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Momodou
Denmark
11829 Posts |
 Posted - 04 Dec 2016 : 22:32:57
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Building A New Gambia
Refrain from Rumours and Reprisals and Unruly Behaviour
No. 1
This election is unique in the world. This is the first time an oppressed people under a brutal tyranny of 22 and a half years standing have bulldozed a dictator out of power not through a mass uprising or armed rebellion or coup d’état but through peaceful elections. Therefore Gambians must cherish this incredible achievement and protect it with all our lives and soul.
No. 2
No soldier has the capacity to stage a coup in the Gambia today. Gambians will stand up and crush any coup like cracking eggs for omelet. So let us stop spreading or believing any such hogwash about a coup. It is impossible. If any soldiers try, we the people are ready for them.
One thing is clear:
The Gallant Soldiers of the Gambia stand with this wave of freedom for the New Gambia. They have equally suffered. They have been humiliated. They have been made forced labourers and cattle herders and butchers against their will. So the rank and file of the army are with us the people. Always remember that. So be nice to our soldiers as our sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, aunts and uncles and our dear friends. Our soldiers are not thinking of a coup.
No. 3
The security of the nation still lies in the hands of Yaya Jammeh. He is the Commander in Chief and therefore let us demand that he takes control of the men and women of the Armed Forces. Let him order them back into the barracks and reduce the tension. The presence of heavily armed soldiers with sand bags mounted in strategic positions threatens security and fuels rumours. We did not have such military presence few days ago, why should we have it today. Let him tell us what he knows if there is any such plot.
No. 4
The problem of the Gambia over these 22 years is not a Mandinka or Wolof problem, Jola or Fula problem, Aku or Serer problem, Sarahuleh or Manjago problem, Karoninka or Mankange problem. It is also not a Muslim or Christian problem. It is not a Banjul or Basse problem or LRR or NBR problem.
Our problem has been Dictatorship. Period. And we have come together to solve the problem in the most amazing way the world has never seen before. So any Gambian who insults, attacks, mocks, rebukes or spit on any other Gambian on the basis of his or her ethnicity or religion or region, then you are no different from the Dictator. You are an unpatriotic, dishonest and criminal Gambian and you must be taken before a court of law to face justice. Reprisals, just like violations are cowardly. We do not need any reprisal.
Our people love each other and have lived with each other harmoniously as Aku, Serer, Fula, Mandinka, Jola, Wolof, Mankange, Manjago, Karoninka, and Sarahuleh. Let us not tolerate anyone to damage our cherished and harmonious cohabitation.
Remember: Yaya Jammeh is not the representative of the Jola or Fula or Mandinka or Wolof. His support cuts across all ethnic groups and his strongest supporters are Mandinka, Fula and Wolof, and not the Jola. So let us stop the nonsense. Sorry for my language in the interest of the Gambia!
No. 5
Do not destroy properties, public or private for political reasons. Let us be civil and contribute to peace building and respect for human rights. We have lot of work ahead and therefore all we need are cool heads and caring hearts.
Forward Ever. Backward Never.
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11829 Posts |
Posted - 06 Dec 2016 : 22:18:07
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Building A New Gambia by Madi Jobarteh
Lesson 2
How To Free Ourselves!
Freedom is first and foremost a mind thing. If your mind is not free, then your body is not free. The biggest weapon of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed. Steve Biko taught us that. This is why the first thing the dictator does is to control all of information and communication channels. This is why Yaya Jammeh controlled and monopolized GRTS, closed down media houses, jailed or chased out journalists and silenced all critiques. Patriotic journalists like Deyda Hydara were shot to death. The Dictator controls your mind in two ways.
The first weapon of a Dictator in controlling your mind is Violence. Through the use of violence such as using the security apparatus to arrest, detain, torture and kill or sack civil servants or close down businesses or seize people’s properties, the Dictator makes everyone afraid because no one wants pain or loss. This is how fear engulfs an oppressed people.
Second. The Dictator seeks to develop his own messages, which are then infiltrated into the minds of the people as the gospel truth. Thus the second weapon of the Dictator is Deception. The Dictator wants to make you believe that he can talk to God and he is in fact talking with God. He makes you believe that he is the source of all power. He makes you believe that he is invincible and no force on earth can do anything to him. Dictators are deceivers. Dictatorship is a Lie. It is built on illusion.
Gambians have proven that Violence and Deception do not last forever and in fact Dictators are weak. By voting out the Dictator, we have proven that indeed power belongs to the people. But still many of us are not free in our minds because of the long dictatorship experience. So long as we harbour fear and doubts and lack of sense of freedom, we cannot build the New Gambia.
How to defeat Violence and Deception and Build the New Gambia
Now that we have freedom, we have to start first freeing our minds in order to chase out fear and free our bodies so that we participate in the rebuilding of our nation.
Here are 10 steps:
1. Speak your mind, freely and anytime. Say it loud. In the market. In the taxi. In the street. At home. Anywhere publicly. Say NO Dictatorship Ever Again. In that way you free your soul and mind and you also empower those around you. Some are still dreaming and even doubting if it is true that we have freedom indeed. They need help to breathe freedom.
2. Write on social media. Speak your mind about everything in our country. Unedited. Let us control the narrative from today. No more Dictator messages.
3. Like and comment on all criticisms on social media. Non-stop.
4. Let the radio stations conduct phone-in discussion forums about anything on the Gambia. Call in and speak your mind. Criticize and condemn all wrongs. Share your expectations and what kind of Gambia you want.
5. Let us call on West Coast Radio, Paradise FM, Unique FM, Kora FM, Capital FM, Taranga FM, Star FM, GRTS and the rest of the radio stations to start public discussion programs as the media do in Senegal.
6. Organize events to discuss our issues. As youths, women, farmers, teachers, nurses, etc. Organize meetings and discuss the kind of Gambia you want and what you want the new government to do or not to do. For example, I do not want to see Adama Barrow’s convoy with heavily armed soldiers and speeding at 300km per hour through our villages and towns and throwing biscuits to our people like they are animals. That is disrespectful.
7. Put on your Adama Barrow or Mama Kandeh t-shirt and go to work or to the market or stroll around town. You are free. This is your God given country. Own it or someone will take it away from you.
8. Believe and stand by it that you will not allow anyone to derail this freedom and you are prepared to protect the freedom we have. We had enough of it!
9. Believe that Dictators are weak, fragile and cowardly. They cannot do anything without the help of the people. Remove your support from the Dictator by freeing your mind.
10. Just say to yourself, Thank God Yaya Jammeh is Out. Bilaye. Wolaye. Talaye.
Gambians. Be vigilant and protect this freedom. Never ever underrate the power and determination of counter-revolutionaries. Remember Egypt. After the masses succeeded to remove the Tyrant Mubarak, counter-revolutionaries came through the back door to take over and send them back to military rule. We can only prevent that in the Gambia if we start to think, speak, eat, drink, sleep, dance, sing and act Freedom.
Say No To Revenge or Reprisals. Say No to Violence. Say Not To Coup.
Free Your Mind. Free Your Body. Free The Gambia. |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11829 Posts |
Posted - 06 Dec 2016 : 22:19:20
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Building A New Gambia No.3 by Madi Jobarteh
Refrain from Rumours and Reprisals and Unruly Behaviour
No.1
This election is unique in the world. This is the first time an oppressed people under a brutal tyranny of 22 and a half years standing have bulldozed a dictator out of power not through a mass uprising or armed rebellion or coup d’état but through peaceful elections. Therefore Gambians must cherish this incredible achievement and protect it with all our lives and soul.
No. 2
No soldier has the capacity to stage a coup in the Gambia today. Gambians will stand up and crush any coup like cracking eggs for omelet. So let us stop spreading or believing any such hogwash about a coup. It is impossible. If any soldiers try, we the people are ready for them.
One thing is clear:
The Gallant Soldiers of the Gambia stand with this wave of freedom for the New Gambia. They have equally suffered. They have been humiliated. They have been made forced labourers and cattle herders and butchers against their will. So the rank and file of the army are with us the people. Always remember that. So be nice to our soldiers as our sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, aunts and uncles and our dear friends. Our soldiers are not thinking of a coup.
No. 3
The security of the nation still lies in the hands of Yaya Jammeh. He is the Commander in Chief and therefore let us demand that he takes control of the men and women of the Armed Forces. Let him order them back into the barracks and reduce the tension. The presence of heavily armed soldiers with sand bags mounted in strategic positions threatens security and fuels rumours. We did not have such military presence few days ago, why should we have it today. Let him tell us what he knows if there is any such plot.
No. 4
The problem of the Gambia over these 22 years is not a Mandinka or Wolof problem, Jola or Fula problem, Aku or Serer problem, Sarahuleh or Manjago problem, Karoninka or Mankange problem. It is also not a Muslim or Christian problem. It is not a Banjul or Basse problem or LRR or NBR problem.
Our problem has been Dictatorship. Period. And we have come together to solve the problem in the most amazing way the world has never seen before. So any Gambian who insults, attacks, mocks, rebukes or spit on any other Gambian on the basis of his or her ethnicity or religion or region, then you are no different from the Dictator. You are an unpatriotic, dishonest and criminal Gambian and you must be taken before a court of law to face justice. Reprisals, just like violations are cowardly. We do not need any reprisal.
Our people love each other and have lived with each other harmoniously as Aku, Serer, Fula, Mandinka, Jola, Wolof, Mankange, Manjago, Karoninka, and Sarahuleh. Let us not tolerate anyone to damage our cherished and harmonious cohabitation.
Remember: Yaya Jammeh is not the representative of the Jola or Fula or Mandinka or Wolof. His support cuts across all ethnic groups and his strongest supporters are Mandinka, Fula and Wolof, and not the Jola. So let us stop the nonsense. Sorry for my language in the interest of the Gambia!
No. 5
Do not destroy properties, public or private for political reasons. Let us be civil and contribute to peace building and respect for human rights. We have lot of work ahead and therefore all we need are cool heads and caring hearts.
Forward Ever. Backward Never. |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11829 Posts |
Posted - 06 Dec 2016 : 22:19:53
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New Gambia No 4. by Madi Jobarteh
Building A Cabinet
The Gambia faces both a promising and an uncertain future at the same time as we prepare to usher in the administration of Adama Barrow. We face a promise because of the incredible enthusiasm and determination of our people demonstrated in this election in which we managed to peacefully save a nation from the brink of violent conflict. That enthusiasm and determination come against the backdrop of a longstanding brutal dictatorship for which the people were determined to crush to and never to rise again. It is safe to say indeed that the people now want to transition from dictatorship to democracy. The people are looking up to a leadership in which they have entrusted so much confidence. At the same time the people have huge expectations, which can only be measured against the huge damage that has been inflicted on the nation over the years.
It is in view of both these huge expectation on one hand and the damage caused on the other that we also face incredible amount of uncertainty. That is, how well the new leadership would be able to mobilize and organize this incredible energy of the people and manage their expectations such that we are seen to utilize every opportunity efficiently and effectively. This is a delicate exercise, which requires the full and active participation of the people on the one hand. On the other hand, it also requires leadership that is full of wisdom, smartness and strategy. Thus there is the need to balance the hunger of the people for solutions and real change in their lives with the effectiveness of the leaders to make the right choices and deliver promptly. This is no easy task.
In my view, the key to this balance, to enable us to harness the opportunities and fulfill the promise and therefore prevent the uncertainty lie in the kind of administration that Mr. Barrow and the coalition will create. Essentially, it is about what kind of Executive he will compose such that if it contains the right people, there is every opportunity for them to fulfill that promise. Failure to do that then we risk spiraling into everything except democracy. Let us bear in mind that just because a country emerged from dictatorship does not mean it could not go back to it again pretty soon. Uganda is one classic example where one dictatorship under Idi Amin came to be replaced by another dictatorship under Yoweri Museveni from 1986 to date. The Cabinet of Adama Barrow is therefore the key.
What kind of Cabinet?
For his Cabinet, I would suggest that Mr. Barrow and the Coalition consider bringing in individuals who are not politicians, but experts who have the scope and experience of policy and development with an international touch. We need a set of smart and progressive technocrats with the scope and capacity to create the necessary tools, be they policies, laws, institutions and processes that will modernize our governance system and the economy. For example in bringing the economy anywhere near viable, it is urgent we review the necessary laws and policies, i.e.to change, abolish or create new ones altogether. It will be those laws and policies that will come to strengthen our institutions and processes, which will feed into strengthening our macroeconomic fundamentals. These are about the interest rates, which must be set at levels to enable local entrepreneurs to access credit and make profit from their investments while at the same time enabling the banks to conveniently recoup their loans. It also means looking at our tax laws because currently the Gambia has one of the highest total tax rates in the world. While taxes are an indispensable source of revenue for government, yet high taxes also stifle the economy as it breaks the backs of potential entrepreneurs and investors, and causes rise in cost of doing business hence raise prices without the requisite profits. Also we need new policy makers and economic thinkers who realize that government borrowing kills the economy, as is the case in the Gambia now. Our domestic debt is already more than 900 million dalasi per annum. This is not sustainable as it also eats into our external reserves, which are currently less than two months secure. Above all we need to wipe out corruption, inculcate a culture of efficiency on the basis of transparency and accountability. Thus given the juncture at which the nation is, the least distraction it needs is to have a Cabinet saturated with partisan politicians. We need smart technocrats.
As a three-year transition regime, I am of the view that Barrow’s main pre-occupation should be to conduct constitutional, legal and institutional reforms in order to cleanse our governance environment to ensure level playing polity. In this process he would have also strengthened public and democratic institutions and processes, which would enhance efficiency, transparency, accountability and performance of the state to ensure quality service delivery and revitalization of the economy. When he includes the career politicians in the Cabinet the tendency is to give rise to political jockeying in which these politicians would be repositioning themselves and for their parties in preparation for the 2019 elections. Consequently, the urgent task to transition from dictatorship to democracy will be severely weakened hence we would have missed the great promise of ushering in a new viable democratic third republic. It is typical of politicians to always seek to promote their political objectives by any means. Hence in this transition period, we do not wish partisan issues to derail or delay the nation from conducting an overhaul of the vestiges of dictatorship totally in order to create a new society.
New Role for Politicians
Therefore, I would suggest that members of the Coalition as politicians should have a new role in the transition period, which would enable them to help the nation build stronger foundations for democracy, civic empowerment and popular participation. Thus I would suggest that the new administration consider creating what I would call ’Council of State’. This is going to be an institution in which I foresee it having members like Ousainou Darboe, Fatoumatta Tambajang, Isatou Touray, Omar Jallow, Hamat Bah, Halifa Sallah, Sidia Jatta, Bolong Bojang, Mai Fatty, Hendry Gomez and Mama Kandeh among others. The Council of State would be a transitional institution, which shall serve as the conscience of the nation. It shall play an advisory and social mobilization role for the promotion of republican values and civic education. This is necessary to build the culture of democracy and develop and strengthen the sense of sovereignty of the people. At the same time it will be an instrument that will provide the necessary guidance to the new government especially given the arduous task of cleansing the ship of state after so much damage by the dictatorship.
We must bear in mind that the transition period would have to establish some commissions of enquiry to bring out the truth of the dictatorship and ensure justice. In countries where such endeavors were undertaken, it sometimes generates some vibrations for which independent, respected and recognized personalities and voices are necessary to calm the waters. While it is true that there has been so much pain over the years, yet in the urge to correct the wrongs, we cannot afford to burn the country. We need some voices, institutions and personalities to serve that role of pacifiers, mediators and confidence and assurance builders that would calm down everyone until we reach our objectives. This is where these seasoned politicians would become quite useful as they play the role of the elders of the society.
At the end of the day, we have every opportunity to usher in a new democratic society. We have the capacity. There are hundreds of competent Gambians at home and abroad with the requisite capability who should be in the Cabinet to steer this nation to safer shores. We also have many wise personalities who should rise above partisan politics by now to focus on the wider national goal of moulding this nation into a beacon of democracy, further cement national cohesion and reconciliation. They should be in the Council of State.
Finally, Mr. Adama Barrow must bear in mind that it is also his own personal legacy he is now building. He is taking leadership at a very delicate time in a society that is just emerging from a brutal experience and severely impoverished. Not only did AFPRC/APRC damage our institutions but this regime also polluted moral values and undermined the social cohesion of our society while inculcated a shameless culture of corruption and dishonesty. Hence Barrow will receive all sorts of individuals and proposals some of whose sole purpose is to secure their own selfish interests because we cannot change attitudes immediately. Therefore he must shield himself from any bias, control and influence from any quarter but to stand his ground to ensure that he pursues only the best interest of the Gambia knowing full well he has very limited time. He has only three years to make or break the Gambia. If he allows parties and individuals to misdirect him and the state of ship crumbles down, all of these stakeholders will wash their hands off and point to him as the man in charge. In that case Gambians and history will judge him as the man who messed up a historic opportunity and failed his promise to his people. He must bear these in mind. He must look beyond the coalition and seek more information and engagements with all Gambians in order to enable him make the right choices and take the right actions. Failure to provide the leadership we deserve, rest assured Gambians would never forgive him until the end of time. At least I will not forgive him as I will not ever forgive Yaya Jammeh.
For the rest of us as common citizens, our role must be to stand for our country. To share our ideas with each other and to let the leaders know that we cannot accept anything les than success, unity and national development under a democratic dispensation. We must shun all ideas and practices that will bring back dictatorship, but to stand together to support the new administration in doing the right thing. We must be prepared to criticize them where they go wrong and applaud them to continue where they go right. We must change our perception and approach to leadership and governance to realize that Allah or God is not making decisions here; rather it is you and me who are making the choices. Every choice, good or bad has a consequence, good or bad. If we fail to play our role, Adama Barrow will fail, and if he fails, the Gambia will fail. But if we succeed in standing for our country and giving Adama the necessary support, and he also opens up to that genuine support, he will succeed. And if he succeeds, we succeed.
Forward Ever. Backward Never. |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11829 Posts |
Posted - 08 Dec 2016 : 18:44:05
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Building the New Gambia
By Madi Jobarteh
Role of the Young People
Young people of the Gambia, now is your time. The time has come for you to fulfill your responsibilities to your people and to yourselves. I am speaking about the young people below the age of 30. For the most part of your life, you have been denied to effectively express and meaningfully contribute your quota to national development, as you should because of the Dictatorship.
You were eight years old when full-blown Dictatorship germinated in our society. In the past 22 years, as you grew up in both physique and cognition, you know of only one narrative. A narrative that distorts reality and generates illusion; a make-belief of a drama of lies and calumny. A narrative that epitomizes a single person who has been projected as the alpha and omega of our society. One person who has been said to be the rainmaker, the bridge builder, the defender of the Faith, the best farmer, the medical myth buster, the bravest, the smartest, the peacemaker, the defender of Africa and the conqueror of the White Man, the best leader ever to emerge in our motherland, the one and only Yaya Jammeh, Ya Nasurudeen, the Babili Mansa! Behind all of these false accolades, the incontrovertible facts are that he is the world’s most immoral, clueless and crudest Misleader. He is the worst that any nation could wish for and have.
As typical of Dictatorship, the reality and its truth are always suspended and then distorted to make white, black and make black, white. To subject a person therefore to Dictatorship in itself is a crime that has no boundaries. It is a crime because Dictatorship looks at you in the face and grips your mind, faith and truth and turns them upside down, inside out and then slams falsehood into your brain and heart as gospel. Dictatorship destroys one’s faith in God and country and damages the very values and standards without which one cannot be called a decent, dignified and sovereign human being who is an embodiment of self-esteem. Dictatorship misinforms, miseducates, misleads and disorganizes a person and a people against their own individual and collective self-interests. Dictatorship strengthens its deceptive nature with violence to inject fear and cynicism into you such that you either resign to become a tool for the Dictator or you flee away from the Dictator by either leaving your country or remain in perpetual silence, sorrow and anger. To live in an environment of Dictatorship is itself torturous, inhuman and degrading even if you are on your bed in your bedroom. Dictatorship is a cancer. This was the environment in which you grew up.
Many of you may still be in doubt of this freedom. In fact many of you may still be asking how does freedom feel like or look like because you were never socialized and nurtured in an environment of freedom. And if it is true that one’s environment is one of the major factors that shapes one’s experience and outlook of life, then we can conclude that our young people have no idea about freedom. They know only oppression and exploitation due to Dictatorship. Hence it is urgent that our young people redeem themselves – body, mind and soul in order for them to live and breathe freedom to be able to reposition themselves to better contribute to national advancement.
In redeeming yourselves, young people must know and understand the past first in order to understand the present to be able to carve out a future for their society and themselves. Without the knowledge of the past, it is like a tree without roots. Knowledge of the past and your experience is what prepares you to know your responsibility and assume the leadership role that is required of you to fulfill, otherwise you shall continue to be a tool to be used and misused and then discarded in the dustbin of history.
That young people have been the leading casualties of this Dictatorship is clear as noonday. We all recall the torture, maiming and massacre of several school children on April 10 and 11 in the year 2000. We recall the rape of the schoolgirl and the beating to death of the schoolboy that sparked that peaceful demonstration turned violent by the Dictator. In the commission of inquiry held over the incident, it came to light that the Dictator Yaya Jammeh gave the orders to the paramilitary forces to shoot. Yet Isatou Njie Saidy, a despicable tool of the Dictator, without shame or fear said firing come out from among the school children. Yet until today no one has been apprehended for being the shooter among the children, but the Dictator and his disgraceful parliamentarians at the time went ahead to pass a law to protect the murderers of our children.
We have seen the lack of opportunities and the exploitative programs that young people have been subjected to. Young people were the Green Boys and Green Girls, a whole generation misused and abused as singing and dancing slaves without remorse to the satisfaction of the Dictator. Young People as students from our various educational institutions from primary to tertiary level as well as from our villages and towns have been used as farm labourers in Kanilai and the many other ill-gotten farms of the Dictator. Hollow slogans such as ‘Eat What You Grow, Grow What You Eat’ were bombarded on our youth to make-belief that there was indeed a national crusade for food self-sufficiency. Coupled with another illegitimate slogan, ‘Operation Feed the Nation’ was propagated as a genuine national program when in actual fact these farms and gardens and their produce belonged only to the Dictator who continues to make himself richer at the detriment of the youth while the masses get poorer and more hungry. Dishonest policy makers and technocrats allowed themselves to become pawns as they promote the biggest lie of the century, ‘Vision 2016’ that by the end of the year there will be no importation of rice. Shame on them!
We have also seen how joblessness, voicelessness and powerlessness characterize the lot of our young people to the point that the Gambia has become the second country in Africa after Eritrea with the highest number of its young people embarking on illegal migration. Lack of hope and liberty has forced thousands into dangerous journeys across the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea to seek better lives and freedom in Europe. Hundreds of our young people have perished in those journeys while many more hundreds are in camps in Libya, Italy, Malta, Spain and other European nations in difficult conditions. Yet at home, despite the high sounding yet hollow slogans and fanciful programs of the Dictator, the fact remains that youth related initiatives, institutions and programs are under funded and lacking in priority. The Ministry of Youth is the least funded ministry, while the NYSS, GTTI, PIA, NEDI and NYC are continuously starved of resources, constrained and neglected. One is always appalled at the dilapidation of these institutions when you visit their hapless offices. Even where you held your biennial NAYCONF, your recommendations could not go any further but treated with contemptible disregard, while you had no freedom to vigorously advocate and hold to account the relevant stakeholders.
Young people must not forget the uncountable harassments, denials, arbitrary arrests, detention and enforced disappearances as journalists, students, and youth activists. We can remember some popular victims. Omar Barrow. Chief Ebrima Manneh. Sait Matty Jaw. Minah Manneh. Baboucarr Ceesay. Abukakarr Saidykhan. Killa Ace. Just to name a few of young people who have been hunted down by the regime.
Sadly, just across the border in Senegal, where young people are the beacons of hope and progress in their societies; leading and inventing ideas and initiatives, in the Gambia our young people can only define themselves when they flee out of our motherland. Every day and night, our young people are amazed at the wonders of the youth of Senegal as we watch them on TFM, Walf, 2sTV, Sen TV and many more places where they show their talent such as at the National Theatre or Daniel Sorano or in programs like ‘Sen Petit Galle’. Our young musicians can only break grounds if they team up with their Senegalese counterparts. This is all because the Dictator has closed the environment so much so that no independent private initiative could flourish unless it is centred on the Dictator to be praised and exalted as the pharaoh. Yet in Senegal, the young musicians can criticize their president and yet make even more sales of their records, with fear.
As it is with our musicians, journalists, and activists, so it is with our young entrepreneurs. Gambia has uncountable enterprising young people who have the capacity to initiate and produce great ideas and businesses. Yet our young entrepreneurs could not create a niche for themselves because of the towering figure of a pharaoh who wants everything only for himself at the detriment of the country. Thus instead of creating and supporting youth related institutions and programs with the right resources and guidance, the Dictator rather created uncountable platforms of waste and vanity such as open air parties and festivals in Kanilai, or at McCarthy Square illegally renamed July 22 Square and on the beaches to waste away the lives and future of young people.
These and many other unfortunate incidents have been the life of the youth in the Gambia over the past 22 years. On December 1, we gained freedom. What are you going to do about it?
I have lived half of my life under Dictatorship. When I am supposed to be in my prime, I could not contribute because I do not have the freedom and space to be independent and radical in my thoughts and initiatives. The barrier has been the Dictator. Thus many of my generation either had to flee their motherland or succumb to become abettors for the Dictator. Yet few of us remained to speak out as much as we could or keep quiet in order to torment ourselves with anger and sorrow. Yet some brave ones stood up at the cost of their lives such as Solo Sandeng. I cannot count, how many times I had to bite and pinch myself for the stupidity and falsehood that were perpetuated daily in our society. On many occasions, I had even questioned whether Allah truly exists or whether I was not suffering from mental imbalance because I could not reconcile the imbecility I see in my society with what truth and God represent. Truly, Dictatorship can disorient a person!
As we usher in this new freedom, let the young people who were 8 years old in 1994 when the tyranny began, stand up to ensure that never should they allow another tyranny to spring up. Young people must see themselves as not only the leaders of tomorrow, but also as the leaders of today. Young people form the majority of our society. Never should you allow your children to grow up in tyranny. Tyranny makes a people immoral, dishonest, unpatriotic, and turns them into liars and thieves yet in their dishonesty and thievery, they celebrate the Dictator without shame while embellishing the untruth as the truth. Be responsible, patriotic and honest.
Organize yourselves into discussion groups, organizations, and movements. Strengthen your existing groups and activities. Get interested in what Pres. Adama Barrow and his government will say or do not say. Watch what he does or does not do. Be prepared to demonstrate peacefully, to monitor and to speak out on all and anything that you feel is not going in the interest of the nation and young people in particular. To get organized, you must have a mission first. To have a mission you must be enlightened first. You have every opportunity to be informed and organized. The Internet alone has made accessibility to diverse sources of information possible. It was Frantz Fanon who said that each generation must discover its mission, to fulfill or betray. Young people of the Gambia, have you discovered your mission? Are you prepared to fulfill or betray that mission? Yesterday, Dictatorship might have denied you to discover your mission much more fulfill it. Today, that is not the case. There is no more any excuse.
My message to you is to remember that in every society under tyranny, the biggest victims and losers are always young people. They are victims and losers because their energies, talents and ideas are constrained, misused, exploited and stolen from them. They are victims and losers because they miss out several years in their age that they cannot get back. I am a victim. My generation and I have lost 22 and half years of the primetime of our lives without being able to impact on our society, as we should have. Imagine at the age of 23 when I completed university and returned home, if I had found in place a free society, I would have contributed far more immensely to the Gambia’s development than has been the case. Thus if you are a young person, consider that for a moment and realize that if you fail to stand up for your freedom and for a free, open and just Gambia you will also become a lost generation to another tyranny. Never allow that.
Young People of the Gambia, Arise.
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11829 Posts |
Posted - 12 Dec 2016 : 14:35:30
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By Madi Jobarteh
Building The New Gambia
Statement by Mai Ahmed Fatty on behalf of President-Elect Adama Barrow
Yesterday, the APRC announced on GRTS, its intention to file a petition in court to challenge the result of the December 1st Presidential election.
In that statement the APRC stated that the previous statement by the outgoing President was a prelude to the proposed court action.
President- Elect Adama Barrow and the Coalition hereby unequivocally reject the implied notion that President Yahya Jammeh misspoke or made a mistake in his statement.
President Jammeh’s intentions were crystal clear. There was no ambiguity in what he said. He rejected the results of the election and declared them null and void. He also announced that new election be held under the auspices of a new IEC. We therefore dismiss the attempt to legitimise the illegal action of the outgoing President an even the idea that this actions are capable of being legitimised.
Any [petition filed in court will be a further demonstration that the outgoing President and his Party have no respect or regard for the Gambian People, are bent on ignoring their aspiration, an on undermining the transition process. The Gambian people should know that there is no Supreme Court at this point in The Gambia and that there has not been one for one year.
We do not recognize that the outgoing President has the constitutional authority, in the last days of his Presidency, to appoint any Supreme Court judge in The Gambia for the purpose of receiving his petition.
We reiterate the call of the international community, in particular and United Nations Security Council, ECOWAS and the AU, and demand that outgoing President Jammeh immediately steep down and handover power.
We also call on the APRC to prevail on their Secretary General, the outgoing President, to respect the outcome of the election and to refrain from any futile attempt to further subvert the Gambian people’s yearning for true democracy.
The APRC must also immediately stop inciting division and spreading false rumours about non-existence partisan and tribal violence.
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11829 Posts |
Posted - 12 Dec 2016 : 14:40:02
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By Madi Jobarteh
Building The New Gambia
Pan African Lawyers’ Union (PALU)
Statement on the situation in The Republic of The Gambia
The Pan African Lawyers’ Union (PALU) congratulates the people of The Republic of The Gambia for holding free, fair, credible and orderly elections on 1st December 2016, and for maintaining peace, law and order throughout the election period to date. We also applaud the conduct of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of The Gambia, in the electoral process, including promptly announcing the results of the elections on 2nd December 2016, as well as courageously announcing and correcting errors that may have occurred during the process. We also acknowledge the timely concession of the outgoing President, Mr. Yahya Jammeh, which was broadcast live on television and watched by the entire international community.
We strongly condemn the belated attempt by the outgoing President, Mr. Yahya Jammeh, purporting to cancel the election results and giving indications that he would challenge the results in the Supreme Court and/ or reconstitute the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) for purposes of a fresh Presidential election. We highlight that it is not the role of any candidate to officially declare or cancel election results and/ or constitute the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). We have held extensive consultations with the legal profession and civil society in The Gambia and in Western Africa, and established that the Supreme Court of the Gambia is currently not constituted and further that its recent conduct has lost it credibility and legitimacy in the country and in the region. In any case, the incumbent cannot now single-handedly constitute a Court to hear his own electoral petition.
We support the statements already issued by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) which point out that outgoing President Yahya Jammeh’s actions are a violation of the Constitution and laws of The Republic of The Gambia and West Africa..
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11829 Posts |
Posted - 12 Dec 2016 : 15:01:16
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Building The New Gambia
Understanding Civil Disobedience
Civil Disobedience is not Violence. It is not illegal. It is not one action.
Civil Disobedience is an act of Freedom of Expression which is protected by our constitution in Section 25A as well as an expression of Freedom of Thought and Conscience under Section 25B, and also an expression of Freedom of Assembly and Peaceful Demonstration under Section 25D and Freedom of Association under Section 25E and Freedom to Petition the Executive under Section 25F. All these are entrenched clauses under our 1997 Constitution. They are our fundamental rights and freedoms under Chapter 4 of our constitution. Civil Disobedience is also an act of holding leaders to account and defending our constitution, which is protected by our constitution under Section 6.
Civil Disobedience comprises many different kinds of actions to show your disagreement and to stand for a position. Civil Disobedience is a nonviolent, peaceful and democratic process and action.
Here are some Civil Disobedient Actions
1. Put a statement on your Facebook wall – e.g. Adama Barrow is my President.
2. Share the statement on whatsapp groups, etc
3. Create a hashtag on twitter: e.g. #BarrowforPresident / #JammehJippo / #YayaWachal
4. Tie White Bands on your wrist or head everyday everywhere every time
5. Carry the national flag everyday everywhere every time
6. Stay at home from work and school and business
7. Sing the national anthem in groups and individually everyday everywhere every time
8. Organize musical concerts with messages
9. Distribute flyers and posters with messages
10. Organize a marathon
11. Organize a street parade
12. Put on black or blue or red shirt or scarf or hat, whatever
13. Create a specific style of handshake
14. Create a specific type of waving your hand
15. Create a specific kind of whistle
16. Create a specific kind of nickname such as ‘New Gambian’ Gambia bu bess’ ‘Domi Gambia’ Gambia Kuto’ ‘Gambia Dinkendo’
17. Create a Slogan: e.g. ‘Barrow is My President’ – ‘Jammeh Jippo’
18. Put on your Adama Barrow T-shirt everyday
19. Imams and priests to use their pulpits to preach democracy, freedom, unity and change every Friday and Sunday
20. Radio stations to play the national anthem every top of the hour
Now that Mr. Adama Barrow has delivered his strongest statement through Mai Fatty against the illegal attempt to subvert the will of the people, the Coalition must back this with direct positive civil disobedience action. The international community must be engaged vigorously from now on. Direct request must be made by Adama Barrow to meet Outgoing Pres. Yaya Jammeh to ask for the specific date of the hand over and the necessary preparations.
Forward with the Gambia
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11829 Posts |
Posted - 14 Dec 2016 : 12:25:43
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Building The New Gambia
By Madi Jobarteh
We Should Be Angry!
On that infamous day of 22 July 1994, without our invitation or our permission, Yaya Jammeh, Sana Sabally, Edward Singhateh, Sadibou Hydara and Yankuba Touray rudely intruded into our democratic space to oust the democratically elected government of Dawda Jawara. They claimed that government was corrupt and then instituted their infamous AFPRC and called themselves ‘Soldiers with a difference’ when in fact they are ‘Soldiers of the Worse Kind’. They added two minions, Ebou Jallow and Lamin Kabba Bajo onto their illegal Council. Since then they paraded the length and breadth of this country hypocritically trumpeting the slogans – Transparency, Accountability and Probity.
True to our nature, our people gave them the necessary support. Where they called, we turned out in multitudes. Our elders, fathers and mothers, and our youth answered to each and every one of their calls in fulfillment of our duty to national service. We worked for them and sang their praises. Our people gave them all the support and space they need to fulfill their so-called program of rectification.
Since 1996, at every election, Yaya Jammeh won and we celebrated and lived with him. Yet he unleashed a reign of terror on our people without provocation. Each and every right that is spelt out in our constitution, he damaged with impunity. Each and every rule in our constitution, he flouted with impunity. Each and every life in the Gambia, he threatened with impunity. Each and every butut in our coffers, he stole with impunity. Each and every public institution, he personalized with impunity. Each and every ethnic group, he insulted with impunity. Each and every Gambian citizen, he disrespected with impunity. For two damn decades!
Yet when we endure all of these for 22 odd years, now that we have voted Yaya Jammeh out, he refuses to leave power. What does Yaya Jammeh think of us, as Gambians? How could we allow one citizen, who has never contributed anything whatsoever in his entire life to the Gambia, and got everything from us continue to disrespect us? Why should leaders of the region spend public resources to come all the way to Banjul to ask one single citizen to respect his own people? Why should the entirety of our citizens, as individuals and groups demand one single individual to step aside yet he refuses when he has clearly, fair and square lost an election? How much money has been spent on this election alone yet Yaya Jammeh wants to waste our money, our time, our energy and our progress and life only for his selfish interest.
Is this the patriotism and leadership, we deserve? Each and every Gambian must be angry that Yaya Jammeh continues to disrespect us. It is absolutely clear that this man has no love and care for the Gambia and her people. Over the 22 years, he has played with God and Country in front of our own eyes as he perpetuates vanity and waste and personalizes not only our public wealth and interferes with state institutions, but he has fundamentally destroyed Gambian rights and lives with impunity.
We the people of the Gambia must give Yaya Jammeh an ultimatum to step down. Now. He has crossed the red line and any Gambian worth your name and a legitimate son and daughter of the land must demand that Yaya Jammeh steps down immediately. We must not allow one single citizen to disrespect, ridicule, disregard and destroy our rights and life and our country.
The time for each and every Gambian to take a definitive stand is now. Civil Servant. Youth. Woman. Child. Man. Farmer. Teacher. Doctor. Engineer. Businessman. Businesswoman. Carpenter. Plumber. Development worker. Governor. Chief. Alkalo. Soldier. Prison Warden. Electrician. Mason. Labourer. Lawyer. Magistrate. Judge. National Assembly Member. Police Officer. Customs Officer. NIA Officer. Prisoner. Politician. Student. Doctor. Journalist. Welder. Sportsman. Sportswoman. Young. Old.
We must intensify civil disobedience.
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11829 Posts |
Posted - 19 Dec 2016 : 11:28:19
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Building The New Gambia
STATEMENT BY H.E. PRESIDENT ELECT ADAMA BARROW
18th DECEMBER 2016
A Government is recognized by states and peoples in Africa today because of Constitutional legitimacy. The Constitution of the Gambia states that the Authority to govern in the Gambia must be derived from the votes cast by the Gambian people. On the 1st December 2016 the Sovereign Gambian people had their say. On 2nd December 2016 the IEC gave its verdict. All the contestants agreed that I am the chosen President of the Republic of the Gambia.
The decision of the incumbent to change his earlier decision to accept the results and ensure smooth and peaceful hand over of Executive power came by surprise. His Decision to reject the results has given rise to national and international reaction against his change of heart.
My position as President Elect and that of Coalition 2016 is clear. Section 63 Subsection 2 of the Constitution orders that I assume Office on the day the term of Office of Outgoing President Jammeh expires. He assumed office on 19th January 2012. His term expires in January 2017, after serving Five years, as provided by the Constitution.
We therefore hold that outgoing President Jammeh is the lawful President of The Gambia until his term expires in January 2017. On the day his term expires my term, as the lawful President of The Gambia, begins. This is the law of the land. My status as Incoming President has unquestionable Constitutional legitimacy. I am therefore preparing to assume office after Outgoing President Jammeh’s term expires in January and the team for the inauguration is at work. This is what I told the Gambian people in particular and the International Community at large.
Today, I wish to take this opportunity to inform the Nation that the Constitutional legitimacy of my status as an Incoming President has been endorsed at home and abroad.
At home, Civil Society groups in large numbers are endorsing the results of the Elections and are calling on the incumbent not to obstruct the smooth transfer of Executive power. They are the Gambia Bar Association, Medical and Dental Association of The Gambia (MDAG), Gambia Labour Congress, Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA), Initiative for the Promotion of Democracy and Good-Governance (IPDG), Gambia National Trade Union Congress, Gambia Press Union, University of The Gambia Faculty And Staff Association (UTGFSA), Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), National Youth Council, National Youth Parliament, Gambia Association of Public Health Officers (GAPHO), Civil Society Coalition (CSO) on Elections – The Gambia, The Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (TANGO), Female Lawyers Association Gambia (FLAG), Musicians' Union of the Gambia, Gambia Association of Music Producers And Promoters, African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ADHRS), National Association of Gambia Nurses and Midwives (NAGNM) and Think Young Women. The list continues to grow by the day to confirm the resolution of Gambians in ensuring that the Democratic process and outcome are not derailed by undemocratic means. These initiatives have confirmed the internal legitimacy of my Incoming Presidency. Those who do their national duty do not want to be thanked but I must commend them for defending the Constitution and the Sovereignty of the people.
Externally, the ECOWAS Heads of State deployed a High-level Mission of Heads of State to The Gambia on 13th December 2016 to review the political situation with all stakeholders. The delegation comprised Her Excellency Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, President of Liberia and Chairperson of the Authority, H.E. Muhammadu Buhari, President of Nigeria, H.E. Ernest Bai Koroma, President of Sierra Leone, and H.E. John Dramani Mahama, President of Ghana. They are now calling on Outgoing President Yahya Jammeh to accept the results of the polls and refrain from any action likely to compromise the transition and peaceful transfer of power to me as President-elect.
They are also calling for my safety and protection to be guaranteed as requested by The Coalition. They also concurred with the Coalition‘s position that I should be sworn in on the day the term of office of the Outgoing President expires in conformity with the Gambian Constitution and promised to grace the occasion in their numbers.
In pursuance of peace and reconciliation, they selected a duo to mediate. His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, President and Commander in Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, will serve as the Mediator in the Gambia and His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, shall serve as Co-Chair. They also requested for AU and the UN endorsement of all decisions made and invited their collaboration to implement them.
Prior to this landmark initiative by the Heads of State of ECOWAS, I did receive endorsement from the President of the ECOWAS Commission, the Chairperson of the AU Commission, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General to West Africa and the Sahel, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini, EU Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Chair of The ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, Senegal's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mankeur Ndiaye, US State Department, West African Civil Society Forum (WACSOF). The list keeps on increasing to confirm the external legitimacy of my status as President Elect.
In the spirit of National reconciliation, I still wish to call on Outgoing President Jammeh to accept his status in good faith and facilitate a smooth transfer of power. This is what is in line with the National interest which he has sworn to uphold and defend under the Constitution. In the letter and spirit of our National Anthem, Gambians want to live in unity, freedom and peace each day. For their sake let the doors be open to ensure a peaceful transfer of Executive power.
The end
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11829 Posts |
Posted - 20 Dec 2016 : 18:33:14
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By Madi Jobarteh
Building The New Gambia
Civil Society Meet with President-Elect Adama Barrow
Members of the Gambia Civil Society Organizations today made a courtesy call on the President-elect Adama Barrow. Led by TANGO, the members had fruitful discussion with the new leadership and vowed to continue the engagement in the new dispensation.
In preparation of the meeting, TANGO prepared discussion points on a wide range of national issues. Find below the issues, which are for all to carry and engage with in building the New Gambia.
Discussion Points
1. The formation of the cabinet must include Gambians of the right expertise and experience who could drive the unity government to meet its objectives. The country requires a democratic dispensation based on human rights-based laws. A comprehensive constitutional, legal and institutional review is necessary to ensure good governance and the transparency, accountability, and efficiency of the public service.
2. To avoid the mystification of power and personality cult growing around the president as witnessed with the APRC regime, as well as to ensure a transparent, accountable, efficient and responsive governance system there must be avenues where the leadership engages with the population devoid of politics. In that regard, the following mechanisms are necessary:
a. There is a need for a weekly radio and television address by the president.
b. There is a need for a quarterly press conference by the president and his cabinet.
c. There is a need for a yearly town hall meeting with citizens, which should be televised. Citizens should be able to directly ask questions or call in to raise their issues and concerns with the president and his cabinet.
3. The period between 1994 and 2016 requires careful and thorough investigation to ensure that the truth is exposed and justice delivered and national cohesion and reconciliation guaranteed. All cases of arbitrary arrest, detention, torture and summary executions need review and investigation to determine victims, and the acts of atrocities, participants and the source of orders for such actions among other issues. For that matter, a Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission is essential to address these.
4. All cases of summary dismissals must be reviewed to determine the scale, reasons and address any cases of injustice and illegal terminations.
5. The need to adhere to the rule of law and the separation of powers principle must be guaranteed and respected at all times by the president and all state officials and institutions.
6. There is a need for a security sector review to ensure that there is a sizeable professional military, and an efficient and community friendly police force and an intelligence agency limited to only national security issues. The NIA Act requires review to bring it under the purview of accountability, professionalism, and efficiency and not to be politicized as done by the Jammeh regime.
7. A comprehensive natural/mineral resources review is urgent to identify and list the natural/mineral resource potentials of the country. A government white paper will be needed to inform the public about the state of affairs adequately.
8. There is an urgent need for land acquisition and management review given the proliferation of estate development in which community lands, agricultural lands, and prime lands have been monopolized or owned by individuals and foreign companies.
9. The ‘properties’ of the former President Yaya Jammeh need to be inventoried so that the State ascertains his business outlets, farms, animals, compounds, vehicles and financial resources to ensure recovery. Numerous other properties have been confiscated by the regime from individuals, which need to be returned, or victims compensated. State institutions occupy some of these properties.
10. There is a need to consider fully setting up an anti-corruption commission. There is already an Anti-Corruption Commission Act but yet to be operational.
11. The process of setting up a national human rights commission is ongoing, and this must be concluded with urgency. The independence of these bodies must be guaranteed.
12. There is a need to nominate women and men of high integrity into these statutory agencies and to ensure their total professional and budgetary independence and political non-interference.
13. The public service is the engine of growth. Hence the public service needs a review to ensure transparency, accountability, efficiency, and high performance. The public service must be depoliticized, and conditions need improvement. As part of this review, and to ensure its effectiveness and efficiency, there is a need to introduce a freedom of information law to empower citizens to access public information without fetters.
14. The government must ensure that appointments in the public service are entirely based on merit. Promotions and incentives must also be based on performance and qualification.
15. Salaries of government employees must be reviewed starting from the lowest levels to raise them to meet the cost of living.
16. There is a need to review all media related laws to decriminalize media offenses and ensure press freedom. In that regard, incentives should also be considered for the media in order to ensure the development of the press, which is necessary for the building of strong democracy in which the media holds the government accountable on behalf of the people as per Section 208 of the Constitution. These measures include tax exemptions on media materials as well as tax rebates for media houses.
17. There is need to restore the country’s international standing and relations. This would require reviewing its ratification status of international instruments to bring them up to date. For that matter, it is also necessary to adopt a monist legal system in which international laws ratified by the Gambia would automatically become recognized laws by the courts of law in the Gambia. This will serve to enhance the protection of human rights and the accountability of the government.
18. There is need to review the NGO Act and to make the NGO Affairs Agency become better positioned away from the Office of the President and ensure its independence and professionalism.
19. There is a need to give utmost consideration to the status of young people to ensure their employability. In that regard, it is necessary to review the content of secondary, tertiary and vocational education and its quality delivery to not only serve the employment needs of the youth but also address the strategic requirements of the Gambian economy and national development. For that matter, the conditions of teachers, both regarding training and working conditions should be reviewed.
20. A ministry for children is necessary given the social and economic challenges facing families and communities and the growing population of children.
These and many more issues affecting the country will form part of the ongoing process of constructive engagement between the new government and the CSO community. |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11829 Posts |
Posted - 24 Dec 2016 : 17:17:13
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By Madi Jobarteh
Building The New Gambia
Seedy Njie is Threatening National Security.
This is the fifth election since 1996 in which the outgoing president took part and won all the previous four elections amidst gross malpractices in direct contravention of our constitution, the electoral laws and the public order act. These four elections were heavily criticized by all local and international stakeholders because of the unorthodox practices of the APRC. Not only has the APRC won those elections based on abuse of incumbency, but also the regime ensured that it created specific laws for the purpose of ensuring its continued grip on power. The changes to the electoral laws such as removing the second round of voting, and increasing nomination and party registration fees were fundamental changes that gave undue advantage to the APRC.
It is a know fact that the outgoing president has directly and severely interfered with the independence and impartiality of the IEC for the purpose of ensuring his continued winning at the polls. We have seen how in fact the former chairman of the IEC Mustapha Carayol went on his own up to State House to register the outgoing president in 2011 when he was supposed to go to a registration centre like any other citizen. This is not to mention the fact that Mr. Carayol had held that position beyond the legal requirement. The opposition has on numerous occasions filed cases and complaints to both the IEC and the courts for a review of the electoral laws to no avail. This had even led to the opposition boycott of the 2012 parliamentary elections. Yet in all those four past presidential and parliamentary elections the APRC won without a complaint. The opposition did not petition as well.
Now that we have reached this stage, it is utterly disingenuous for the outgoing president to claim irregularities of the election simply because he failed to secure a win. He did not win simply because all of his malpractices failed to succeed. The opposition won because they put up a better strategy to counter the abuse of incumbency. Thus to have someone like Seedy Njie come to defend the unconstitutional action of the president by maliciously claiming that thousands of APRC voters were denied to vote poses a clear and present danger to national security. Seedy Njie must be told to stop fuelling incitements to violence in the country, but rather act like a patriotic and honest son of the land to tell Yaya Jammeh to respect the people’s verdict.
As someone directly involved in election observation in the Gambia since 2006, I can vouch that voting anomalies are quite limited in the Gambia. That is, in all the election observation missions I had led in this country, the incidence of voters denied to vote or forced to vote in any particular manner or ballot drums interfered with by IEC, party officials or security agents do not occur to any significant level. Even when many have claimed that the on-the-spot counting protected the vote, I wish to state that this is not a fact. In the Gambia, the ballot is very secure on voting day even when counting was conducted in selected counting centres. The ballot drums are transported in peace and safety and hardly did any ballot drum get tampered with in the process. In the counting centres, the process goes on quite smoothly and safely. Hence whether counting on the spot or at selected centres, I can confidently claim that this did not make any difference in the election result.
The key success factor of the opposition was the creation of a coalition and a dedicated campaign. The second element, which is the fundamental enabling circumstance, is the unbearable conditions of the misrule of Yaya Jammeh, especially since the April 2016 peaceful protest in which Solo Sandeng was murdered and many others raped and tortured. This was followed by the illegal incarceration of Ousainou Darboe and tens of his associates, and of course the unruly insults of Yaya Jammeh against a major ethnic group in the country, the Mandinka. These crude acts of atrocities and bigotry against a backdrop illegal religious and tribal declarations, corruption and destruction of lives and properties of innocent citizens have made Gambians to reach their limit for this regime. Enough is enough.
Thus for Seedy Njie to ignore these facts but seek to fabricate stories in order to aid and abet a merciless tyrant to continue his misrule in our country is a direct threat to the lives of Gambians and the existence of the Gambia as a nation. Seedy Njie must be urged to withdraw his statements and place himself on the path of saving his motherland for his own people, than to seek to aid and abet a tyrant who has been shunned and condemned by the whole world. If APRC voters did not vote, that is the fault of the APRC. Let Seedy Njie recall that in February 2016 when they held their congress in Kanilai, his party collected more than 265, 000 voters cards from around the country which were presented at the congress. Where are those cards? If the APRC lost those cards for some reason and could not get the owners to vote, then that is for APRC to endure with regret. In the first place it was illegal to collect voters cards from voters even before an election by any person or party. No one should surrender his or her voter’s card to any other person. Yet Seedy Njie and his unfortunate master, having failed to succeed despite their illegal and criminal electoral malpractices are now seeking to endanger the country at this late time of the day.
It was Thomas Sankara who had said that a soldier without political education is a virtual criminal. But I will expand that to say any citizen, who lacks political education is either a victim or a criminal. If such a citizen is a public officer like Yaya Jammeh or Seedy Njie, then such a citizen is a potential criminal. This is what Seedy Njie is exhibiting right now. We have an election, which went normal as every election in the Gambia since 1996. Yet, because they lost, Seedy Njie and the APRC have now become dishonest losers seeking to set our country on fire. APRC Governor Omar Sompo Ceesay and the Chief of Basse Hameh Krubally and the likes of Seedy Njie must stop abusing our communities by making them falsely claim that they were denied to vote. It is obvious to any Gambian that the IEC under no circumstances would ever interfere with APRC voters or officials.
Let those who are friends and families to Seedy Njie remind him that he is a very little uneducated and inexperienced boy in the school of life and therefore let him comport himself like a boy from a decent family. Let him not use his position to set his country ablaze for a man who does not worth it. Has Seedy Njie forgotten when this tyrant nearly jailed him with trumped up charges in 2010 only to be unceremoniously dropped? Yet Seedy Njie continues to act as a criminal for a criminal regime in pursuit of the selfish and illegal interest of a one man.
If Seedy Njie indeed had political consciousness he would have realized that since 1994 the sovereignty of the Gambia has been hijacked, our constitution flouted, and the state personalized by one man for his sole selfish interest. Seedy would have realized that one man had interfered with all state institutions and processes to the point that the independence and the sanctity of the legislature and the judiciary have been blatantly injured beyond repair. Seedy would have realized that the APRC regime has damaged every right and every rule in our constitution as well as directly and physically taken the lives of fellow Gambians with impunity. Only a citizen without political conscious would therefore seek to rationalize such a regime for the purpose of further entrenching it in our country. That is truly shameful and criminal.
Let us tell Seedy Njie to stop sowing the seeds of national disintegration! |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11829 Posts |
Posted - 26 Dec 2016 : 12:09:13
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By Madi Jobarteh
Building the Gambia Gambia
National Assembly: Time To Act!
As we draw closer to the end of term of the tenure of the outgoing president, yet he remains recalcitrant in accepting the verdict of the people, it is now time for the National Assembly to assume its constitutional responsibilities. All categories of the Gambian society have spoken in no uncertain terms and various groups have shown their open and unfettered support for Adama Barrow as the elected president of the republic. The entire Gambian population is now determined and prepared to defend our vote. The international community has similarly shown that they are fully behind the people of the Gambia by calling on outgoing president to step down. Yet the outgoing president continues to make ridiculous statements about the elections while filing an ill-informed petition to a non-existing yet illegally constituted Supreme Court, which intends to start sitting on January 10. Meantime ECOWAS, backed by the African Union and the United Nations and governments of the world, has indicated that come January 19 if Jammeh refuses to step down they will resort to the use of military force to end his misrule. Since December 9 they have been frantically engaged in diplomacy to avert conflict.
Now I ask, does the National Assembly wish to tell us that they are not aware of these developments in our country to the point that they have remained mute like a silencer? Given the fast approaching fateful January 19 day, and the continued refusal of Jammeh to see reason and abide by our constitution, the onus is now on the National Assembly as the only constitutional authority in our republican system with the capacity to bring sanity to the outgoing Pres. Jammeh and save the Gambia. I wish to put it to the members of the National Assembly that they have a duty to prevent a military conflict in our small but beautiful land by prevailing on the outgoing president to humble down with faith and respect the verdict of the people.
Advice The Outgoing President
Section 102 spells out the functions of the National Assembly and in that regard Subsection (a) empowers the National Assembly to ‘advise the President on any matter which lies within his or her responsibility’. The first responsibility of the president is to respect and defend the constitution. But on December 9, it is clear that Yaya Jammeh has reneged on his oath of office by flouting Section 6 of the constitution and intends to further violate Section 63(2). By these actions he has already violated his responsibilities under Section 17, which puts an obligation on the president to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens.
Hence the National Assembly must now rise up to its obligation to advise the president as per Section 102(a) to withdraw his December 9 infamous statement because it was unconstitutional, politically motivated with bad faith and endangers national security.
Vote of No Confidence
Failure of the president to heed to the advice of the National Assembly, the parliamentarians yet still have other powers given to them by the constitution to pass a vote of no confidence in the president under Section 63 Subsection 3. Hence the National Assembly still holds the key to our salvation and the prevention of armed conflict in our dear country. They must be seen to fulfil these solemn national duties.
Impeachment of the Outgoing President
Apart from a vote of no confidence and failure of the president to heed parliamentary advice, yet the constitution still gave powers to the National Assembly to impeach the president for misconduct. Section 67 Subsection 2 empowers the National Assembly to undertake impeachment proceedings of the president for misconduct, which are spelt out in Section 67 Subsection 1. The grounds for removal of the president under the first paragraph of this section are where he or she is found to cause ‘abuse of office, wilful violation of the oath of allegiance or the President’s oath of office, or wilful violation of any provision of this Consultation’ or if he or she misconducted himself ‘in a manner which brings or is likely to bring the office of President into contempt or disrepute’. Furthermore the second paragraph of Section 67 Subsection 1 also states that a president can be impeached for having ‘dishonestly done any act which is prejudicial or inimical to the economy of The Gambia or dishonestly omitted to act with similar consequences.’
Here again we can see that outgoing Pres. Yaya Jammeh has abused his powers, wilfully violated the oath of office of the president and flouted many other provisions of this constitution based on his utterances and actions since December 9. The deployment of soldiers into the offices of the IEC and the continued denial of media coverage to Adama Barrow by GRTS are additional actions that severely violate the constitution. Furthermore, by making GAMTEL to close down Internet and telephony services on December 1 coupled with the deployment of soldiers in combat readiness around the country without a state emergency or declaration of war, all constitute actions that damage the economy of the Gambia. These actions and utterances including his statements with the African Bar Association as well as statements by his associates, notably National Assembly Member Seedy Njie are major factors causing anxiety in the Gambia and slowing down the economy. Their statements by Yaya Jammeh and Seedy Njie constitute threats to the peace and security of the country as they peddled tribalism, threatened constitutionality and incitements to violence against certain individuals and communities. These are clear and justifiable grounds for impeachment.
Meet with the Outgoing President
In light of the foregoing, it is therefore utterly urgent and necessary that the Speaker of the National Assembly Abdoulie Bojang together with the Majority Leader Fabakary Tombong Jatta and the Minority Leader Samba Jallow and all the members demand an urgent meeting with the outgoing Pres. Yaya Jammeh to advise him to withdraw his December 9 illegal utterance. They should advise him to go back to his December 2 concession of defeat and promise to support the transition process. They should advise him to therefore reactivate the transition process and abide by the terms of the constitution for the inauguration of Adama Barrow on 19 January 2016.
Failure to heed to the advise of the National Assembly, I would call on the Speaker, the Majority and Minority leaders and all members to therefore invoke Section 63(3) to pass a motion of no confidence in him. They should follow this with invoking as well Section 67(2) to impeach him for gross misconduct.
Abandon Yaya Jammeh and Embrace the Gambia
In addition to the constitutional responsibilities placed on them, members of the National Assembly also owe it to their country as the representatives of their people to abandon Yaya Jammeh in order to prevent a violent conflict from erupting in the Gambia. I therefore call on all National Assembly Members to publicly isolate and disassociate themselves, individually and collectively from the outgoing president in the supreme interest of the Gambia, their motherland. All sectors of Gambian society have spoken, yet the National Assembly as an institution and as individual members have remained mute. Bear in mind that failure to play your part as effectively as you should but letting the country to plunge into conflict, then you should consider yourselves as accomplices in the crime against the Gambia. History will judge you as those sons and daughters who abandoned their motherland at her most painful moment in favour of a dishonest, unpatriotic, greedy and murderous tyrant.
Let us engage our National Assembly Members
I wish to call on all Gambians to impress on their National Assembly Members to realise that they are the direct representatives of the people hence they must be seen to uphold and defend the will of the people. Our will was expressed on December 1, and the National Assembly must realise that it is the most important national institution in the Gambia that cannot be seen to be a bystander in the affairs of the people. They must not aid and abet any attempt, project or individual who wishes to dilute and abrogate the will of the people. This is a solemn responsibility placed on the National Assembly by the constitution under Section 112 paragraph (a),
‘All members shall regard themselves as servants of the people of The Gambia desist from any conduct by which they seek improperly to enrich themselves or alienate themselves from the people, and shall discharge their duties and functions in the interest of the nation as a whole and in doing so, shall be influenced by the dictates of conscience and the national interest.
On the basis of this provision, and in the face of a looming national tragedy and in fulfilment of my constitutional responsibility and because of my love for country, I hereby call on the National Assembly to assume their national and constitutional responsibilities without delay. Failure to fulfil their historic and patriotic duty, they risk plunging the country into a conflict of far reaching consequences for which the people of the Gambia will neither forget nor forgive them forever and ever.
For the Gambia, Our Homeland.
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11829 Posts |
Posted - 26 Dec 2016 : 16:39:54
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By Madi Jobarteh
Building The New Gambia #GambiaHasDecided
Speaking Truth to Power
Statement By Bishop Hannah Caroline Faal-Heim of the Methodist Church to the Dictator Yaya Jammeh
"I ask your permission to speak truthfully. I ask your permission to speak truthfully and plainly to you… only you because I see you as a brother and we are all Gambians. I have not come here as the Chair of the Gambian Christian Council. In fact many people told me today not to come here, and all of us not to come because people are so angry with you.
I seek your permission with deep respect because the nation has been going through a very painful time. I don't know whether many people tell but they told me that I shouldn't tell you because I will be in trouble. But I know that you prefer the truth. That you prefer people to pray for you and we've been all praying for you and even if we get in trouble it is because we love you and because the Christian truth that we stand and say "Love God first with all your heart, mind, soul, strength, everything and love your neighbor than yourself". That is what has brought us here today.
I came here today not as the Chair of the Gambia Christian Council but because I am a member of the Christian Council. I came as a servant of the living God I serve and whose heart I want to follow all my life and that is why I have come and the others came too. We have come because you are our President no matter what and we feel that we have to come and hear you. We thank you that you have done that and we hear you.
The reconciliation you've talked about Sir, there are people who are deeply hurt. They said that it is you who is causing the conflict among the people and the country. They said that you are dividing us. They said that you have the guns and you are determined that whatever will come, you will use it against your own people. Well I am telling you Sir, they said if I tell you… if I speak the truth you will lock me up but I don't think you will. As a servant of the living God… I came here with the love of Christ to tell you, that your people, the people you are part of… you are part of us… because it is Gambia; that Gambia must be one, we must be one and we must all work for Gambia…
They said that now the election has taken place, you never had any intention of stepping down. You have conceded but you will not accept the results. You will not help the nation to have a smooth transition and you will be prepared to even fight and put the guns on the streets to stay in power in the Gambia… Sir, these are painful things, for all of us, painful for me to sit here and tell you but the people’s pain must stop. They must believe and trust you again as they used to trust you. They don't feel trust and they said the only place you can hear them is through the ballot box because they are afraid to tell you. They are afraid to tell you plainly what this nation feels. Everybody is feeling it and we don't want outsiders from ECOWAS to come here and tell us how we can be together as Gambians.
Every Gambian must be good for this nation, Gambia, and you as the son of Gambia and all Gambians must show that love together, fearing God and loving one another. They believe that you will not help Gambia to go forward because of the pain you feel, we all feel the pain. They are afraid! Some of the many people said they loved you, you were their friend but you are dividing the people and they no longer want to stand there because they don't understand you… It is a ‘new you’. Sir these are painful words for me to sit here and tell you because I respect you deeply…No matter what anyone will say, I know today they would have names for me but I am a servant of the living God before whom I stand, who called me to serve him in this capacity as the residing Bishop. I am the residing Bishop for every Gambian, no matter what you look like, your colour, who you are… my job is to pray for the nation and all the people, that is my work it is not politics. To bring the love of God to everyone and every day we pray for you, the whole nation and for every person, every farmer, every market woman, everybody including every soldier…
We pray that you will not raise your hands against the people you say you love and that we do not need outsiders to come and give us a smooth transition after the election. You yourself said that "I follow the will of Allah, I follow the will of God". Sir I want to honour you and I appreciate that I can come and dare to speak to you as the servant of the living God not fearing that you might be angry with me and even turn against me. I will rather you get crush with me but I will bring it to you… because the people love you and we love you, you are my brother in the Gambia. That will never change, the Gambia belongs to us, we were all born here and every Gambian must feel that they must be part of Gambia and work for Gambia.
We cannot be divided as a people. We cannot invite outsiders to divide us further but I am saying sir, the people said that it is you who is going to make all the fighting because you don't want to hand over in a smooth transition, allow a democratic process, then stand again for election and come back again when the people's heart healed. You know how many people are crying sir, because they are hurt and everybody is feeling this pain. Yes there are some people who are rejoicing. They said rejoice with those who are rejoicing but mourn with those who mourn. Mourn with those who mourn.
Sir I cannot tell you what to do because you have the fear of God in you and you also allied your relationship with Allah. I know that you've said you don't fear anyone, that is fair. What can mortals do for us…? Our confidence must be in God. So Sir I am coming here today despite every odds or whatever and I don't care what anyone is going to say. I am here and I thank you for giving me the platform for speaking what you might never hear from anybody else, that you need to hear. I realized that it is painful because you have loved this nation. It is painful to hear but it is God who is our healer, it is God who heals a nation. We can go and talk to the people about forgiveness and peace but it is God who changes the minds and hearts of men and women. It is God in his mercy who forgives us everyday and calls us to forgive one another.
Sir i don't have anything to give you… I have only God. I have nothing to give you only God and a brotherly love that you are a Gambian like me. I have nothing to give you but the people; the people are there Sir. They are there, even if they smile to you, they will not show you their heart… they are upset, they are angry and they said the transition is only you who can make it go smoothly. If you choose not to, you will be on the guns in the streets of the Gambia but we pray to Almighty God that it does not happen. Sir with deepest respect I have nothing more to say!" |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11829 Posts |
Posted - 28 Dec 2016 : 10:36:05
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By Mai Jobarteh
Building The New Gambia
Keeping them Honest and Accountable!
1. On December 1, the Managing Director of Gamtel severed all Internet and Telephony Services throughout the length and breadth of the Gambia for no justifiable reason. This action led to the creation of unnecessary anxiety and uncertainty in the country. It went to further cause unquantified economic loss to the country. Until now the MD of Gamtel did not tell Gambians why he chose to shut down the country at the most critical period in our history.
2. Since December 2, the Director General of GRTS has denied the elected leader of the Gambia access to the public media without any justifiable reason. Until now, the DG of GRTS have refused to tell Gambians why he continues to deny the president-elect direct and unfettered access to GRTS as the elected leader of the Republic of the Gambia and as a citizen of the Gambia.
3. On December 26, the Inspector General of Police has issued an unconstitutional statement denying Gambians the right to freedom to peaceful assembly, association and movement without any justifiable reason. The IGP must tell us why he has decided to break the law in violation of the rights and freedoms of Gambians.
We the People of the Gambia demand to know why these public officers have decided to abuse their power by infringing on our sovereign rights and freedoms with impunity by violating the constitution as follows:
1. Section 1(2) – Sovereignty of Gambians
2. Section 4 – Supremacy of the Constitution
3. Section 6 – Defense of the constitution
4. Section 17 – Protection of fundamental rights and freedoms of Gambians
5. Section 25(a) – Freedom of speech of President-elect Adama Barrow and all Gambians
6. Section 25(d) – Freedom of assembly and movement of Gambians
7. Section 25(e) – Freedom of association of Gambians
8. Section – 33 – Protection from discrimination
9. Section 208 – Responsibility of the State media to allow expression of divergent and dissenting views on GRTS
10. Section 222 subsections 1 – 8 and subsection 13 – Duties of a public officer
These are all sections of the Constitution that the MD Gamtel, DG GRTS and the IGP have individually and collectively violated.
Gambians beware that Section 6 Subsection 1 and 2 empower you to resist “reasonably justifiably” any person or authority, as a private citizen or public officer who seeks to suspend, overthrow or abrogate any part or the whole of the constitution. Such resistance is not a crime according to Section 6 subsection 3.
Furthermore Section 37 empowers you to go to the High Court to seek redress against the violation of any of the provisions from Section 18 to 33 by any person.
Meanwhile, we call on the MD Gamtel, the DG GRTS and the IGP to provide a truthful and full explanation for their unconstitutional actions that they have committed so far.
I am making this call by the powers vested in me by Section 6 of the Constitution to defend the Constitution. The next step left to me is to go to the High Court to seek redress. No more Dictatorship.
Leral. Kontiboo. Feignal. Warrugal. Accountability. Probity. Honesty. Patriotism.
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11829 Posts |
Posted - 28 Dec 2016 : 13:20:23
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By Madi Jobarteh
Building The New Gambia
Harnessing the Potentials of the Gambia Diaspora
As we move towards building the New Gambia with the installation of the new administration of the President-elect Adama Barrow on January 19, there is need for the new leadership to conceive of ways and means of rebuilding the Gambia after 22 years of mismanagement. One of the immense resources at the disposal of the Barrow Administration is the Gambia Diaspora. By World Bank and UN figures, a sizeable number of Gambian professionals, and skilled and non-skilled workers are residing outside of the country. The country needs this community in terms of their physical presence (permanent or temporal), skills, knowledge, resources and networks. The Barrow Administration must recognize and appreciate this and seek ways and means of tapping into the Gambia Diaspora to the fullest.
At the same time, the Gambia Diaspora must also conceive of themselves as an indispensable tool and resource for the rebuilding of the Gambia. This must be their fundamental objective. In other words, our Diaspora must be a source of skills, knowledge as well as material and financial resources for the development of the Gambian economy and society. Already the evidence of this is glaring as the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs notes that remittances from the Diaspora alone account for up to 15% of our GDP. If such was the case under Dictatorship laden with bad or neglected polices and constrained institutions, what about in an environment of good governance and people-centred policies and efficient institutions. The future is bright!
A large number of Gambia’s sons and daughters are in the Diaspora with huge and necessary capacity in all aspects of policy and development. This capacities are required by the Gambia to reactivate the economy and generate employment, raise incomes and contribute to public coffers. In this way, the Diaspora would also be instrumental in improving lives and ensuring a sustainable and decent standard of living. It will enable the government to obtain the necessary resources to better chart the forward advancement of the Gambia. This would help to address the ills facing our society such as illegal migration, brain drain, weak governance and deep-seated harmful traditional ideas and practices.
Fundamentally both the Barrow Administration and the Diaspora should begin thinking in terms of the following areas, issues and tools.
1. The Diaspora must come together to identify and determine the resources and potentials that exist within them and how best these could be provided to the country.
2. The Diaspora must engage with the Barrow government and other stakeholders in the civil society and private sector on the ground to devise ways and means of collaboration for the revitalization of the economy and strengthening of civil society activism for good governance and human rights.
3. Many in the Diaspora have knowledge and skills that are necessary in the government, in our secondary and tertiary educational institutions, in the civil society and the private sector. We need to begin thinking how do we facilitate the transfer of these resources? Both the Diaspora and the government must work out cost effective means to do this.
4. There are individuals and groups in the Diaspora with the necessary governmental, academia and business contacts within the countries in which they reside which bear opportunities for the country. The areas where these opportunities are needed are in health, education, agriculture, community development, and capacity building as well as in the public and private sectors including the civil society, media and academia. How do we facilitate the transfer of these resources back home?
5. The Barrow government needs to consider the creation of necessary, relevant and smart policies, laws and institutions purposely for the transfer of technology, business, knowledge, skills and personnel within the Gambia Diaspora to bring back home.
6. The Gambia Diaspora has a longstanding presence in the various countries of the world as leaders and managers in various governments, international organizations, think tanks, universities, companies, academia, media, and various other industries as well as the development sectors. There is need for the Barrow government to consider ways and means of tapping into these opportunities for the benefit of the Gambia. These opportunities have the potential to generate employment, raise incomes and stem the tide of illegal migration. These are also opportunities that could reverse the wave of brain gain as the country’s professionals and experts outside would begin the process of relocation, permanently or temporally. This is brain gain.
7. The Gambia Diaspora is a constituency that can immensely add value to the governance of the country. With their diversity and experience in the various governance climates of the world, the Gambia Diaspora has therefore obtained huge experience and expertise in how best to govern and develop a society. Their longstanding experience of foreign governance systems and ways of life gives them unique opportunity to share and impact on the Gambian society in order to rebuild our motherland.
8. The Gambia Diaspora is a huge voice and a massive force to reckon with in the development process of the Gambia. The community has a direct stake and interest in the peace and stability of the Gambia. Hence engaging the Gambia Diaspora in a dedicated and principled manner will add value to our governance and development process as a whole.
9. The Gambia Diaspora is also a major source of tourism and cultural development. Many Diasporans have acquired foreign nationalities, have married non-Gambians and have children in foreign countries. Some Gambians are elected public officials in national, local, municipal and city governments in the various countries they reside. These Gambian families and officials should be able to visit their homeland which brings along with it revenue and enriched diversity for business, society and government.
10. Many Gambians have also set up their own private initiatives in business, media, academia and other industries. The Gambia therefore serves as an opportunity for expansion for their initiatives and businesses. Student exchanges and partnerships with Gambian educational institutions as well as twining of cities and towns are among areas to flourish in this environment.
The Diaspora of any country has been a potential for that country. Whether it is Israel or UK or the United States or Germany or Turkey or China as well as Senegal among others, the Diaspora has been an instrumental tool for all those countries that have indeed strengthened and secured their national development. Hence the Gambia Diaspora must also be seen and engaged on the same basis like those other countries. There must be well thought-out and dedicated mechanisms created by Pres. Barrow for the sole purpose of harnessing the immense potentials that lie within our industrious sons and daughters in foreign lands.
These mechanisms must not be politicized and self-centered or based on nepotism or favoritism. Rather these mechanisms must be driven by honest, objective and well-designed plans and institutions and managed by competent professionals for the purpose of serving only the national interest.
For the Gambia, Our Homeland! #GambiaHasDecided
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