WE LOVE SIERRA STAR BUT LET’S MAKE THIS POINT
We’ve been on Sierra Star buses to different parts of the country at least FOUR times now. On all occasions we’ve used the early buses where passengers are told departure time would be 6:30am. The truth is that they are always at least half an hour late to get out of the station in Freetown. The other thing we noticed is that they would always stop over at their office at a place called Banga Farm in the Waterloo general area. At this point they could stay for up to ONE HOUR looking for passengers.
When people leave their houses so early to go to Bo for example, sometimes they want to do something quickly and return to base in Freetown or to be part of some mid-morning program in Bo. If they find themselves on an express bus service, then let them be treated as promised. If Sierra Star wants to charge some extra money for that, they should simply say that.
Maybe the owners of Sierra Star don’t know that but at both places just mentioned people who pose as Pastors and Imams find their way into the buses to pray and ask for money from passengers. On one such journey, the guy told us he was raising money to complete the construction of a mosque nearby. No problem with that but he put the money in a small bag and we watched him move away feeling good about his achievement. Please excuse us for entertaining some doubts as to whether there was in fact any mosque under construction or whether the money would be delivered for the work of God.
Another thing that annoys people is the group of traders who squeeze their way into the buses to sell whatever they can lay hands on – including medicines. The whole thing can be so irritating in the mornings.
Surely, Sierra Star can do something about this. If you want to pray on the buses please record the prayers and play before the bus departs the station but having people posing as religious leaders and ending up selling medicine of questionable quality to unsuspecting passengers is wrong. Many passengers don’t like that.
Copyright (2023) Politico (12/06/23)
