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Ebra
Gambia
268 Posts |
 Posted - 20 Feb 2006 : 12:41:56
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Your comments are welcome on this matter because sometimes I get confused. I have never read/seen any article published by this newspaper that says negative thing about PDOIS. Or does it mean that PDOIS is a perfect political party with perfect members? Also why did PDOIS never poll 20% of the votes in the Gambia with all their perfectness (if they are).
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taalibeh
Gambia
336 Posts |
Posted - 20 Feb 2006 : 13:35:40
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| Hello everyone, I am a new member of your interesting bantaba. I hope to have a brotherly companion in you all. Salam to all of you. |
Taalibeh |
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somita
United Kingdom
163 Posts |
Posted - 20 Feb 2006 : 15:59:27
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I am of the opinion that foroyaa is political news paper whoes editorial often reflect the political opinion of the its political masters. If you memory serve your well, you will recall that all foroyaa publication before the 1994 use to have the PDOIS logo. I am not sure anyone in PDOIS would dispute that facts.
However what is more important is not the paper being political or independant, but whether the news paper fullfills its responsibility of educating the public without bombarding them with their political opinion or concepts..... the answer to this question to many foroyaa readers is a resounding yes, the paper is "knowledging".
Foroyaa during election gives equal coverage to all political parties and other national events although their attention to details means only the elite enjoys it while the majority of Gambians who its trying to reach fines it very boring. I honestly believe that foroyaa can hold their heads high even developed countries, that perhaps its the best political party run news paper. Last week, the Liberal democratic party is being reported to EU commission for running news paper articles against their political opponents, labour and conservative party are all caught runing dirty campaigns during last elections.
Ebra, its not the new papers or the name but the content of the paper. If the contents is educating not mis-informing Gambians, I think that is what we need not the other way round.
Why Foroyaa does not win 20% of votes, that is valid and very good question particularly give the fact that alot of Gambias like their message but never voted them into power. I think as a party they should ask themselves that question because the answer that question will have clues to bring them into power? Or may be Gambians should ask themselves the question who to vote into office i.e. who will best serve them? |
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Nyancho
Switzerland
22 Posts |
Posted - 20 Feb 2006 : 17:26:00
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| Mr.Ebra,yes forooya is the political organ of PDOIS and it natural that it will rather sell the parties programmes than that of it`s adversaries.If any political party in the political history of the Gambia has been consistent with it`s political views and policies,no other party can match PDOIS`level of directness and open service to the people of Gambia regardless of political affiliation.They are composed of people with a lot political stamina and endurance otherwise they would long have given up based on such 20% statistics(Your refrence).The level of PDOIS`political approach is quite different to the usual lies,deception and lipservice politics as what obtains in the Gambia,theirs is base on enlightment and eventually informed choises.History am much convinced,will one day prove PDOIS right. |
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taalibeh
Gambia
336 Posts |
Posted - 20 Feb 2006 : 22:42:23
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Ebra, I think the reason for the low number of the popular votes that PDOIS is able to achieve is largely due to the "political maturity" of the electorate. A lot of people, in my opinion, find it a bit difficult to understand the party's language. PDOIS tries to educate the electorate about their rights as voters and the responsibility of a government entrusted with the power to run the affairs of the nation. I personally regard the party as a political university and any body that closely follows their speeches and articles will agree with me.
You will agree with me that in the Gambia a lot of the electorate cannot read or write and the means to constantly reach this brigate of the voters is very remote. This is because the government totally colonizes the public media. The resources to deploy to reach these voters are scarce. This leaves PDOIS and all other political parties with the choice of using their scarce resources only during election years to mobilize and try to reach this part of the electorate. While the government is constantly putting their canpaign messages to the electorate with distortion and smearing the other political parties.
Like during the run up to the Iraq war, the Americans were saying that if you want people to belief something, keep repeating it. This is why they mobilized their media to keep mentioning Iraq's possession of WMD. As a result the majority of the Western societies believed that rhetoric, which was false. Jawara used to utter slogans like PDOIS "doyady", meaning PDOIS is useless. This is a smear campaign that Jawara used and Yahya has followed in his foot steps. It is without doubt that PDOIS has educated a lot of people about politics who are now able to make a more informed political judgement now than ever before. Secondly it is easier for them now to produce and dessiminate their informations because of phenominons such as the internet although only limited to the educated and can access the web.
The other thing is that for instance in the Gambia people hardly change party allegence hence the perpetuity of governments. Once we experience a democratic change of government, through the ballot box, with all the prospects it brings then people will be more readily willing to switch party support. In this situation people will scrutinise the programmes of political parties and then make their choices based on these programmes. When this happens, I bet you will see PDOIS being elected into governments.
This is why I regreted when Darboe resigned from NADD. NADD could have delivered us the democratic change of government we craved for and establish the institutions that will facilitate a change of government by the electorate during elections.
I hope people will listen to PDOIS more attentively with greater understanding. In politics it could be disasterous if you make the wrong choice because the chance to rectify that mistake takes too long to come.
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Taalibeh |
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Ebra
Gambia
268 Posts |
Posted - 21 Feb 2006 : 00:02:03
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| I am a strong supporter of PDOIS, but I think they should review their political stratgey by going to the grassroot level. They ought to have representatives in all the villages in the country. These representatives will be able to convey their messages to the mass. Also PDOIS seems to be too western in politics which I think contributes to the low outcome. I am suggesting that it would be helpful if certain aspects are also put into consideration by having committees at various parts of the country. |
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Biraago
Gambia
173 Posts |
Posted - 21 Feb 2006 : 07:35:53
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I could'nt agree more with taalibeh and Ebra's witty analysis and clarifications. Bravo to you. You understand the whole predicament of our people.
As rightly put by Ebra, the PDOIS should do more of mass work. I know that they have changed now. They have engaged more people in their work. I can also understand them because many opportunists have infiltrated their ranks just to make a career or get the chance to be labeled government critic in order to leave the country and seek asylum using these credentials.
Nevertheless, there are many genuine Gambians who are supporting them. What they need and are doing now is to create a new generation of leaders with integrity and genuine engagement to the common cause of The Gambia and Africa.
Given the analysis of Taalibeh of our people's state of mind, we don't have to reduce the level of consciousness and understanding of the electorate to that of the predators who are after personal gain. Rather, we should drage ourselves into the future.
The situation is made worst by the self-seeking petty bourgeios intelectuals who don't wish the common people to be politically educated so that they can continue using them.
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Ebra
Gambia
268 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2006 : 07:02:33
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| Would it be nice to setup an organization to raise funds for PDOIS. This will really help in desiminating the party's programmes. |
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