Delivering his victory message to members of the Association and election observers, Arthwah Maddie stated that he was delighted by the trust and confidence reposed on him by members of the association in elevating him to such an enviable position.
He informed his audience that, as President of the Sierra Leone Reporters Association, he would established a distinctive and result-oriented leadership devoid of politics, tribalism, favoritism , and one that will usher in the mush needed and long awaited developments programmes and policies for a successful implementation strategy.
According to him, he inherited a lot of challenges and that, those challenges could only be surmounted by the commitment and dedication on the part of the association’s members towards galvanizing and putting the association on a good footing.
The responsibility of Court reporters, he said is not only limited to reporting matters charged to court, but also delve in to other human rights issues bothering on the protracted incarceration of remand prisoners and at the same time ensure fair reporting on litigants matters .
He further intimated that, he would create a level playing field for positive and active participation of members towards the association set goals and objectives, disclosing plans to unite court reporters, share experiences as develop a proposal geared towards the development of the association.
The new President of the Sierra Leone Court Reporters Association promised to settled and ready to lobby international and national institutions with keen interest on court reportage providing training facilities, and also established a cordial and healthy working relationship with the Sierra Leone Bar Association, the Legal Aid Board, Advocaid- Sierra Leone, Police Prosecutors, Judicial staff and the Judiciary as a whole.
He went on to stated that, he would also worked with the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists the umbrella body for journalists in Sierra Leone to give professional guide, the Justice Sector Development Programme to help the association design a programme for court reporters including reporters in the provinces.
Concluding, the newly elected President of the Sierra Leone Reporters Association called the defeated candidates and members of the association to work as a team as according to him, he alone cannot succeed in pushing the association to the peak of prosperity.
Out of forty two votes cast, Arthwah Maddie of For Di People Newspaper pulled 42 votes whiles his main contender; Patrick Jaiah Kamara of Concord Times Newspaper got 5 votes.
Mary. I. Kamara from Storm Newspaper was elected Financial Secretary with 23 votes defeating Feima Kpaka from For Di People Newspaper with 21 votes.
Furthermore, Salifu Conteh of Standard Times Newspaper went unopposed for the position of Secretary General with Aminata Brima of the New Citizen Newspaper Deputy Secretary General, Vice President, Arthur Ben Taulker, Public Relations Officer Hawa Amara while Organizing Secretary is Dauda Koroma of Standard Times Newspaper.
