By Madi Jobarteh
Honestly, Gambians, like the rest of Africans must begin to ask themselves what is the benefit of citizenship? What is the purpose of Government? Why do we pay tax? Why has our Government taken so much loans that we can’t even pay back now yet we live in so much poverty and deprivation?
Since independence, why do we remain, until today a so-called developing country when another country called Singapore is able to catapult itself into the group of most advanced countries in the world? Meantime Singapore also gained Independence in 1965. Until today, The Gambia Government remains so incompetent, so corrupt, so inefficient and so dishonest causing our people to die from preventable diseases coupled with poor education, poor communities and lack of opportunities for our youth and women. Why?
We need to ask these questions to further ask ourselves, is this the life we deserve? Did we create a Government and elect and appoint public officials into it, to whom we pay tax, only for them to deny us our basic rights and needs? A mere basic social service, for example, electricity is always so erratic and poor yet so expensive that most of our population cannot afford it nor access it!
For how long shall we live in this condition? For how long?
After all, the leaders and technocrats who are in charge of Government institutions did study, travel, visit and live at some point in other countries including Singapore where the citizens enjoy high quality public services uninterrupted, thanks to their Government! Yet our Government cannot make that happen in The Gambia. Why? 55 years of Independence!
After 55 years how come the Government cannot perfect the delivery of water and electricity supply in each and every home and community in The Gambia? 24/7 uninterrupted. The Government of Singapore did it.
For 55 years how come the Government cannot pave all of our streets? In every village and town. The Government of Singapore did.
For 55 years how come The Gambia Government cannot provide excellent healthcare and quality education for all – in decent, well equipped public hospitals and public schools? The Government of Singapore did it.
So what is wrong with The Gambia Government?? They have well educated technocrats like the public officials in the Government of Singapore or the Government of UK or that of Germany, etc.
Every year the Government budget increases but we don’t get more and better services in return. Why? Our public enterprises generate billions of dalasi annually. Where is the money? GRA generates billions of dalasi every year. Where is the money? All that we see and feel is higher taxes, higher cost of living and poorer public services.
Anytime Government officials want to travel they would do so. Anytime they want to buy vehicles they would do so. Anytime they want to host a ceremony in an expensive hotel they would do so. Anything they want to buy they can buy. But when it is to buy drugs for our hospitals or learning materials for our schools or build roads they say there is no money. But they have money to buy big fat expensive vehicles with tinted glasses and fully air conditioned!
Truly is this The Gambia you deserve? Are you satisfied with the life you live? In this Gambia? Open your eyes!
Every year we are told our economy is growing by this percent yet every year our poverty increases. Who is lying to us? Who is stealing our money? Who is failing to do his or her job?
Are we donkeys to just sit here to live a life of abuse and deprivation and lies heaped on us by a few elected and appointed public officials? For how long shall we accept such insult? Are they better than us? Are they more Gambian than us?
I have enough!
I reject the lies and the path and the work of The Gambia Government 100%. I don’t deserve this Government because my worth as a human being and as a sovereign citizen is above the conditions to which The Gambia Government has illegally and criminally subjected me to!
I am oppressed, exploited, deprived, lied to, abused, cheated, enslaved. This is my life in The Gambia as a Gambian! I detest it. Period.
For The Gambia Our Homeland
