OPINION

By: Momodou Ndow

Those who have lived or traveled abroad know that certain activities require a permit in the West.

For example, you cannot sell on the streets without a permit. Lage len Modou Modou yi. Sayu neka nyu reetay len in New York.

Cities in general have laws that are enforced to keep the city clean, organized, and in order. Even if you want to extend your house or build a structure in your backyard, you have to have a permit and the structure will be inspected to make sure the necessary standards are met.

Different areas in the city or town can only be used according to zoning laws that regulate development. Certain areas are designated for residential, commercial, parks, and other purposes. There is a place for everything, and this helps the city keep things neat and orderly. Motah fee mbeda yi dunge dey tilim ak jahasor. Keeping things in order is crucial for development.

Unlike fofu nonu, where everything goes, nothing is in the proper order. We have laws in place, but they are never enforced. As a result, the entire dayka mungee tilim beh parey chokup. If you say it, nyuneh yow hamulor sa bopa wala danga fuk neh lee wala laa. When you complain about it while there, some will tell you “bayil nyu sunge dayka bi deh” wala nyu hall la bote yu bon. They sometimes act as if njome njor morm dayka bi, just like Goloh used to do.

For decades, people have been allowed to encroach on public space and erect lulen nehh, littering the entire landscape with all sorts of makeshift structures. They will leave all their garbage behind there and go home at the end of the day. Next day, the same thing. Year in and year out, the numbers of vendors keep multiplying too. This is how Pipeline binge dan chow became a marrseh beh guy yi di jai jahatou ak naytaytu si bunti banks yi. Borri Turntable ak Brikama waheh nopi. Ebay beh noring nay komung!

There will always be a cost associated with development everywhere, and that cost is inevitable. Laws must be enforced, and sacrifices must be made. It’s about time for us to stop wasting time on politics and focus on the task at hand. In order to turn things around for the next generation, we must make the necessary sacrifices. It’s clear that our current situation is not sustainable.

That said, I hereby condemn the foul attitude of certain members of the demolition crew towards the vendors. You can work within the confines of the law without being abusive. Power and authority can be handled with grace. No need to get kufang. Although you’re doing your job, it’s important to have understanding and empathy.

OPINION

By: Ebrima Dembajang, Fourth-Year Development Major, University of The Gambia

Recent devastating incidents involving the loss of 40 lives from The Gambia at sea have shocked and saddened the nation.

It is high time for the government to take immediate action and prioritize the welfare of its youth.

This tragic event highlights the urgent need to address the push factors that drive irregular migration.

The loss of 40 lives at sea is a heartbreaking reminder of the risks faced by Gambian youths in irregular migration.

It demands immediate attention and action from the government.

The incident underscores the need to address the root causes of irregular migration and create opportunities for young people within the country.

The Gambian government must prioritize the welfare of our youth population as they are the future of the nation.

This includes investing in education, skills training, job creation, and mental health support.

By providing opportunities and support systems, the government can empower young people to contribute to the development of their communities.

It is crucial to address the push factors that drive irregular migration.

Poverty, lack of employment opportunities, and limited access to quality education are factors pushing Gambian youths on this dangerous journey.

The government must create an enabling environment that addresses these issues and provides viable alternatives to irregular migration.

I equally want to tell the central government that elections are over, and it is time for work.

The political rivalry and hatred the government continues to express towards the Brikama Area Council do not help us develop.

The rivalry and sabotaging of the Council’s work must stop. It is time for both entities to set aside their differences and prioritize the development of the West Coast Region.

Cooperation and collaboration are essential for effective governance and the implementation of policies that benefit the local population, especially the youth.

The tragic incident involving the loss of 40 lives at sea has served as a wake-up call for The Gambia.

The government must take immediate action to prioritize the welfare of its youth and address the push factors that drive irregular migration.

It is time for the nation to come together and work towards creating a brighter future for its youth, ensuring that they have opportunities to thrive within their own country. The time for action is now.

By D. A. Jawo

The ongoing war of nerves between the Brikama Area Council (BAC) and the central government is certainly happening to the detriment of the people of the West Coast Region and The Gambia at large and it should never have been allowed to degenerate to that level because it is neither in the interest of the council nor even that of the central government.

It however appears that both the BAC and the central government care more about scoring political points against each other than the consequences of their actions on the people of the West Coast. While there is an element of intransigence on the side of the BAC, particularly its chairman, Yankuba Darboe, but it is also quite evident that the central government, through the Ministry of Lands and Regional Governments, are using their power and the police to achieve their political objectives, which is to paralyze the BAC and drive a wedge between the people and its chairman and eventually make him unpopular and ineffective.

It appears that we are witnessing a repetition of what earlier happened at the Kanifing Municipal Council when a similar situation arose between the former CEO Sainabou Martin-Sonko and the KMC in which the central government again played a negative role by taking sides in favour of the CEO. Rather than investigate the allegations against Ms. Martin-Sonko, the government gave her full support at every level, insisting on her reinstatement and even went to the unprecedented extent of breaking the door to her office at the KMC to ensure that she resumed work regardless of all the evidence that the KMC produced to back their claims against her.

Just like the case of the KMC, the Brikama Area Council has also made similar accusations against their CEO and the Finance Director, Modou Jonga and Alhagie Jeng, producing enough justification for calling on the government to remove the two officials for alleged corruption. However, instead of acting on that evidence to thoroughly investigate the allegations, the government did exactly what they did in the case of Ms Martin-Sonko, by giving unqualified support to CEO Jonga and Finance Director Jeng, calling on the BAC to allow them to carry on with their work despite all the evidence of corruption that the BAC alleged against them.

If indeed the government was committed to fighting corruption, the least anyone would have expected them to do was either redeploy the two officials to other areas or send them on administrative leave and launch a thorough investigation into the allegations. However, the very fact that the government seems to have completely ignored all the allegations of corruption against them and instead give their full backing for them to continue working with the council is a serious indictment of the government’s lack of political will to fight corruption. This is certainly not going to be music in the ears of our development partners some of whom are quite concerned about the apparent rise in corruption within the government.

It is quite obvious that the government does not seem to have any intentions to help the BAC to fight corruption but instead, they seem to be using the situation to paralyze the activities of the council, regardless of the consequences to the people of the West Coast Region and the country at large.

We have all been witnesses to the overwhelming evidence of wanton corruption coming from the Commission of Inquiry into Local Government Councils and most of the corruption is being directly attributed to the government-appointed officials, particularly the CEOs and the finance directors of the different municipal councils. Therefore, the attitude of the government to such allegations of corruption against these officials at the BAC is quite indicative of the apparent lack of will to fight corruption.

What was the point of setting up the Commission of Inquiry into Local Government Councils when the government has not shown any commitment to fighting corruption? Even the very fact that the famous Anti-Corruption Bill had been languishing at the National Assembly for more than two years now without any commitment on the part of the government to get it enacted, while they had the audacity to send the Former Presidents Bill to the National Assembly under a certificate of urgency and get it passed in less than a week, is a clear indication that fighting corruption is not their priority.

From what we have heard so far from the Commission of Inquiry into Local Government Councils, apart from the municipal councils themselves being the bedrock of corruption and mal-administration, the other institutions that have come out quite poorly from the inquiry include the Ministry of Lands and Regional Governments and the so-called ‘independent’ Local Government Service Commission, which is anything but independent. The Ministry, instead of effectively playing its role as the policy arm of the local councils, was not only trying to directly micro-manage them, but it had also been usurping the role and powers of the Local Government Service Commission, thus making that commission quite irrelevant and ineffective.

Let us hope and pray that both the government and the BAC would realise that the only sensible way forward is through dialogue and comprise so that the council’s activities will continue rather than being paralyzed for purely political reasons, benefiting no one in particular.

OPINION

By: Saidina Alieu Jarjou

Your Excellency President Barrow, I hope this open letter finds you in good health and high spirits. Please be informed that I am writing to bring to your attention the pressing and challenging circumstances faced by many Gambian citizens and to appeal for your intervention to alleviate the hardships they are enduring.

While acknowledging your administration’s efforts to address various issues affecting the country, it is evident that some segments of the population continue to face economic difficulties, unemployment, and challenges accessing basic essential human rights services. I am putting it to you that the high cost of living, coupled with the impacts of external factors such as the global economic situation, has placed a significant burden on ordinary citizens in our motherland.

You may be surprised to know that many citizens are struggling to afford essential commodities, making it challenging for them to meet their basic needs. Unemployment persists, particularly among the youth, posing a threat to their economic well-being and contributing to social unrest. Some citizens also face challenges accessing quality healthcare services, and there are concerns about the capacity of healthcare facilities to meet the needs of the population. It is crucial to improve infrastructure, especially in rural areas, to enhance the overall quality of life for citizens.

Your Excellency, I understand that the challenges are complex, and your government has been working tirelessly to address them. However, I humbly urge you to consider implementing additional measures to mitigate the immediate impacts of the hardships faced by citizens and to work towards sustainable, long-term solutions for the better Gambia we want.

I do not doubt that with your leadership and commitment, The Gambia can overcome these challenges and continue a path of progress and prosperity that we can all be proud of. Your dedication to the well-being of the Gambian people is appreciated, and I am hopeful that urgent action will be taken to alleviate their current hardships.

Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I express my continued support for your efforts in steering the nation towards a brighter future in making the Gambia the last place of home on earth.