Mr. President, quoting from Reuters news agency (Beijing) “Gambia President Adama Barrow told Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday that his countries ties with self-ruled Taiwan had been a “huge mistake”, and he thanked China for all the help it had given subsequently, China said.”

Mr. President, to begin with, the cross-strait relationship between China and Taiwan has been sour recently after Taiwan losing four of its allies (Dominican Republic, Panama, El Salvador, and Burkina Faso) to China prompting the United States to recall its ambassadors from the Dominican Republic, Panama, and El Salvador over these countries decision to no longer recognize Taiwan. The US saw that “China was luring countries with economic inducements that facilitate economic dependency and dominance, not partnership.”

Mr. President, this relationship has a long history of tensions because China feels that Taiwan is inalienable part of China and the use of force to resolve the dispute over the island’s status is still an option and your showmanship of diplomacy to say that “the Gambia Taiwan ties was a huge mistake” to appease their President was pointless. Mr. President, you have to advocate for peace in that region and not to reignite tensions.

Coming back to my topic on why the Gambia Taiwan ties was not a mistake. Mr. President, this relationship wasn’t a huge mistake and here is the reason WHY;

The Gambia officially recognized Taiwan in 1995, from there on the relationship was further strengthened over the years in all government sectors (Agriculture, Education, Health, Infrastructure development, Technology etc.).

Mr. President, I would like to delve into key areas based on Taiwan contribution in developing the human resource capacity of the country. In this article, I would like to focus on the tailor-made programs sponsored by the Taiwanese government in the areas of Petroleum, Information Technology, Agriculture, Health, Civil Engineering, and Architecture.

Petroleum  

Mr. President, the Taiwanese felt that there was a growing need for the Gambia to train its citizens when the government was dreaming of the exploration of petroleum in the country. Who would have been the key drivers of this petroleum sector was a question that was hanging. It would have been easy Mr. President, for any company to hire professionals while not employing the citizens to take charge of that petroleum sector. The Taiwanese government felt it was important to train the citizens, believing that educated citizens will always drive the destiny of their country towards a positive path. Thus they decided to start a tailor-made program in petroleum engineering in 2004. They provided Twenty-five students full-time scholarships to study at National Taipei University of Technology which has later become home for all the Gambians in Taiwan. After the completion of their program, they went back home to work for the petroleum company. This is why today you can finally award a contract to FAR Ltd. An Australian company to start drilling in less than 40 days without the knowledge of parliament and the general public.

Information Technology (IT)

At your Brikama rally, you have promised the people of Brikama free street light with Wi-Fi. Getting anonymous donor funds and hire experts to install the free Wi-Fi for the community of Brikama is the easiest thing to do but maintaining the infrastructure is key.

In 2007, the Taiwanese government granted twenty-five students a full-time scholarship to study Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. This program was designed to tackle the lack of I.C.T officers in government institutions and the challenges of ICT that lies ahead with the rapid advancement of technology. Today majority of the I.C.T officers in various government departments are products of this program.

Civil Engineering

At your Numi rally, you promised to bridge Banjul to Barra. Yes, Mr. President, this time I will call it a metaphorical dream. Now, talking about the bridge one would ask whether the Gambia has civil engineers to build bridges of that magnitude? I will say yes, they have. In 2008, the Taiwanese government designed a civil engineering program that covers areas in Geotech, Structure, Water Resources, Environment, Construction Management and IT. The students were exposed to an engineering environment where solid infrastructures are built to resist natural disasters like typhoons and earthquakes and are provided internships outside the university with industries to gain experience and work with professors to conduct innovative research.

Mr. President, before this program there were not more than 20 certified civil engineers in the country. After the success of the first batch, the Taiwanese government further requested another twenty-five students in 2012 to also pursue the same degree program.

Mr. President, we would not love to see were a country granting you loans for a project, have one of its companies bid for the project with 100% assurance of being awarded the said project, export its laborers to work on the project at the detriment of our laborers, when you vow to create job opportunities. In the end, the loan has to be paid by the tax-payers. Who is winning Mr. President?

Agriculture

After many years of sending Taiwanese experts to develop the agricultural sector in terms of rice production, horticulture, aquaculture etc and also transferring modern technology to the sector. The Taiwanese government further decided to strengthen the human resources base of the agricultural department. In 2009, a batch of twenty-five students was awarded scholarships to pursue a degree in agriculture in the most prestigious agricultural university in Taiwan, majoring in Animal Science, Plant Science, Soils, and Agricultural Economics. These students were well equipped in this program. They were well trained in first-class laboratories with high-tech modern equipment to conduct their research in their various specialized areas of study. Mr. President, your ministry of agriculture is headed by these students.

Health

Without delving in detail on the contribution of the Taiwanese government towards the health sector. Every patient in the country felt their contribution because drugs were never delayed, blood bags were always available throughout the country, and doctors never went on strike.

Mr. President, in 2010, the Taiwanese government awarded eleven students to pursue a bio-medical degree program in Taiwan. The program was designed to train the students to become experts in the field of medical laboratory science and biotechnology, an area in which The Gambia never had an expert.

Architecture and urban planning

Mr. President, you can’t talk about infrastructure without architectures and urban planners. Before 2011, there were only two surveyors in the country. With this number of surveyors, one would say that the country was in dire need of urban planning and design, environmental protection, infrastructure design etc. Mr. President, we are in the mid of the raining season and the place is full of “poto poto” and flood, and this is due to lack of urban planning. The Taiwanese government in the same way awarded a batch of twenty-five students in 2011, to study Architecture and urban planning. This was a very successful program, run and overseen by top Architects and professors. From modern home designs to mega building designs, planning and construction. Upon graduation, scholarships were awarded to three outstanding students to pursue a master’s degree in architecture and urban design.

Mr. President, I said initially that I was going to focus on the tailor-made programs but here is a brief summary of the overall student’s programs.

Mr. President added to the tailor-made programs, numerous students of various developmental programs were also given the opportunity to pursue their dreams through individual school scholarships and bilateral partnership scholarships such as MOFA, ICDF, and MOE. Most of the individual scholarships also helped Gambians earn degrees in key areas such as Economics, International Relations, Community policing and drug control, Military training etc. Mr. President the Gambia Taiwan relationship was fruitful as it helped develop and sustain some of the departments making progress in your government. Despite the wasteful demands and mismanagement of funds by the previous government, Taiwan goodwill gestures in cash had helped a lot in maintaining our health sector, agriculture, and national security sector. Mr. President, the majority of these students who have benefitted from these programs are today contributing immensely towards the social economic development of the country.

Mr. President, in a nutshell, Taiwan was paving the way for the Gambia to be self-reliant and realize the productivity of its own people. Finally, Mr. President, it wasn’t a “huge mistake” for the Gambia to establish relations with Taiwan and we will forever be grateful to Taiwan.

Mr. President, I wouldn’t do you justice without asking you a rhetorical question “Weh weh you” Mr. President, when all these were taking place?

Kofi.

Alagi Yorro Jallow

African Presidents lined up to get a doggy biscuit and a pat on the head from the new colonial master. Not nearly enough, because Africa, the richest continent in the world, are watching the recolonization and the “new scramble for African resources” of Africa, courtesy of the new breed African Presidents and the African Union. All this obsequiousness for $60 billion financing for Africa?

 The African Diaspora alone sends a recorded $60 billion annually in remittances to the continent, but the African Union is not smart enough to engage its Sixth Region (the Diaspora) in partnership for development, financing Africa’s infrastructure deficit and investment in Africa?

 Western critics especially the United States and the twin brothers, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Group of Chinese investment in Africa are jealous. Now, international experts are mulling over the new Chinese proposals, which some fear will create a new debt trap for many African countries.

The United States, the IMF and the World Bank wish they were the ones leading the Second Scramble for Africa. It’s been sleepless nights in Washington D C where think tanks are sparing no brain cell trying to out-think China. Organizations with Africa Program departments are suddenly alive and alert and not in the least embarrassed about it.

Why African leaders are wrong about Africa -China Partnership: They thinks China is a friend of Africa because it’s not arrogant and pushy like Americans and Europeans. The United States and European Union loans to Africa have strings attached unlike China’s investment in Africa does not come with any political conditions attached and will neither interfere in internal politics nor make demands that people feel are difficult to fulfil. If there’s any African president unaware of the fact that China has eaten Africa for an appetizer, is eating Africa for its main meal, and is preparing to feed on Africa for desert, then those presidents does not deserve a second chance in office. Just to say that those Presidents knew about the nitty-gritty of the deals that look too good in the short-term and they don’t feel like fighting a benevolent scheming power.

Beijing is in active pursuit of new oil and raw materials and mining concessions for its manufacturing sector and Chinese aid will only go to countries that recognize it as the legitimate and only voice of the Chinese people.

What President Adama Barrow’s propagandists are not saying: There’s been new effort to manufacture a legacy for Adama Barrow. He’s being made into a hero for “initiating” exclusive partnership deals with China. They’re not telling you that the Gambia was on China’s crosshairs long ago after former President Yahya Jammeh rescinded diplomatic ties with Taiwan and restored diplomatic relationship with Beijing. For Beijing, it doesn’t matter who got into power. China was going to offer the Gambia a deal and plans to completely control the Gambia’s oil and gas resources as well as its seaport. Unless Gambians smarten up with the next leader. Study up on China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and see that the main entry point in Africa is the Gambia. Sri Lanka and Zambia are another key point. Those two countries have already defaulted, and China is taking over its economic sovereignty. The fear is that many African countries will become stuck in a debt trap, undermining economic development, just 13 years after the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative, which cancelled debt for countries that met economic-management and poverty-reduction criteria.

The Gambia is also one of the five most indebted nations in terms of money owed to foreign creditors such as IMF and countries like China — a total mounting debt of $ 1. 2 billion which is equivalent to 58 billion (Dalasi); 52 % of which is coming from external source — along with South Africa, Angola, Ethiopia, Zambia and Ghana.

 “China’s investment is often in the form of equipment, materials and a skilled workforce,” the Times newspaper said in an editorial. “But when it comes to paying back the debt it wants hard currency. Failure to pay a debt is already leading China to seize strategic assets in lieu.”

 Malaysia is another point and they got a new leader who’s saying heck no, take back your poisoned chalice China!

The high-level meeting between President Xi of China and 54 African nations, Beijing pledged $60 billion package of loans and aid create a new debt crisis for the continent for vitally needed infrastructure and investment for the African continent. Critics have hit out at China’s plan for $60 billion worth of loans to Africa saying there is a real concern that it could create a new debt crisis.

The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping presented a development framework built around eight initiatives: Industrial promotion, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, green development, capacity building, healthcare, people-to-people exchanges, and peace and security.

The Chinese also pledged to support Africa in achieving food security by 2030, expand exchanges and cooperation in addressing climate change and create a joint peace and security fund. And there was, of course, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) — the most ambitious global infrastructure project in history that involves 76 countries in Asia, Africa and Europe. Beijing suggested, quite reasonably, to formally link BRI with Africa’s continental infrastructure vision.

The remand prisoners, who reportedly protested against long years of detention without trial, were allegedly tortured by the prison guards at the Mile 2 Central prisons in Banjul.

“People were severely tortured and watered down like animals. Some of them sustained injuries and were not taken to hospital,” Abdou Jambar said.

Jambar added, “They are in critical conditions and needed urgent care.”

According to reliable sources within the State Central Prisons, many of the remand prisoners have been detained for more than 5 years without appearing before any competent court of law. Some of them were accused of murder, armed robbery and theft amongst other cases. They were reportedly detained at the Remand Wing of the Mile 2 Central prisons for many years without trial.

Despite, several attempts to meet the Justice Minister and Director General of Prison Services, the detainees reportedly took over the main gate keys of the Remand Wing and eleven cell keys to prevent the guards on duty from going home until their demands were met.

The alleged ring leaders who spearheaded the protest were
Muhammed Jaw, Ansu Jarju, Ousman Sonko and Bo Badjie.

Abdou Jambar alleged that on the following day of the protest, prison officials started to arrest individuals including the former NIA Director General, Yankuba Badjie and Co who were taken to 24Hrs Confinement Cells accused of masterminding the protest. He added that the former NIA officials were not part of the protest but the prison authorities refused to give a fair hearing to them.

“The security came after the detainees the following day. They took them out and were tortured them seriously,” Jambar told The Fatu Network.

“There are still marks of bloodstains on the floor,” he added.

Prison sources told The Fatu Network that Confinement is a form of punishment for prisoners, saying the accused remand prisoners are detained at the confinement unit since September 4.

“The prison authorities are suppressing our rights and welfare regardless of being remand prisoners,” he said.

He complained about the Operations Commissioner on the ground who threatens to vandalise their properties and seized their food.

“This is contempt to their oath that doubted many of us whether the prisons authorities have any regard to the call for new Gambia,” Jambar stated.

Modou Lamin Ceesay, Prisons Spokesperson has denied the torture allegations but confirmed the transfer of prisoners to Confinement cells which he said the authorities have acted within the laws of the prison.

He adduced that the transfer was based on security reasons.

“As far as they are remanded by the court, we have the right to take them to Confinement or any place in the prisons for security reasons,” Prisons Spokesperson said.

It was put to him that the said detainees were remanded and not convicted prisoners but he maintained that they should be treated the same.

Meanwhile, it is also reported that the remand prisoners wanted to know why the former DG of Prisons, David Colley, PIU Officers in the Faraba killing and a Police Officer involved in the murder of Mauritanian Shopkeeper are not taken to remand despite them being charged with murder.

State House, Banjul, 12thSeptember2018

His. Excellency, President Barrow sends a special delegation to Accra, Ghana, to attend the funeral of H.E. Kofi Annan, former United Nations Secretary General, who died on the 18th of August, 2018, in Switzerland.

Led by Ebrima Sillah, Minister of Information and Communication Infrastructure, the delegation comprises the Special Adviser to the President, Henry Gomez, former Vice President Aja Fatoumatta Jallow Tambajang, Crispin Grey-Johnson, Mori Kebba Janneh, who are all distinguished Gambians that served the UN at the highestlevel, and MsAlice Colley, a representative from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The body of the deceased was flown to Ghana on Monday evening ahead of the burial, which is scheduled to take place Thursday, 13th September,2018.

The Gambia joins the rest of the world to pray for the soul of the departed to rest in peace.

State House, Banjul, 12^thSeptember2018

The First Lady of the Republic, Her Excellency, Fatoumatta Barrow on Monday joined a group of medical personnel and educationists from Delaware, U.S.at a needs assessment exercise at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul. The group of philanthropists, under the auspices of Delaware African Carribean Community (DACC), isin the country on the invitationof the Fatou Bah-Barrow Foundation (FaBB).

“The FirstLady has a strong passion for health, which is why when she honouredthe invitation of the DACC last year [to travel to the US], she made arrangements for such a partnership with the country’s main referral hospital,” Ms.Fatou Ceesay, CEO of the Foundation, said in a statement at the hospital.

The team, which comprisedof medical specialistsand health academics, is visiting to gatherfirst-hand information to enable them todeliverthe right form of assistance needed by the teaching hospital and the medical school of the University of The Gambia, which is housed on the same premises. According to officials, it would also inform the basis of a Memorandum of Understanding to be signed between the Delaware African Caribbean Community (DACC) and the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital.

Thepreliminary results from the fact-findingrevealed inadequate supply of modern medical and clinical equipment, which according to the doctors on the ground hampers the efforts of domestic specialists at the hospital, leading to more overseas referrals.

Doctor Jallow was quick to add that despite the high cost attached to overseas treatment, the FaBB Foundation is quite supportive in financing the operations of a number of patients in Dakar, Senegal. ‘’These were all children with severe medical conditions and we are not equipped for such operations neither do we have such specialists here,” the doctor told the delegates about the interventions of the foundation.

At the Medical School of the University of The Gambia, the Provost, Prof. Ousman Nyan, explained that the school has helped increase medical graduates since its inception. However, they are also grappling with challenges, ranging from equipment, space, andtraining resources.

At the end of the tour, the group will come up with a report that will inform an intervention package from the Delaware African Caribbean Community to the Edward Francis Small Teaching hospital.

Alagi Yorro Jallow

 What constitutes a loan, debt or strategic partnership?

Does China adopt an affable and respectable stance towards its partners, promoting friendship and win-win cooperation with commercial and trade diplomacy? Does China’s respect for Africa’s sovereignty and non-interference in its internal affairs, a factor in its strategic financing partnership with Africa, that is most significant.

Fifty of Africa’s 55 leaders attended the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing. Chinese President Xi Jinping presented a development framework built around eight initiatives: Industrial promotion, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, green development, capacity building, healthcare, people-to-people exchanges, and peace and security. He also announced $60 billion financing for Africa. Aid would peak $5 billion a year.

China also pledged to support Africa in achieving food security by 2030, expand exchanges and cooperation in addressing climate change and create a joint peace and security fund. And there was, of course, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) — the most ambitious global infrastructure project in history that involves 76 countries in Asia, Africa and Europe. Beijing suggested, quite reasonably, to formally link BRI with Africa’s continental infrastructure vision.

Scapegoating is failure in defense and in political and economic strategy. It is one easy refuge for cowards and incompetent political leaders. For the accident-prone, incompetent potentates, the bigger the sin, the bigger the goat to be skinned in atonement. When a father bed-wets and blames the son beside him; when a leader daily generates horrid dirt’s uncensored, defecates at the backyard of his opponents and invites sanitary inspectors to arrest the innocent, then know that evil has triumphed.  How soon will, Africa will become wise.

Africa Confidential has warned that not only Zambia but other African countries risks losing its sovereignty to China, as the Chinese prepare to seize national assets once governments defaults on loans. Zambia and Srilanka are typical examples of losing its sovereignty to the Chinese.

In a report titled ‘Bonds, bills and ever bigger debts’ published on September 3, Africa Confidential observed that ZNBC was already being run by the Chinese and disclosed that Zesco was also already in talks about a takeover by a Chinese company.

A major worry of the IMF and US is that China’s BRI strategy is first to encourage indebtedness, and then to take over strategic national assets when debtors default on repayments. The state electricity company Zesco is already in talks about a takeover by a Chinese company, Africa Confidential has learned. “The state-owned TV and radio news channel ZNBC are already Chinese-owned. The long-term outcome could be effective Chinese ownership of the commanding heights of the economy and potentially the biggest loss of national sovereignty since independence,” the report read.

Africa Confidential noted that Zambians would be alarmed to learn the real Chinese debt figures. “Zambia is a good example of what the International Monetary Fund and the United States Senate are calling a crisis of accelerating developing-country indebtedness to China.

Concerned by China’s growing economic and political influence in Africa, there remains increasing doubt and misinformation regarding China’s true intention. There are also unanswered questions, for instance, the economic value and financial viability of Chinese-led projects, terming them as unnecessary, wasteful, predatory and debt traps that would inherently plunge the continent into a financial crisis. Other commentators allege that African leaders were being hoodwinked into financial commitments for transport infrastructure that are designed to promote Chinese appropriation and extraction of the continent’s minerals and hydrocarbons. They say, that Chinese activities have not created jobs.

Economic growth is determined by accumulation of factors of production — principally capital, labor and technology. Africa’s labor stock is in abundance and growing in number, skillsets and capacity; capital and technology are in short supply yet abundant in Europe and North America.

For Africa’s economies to grow, they must attract capital and technology. But capital flow into Africa has been dismal, elusive and erratic, undermined by illicit financial flows estimated at $50 billion a year. For more than five decades, African leaders have been either unwilling or reluctant to meet Africa’s capital and technology needs. There has been inadequate attention towards boosting productivity, industrialization in Africa and recently trade and public diplomacy with China has significant growing financial and economic footprints in Africa.

Africa has little choice but to finance it development through external debt. It must carefully consider the merits and demerits of Chinese funding or listen to the naysayers, stay on the sidelines and remain poor. But it must guard against wastage, misguided priorities and corruption.

State House, 11th September 2018 – After a closed–door meeting with His Excellency, President Adama Barrow, the Executive Chairman of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, Tony Blair– former British Prime Minister – told the State House media corps on Monday that he has never been more confident in the vision of the president to deliver on his promises to the Gambian people.

“Talking to the President, I think it is clear what those priorities are: electricity, agriculture, developing the seaport, making the Gambian tourism a key global attraction for tourists. These basically are what the government is focused on and they are able to do that with substantial international support,” he maintained.    

After a difficult political history, Mr. Blair said that it is importantthat the government started with stabilizing the socioeconomic and political situation of the country. He explained that the recent donor conference in Brussels was a very important landmark because it sends a clear message from the international community that they appreciate the ongoing transformation in The Gambia.

The former British Prime Minister assured that his organization would continue to support the Barrow government in attaining the goals of its development blueprint, the National Development Plan (NDP), particularly the priority areas. Mr. Blair added that the task of his institute is to bring in experts that will work alongside government officials in The Gambia.

“We are very happy to be working with the President here in The Gambia, among a number of other countries in Africa, helping to improve the capacity of governments to deliver to their people. We help them deliver on the priorities of their government”, Mr. Blair said, noting that the country is making progress and doing well, in spite of the high expectations of the people on the government.

It is the third visit of the former British Prime Minister to The Gambia since President Barrow took office.

KOLOLI, THE GAMBIA: On September 18^that 10:30am, as part of it Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), MMC, a Global Communications agency will launch its free Job Interview Coaching (JIC) Initiative in partnership with Wedad’s Fashion Boutique, aimed at supporting young professional job seekers between the ages of 21 to 35 polish their interview skills.

WHY JIC:

According to the Lead Consultant of MMC, “MMC is deeply passionate about refining the Gambian work place. Utilizing communications to impact positive change in our workforce is something we have been championing via our blog on www.makallimatta.com but now we are taking an extra step to reach out to new job entrants by supporting them with the necessary skills in setting off the right way.”

The JIC initiative will be a continuous running project that will urge young people entering the professional workforce to make sure that they are equipped with strong communication skills that will likely help them secure their dream job. Most people are often nervous before and during job interviews, especially when it is their first time; this often leads to an adverse outcome. Also, being that the idea of job search counseling is new in the country and our public University having inadequate systems in place to support new graduates in job market preparedness, MMC wants to do its part by utilizing effective communication in creating a positive experience and outcome for young interview candidates.

MMC’s Lead Consultant deliberates that the target audience is specifically young professional job seekers as it will create more impact. “We want to target young job seekers first hence the age bracket. We feel that this is where we can have the most impact,” she concludes. 

JIC MODALITIES:

Guest Speaker

The JIC will be a once per week consultative offer with bookings done via e-mail only. Participants will benefit from a one-hour training session and allowed two sessions per year. The coaching session will entail: a mock interview, research tips, communication etiquette, appearance / body language tips, curriculum vitae review and generally give participants a feel of a real interview. Interested participants for the coaching can e-mail: [email protected] for a booking. Upon completing the coaching session, participants will be entitled to a generous discount on two smart work outfits from our Image Consultant, Wedad’s Fashion Boutique, in order to prepare for their future interviews.

Guest Speaker

The launch of this initiative will be at the American Corner Banjul, located at the Comium building on Tuesday 18^thSeptember at 10:30 am. The event is open to the public and attendees are urged to kindly come on time – just as they should for a job interview.

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Learn more about MMC: www.makallimatta.com

The former National Assembly Member (NAM) for Banjul Central, Abdoulie Saine was Monday, September 10, charged before Magistrate C. W Davies of the Banjul Magistrates Court.

The former APRC Lawmaker was charged with two counts of Incitement of Violence and Seditious Intention for allegedly making a “hateful speech” against a particular tribe that went viral.

Abdoulie Saine also known as “Lie Saine” has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The Police Prosecutor Mballow applied for an adjournment, saying the case file was sent to the AG Chambers for review.

Magistrate Davies before adjourning the case orders the accused person and his family to restraint from any prejudicial comment. Subsequently, the matter was adjourned to Friday, 21 September, 2018.

Shortly, after the court ruling, the alleged “hate monger” Lie Saine was escorted out of the courtroom by close associates to a rousing crowd of APRC supporters clapping and yelling his name. He was celebrated like a hero and taken to his car where the supporters were involved in a fracas. The former Mayor of KMC, Yankuba Colley was seen in the centre of the fracas.

A newly found Civil Society group called, The Foundation for Peace, Justice and National Development are calling on the government to expedite the case. The Group’s Secretary, Aisha Jallow felt that the hate speeches should be condemned by all meaningful Gambians.

Meanwhile, the APRC Party initially distanced itself from the alleged hate speech but later turn around with their leaders to show solidarity to the culprit. The entire leadership was almost present at the court.

Since January 2017, we have seen the Barrow-led government stumble time and again. We have criticized, raised concerns – sometimes even protested – but it seems all efforts are falling on deaf ears. There seems to be a disconnect between the governors and the governed. We have repeatedly called for reforms but still no substantial changes have happened, or if they are happening also, at a very slow rate.

When it was announced on the Gambia Radio and Television Services that the president, His Excellency Adama Barrow had through his personal efforts donated fifty-seven vehicles to members of the National Assembly, there was a hullabaloo that it did not follow due process. The government came out to say that the vehicles were donated by an anonymous donor who did not wish to be named.

Then the other saga that hit the nation was when the president and a huge delegation travelled to New York to attend a meeting at the United Nation. There were complains that the delegation was too large and considering that we were complaining of a depleted economy, it was not wise to go with such a large delegation. We made all efforts to find out the number of people that the President travelled with but to no avail. The Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Information, the Office of the president all failed to give us the right figure.

Not long ago, it was announced on GRTS that the president had donated eleven million dalasis to the 2018 batch of pilgrims. When there was an outcry, they modified it that it was actually a philanthropist in Saudi Arabia who gave it to the pilgrims and not the president. But again, it was said that he wants to remain anonymous. Citizens tried to get more information but like always the government remains tight-lipped.

All these point to some form of aloofness on the part of the government. They seem to ignore calls to meet the demands of the citizens and this is not healthy for a democracy especially a nascent one like we have. The National Assembly which should be the body that compels government officials to reveal the names of those who say they wish to remain anonymous is not doing this at all. Could it be that the fact that they were given vehicles is preventing them from holding the Executive to account?

All these problems – or most of them at least – could have been avoided had there been a Freedom of Information Act. The Gambia Press Union has worked assiduously to ensure that we have this Act. They worked with the Ministry of Information and then the Ministry of Justice, but it seems that the Ministry of Justice is dragging its feet. Why is it that since this government came into office, they cannot seem to put these things in order to ensure that all bad laws are repealed and laws which are democratic and friendlier to development are put in place?

The time has come for us to put an end to the anonymity when government is dealing with people who wish to give or spend huge amounts of money yet wish to remain unnamed. We have seen how political patronage encourages and promotes nepotism and corruption. The truth is that usually when people give money like that, it is because they are expecting to get something more in return.

Considering that we have been informed that we have oil of up to eight hundred and twenty-five barrels which will amount to up to D300 million dollars and that the European Union has pledged 1.7 billion Dollars to the Gambia, we should try by all means to ensure that we put the right institutions in place to make sure that when these funds come they will be put to good (the right) use. We have often seen countries in Africa who have oil end up having serious problems resulting in civil wars because the right institutions were not in place.

It is time for citizens to engage the government and insist on transparency and good governance.

Tha Scribbler Bah

A Concerned Citizen

With the regime’s calculating diplomatic appeasements of Jammeh in Equitorial Guinea and the, shameful recycling of APRC, what will the Commission of Inquiry yield but garbabe? “Garbage in Garbage out”. The inauguration of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) to address the mountain of human rights abuses of the Jammeh era will ultimately yield the same temporary relief for the “victims” still living in the cesspool of misery and a “slap on the wrist” for the victimizers just as in South Africa, Sierra Leone, Liberia (even as Charles Taylor languish in jail) and to a lesser extent Rwanda and Burundi. The deceptive comparisons of the crisis of the Jammeh era to that of the above countries that had  “Truth and Reconciliation commissions” is gross misrepresentation of history. In our specific case, it’s Jammeh and his gang of thugs (National Intelligence Agency -NIA-, the army and the savage “Jungglers) against the rest of us. These commissions are just mere appeasements to give the masses in general, victims in particular the illusions of “justice”. Based on the reckless and erratic actions of the Barrow / UDP regime and its enablers, there is no evidence that these commissions are willing to turn the tables or flip the script and not succumb to business as usual.

If the Barrow / UDP regime has not intervened in the rogue and ganster-like behaviour of the Social Security Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC), it will be foolish to think that they will intervene else where. Jammeh left us a “9 feet deep” pit, if we don’t stop this insatiable appetite of this directionless regime, we will find ourselves in a “12 feet deep pit”. Consider the oil exploration prospects shrouded in the usual “secret society” approach of the Barrow / UDP regime and the potential disaster in store when the oil starts to flow, they will bury the whole country in abject misery. We are clearly being set up for the kill. We are being sold as “stocks and bonds” again after 500 years to any unscrupulous bidder, in the name of “investments”. The Gambia is not FOR SALE!

The mighty Gambian voters and their “diaspora” allies will lick their wounds and live to fight another day. For it wasn’t for the the diaspora Henry Gomez and Mai Ahmed Fatty will not have been included in the coalition. But once included, they had to make DEMANDS as did all other parties. But we, the “diaspora” with unprecedented political naivety assumed we were dealing with honest and scrupulous partners in the STRUGGLE to flick Jammeh and his APRC over the cliff. A fatal blunder it was.

I can fully remember raising the alarm to make our DEMANDS known to the coalition before the cement was poured for the concrete foundation of the coalition but it was met with adverse naivety that it was the wrong timing. Many thought it would have been offensive or potentially disrupt the fragile coalition. Yet others championed patience but the fatal blow was that, upon victory, the coalition will “do the right thing”. And yes, they sure enough did the right thing by excluding us with a blatant snobbish attitude. In fact the “diaspora” is the enemy as oppose to the APRC vermin they have befriended and in bed with.The frequent volume of calls before and during campaign abruptly ended on December 2, 2016, onwards. So, comrades, brothers and sisters be careful who you coalition with next time around.

Here is what we should have demanded of the coalition, in my view:

1) Voting rights of Gambians in the “diaspora”. Never mind the lame excuse of its too expensive

And that the government cannot afford it.

2)  Revocation of the outrageous residency requirement to run for office.

3)  Representation in the government and National Assembly.

4)  Immediate revocation of the draconian Jammeh laws such as the “idemnity act” and “public

order act”.

It is my strong believe that had we positioned ourselves to become functional representative of the 2016 coalition government in collaboration with the few genuine forces in the coalition, activists, honest intellectuals and indeed the support of the mighty masses, the current madness would have been vigorously challenged and at the least a path charted towards national advancement not selfish personal gains.

THE GENUINE STRUGGLE CONTINUES

Comrades, brothers and sisters, its “Not yet UHURU”, meaning not yet FREEDOM. We didn’t kick Jammeh’s ass out just to remain “suffering peacefully”. To hell with “meaningless peace” and our “new found democracy” which Barrow and his “enablers”, the likes of General Kinteh are worried that it is being abused. No one handed us the long fought victory but the mighty Gambian people. If there are any abuses it is Barrow / UDP regime and its enablers, the police, army and security forces that attempt to violate our democratic rights as was arrogantly displayed during the “Occupywestfield and “Daffadoy” peaceful protests. Barrow / UDP are digging their heels to entrench themselves similar to what Jammeh did but in a shorter period of time. It comes with a sigh of relief to hear people who defended the Barrow / UDP regime expressing how impossible it is to defend the reckless actions of this government. From 2014 – 2016 all eyes were on the Gambia in our relentless fight against tyranny. After 22 years of blood, sweat and tears, we are now more than ever determined to lead the genuine struggle to its logical conclusion; power in the hands of the Gambian people.

But we must be willing to cultivate a revolutionary leadership that is in opposition to neocolonialism and steeped in revolutionary politics. Some reactionaries think revolutionary politics is beyond the grasp of the our downtrodden masses but they are sadly mistaken. The vast majority of our people are disgustingly fed up with “politics as usual”, the politics that the Barrow / UDP regime is operating under.

NO FIVE YEARS FOR BARROW! RESPECT THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING!

BY: Ousainou Mbenga

It was during one of his “Fakatalu” – tripped speeches, that Barrow characterized himself as a “political animal”, countering the “accidental president” he is believed to be.

ADAMA BARROW, WE WILL “CROSS YOUR LINE”, whether this line is imaginary in your head or drawn on the ground. In fact, you don’t have a “line”, its Jammeh’s line that you are attempting to redraw. Your increasing threats reminding us of the reckless era of Yaya Jammeh will be stopped on its tracks before you become another “run away train” leading us to another wreaking disaster. We will never return to the swamps we just emerged from, come what may. We dared to cross Jammeh’s line more over your “line”.

Unlike the “give them a chance” advocates, we who believe in testing leadership will not allow our beloved Gambia to be submerged again into the cauldron of political treachery being cooked by the Barrow regime, the recycled predators of APRC and the recalcitrant UDP.

In every practical sense, the signs of what the 2016 Coalition was to become were clearly written on the wall and foreheads of the “leadership” and its “surrogates”, both inside and outside the Gambia. One of the earliest signs of “UDP hegemony” was blatantly displayed during the “diaspora meets Barrow” following the impasse. At that meeting Alkali Conteh, Nyancho Sanneh and other UDP stalwarts stormed out of the meeting because they felt slighted by Maila Touray who conducted the meeting. Ousainou Darboe had to go out of the meeting to convince them to come back. This attitude of entitlement was skillfully hidden during the heat of battle against Jammeh’s tyranny, only to surface post “victory”.

Many of us were severely blinded by the venomous slogan “anything but Jammeh”, which ironically was the same caustic popular expression in July 1994: “anything but Jawara”. This repetition, validates the assertion that the required social and political consciousness of our society remains at gutter level, where the neocolonial elite wants it to remain to ensure the never ending viloent cycles of mediocrity and backward ideas steeped in reactionary traditions and religion. The recent reckless promise of building 60 mosques is a continuation of where Jammeh left off in polarizing the secular state that our beloved Gambia have been a champion of.

The “Diaspora” must own up to its political blunder as a significant contributing factor in the outcome of the battle against a fiffth term for Jammeh. But despite all its internal contradictions ranging from the senseless competitions between organizations to the insincerity towards the principles of UNITY that was to make the “coaltion” more resilient and resistant to being easily split and ultimately the betrayal of the century. Indeed the masses of our people were and are still appreciative of the invaluabe contributions from the “Diaspora” unlike the ungrateful opportunists who rode on our backs and ultimately stole the people’s victory. We practically handed victory and power on a gold platter to the Barrow / UDP regime unconditionally without any DEMANDS. Remember, “power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will”.

In its own doing, the “diaspora” acquired a broad “political blnd spot” which obscured our vision, therefore our ability to evaluate our interactions and dealings with ourselves and the representatives of the “coalition 2016”. We held no one accountable during that process to consolidate the coalition. To this date, there have been no accounting of the resources (money) spend on the campaign leading to the elections. Is it any wonder that the Barrow regime lacks accountability. It is the same people that managed the election campaign that became the administrators of the Barrow regime. This further explains the unscrupulous economic practices that plague the Barrow regime, only 18 months onto the “saddles of power”. The staggering grants and loans from predator “donor countries” (EU, World Bank & IMF) in the name of the Gambian people regularly escape the “transparency, accountability and probity” process until certain members of the National Assembly and the population express their right to know what is being negotiated on their behalf that the spokepersons of the regime scramble to control the damage of not being accountable.The Barrow regime’s lame mantra has become “we inherited a 22 years dictatorship” and “found nothing in the coffers”. No more excuses, we want results. “If you really want to hear our views, you haven’t done nothing”

This is the outcome of “Coalition 2016”, a blatant betrayal of the aspirations of the Gambian people including even those who defend the indefensible. This is also the nature of coalitions, people of different organizations, ideology and political agendas come together to achieve a common political goal. In our case, “No fifth term for Jammeh”! Additionally, coalitions can be traitorous as in our case again, eventhough there was a memorandum of understanding (MOU).

The MOU was the first thing that was thrown out the window followed by the imposition of the “tactical coalition” and finally, the dismissal of the agreed upon “3 year transitional period” as unconstitutional. And now the Barrow / UDP regime and its “enablers” are hell-bent on imposing the “5 year term” contrary to his affirmative “my word is my bond, three years is what we agreed on and I most honor it”. In several recorded interviews on national and international media, Barrow upheld the “3 year transitional” agreement but to the world’s dismay, upon tasting the spolis of “power”, Barrow has inducted himself into the “hall of disrepute” with questionable integrity. In short, the UDP (the “majority party”), after four unsuccessful contests against Jammeh, was forced into the coalition unwillingly but maintained its skillfully hidden agenda. It is important to note that the mighty Gambian voters and “diaspora support” made it cetegorically clear to the “opposition parties” that if there is no coalition, they will stay home on election day and campaign funds will be witheld respectively.

All of these unscrupulous occurences appear too questionable to be coincidental. And rubbing salt on our wounds; the mansions at Mankamang Kunda, FaBB foundation in honor of Barrow’s wife ($752,544 transfered into her account), D11M ( 11 million Dalasis) to the pilgrims to Mecca and a list of at liberty misappropriation of resources while we lack electricity, water and the cruel cost of living with no relief in sight, yet the Barrow / UDP regime added 17 promises upon the previous empty promises one year ago.

In addition, the sham establishments of the Commission of Inquiry turned “Commission of Enrichment”, which recently requested for an extension to unearth Jammeh’s ill gotten wealth will turn out to be just another useless excercise. According to sources, lead counsel Amie Bensouda is being paid D500,000 per month and the commissioners D100,00 per month. Is it any wonder that they requested for an extension?

TO BE CONTINUED

Alagi Yorro Jallow

Gambian, care to Listen to a pertinent sermon from Pope Francis? “Power is like gin in an empty stomach. You get drunk, feel dizzy, lose your balance – and hurt those around you”. As Gambians, we really ought to remain one, united, indivisible Gambia where justice is our shield and defendant and, where people live peaceful, harmonious and productive lives: If some of our religious and political class are fostering such deep divisions, partisanship and intolerance, who will unite this country?

Pluralism, peace and harmony that the Gambia enjoyed since independence is not godsend. This peace is borne of a culture we have built, a culture of mutual respect and tolerance amongst our people irrespective of one’s caste, tribe, religion or political orientation.

Political competition should not, and must not be concerned as platform for animosities, threats, and posturing, that jeopardize our country’s long cherished peace.

All this grand posturing doesn’t well for the Gambia. For it gives some feelings to our peace-loving people that we are a nation heading for serious trouble.

We hope that our leaders and in politics, civil society and religion will see the need to reason together and ensure we don’t jeopardize our country’s peace and security.

Every Gambian who cares about the country and its future cannot ignore the bigotry, casteism, tribalism, religious intolerance, misogynism, narcissism unfolding in our country daily crossing a line with dangerous potential.

Since at the ending of dictatorship, in the throes of the Gambia’s transition to democratic woundedness. Now I find anchor again as we go through the woundedness of Gambia’s politics that have come with so much anger oozing out of unhealed scars, and malignant hate. There are dangers so perfectly reflect the storm brewing over a young nation struggling to hold itself together, but daily surrendering to the savage seduction of propaganda, the spread of malice, the rejection of what is true, and using God to stamp every prejudice and loath for fellow humans.

Gambians should commit themselves to telling the truth, as much as they have the light to see the truth. This is the age of lies, and it is getting worse. We are reaping what we have sewn: debased journalism; an internet where any assertion passes as fact; a disdain for education; the mockery of independent thinking, a pandering to anti-intellectualism; the ossifying of political opinions and letting them pass for “truth;” an embrace of racism ethnic bigotry, xenophobia northernizing, patriarchal privilege political privilege, and brute force as a means of doing politics.

There is no issue in the entire thesaurus of human activity that is not at some level a spiritual issue. That behind all our problems, including the suppression of truth, is a refusal to accept our own complicity in living falsehoods, and our reluctance to become conscious of our connection with everything–every single thing–in the universe. Instead, we imagine ourselves to be superior to other species, to be the gods of creation, the “stewards” of nature with which we can do whatever we please. Within our own species we view ourselves as locked in a contest to see who can amass the most power to manage and manipulate others.

As Gambians, we must commit ourselves specially to challenge religious falsehood where we see it. That opens us up to the criticism of being arrogant, self-righteous, judgmental, and guilty of the same ills which we would point out in others. We must know that and accept that. And if we should prey upon a brother or sister for the speck he or she has in his or eyes while ignoring the log we have in our own, All Gambians should and must be called out. We must submit ourselves to that criticism. Moreover, we should commit ourselves to an honest self-examination and an openness to accept our limitations and our errors to the extent we able to do so. We must be and remain to be held in mutual accountability for facing and telling the truth.

 By any objective analysis, this is a new low and unprecedented in our politics. This is no longer about policy, civility, decency or even temperament. This is a direct threat of violence against a political rival. It is not just against the norms of Gambian politics, it raises a serious question of whether it is against the law.

Our religious and political leaders will undoubtedly issue an explanation; some of their surrogates and followers are already engaged in trying to gloss it over, but once the words are out there they cannot be taken back. That is what inciting violence means.

To anyone who still pretends this is a normal politics, history is watching. And sooner or later the suspects, its verdict will be harsh. Many have tried to do a side-shuffle and issue statements saying they strongly disagree with rhetoric but still support the perpetrators of these divisive hate speeches on social media. That is becoming woefully insufficient. The rhetoric is the politician and their followers.

This religious, tribal, casteism, bigotry and intolerance cannot be treated as just another outrageous moment in our politics.  We will soon know whether anyone who has publicly supported these hate speeches explains how they can continue to be silenced without any condemnation of such hate speeches.

The Gambia is a democratic republic governed by the rule of law. We are an honest, fair and decent people. In trying to come to terms with today’s discouraging development the best is to remind Gambians about inspirational words of one greatest political poet Abraham Lincoln for perspective:

“We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”

The problems that bedevil the Gambia have not just surfaced from a flawed Constitution but are mostly the results of flawed politicians who get away with impunity. Of course, the flawed rent seekers in oversight bodies employed to protect public interest have failed the integrity test, too.

Let Gambians dialogue but let us not pretend that legal reforms alone are the panacea to all our ills. Let us deal firmly with those who ride roughshod over the laws that we have. We need moral reform as much as legal reform.