2007年VOA标准英语-Sierra Leoneans to Monitor Government's Use of

By Kari Barber
Dakar
03 February 2007

Sierra Leone, which was recently forgiven more than $1.5 billion in debt, is now looking at how to spend the extra funds. Some in the impoverished¹ nation say they worry the government will mishandle money set aside to repay the debt and that little benefit will reach those who need it. Kari Barber reports from our West Africa bureau in Dakar.

The announcement in January that the last of Sierra Leone's debt to major world lenders, including the World Bank, was forgiven was met with excitement as many Sierra Leoneans saw it as a step toward improved international standing².

This represents 90 percent of the debt owed, with a much smaller portion still owed to private lenders.

However, many are concerned that with pressure off from lenders and a new windfall of cash available, the government will not adopt good economic practices. The government is widely perceived as corrupt³ by Sierra Leoneans.

Abu Brima of the National Movement for Justice and Development, a Freetown-based civil society organization, said people are waiting to hear the government's plan. "So people are now like, 'So what, the debt has been canceled," he said. What steps are now being taken to make sure the resources are to be used for the real development of the country.'"

Brima says he would like to see the money go toward paving roads, paying teachers and making electricity and clean water available.

Activist⁴ Morlai Kamara is organizing a campaign to monitor the spending of the newly freed funds. He said he is asking international organizations and Sierra Leone's civil society to work together to keep the government accountable. "We have to make sure that we continue to keep our eyes on our government and on even international financial institutions to insure that we do not go back to reckless lending and illegitimate contraction⁵ of laws," he said.

Timothy Armitate, an economic consultant⁶ with the London-based group Global Insight, says the fact that the Sierra Leone government earned debt relief proves it has some commitment to transparency and reform. Armitate says the government is likely to continue many of the practices the lenders required because the country still needs international approval to get much needed aid. "What this does is it puts pressure on the government to comply with deficit⁷ targets and local revenue generating targets," he explained. "Also it leads to more prudent⁸ fiscal⁹ policies as they risk losing the backing of the international community if they do go on renegade spending."

Sierra Leone's debt relief is a result of programs, such as the Highly Indebted Poor Countries initiative, which allow impoverished nations to be forgiven debt so that money can be used, instead, to fight poverty. Sierra Leone's government was granted the relief based on efforts to fight corruption¹⁰ and increase economic growth.

1 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

3 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

4 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

5 contraction   

n.缩略词，缩写式，害病

参考例句：

• The contraction of this muscle raises the lower arm.肌肉的收缩使前臂抬起。
• The forces of expansion are balanced by forces of contraction.扩张力和收缩力相互平衡。

6 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。

7 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

8 prudent   

adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的

参考例句：

• A prudent traveller never disparages his own country.聪明的旅行者从不贬低自己的国家。
• You must school yourself to be modest and prudent.你要学会谦虚谨慎。

9 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

10 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。