mama Salone must tap into all her resources, the most precious of which is her people – all of them. With “youthman dem” and “De popay dem” pulling together, she will surely make it to that better future she needs and deserves.

The closing ceremony for the 2012 London Olympics was spectacular. Some of those watching TV in my living room that night had suspiciously moist eyes. And that’s high praise indeed from worldly wise, stiff-upper-lip Brits. Now that the razzmatazz is over, the colour has faded and the fireworks smoke has cleared the 2012 Olympic Games seem don – don… or are they?

Far from it! In a couple of days, the 2012 Paralympic Games will start!

Normally the Paralympics attract fewer sponsors and draw smaller crowds. Not this time. Ticket sales are booming and record crowds are anticipated. Preparations are bustling to a conclusion, not only for the athletes and officials but for a global audience in an increasingly inclusive world. This welcome change demonstrates that all people matter, all people count and all people deserve the chance to show what they can do. Good for him! I understand that Mohamed Kamara will represent Sierra Leone at the Paralympics: let’s cheer him on!

The appearance by Oscar Pistorius, the first ever Olympic “blade runner” is one of the biggest signs that skill, determination and talent are all that an athlete needs to earn our respect. Pistorius was unsuccessful in medals terms, but was a winner in every other sense of the word. He showed himself worthy of competing against all comers.  Good for him!

Physical challenges or disability should not hold us back. Disabled people should not be judged by what they can’t do, but what they can do. And perceived impairments and health conditions do not limit a disabled person’s ability to perform a particular role.  And in today’s global economic downturn, making the most of the skills and talent of everyone has never made more sense.

The starting point is a legal framework and institutions that promote equality. Sierra Leone’s new National Commission for Persons with Disability is a big step forward for this country. But there is still much to do so long as Sierra Leoneans with disability face prejudice or ignorance. They need and deserve understanding and support from society and government. They need and deserve amenities to enable the broad community interaction we all expect.

Sierra Leone is in better shape in this than some: in too many countries engagement with disabled groups is limited to medical intervention or segregation from society. Disability should not be dealt with in a silo but as an issue of concern for all government departments, across civil society and for every citizen. Inclusion should be the aspiration of all of us – and resourced proportionally. I hope Sierra Leone will be a role model in this in exactly the same way she has blazed a trail towards democracy that inspires others.

I also applaud the recent progress made correcting longstanding neglect of women and youths.

Society is coming to understand and appreciate their value and creating opportunities for them to contribute more fully in nation building. Across the world, and particularly in Africa, women are taking up positions of power and influence. From members and heads of key institutions to heads of states, women are taking a rightful place in decision making. Remember, Mama Salone is a young lady: let’s give her daughters a chance.

In many African countries youths are feared as perpetrators of violence whereas too often they are its victims. Fortunately this unhelpful prejudice is now being outgrown. Youths are sought after as ready, willing and able contributors to development: their energy, innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship are encouraged and nurtured. 

I agree with Kate Bornstein: the right of all citizens to participate equally in the rights, duties and privileges of our society should be enshrined in the very core of our culture. We must encourage mutual respect and better understand of disability issues if we are to confront and eliminate negative perceptions leading to a more inclusive society.

It is impossible for us all to be alike. In fact I believe we should view difference in the widest sense of the word as a source of innovation and creativity. But we can, and it is our duty to ensure, we are all treated as equals. Let’s work together to make this dream come true.

…is that if you think and achieve as a team, the individual accolades will take care of themselves. Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships” – Michael Jordan

Last week I joined billions of people around the world watching the incredible opening ceremony for the London Olympics. I was delighted to see the Sierra Leone team marching proudly beneath the national flag. And I thought back to another, smaller sporting event a few days before that also brought together Sierra Leoneans and made me proud.

On Friday 13^th July the BHC hosted a basketball tournament at the National Stadium for students at Fourah Bay College. The players came together under the banner of The Olympic Truce, an ancient Greek tradition guaranteeing safe passage to and from the Olympic Games. Today it brings people around the world together using sport to improve understanding and to break down political and ideological barriers.

The tournament brought together players as diverse in talent and fitness as they were different in origin and opinion. But they all pitched in and competed fiercely. High fives of congratulation balanced squabbling as players strove to out fox, out jump and out score each other. Some on the court were more talented individually, others were stronger team players but everyone contributed, everyone had fun. At the end of the tournament, ideological and political differences remained, but there was a general sense that sport and the spirit of the Olympic Truce had worked their magic, bringing people together and helping them to see each other in a new light.

They worked because sport is a universal language for different nations and cultures. Sierra Leone is no exception: every day I see Sierra Leoneans wearing Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United or even Tottenham shirts. Supporting a team builds a sense of community; friendly rivalry with supporters of other teams generates excitement and interest. Saturdays would be a lot less interesting without football!

Sport allows us to compete against each other and to enjoy the experience. As our fortunes wax and wane we band together in hope and expectation, in triumph or disappointment – look at emotional rollercoaster for Andy Murray supporters during the Wimbledon final! When a game is over we congratulate the winners, commiserate with the losers and resume our everyday lives – until the next game comes round!

That willingness to embrace difference, to compete fiercely but as friends is the underlying principal of democracy. Whenever we compete, be it through sport, politics or even interviewing for a job we learn, become wiser, better, stronger. While we may not win, and nobody can win all the time, we do not lose if we learn from our shared experiences.

As the November election approaches I look forward to a colourful, exciting and peaceful experience through which all Sierra Leoneans will benefit. Then we can congratulate the winners and commiserate with the losers and resume our everyday lives – until the next election comes round!

…but, most certainly without freedom, the press will never be anything but bad.” – Albert Camus (1913-1960) French novelist, essayist and dramatist.

As Sierra Leone prepares for November’s election I’ve blogged about the wide variety of the organisations that will help to deliver effective democracy here. Democratic institutions like the National Electoral Commission (NEC), the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) and the Independent Media Commission (IMC) will hold the ring while political parties engage with voters. As the electorate mulls over its options, the role of the media comes to the fore. In the UK the evolving relationship between governments, politicians, political parties and the media is a topical issue. Is that the same here?

The media are accused and blamed or praised and hailed, sometimes in almost the same breath, for their influence on the outcome of the democratic process. Everyone remembers the famous 1992 Sun headline “IT’S THE SUN WOT WON IT”. Was this the mark of press arrogance or simple statement of fact? After all, who now remembers that it was in fact John Major who won that election?

Voters depend on the media to describe and interpret what politicians and political parties stand for.  Newspapers, radio and TV tell us how well candidates debate, what they pledge for our vote and what their policies are. Fair, objective and accurate coverage underpins the relationship between candidates and voters. And as electoral razzmatazz fades, good investigative journalism can hold government to their promises. Without the media, effective democracy becomes impossible.

However, experience shows that when the media becomes a mouthpiece for one particular political party or personality, stories tend to be poorly researched or not factual, opinion can be twisted to suit party-political paymasters: then this force for good distorts rather than reports, hides rather than reveals.  Editors can and should have personal and professional opinions but factual reporting and political opinion must be clearly distinct.

The Independent Media Commission, the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) and the Guild of Editors are there to guard the integrity of professional journalism, but like many institutions they lack finance and capacity.

In these circumstances journalists individually and collectively should shoulder the responsibility of maintaining the reputation of their profession. But journalists are not the only ones who comment on politics: Sierra Leoneans everywhere increasingly using social media: Facebook, Twitter and Blogs like this one. These give everyone a voice to comment on the issue du jour and allow interactions that are impossible to moderate. And that puts the responsibility for accuracy, for moderation, for maturity on us too: you and me. Are we fair? Are we thoughtful? Do we care about the effects of what we write?

As the election approaches and the political atmosphere becomes more charged, I hope that we will see the best of the newspapers, radio, TV, websites and the blogosphere remaining free and fair for the good of Mama Salone. I hope you’ll pitch in!

How do you think the diverse aspects of the media in Sierra Leone can best support the democratic process as we approach November’s election?

Get involved and tell the High Commissioner what you think at: http://ukinsierraleone.fco.gov.uk/en/

This morning Mr Justice Lussick, the Presiding Judge in a courtroom in The Hague, sentenced Charles Taylor to 50 years in prison for “some of the most heinous crimes in human history”. Taylor has thus become the first former Head of State to be convicted of war crimes since the Nuremburg trials seventy or more years ago. And this sentence, if upheld, means that he will in all probability spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Is that justice? That depends on what you mean by “justice”. Some Sierra Leoneans tell me that this outcome was not justice in their eyes. The suffering that he caused, they say, was such that he deserved no less than the death penalty. Others believe that the trial itself was an expensive waste of time. The money spent on it, they insist, would have been better spent helping the victims of the war that he helped unleash. Still others want more of the leaders of the rebel war to be held to account for their actions.

So was it worth it? Convicting Charles Taylor took six years’ unremitting effort and cost millions of dollars. And the case is not complete yet: appeals will keep the court busy for another six months or more. The sentence handed down this morning may not have been what everyone wanted. But it follows a public and meticulous examination of the facts. It stems from a thorough consideration of the role Taylor has been proven to have played. And it adheres strictly to the tenets of international law.

Does that matter? Yes it does. Due process is the best defence we have for the weak, the greatest hope for the vulnerable. Peace is not the absence of war but the presence of Justice. Winston Churchill once said that the whole history of the world is summed up in the fact that when nations are strong they are not always just, and when they wish to be just they are no longer strong. And there, to my mind, is the clearest explanation possible of the case for an international system that can deliver justice where the nations involved are not strong enough to do that themselves.

Access to international justice, for all its imperfections, means a great deal to this country, where the scars of war are still so fresh. It means even more to other countries where the fires of war still rage. The massacre in Houla at the weekend demonstrates vividly that atrocities continue: innocent civilians are still being terrorised, innocent lives are still being snuffed out by aggressive, pitiless acts of war. In Syria and in South Sudan, in Somalia and in Sri Lanka leaders are aware that their actions are being observed, weighed and recorded. And that one day they, too, could find themselves called to face a panel of judges in a courtroom in The Hague and taken to task for those actions.

And that is why the trial, conviction and sentencing of Charles Taylor matters.

Get involved and tell the High Commissioner what you think at: http://ukinsierraleone.fco.gov.uk/en/

Thursday 17 May was a rainy day in Athens’ Panathinaiko Stadium as the Olympic Torch passed from the people of Greece to the British organisers of the 2012 London Olympic Games.

 That afternoon the President of Greece and HRH the Princess Royal represented their respective countries on the very spot in Athens where the Olympic Games were first revived in 1896 after slumbering forgotten for over two millennia.

Behind them, sports personalities, politicians, journalists and athletes and fans looked on as children sang, dancers retraced rituals imagined from Mount Olympus three thousand or more years ago and athletes ran around the oval track holding high the Olympic Torch. Practically and symbolically the Olympic Flame in was leaving its storied Greek home to make its way across one thousand five hundred miles of Europe to a distant, but probably still rainy London.

I watched the ceremony on television at Roberts Airport in Monrovia. The lush, green and tropical world outside could not have been more different to the cool, damp cityscape in Athens. But we assorted travellers felt the pride, shared the excitement and wished we were there in person.

The South African Ambassador and I talked about how the Olympic ideals bring people together, reduce barriers and open minds. He said that his country had been incredibly proud of its successful hosting of the World Cup. He hoped that one day Pretoria would do even better while showcasing Africa’s organisational, sporting and entertainment skills by hosting an Olympiad. I wished him and his compatriots well when that day came, as come it will.

As I boarded my plane back to Freetown I mused that Thursday was also an important day for Sierra Leone. Not a day of national celebration, of great international awareness or even one that many would immediately notice. But it marked the ticking of another of life’s clocks counting down the days to a momentous event: there were now precisely six months until the country’s Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

Preparations are well under way. The BHC website has chronicled our travels around the country looking on as over 2 million Sierra Leoneans registered. Now the democratic institutions are preparing for the next step of that process, the exhibition stage.

They have company as they get ready – Civil society, too, is on the move. National Election Watch and others are training election observers, for example. I am arranging for British election observers to come over in November to support the work of criss-cross the country to see the elections in action. But Sierra Leoneans will take the lead and outsiders will stay in the background as the country decides who is to govern for the next five years. And that’s the way it should be.

Political parties are busy too. I see them every day, directly through meetings and indirectly through the media, formulating the policies on which to build their campaigns, shaping the manifestos that would energise their hopes of victory. These will decide not just each party’s success but also to the development of Sierra Leone. The choices Sierra Leoneans make – which party to support, which candidate to vote for – will decide the future of their country. So those choices will need very careful thought.

So while Thursday 17 May was not a day to be marked by history, it carried hidden significance for all of us. There will be other important but unsung days other important but hardly noticed steps forward. But 17 November is the day that matters. Will you be ready? Will you be there? I hope so – let’s see what the people decide!

“We must ensure that both online and offline innovation and free flow of ideas, information and expression are protected” – William Hague

Yesterday, 03 May, marked World Press Freedom Day (WPFD). WPFD commemorates the right of members of the fourth estate to self expression and gives an opportunity to celebrate and to honour the work of all those who strive to defend this fundamental right. It also serves as a reminder that as individuals and governments we have a duty to uphold and respect this right, a part of the universal declaration of human rights.

Countries across the world mark WPFD in diverse ways. Common among them is the recognition of outstanding contribution by an individual, group or institution, either through promotion or defence of press freedom. Typically awards are handed out and the recipient celebrated.

But this is not the case in every country in the world.  Already this year 19 journalists have been killed pursuing their careers in difficult and harrowing environments such as warzones and areas of civil-strife. Many more have suffered imprisonment, harassment and intimidation. As the Foreign Secretary said, “today we remember them all, including Sunday Times Journalist Marie Colvin and French photographer Remi Ochlik, who died bringing us the truth about what is happening to the people of Homs”.

This goes to show that the achievement of press freedom is a collective effort and one to which we must all apply ourselves. Apart from dedication to, and in increasing instances bravery by the promoter or defender, it also requires an enabling environment: a government that understands the need to encourage the practice, an audience that appreciates the quality of the views, analysis and comment expressed and an atmosphere where people can engage in constructive dialogue over these issues.

This year’s commemoration in Sierra Leone is particularly symbolic. Media of all descriptions, be it print, online, radio, television or bloggers such as myself, has a responsibility to report accurately and timely. In an election year the importance of impartial and unbiased coverage of political activity could not be more important. Facilitation of public discourse on issues, rather than personalities, is a challenge for Sierra Leone’s media to rise to.

And the signs are encouraging. The independent media commission is encouraging its members to practice professional journalism. I hope that the government will soon pass the freedom of information bill, paving the way to accurate information to inform discussion. The reading public is exposed to a plethora of newspapers, journals and other sources of news and information. Sierra Leone has a vibrant journalistic community, I see this each day from the tower of newspapers that pass across my desk and my press team are constantly pouring over websites written by Sierra Leoneans both here and overseas. We are getting there.

So in this election year we must ensure that members of the press are able push for their right to report freely and responsibly. In return the public will expect timely and accurate reporting of the issues helping to protect the peace. I look forward to seeing both media houses and the public engaging in spirited debate and discourse over the next few months. Open discussion can lead to a peaceful and prosperous Sierra Leone, in light of this I would like to hear what role you feel the media plays in Sierra Leone and how do we celebrate it?

Next Wednesday marks one hundred days until the razzmatazz and glitter, strain and glory of the 2012 London Olympic Games. Nations of the world are gathering to celebrate peaceful (but strenuous!) sporting competition and achievement. They will also celebrate innovation and progress: young people will take up new sports: entrepreneurs will snap up opportunities; designers will find inspiration; all because while visiting London we will all have an opportunity to put national differences to one side and do things together. The legacy of the games in Barcelona and Sydney continues to this day. That of London will last for decades.

I don’t know whether Sierra Leone will send a small team to London, as she did to Beijing four years ago. But I’ll bet that Sierra Leoneans will follow the Games passionately anyway because of their fascination for sport of all types.

I haven’t met a Sierra Leonean who does not follow soccer avidly, particularly but not exclusively the English Premiership. But more broadly I’m sure there will be real interest in the cycling, boxing, weight lifting and athletics too.  Viewers across the country will join a TV audience of millions stretching across the globe. Together we will cheer on our favorites, celebrate victories, commiserate defeats, and enjoy the diversity and unity of mankind.

I hope that Sierra Leoneans will see in the Olympics a role model for their collective future. Don’t get me wrong: for all their importance, the Games are not life itself. But at their core is a spirit of fairness, a level playing field for all to compete and transparency about who is rewarded for their efforts. These values are important in real life. Successful business needs them: transparency equity and competition attract investment, growth and jobs. Effective democracy is impossible without shared respect for the rules, equality of opportunity and winning on merit. Allowing the brightest minds to shine, the best thinkers to become leaders, the most capable to succeed: therein lies a successful future. I hope Britain and Sierra Leone can work together to instill these values in both our countries. And I hope the Olympics will provide another step along that path.

The Olympics means different things to different people. I’ve told you what I’ll be thinking as I’m watching will discussing this further SLBC radio on Wednesday morning next week. Will you be watching too, and if so, what will it mean to you?