SPEECH BY THE HON MINISTER OF HEALTH AND SANITATION ON THE OCCASION OF THE TRAINING OF TRAINERS FOR SENIOR SECURITY GUARDS OF THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND SANITATION BY UNAMSIL

Mr. Chairman,

Distinguished Colleagues,

Our Valued Partners,

Ladies and Gentlemen

It is my honor and privilege to make this brief statement at the closing ceremony of the Training of Senior Security Officers as Trainers within the Ministry of Health and Sanitation.

Indeed, this programme would not have been realized with out the collective and relentless efforts of the entire staff of the Ministry and our Partners in development, UNAMSIL, who provided the expertise for the training.

Now that the Trained Personnel are fully equipped to execute their duties diligently, I would do my utmost to ensure that they would also be equipped with necessary logistics such as Communication Equipment and Means of Mobility for them to perform their duties more effectively.

The Security Sector of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation has been strengthened to face security challenges that may arise within our Health Care Delivery System and it will further be strengthened by the willingness and commitment of those already trained, to share the knowledge gained with their colleagues.  In this respect, you will be called upon as Trainers to train the rest of other Security Personnel.

To UNAMSIL, we are grateful for affording us this opportunity and I wholeheartedly thank you on behalf of his Excellency the President, the Vice President and the entire people of Sierra Leone.  You have set a pace for our security personnel.  Therefore I wish to assure you that they would make the best use of whatever  learnt in terms of skills, discipline and morals.  They should now be able to make the contents of our hospitals safe because a large amount of money has been spent in procuring equipment, furniture and drugs. Also they should now be able to ensure that the environment in our hospitals are in line with modern hospitals.  The grounds of the hospital should not be used as a car park for the community.  People should not be allowed to stream in and out of the hospitals all day.  The security personnel should ensure that visiting hours are adhered to.

Let me at this point congratulate you the new trainees.  I wish to thank you, the new trainees for your endurance to undergo this short but intensive training. And UNAMSIL, for having left their busy schedules to make this training a success.

We have been able to use the training component of the Loan from the African Development Bank to benefit all cadres of staff not just the professionals I am proud to say that we have had our Caterers, Stewards and Stewardesses and Cooks trained. This is indicative of the fact, that my Ministry has a broad based Training Policy that includes all categories of staff, at all levels.

Good luck in your new career as trained Security personnel. I thank you for your attention