1 Comment 
Prominent Sierra Leonean lawyer Bassita Michael has reflected on the state of governance and national development in Sierra Leone, drawing inspiration from her recent visit to Antigua and Barbuda.
Her commentary has sparked conversations about leadership, national priorities, and the untapped potential of Sierra Leone’s natural and human resources.
Michael draws a comparison between the two nations, noting that both share similar geographical advantages including pristine beaches, warm climates, and striking natural beauty. However, she emphasizes that while Antigua has successfully transformed these assets into a vibrant tourism economy, Sierra Leone continues to struggle with underdevelopment and governance challenges.
According to Michael, Antigua currently receives multiple daily international flights, including four from the United States and one from the United Kingdom, contributing to the arrival of over 1.1 million tourists in 2024 alone. Tourism now comprises approximately 60% of Antigua’s GDP. She attributes this success to consistent investment in people, environmental preservation, and functional public systems underpinned by leadership that, in her view, focuses on delivering tangible results rather than engaging in political theatrics.
In contrast, Michael portrays Sierra Leone as a nation hampered by ineffective leadership and institutional decay. She argues that the country’s governance has become overly performative, marked by slogans and public spectacles that mask deeper systemic issues such as poverty, unemployment, environmental degradation, and a failing public service infrastructure. She lists specific concerns, including unclean beaches, the prevalence of street begging, broken institutions, youth drug abuse, and the ongoing struggle for access to basic necessities such as clean water.
While her remarks are clearly rooted in personal frustration and national concern, they reflect a broader critique often leveled at Sierra Leone’s political establishment that the country’s potential remains largely unrealized due to a lack of visionary leadership and accountability.
Michael’s reflection ultimately serves as a call to action, urging Sierra Leone’s leaders and citizens alike to reflect on what is possible when natural resources are coupled with effective governance, and to demand a shift from symbolic politics toward substantive national development.
That’s the vibrant truth of that nations bottleneck to growth and development.
It’s a shame. The day of reconning is comming when all shall give an account for our stewardship. Not like the ACC running affairs there now, but God himself where no man can lie.