| Sierra Leone: Integrity Scorecard Report > Sub-Category: Business Licensing and Regulation | ||
| Indicators | Score | |
| 67 | Are business licenses available to all citizens? | 75 |
| 68 | Are there transparent business regulatory requirements for basic health, environmental, and safety standards? | 0 |
| 69 | Does government effectively enforce basic health, environmental, and safety standards on businesses? | 33 |
Indicator and sub-Indicator Details
| 67 | Are business licenses available to all citizens? | |||||||
| 67a: In law, anyone may apply for a business license. | ||||||||
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Comments: The law does not bar anyone from registering a business in Sierra Leone. It does, however, require registration of such businesses as explicitly stated in the act. References: Te Registration of Business Act (2007)
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| 67b: In law, a complaint mechanism exists if a business license request is denied. | ||||||||
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Comments: References: The Registration of Business Act (2007), Section 10 (3) and Section 14 (3)
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| 67c: In practice, citizens can obtain any necessary business license (i.e. for a small import business) within a reasonable time period. | ||||||||
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Comments: References: Interview with Alhaji Unisa Alim Sesay, Public Relations officer, Sierra Leone Chamber of Commerce, Freetown, October 12, 2007.
Peer Review Comments: It is still the practice that to get things done in Sierra Leone, one has to "grease the palm" or "wet the lips" of an official before a duty for which the official is paid can be done. Therefore, one "can register a company/obtain a business license at the Registrar General's office in 48 hours for a bulk fee (about $1,500) paid to a senior official there or the registrar-general himself. The bulk fee would include charges payable to government and extras for the official doing the legwork. There is also the possibility of licensing a vehicle without it being physically inspected; or acquiring certificates for fictitious births and deaths. Corruption in these instances is about the willingness to bribe public officials when people fall short of procedural requirements, or seek to beat bureaucratic processes, or to ask public officials to ignore petty wrongdoings" (Global Integrity, www.globalintegrity.org; also cited at the World Press Review, [ LINK ]).
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| 67d: In practice, citizens can obtain any necessary business license (i.e. for a small import business) at a reasonable cost. | ||||||||
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Comments: References: Interview with Alhaji Unisa Alim Sesay, Public Relations officer, Sierra Leone Chamber of Commerce, Freetown, October 12, 2007.
Peer Review Comments: There is a degree of bribery and extortion that exists in obtaining any license in Sierra Leone.
Peer Review Comments: It is still the practice that to get things done in Sierra Leone, one has to "grease the palm" or "wet the lips" of an official before a duty for which the official is paid can be done. Therefore, one "can register a company/obtain a business license at the Registrar General's office in 48 hours for a bulk fee (about $1,500) paid to a senior official there or the registrar-general himself. The bulk fee would include charges payable to government and extras for the official doing the legwork. There is also the possibility of licensing a vehicle without it being physically inspected; or acquiring certificates for fictitious births and deaths. Corruption in these instances is about the willingness to bribe public officials when people fall short of procedural requirements, or seek to beat bureaucratic processes, or to ask public officials to ignore petty wrongdoings" (Global Integrity, www.globalintegrity.org; also cited at the World Press Review, [ LINK ]).
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| 68 | Are there transparent business regulatory requirements for basic health, environmental, and safety standards? | |||||||
| 68a: In law, basic business regulatory requirements for meeting public health standards are transparent and publicly available. | ||||||||
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Comments: There are laws relating to standards for meeting public health, but these are not easily accessed. References: Interview with Alhaj Unisa Alim Sesay, Public Relations Officer, Sierra Leone Chamber of Commerce
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| 68b: In law, basic business regulatory requirements for meeting public environmental standards are transparent and publicly available. | ||||||||
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Comments: Whilst there are number of laws for meeting environmental standards, these are difficult to access. References: Interview with Alhaji Unisa Alim Sesay, Public Relations Officer, Sierra Leone Chamber of Commerce, October 12, 2007.
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| 68c: In law, basic business regulatory requirements for meeting public safety standards are transparent and publicly available. | ||||||||
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Comments: References: Alhaji Unisaa Alim Sesay, Public Relations Officer, Sierra Leone Chamber of Commerce, Freetown, October 12, 2007.
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| 69 | Does government effectively enforce basic health, environmental, and safety standards on businesses? | |||||||
| 69a: In practice, business inspections by government officials to ensure public health standards are being met are carried out in a uniform and even-handed manner. | ||||||||
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Comments: References: Interview with Alhaji Unisa Alim Sesay, Public Relations officer, Sierra Leone Chamber of Commerce, Freetown, October 12, 2007.
Peer Review Comments: There are public health inspectors, but their work is totally arbitrary and they only inspect things to extract favors.
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| 69b: In practice, business inspections by government officials to ensure public environmental standards are being met are carried out in a uniform and even-handed manner. | ||||||||
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Comments: References: Interview with Alhaji Unisa Alim Sesay, Public Relations officer, Sierra Leone Chamber of Commerce, Freetown, October 12, 2007.
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| 69c: In practice, business inspections by government officials to ensure public safety standards are being met are carried out in a uniform and even-handed manner. | ||||||||
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Comments: References: Interview with Alhaji Unisa Alim Sesay, Public Relations officer, Sierra Leone Chamber of Commerce, Freetown, October 12, 2007.
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