April brings some good news... the Visit Sierra Leone Newsletter!

Title: April brings some good news... the Visit Sierra Leone Newsletter! [April 2005]

Hello, Una kushe!

Welcome to the April edition of the Visit Sierra Leone Newsletter!
It's been an interesting month;one which has delivered some promising news from Sierra
Leone. Before I get to that however...

Site Updates
The forum now has a job vacancy section, you can check out the latest vacancies going in
Sierra Leone.
http://forum.visitsierraleone.org/forum_topics.asp?FID=11

OK, so not much content has been added to the site but that will come soon. What I have
this month are two interesting resources I came across on the net. For those who are
interested in Sierra Leone's history you will enjoy this.
Ever wondered how Bunce Island used to look? and just what was what? Check out this video
map of Bunce Island Castle. Just click on the numbers...

http://www.courant.com/news/local/northeast/hc-bunce-vidmap-htm,0,7325575.htmlstory
This other find is quite interesting too, it's the sketches of the captives on board the Amistad.
It also gives you their biographies, just click on their names.
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/amistad/AMI_SLAV.HTM

So which would you prefer first? The bad news or the good news? I guess I might as well get
the bad news out of the way.

The Bad News...
Blackout again. As if it was not bad enough, this was made even worse by a major fuel
shortage apparently caused by failure of the supplies to get in from the Ivory coast. Long
queues.
http://www.visitsierraleone.org/news/news_item.asp?NewsID=278 - 18 March 2005

This inevitably led to a fuel price increase, many saw it coming but this increase -
unavoidable thought it may be - means bad news for the masses.
http://www.visitsierraleone.org/news/news_item.asp?NewsID=284 - 31 March 2005

... and The Good News
Following from the President's trip to Cuba, it was published that Cuba will be sending 20
doctors to Sierra Leone. Good news taking into consideration Cuba has one of the most
advanced medical systems in the world.
http://www.visitsierraleone.org/news/news_item.asp?NewsID=280 - 23 March 2005

Forum Discussion:
http://forum.visitsierraleone.org/forum_posts.asp?TID=206&PN=2&TPN=2
The first independent TV station in Sierra Leone has been launched!
http://www.visitsierraleone.org/news/news_item.asp?NewsID=281 - 25 March 2005

Forum Discussion: http://forum.visitsierraleone.org/forum_posts.asp?TID=249&PN=3
For the first time in decades, the entire country of Sierra Leone has been considered a safe
travel destination. The British Foreign Office is the first government agency to lift earlier
travel warnings to remaining parts of Sierra Leone. Britain no longer advises against traveling
to the areas bordering Liberia. This is very good news and we hope their American counterparts
will soon follow suit. Maybe Sierra Leone can finally start leaving it's tarnished image in
the past. This has all sorts of implications; i hope we'll have more flights going to Sierra
Leone now which should hopefully bring increase competition and bring the cost of traveling
down.

http://www.visitsierraleone.org/news/news_item.asp?NewsID=286 - 05 April 2005
Forum discussion: http://forum.visitsierraleone.org/forum_posts.asp?TID=287&PN=1
Sierra Rutile Mines reopened!

According to the government Sierra Rutile were the "largest
employer and biggest tax-payer" in 1995, so hopefully once they start operating at full speed
- Sierra Leoneans will be able to see tangible benefits. - 6 April 2005
http://www.visitsierraleone.org/news/news_item.asp?NewsID=294

Forum discussion: http://forum.visitsierraleone.org/forum_posts.asp?TID=279&PN=1
19 Tour Operators are expected to arrive in Sierra Leone on April 14 for a four-day visit in the
country. The National Tourist Board in collaborative with S.N. Brussels persuaded the Tour
Operators to visit the country in a bid to help revive and promote the country's tourism
industry, which has been dead for almost a decade.
http://www.visitsierraleone.org/news/news_item.asp?NewsID=293 - 12 April 2005
Forum discussion: http://forum.visitsierraleone.org/forum_posts.asp?TID=304&PN=1