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Karamba
United Kingdom
3820 Posts |
 Posted - 05 Feb 2009 : 20:00:36
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quote:
Originally posted by turk
Karamba
What is true?
Gambians are like that because of the president?
President is like that because of his gambianness?
Obviously the leader have impact on the people? But how much? Or the president is just telling what people like to hear?
Again, I don't really put a lots of weight on political leaders. They are reflection of the society, no?
I have this guy friend, lebanase who owns some retail business chain in gambia. We were in palma rima, and the craft salesman rasta insulted him in wolof thinking he was a toubab. The guy confronted him as the guy was speaking wolof fluently. (That was a shocking to me as many lebanases actually fluent in wolof)
Later on I have seen this guy who insulted us and have conversation. He told me every wrong things about this lebanases guy being rich, running good business, taking the money and stuff. I have experienced many incidents about very unfair critism for lebanases business. Further the small business owners of mauritians, guinue. Further, even african foreigner who don't have much money and work for the local business treated very bad especially by the police.
I am not sure if you blame on jammeh. That is really unfair to jammeh. He DOES NOT have any negative opinion of foreigners and the business. He supports them further he really appreciates the foreign investers/professionals I personally witness his humble attitude.
This is typical attitude in many places not only in Gambia. Nationalists in Austria blames immigrants too. The point is 'it is so easy to blame political leadership' but the issue is not simple that would be resolve easily. It requires social changes.
Turk,
There are several ways of looking at the big picture of situations in Gambia. The president having influence in a given context relates to how much the president makes certain vulgar yet politically charged public statements. In the case of Yaya, he is often heard thundering about "FOREIGNERS" (not my words please) taking over all the jobs. I agree with you that this talk about "FOREIGNERS" (again not my words) is not a nationalistic sentimental expression peculiar to Gambia. Some time ago British Prime Minister Gordon Brown made a public statement declaring his preferance of having "BRITISH WORK FOR BRITISH PEOPLE." It turned sour on him when this week workers in Lincolnshire took to the streets complaining about 'FOREIGN WORKERS' taking up a vital construction work in the area. That's how bad politically charged statements carry the explosive to backfire.
In Gambia, the president says things like that. One way some cunning business people like to exploit the situation is to play like they are PATRIOTS going by the presidential call of "Gambian work for Gambian people." (not publicly declared yet)
On the side of each is a matter of securing selfish economic interest amd if that goes like pleasing the president, then they feel like being the patriotic sons and daughters of the soil. A balance is hard to strike as to who carries and who are being carried. But, yes, there lies some amount of influence in the way the whole game is played.
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Karamba |
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