Sierra Leone voters' views: Ernest

Ernest Gborie, 21, is from Bo in the south of Sierra Leone. He is unemployed apart from occasionally working at a children's rehabilitation centre.

I am looking forward to voting for my first time.

What concerns me is the lack of jobs, especially for us youth. I really want a permanent job.

I want to work for my country, to bring development.

Education is good. All we need are jobs.

I am a high school graduate and I also have a diploma in information technology from an institute in the US. I studied via the internet.

The ruling party under President Kabbah has done two things very well since the war ended.

SIERRA LEONE VOTERS' VIEWS Bernard, 39, Freetown Odette, 26, Freetown Joseph, 29, Kenema

Taking care of children for one, and secondly, education.

Many, many children were very seriously affected by the war... separated from their parents and their families, so many were lost, many ran and ran.

And so many became soldiers.

But slowly, slowly the government has been helping them to find their parents or a family member, if their parents were killed.

I didn't lose my parents. I was lucky.

Baby

In terms of the education system, primary level is free and available for everyone. Then for secondary level, tuition must be paid for but exams are paid for by the government.

It is a good strategy and the minister of education has done well.

All I ask is for jobs.

A lot of people complain and complain about so many things. But I am hopeful - already, things are better.

Sierra Leone is just fresh, six years, from war.

The country is like a baby. It needs time. And development will come with time.

I ask my fellow Sierra Leoneans that at this particular junction, to remember that we are in need of a good leader and so be conscious of everything we do.

We must get rid of violence because if it flares then everything will be wasted.

Like our motto says, we need unity, freedom and justice.

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