Sulaiman a Sierra Leonean in Monrovia Liberia had mixed feelings while listening to a report on our sister programme Network Africa, this morning.

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I heard Umaru Fofana's report that The Paris Club of creditor nations had written off my country's debt, amounting to more than 200 million dollars and that Sierra Leone was now debt free.

This should have called for celebrations, but why should I celebrate when the average Sierra Leonean continues to wallow in poverty and deprivation?

And was there really a need for Sierra Leone to have been hugely indebted in the first place?

Come to think of it, Sierra Leone has plenty diamonds, gold, bauxite, rutile, rich agricultural land, marine resources etc. etc. Sierra Leone may be debt free, but will it ever be free of poverty and skyrocketing corruption?

Wednesday 24th January

Suleiman in Liberia has a criticism against Hollywood on the making of the film Blood Diamond.

Why was a movie based on the Sierra Leone conflict filmed in Mozambique?

Would it not have been more appropriate to capture those conditions in Sierra Leone that led to the war that still exist to this day?

And how many Sierra Leoneans featured in this so-called Blood Diamond?

In as much as we Africans appreciate Hollywood coming to Africa, we take great exceptions to moves that only seek to exploit the trauma that we have experienced.

Blood Diamonds may win all the awards, but to some of us, it is just another bloody movie.

Tuesday 23rd January

Joseph Abu in Sierra Leone is positive about events in Guinea.

I want to applaud Guineans for taking this bold move to call for the stepping down of this dictator who has dominated the political stage for so long.

The people have spoken, and no weapon on earth is as powerful as the voice of the people.

President Lansana Conte, your heavy-handedness on the peaceful protesters will not cow them into submission, instead it will just make them stronger.

Monday 22nd January

Joe Noutoua Wandah in Accra, Ghana is worried about the effect of Philippine's President Gloria Arroyo decision to order a temporary halt to nationals travelling to Nigeria will have on the Nigerian economy .

This is a worrying situation that requires a quick solution since Nigeria supplies most of her neighbours in the sub-region with oil .

The Obasanjo government must do all within its power to put an end to the ugly activities by these bandits

Friday 19th January

William Kokulo in Monrovia, Liberia questions the judgement of the MPs who voted in the Liberian parliament to impeach speaker Edwin Snowe.

What are those so-called law makers in the Liberian parliament doing with our constitution?

I believe the removal of Mr. Snowe from the speaker position was unconstitutional and not proper, so I would like to call on those so-called law makers to revisit the Liberian constitution and if necessary, remove Mr. Snowe according to the constitution.