Alagi Yorro Jallow

President Adama Barrow and his government must be ready to push the boundaries of transparency and accountability, even and especially with ourselves. We must be ready to embody and model the values that give meaning to and legitimize the important and necessary work of shining light on dark places, holding others to account.

I believe that public officers should publicly declare their assets. The Directorate of Asset Declaration should be empowered to verify the claims made on declaration forms to ensure that public officers do not over-declare their assets in anticipation of using public office to corruptly enrich themselves.

Asset Declarations of ministers and senior government officials are not meant to be a perfunctory exercise in box-ticking. They are primarily instruments of transparency and accountability, potentially powerful mechanisms of sunshine that could help, in very practical ways, to limit the incidence of corruption, one of the major challenges of our country. However, the potency of this tool is gravely diminished, in my view, by the fact that asset declarations are made a secret affair, with the public, on behalf of whom people are elected or appointed to hold public office, not given a viable role in the verification of the assets declared and denied the fundamental right to know. This is another case of the “missing public” that needs fixing.

Therefore, as we rightly seek new beginnings for our country, we need to reinsert and reassert the public into this process of transparency and accountability by lifting the veil of secrecy from the declared assets of our public officers. This I believe: all public officers should be required to declare their assets publicly. Otherwise, the impact of the asset declaration exercise is successfully neutered.

I believe that President Barrow’s Executive Order authorizing his ministers to declare their assets is just not a rubber stamp there to hoodwink people because no one has access to the records and there is no mechanism for enforcement.

Universally accepted standards of Asset Declaration stipulate that the President and members of his cabinet disclose all assets, liabilities and business interests—as well as those of their spouses or any assets that are held on their behalf—upon election or appointment. Such a declaration is supposed to be made in writing to the Speaker of the National Assembly within three months of their election or appointment.

But despite the very unclear Executive Order of President Barrow and the importance that government officials be publicly accountable to the citizenry, it has proven very difficult to implement practically binding principles observed by those in high office. Indeed, it has become a thorny issue among politicians in The Gambia, as nobody wants to detail their (often unexplained) property or wealth.

To make matters worse, even when a senior public figure makes a declaration, it is extremely difficult for the media or any other interested parties in civil society to access the documents. If you read carefully, what the media publishes is just the fact that there has been a “declaration of assets,” not the actual contents of the declaration. Does the media have access to enough documents to scrutinize all the declared assets?

What mechanism for verification is put in place to ensure a true account of the inventory of assets declared? One viable mechanism is physical verification, which involves comparing the data on the forms with data held at various public agencies and private entities to check for authenticity, veracity and accuracy. The exercise will involve visiting physical sites for inspection and assessment of declared movable and immovable properties. Wherever necessary, professional experts will be used in the process at the expense of the Directorate.

Institutions declaring their assets include the Ministry of Local Government and Lands, Financial Institutions local and abroad and the Gambia Revenue Authority, among others.

The declared assets of public officers would undergo the verification exercise to prove if indeed their forms were truthfully completed. Their initial declaration would be followed by an annual declaration update to be filed within thirty days after the start of each fiscal year.

Unsurprisingly, the lack of verification leads to widespread doubts about whether leaders really declare their assets. This also proves the entire point of declaring assets: to be more transparent and accountable and to help tackle corruption. In the current situation, the president, cabinet ministers and senior government officials know that if they have handed in a “declaration of assets,” no one can question their wealth. On top of this, there is no prescribed penalty for failure to declare assets! Talk about a toothless regulation.

Such a lack of transparency can lead to a sense of impunity and to allegations of corruption. Publicly declaring assets tackles these problems, giving citizens more faith in their elected and appointed representatives. Clearly, however, senior government figures in The Gambia are not worried about that. Or, rather: they are more worried about publicly declaring what they own. I wonder why? If it is legally accrued wealth, then why not declare it?

In other countries, the media might be able to use other routes to get around the Speaker’s non-disclosure by using an access-to-information law. Regrettably, we in The Gambia have the colonial Official Secret Law instead of legislation requiring access to information, such as a Freedom of Information law, leaving Gambian citizens in the dark on many critical issues.

Dear Editor,

This rejoiner follows on the footsteps of an interview Omar Batchilly, a former executive member of GDC political party had with an online publication pertaining to his time, role and financial activities of its leader, Mama Kandeh. If those reports are found to be credible and true, it is incumbent upon the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to investigate and establish if financial malpractice took place. In its legal framework under the provisions of Gambian law, the statute clearly (or it should) spell out not just the role of political parties and how they go about articulating and aggregating electoral support – but their financial conduct too. Clear rules and regulations and monitoring mechanisms should have been in place whereby post elections all political parties must publish their financial reports to the IEC – For instance, how much money they had raised, from what source(s) and how they went about spending those funds during campaign season – producing receipts as evidence. In addition to this, all registered political parties in the country are to publish such accounts on an annual basis in an elaborate push to maximise and consolidate democracy gains.

According to Mr Batchilly, Kandeh lacks leadership transparency, further bemoaning the absence of transparency in terms of GDC finances. He also claimed to have hand-delivered cash amounting to several thousands to the party leader collected from donations. But the issue which irritates most and of course extremely concerning was the fact that amidst the millions from unknown sources – GDC never had a bank account. And since all collections are deposited in the hands of the party leader – that is a redflag demanding clarity. Questions will be asked, what is Kandeh’s main source of income since he has no professional job, nor a rich man. How is he managing to sustain a fairly luxurious lifestyle maintaining three (3) wives and children for an unemployed politician. What are the other sources of money claimed to be over half a million (D500,000) worth of projects he is said to have donated to his support base in the provinces.

From a personal standpoint, I never trust the man since his ascension on the scene. Because, questions soon emerged about his connections to the then Yaya Jammeh and APRC machinations sic. The object of my disaffection was further compounded when GDC copied and Plagiarise a Politico-economic blueprint I had authored in their manifesto without consent prior to the 2016 general election. That was intellectually dishonest but one let it go. For measure – Kandeh never raised voice about the dead bodies being exhumed and such barbaric crimes under APRC, yet found time blaming the government on the Kanilai and Foni criminals still living the past. My view is for President Barrow to keep distance further away from him. And to ignore the noise – sharing a stage with Kandeh will only make him look presidential, further milking the spotlight. The diaspora never warmed up to the man either – a smart constituency abroad seeing right into the actions and intentions of domestic politicians through a collection of methods and reasoning.

Folks, do not misconstrue this assignment as negative, rather a plus, in that if our desire is to instil legitimacy and transparency in our politics, the aspirants to such noble offices ought to be seen with clean hands, and be open to institutional & media scrutiny. The IEC has got to set up clearer rules on foreign entities and businessmen donating to political parties. Serious questions remain if the IEC had done this and if in fact the electoral body is fulfilling its oversight duties pertaining to campaign finance propriety. And as the constitution goes about the amendment process – I urge parliament to set a limit and bar on all political parties in that – Presidential electoral campaigns are to be staged no more than four (4) week, and each contesting party is to spend no more than three million dalasis (D3,000,000) during this heightened period in advertising, promotions, and such good electioneering aggregation tactics. Parliamentary polls are to be staged simultaneously in order to save tax payers money. Local government and mayoral elections to be staged a further two years down the line in a deliberate drive creating leverage in our politics further down the chain. However, this calls for an overhaul of the entire local government super-structure & the devolution powers Act for a smooth and effective delivery of services at the city, town and village levels in local communities.

Gibril Saine, LONDON.

The former Commissioner of Prosecution and Legal Affairs of the Gambia Police Force (GPF) Landing Kinteh has been appointed as the new Inspector General of Police (IGP) of the Gambia Police Force.
He replaces the longest serving IGP, Yankuba Sonko, who has been redeployed to the Foreign Service.
The newly appointed IGP Kinteh holds an LLB in Law from the University of Dan Fodio in Northern Nigeria and a Master’s Degree, LLM in Human Rights and Criminal Justice from the University of Essex in Uk. He is also a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of The Gambia.

Landing Kinteh grew up in Serrekunda, London Corner. He studied in Dan Fodio University in northern Nigeria where he bagged his LLB Degree in Law. He attended this same University in Nigeria together with Lawyer Mboge but Mboge graduated before him.

Employment Record

Shortly before his appointment to the police top job, Landing Kinteh who was on an international appointment at the UN came back to The Gambia almost two months ago and was appointed as Commissioner of the Police Training School in Yundum.

Upon his return to The Gambia sometime in 2005/2006, he was recommended by Tamsir Jasseh, former Director General of The Gambia Immigration Department (GID) through the Personnel Management Office (PMO) to serve as a Prosecutor and Legal Adviser at the Prosecution Unit of the Gambia Police Force.

Burama Dibba was Officer Commanding the Prosecution Unit during this period but the GPF badly needed a Legal Adviser at the time.

In 2011-2012, the new IGP Landing Kinteh did his Bar at the Gambia Law School and was called to the Bar on January 18th, 2013. During this period, Kinteh was employed at the Attorney General’s Chambers under the Ministry of Justice, to head the ‘Anti-Trafficking In Persons’ Unit. By this time he was also at the GPF as a Legal Adviser. Kinteh served at the Anti-Trafficking Unit until he got his UN job.

While heading the ‘Anti-Trafficking in Persons’ Unit, two former security officers; namely, one ex-NIA officer alias ‘Mandas’ and Cadet Ousman Colley, who was dismissed from the police force in 2007 by former President Yahya Jammeh, both worked under Landing Kinteh.

Kinteh has also worked with veteran police officer Pa Amady Jallow, former CMC of the GPF, who is now on a UN job in Darfur, Sudan. They worked together at the Police Headquarters in Banjul and in Sudan as well. He served two tours of duties in Darfur, Sudan; first with the African Union and second as an International Staff serving as the Reform and Restructuring Coordinator for the UN Police Component.

Challenges

Despite his vast knowledge in Legal Affairs and police job, one major challenge that the newly appointed IGP has is his lack of knowledge on ‘Basic police training’ such as Police Duties, Foot Drill and Weapon Training.

Landing Kinteh was supposed to go to the Police Training School together with three (3) other Cadet Officers, namely; Cadet Sulayman Jeng who is now in UK, Cadet Ebrima Bah and Cadet Ousman Colley, who is currently in Darfur. These Cadet Officers were at the Training School but Kinteh did not go to the Training School for basic Police Training such as police duties, foot drill and weapon training, etc. Therefore one can say that he is not a seasoned police officer.

Kinteh needs the support of all members of the senior management to be able transform the police force as expected to get a more professional and world class Gambian force.
Congratulations and good luck to IGP Kinteh.

About the immediate-past IGP, Yankuba Sonko

Yankuba Sonko is the immediate-past IGP of the Gambia Police Force. He is the longest IGP to have served in that position for the past 22 years under former President Yahya Jammeh. He is now replaced by Landing Kinteh and redeployed to the Foreign Service.

His Career

Yankuba Sonko joined the Gambia Police Force in 1982 and was promoted to the rank of Corporal in 1984, and to Cadet Officer in 1988. He studied at the Nigerian Police Training School in 1990 and upon his return in 1991, he helped to found the Police Intervention Unit (PIU) and was posted to Barra Police Station in the North Bank Region. He was appointed as the Gambia Police Force’s first Public Relations Officer (PRO) in 1993 and was posted to Kanifing Division as second-in-command in 1994. In 1995, he became the officer commanding Kanifing Division.

In 1998, Sonko became the Officer Commanding Fraud Squad Unit, and the following year he was appointed as Crime Management Coordinator (CMC) at the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP). In 1999, he was also deployed on a United Nations Mission in East Timor, where he was Regional Commander of one of the Mission’s 13 Regions. He returned in 2000 and became the Commanding Officer of the PIU.

In 2001, he was reassigned as Officer Commanding Kanifing Division. In 2002, he left The Gambia to study law in the UK and returned in 2007. He was posted as the acting Commissioner of the PIU, and then became Officer Commanding in the Prosecution Unit of the GPF. In 2008, he was appointed as the Crime Management Coordinator again.

On 18th December 2009, Yankuba Sonko was promoted to Deputy Inspector General of Police. He served as Inspector General of Police from March 2010 to 2014. He was replaced by Benjamin Wilson but was reinstated, in turn, to replace Ben Wilson on 13th July 2015.

GOD BLESS THE GAMBIA.

Written by Assan Sallah

We can agree most pundits will say it was a great week for the Barrow Administration from the official commissioning of ferry Kunta Kinteh where the President Barrow gave a big, thoughtful speech about serious things juxtaposed with his cool and collected personality all came together in his speech on the deck of Kunta Kinteh. It was no coincidence that I thought the President found his voice and it was a solid speech on many levels. The President used his notes, but he spoke freely and improvised from time to time. The result was very human and very powerful.

The welcoming of Honorable Mama Kanteh leader of GDC at the President’s office was a pivotal moment in our nation’s history. For 22 years we haven’t seen the former President extend the olive branch of the executive to opposition leaders what a change? I will say Honorable Mama Kanteh showed some real statesmanship when he articulated the need for all Gambians to come together. He also elaborated the need for citizens to answer to call to duty rather than relying on government to solve all their problems. His statement was reconciliatory and a broader appeal to bring the nation together.

President’s decision to shakeup the police force was welcoming news across the board. The New IGP Landing Kinteh is a true professional and will bring the necessary reforms needing in our police force. Farewell to former IGP Yankuba Sonko in his reassignment to foreign services, you were at helm of our police force when our country went through major transformation stage (Gambiahasdecided) thank you for maintaining peace during the impasse. Gambians were briefed the selection of 15 members on the think Tank committee tasked to layout a framework of initiatives the transition government will implement.

Another hallmark of Barrow administration was in full display when the press briefing lead by Demba.D.A. Jawo Minister of Information and Amie Bojang-Sissoho director of press took place yesterday. The press briefing brought Gambia’s political sincerity of conscience and sensibility. Amie Bojang-Sissoho rolled out her brief impetuously in a current of eloquence; she was poised, confident and genuine. The brief has a good structure and the content was absolutely on point at all levels. The exigence was clear and the timing was perfect. She speaks clearly, confidently and professionally, just as press secretary’s will do.

In conclusion it is clear that President Adama Barrow’s objective is to gather Gambian’s support and trust by using many effective leadership tools. In doing so, he has asked members of his cabinet to declare their assets. A distinct difference from previous administration. What the President is doing is assuring the country his administration will not do business as usual. Overall what the Barrow Administration shows this week are those values upon which our success depends, hard work, honesty, courage, tolerance and patriotism. We all know these words are old but they are true and present in our daily lives. If we as a country collectively uphold these values which have been quiet force of progress throughout history, we must continue to demand the return of these values at our institutions. The core foundation of our new found democracy beginning to take shape, Mr. President you have a very good week, keep charging, keep being the grizzly bear, keep getting at it Insha’Allah together we will get there one day. Jummah Mubarak.

Alaa Baraka

Br. Sariang Marong.

Vancouver, Washington

USA.

All these phrases are rooted in religion, Islam in particular [though people of other Faiths also use them] but the context in which they are used in the Gambia is not Islamic at all. I am no scholar of religion, far from it, but one thing I’m is an avid reader. I’ve read very widely on religious books of Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism and others; but nowhere have I seen religion promote laziness, impunity, nepotism, corruption, cronyism and the other evils.

If this is the case, isn’t using one’s religion to hide one’s corruption, incompetence the height of corruption and disgusting in itself? We find people do evil things of their own volition and when the consequences come, they say ‘Ndoguli Yallah La.’ What crap! A few weeks ago I wrote a price entitled The Gods Are Not to Blame after a particular unfortunate incident occurred here. But the problem is very widespread indeed. One encounters these phrases everywhere and I can assure you, Islam is the least cause in most cases.

For instance, on the issue of Ndogali Yallah La, once a man came to the Prophet without securing his camel, claiming to have left it with God and His Messenger. The prophet told him to go and secure his camel then leave it with God.

Besides, on the economic and development front, the Prophet of Islam has made very instructive pronouncements. For instance he has said the upper hand (the one giving) is always better than the lower hand (the one receiving). The Holy Quran outright forbids begging. The Prophet said one who keeps begging will appear faceless on the Day of Judgement (only bones will remain on his face). Everyone can understand that he is talking about the lack of, and/or eroding of dignity of this despicable act.

He said it is better for one to go to the bush, cut firewood and sell it in order to feed his family than to beg. So all this tells me is that the people who use these phrases have their own motives; selfish greed.

Once a criminal was to be punished but he was very well liked by some companions. They sent someone to go and appease the prophet so the man would be forgiven. The prophet was angry that they could even think that he would violate the law because of sentiments. He swore to God that had his own daughter violated the law, she would be punished according to law. So, no impunity.

We see therefore that in all areas, religion cannot, should not be blamed.

What Then Is The Problem?

The main problem that we face in the Gambia is that most Gambians are hypocrites. Many there are who simply aren’t patriotic; many there are who are selfish and would go for personal benefit over national benefit. The cause of all the above is ignorance.

So the solution has to be multifaceted, aggressive, constant, measured and sustained. To start with, we have to educate our people [and by educate I am not talking about passing-exam-education] I’m talking of real education which inculcates patriotism, honesty, hard work, sacrifice and the preference of nation to self. This can be done partly by teaching and promoting what is/was good in our history, who were our great ones, who sacrificed everything for our country among other things.

While that is happening, there should be a massive campaign for civic education by all and sundry. The religious preachers [because religion is part of the problem] must educate their congregates. Their preaching should not be only about Prayer, Zakat, and others; let them preach about the other Islamic values. For instance, the Prophet forbade praising a person in his presence to avoid the person become self-aware. This will apply to most of them seeing how their constant praises made Yahya Jammeh think that he was invincible.

Mothers and fathers should stop perpetrating corrupt practices in front of their children; that is just teaching them to be worse than yourself. Stop looking for corruptionin the other person and look inwards. You will find it lurking somewhere within. Exorcism is needed in most cases. It is tempting but we have to try.

Everyone must make a constant effort to move this country forward. We must be better, we must do better, we must uplift ourselves and be proud of our country. Oh my people! How I wish I can impress this in all hearts!

May God bless the Gambia?

Tha Scribbler Bah

A Concerned Citizen

Kudos to the Director of Press Amie Bojang Sissoho for hosting her first press conference. With this press conference she has set the stage for the Government to begin to control the narrative that would build an interactive relationship with the population. By giving out the Government’s official decisions, actions and positions on issues, it means citizens can now agree or disagree with the Government which is how we will influence public policy and the actions of the Government. In turn it is also the way the Government will affect and influence the actions of citizens. It is this symbiotic relationship that goes to make democracy active, interactive and productive.

This press conference must be made permanent and regular, forever. For this matter, I would advise Amie to study other press offices and press secretaries around the world to see how they build a presidential press office and do their jobs. There are so many case studies and experiences around the word from which we can learn as we embark on building a modern democratic state.

Since the days of Jawara the State House Press Office was never developed as it should and the Director of Press was never seen in the full light of a public affairs professional. They were not involved in topmost decision making processes and places because the Director of Press was merely seen as an appendix. This has to change now.

The President must realize that the Director of Press is one of his fundamental pillars. The Director of Press is not just a public affairs function; it is also a national security function as well as national development platform. For that matter, the Director of Press must sit in Cabinet meetings and other strategic meetings of the State so that she can receive and mould the message in a nice package to deliver to the citizens. The President must see the Director of Press as an indispensable tool that can enhance his leadership, prevent a riot or bring about unity among the people of the Gambia among many other benefits. The value of the Press office is immense.

Therefore the Director of Press must also develop a structure in order to professionalize her office and job. She needs modern tools such as video and still cameras, recording devices and IT experts and reporters and other empowered staffs. She needs to be able to collect information and write good stories for the website or Facebook page or share with the media. She should be able to produce decent video, audio and visual materials to share. She needs to make full use of the Internet and social media. The State House website must be constantly updated. She needs to create the State House Reporters Forum in order to build a relationship with journalists. She needs to create a channel of communication with them so that they can obtain information anytime.

She needs to also build structures within other state institutions to obtain up-to-date information of what they are doing or not doing so that she would be on top of issues at anytime. The Director of Press should avoid saying ‘I do not know about this or that’. She should know everything. This means she should build a robust information gathering system within the State. She is the voice of the State.

Finally, this press conference tells us that indeed the Government is on the path of fixing things. When some of us put pressure on the Government, it is not that we are saying that Barrow must fix all the problems right now. Everyone knows that it will take years for us to fix electricity problems, for example. But what we call for is that the Government must be seen to be on that path of fixing the problem. What shows us that the government is on that path is when the government utilizes its structures and tools such as the Director of Press to give us timely, relevant and true information.

However let me say that, this press conference does not mean that Barrow cannot or should not also come to talk to Gambians. The press conference is not a substitute for what the president should do. They complement each other. Therefore I suggest that after every fourth press conference, the president should chair the fifth press conference so that he can talk directly to the media.

With this press conference Barrow and Amie help to establish a modern governance practice that history will record forever and ever. This is the system change we voted for.

Kudos to Amie Bojang Sissoho!

God Bless The Gambia

Madi Jobarteh

Dear Editor,

What in the world is happening in little Gambia?

After 22 years of fighting dictatorship, my question is are we heading back to dictatorship?

Why arrest a man, keep him for 5 months without a single witness appearing in court. Then after 5 months a competent high court Judge threw the case out for lack of proper evidence or due process. Then after few hours of his release from the 5 months detention a directive was given for him to be picked up again. This time around he was picked up at night.

Stop the nepotism and selective justice. When #Solo Sandeng got killed by the former regime IGP #Sonko was then the IGP and was responsible for the Paramilitary who did the arrest. Why is he still our #IGP and not questioned?

Mr Interior Minister #Mai Ahmad Fatty, are we heading back to the #Jammeh way of governance?

#NoToNepotism
#NoToSelectiveJustice
#NoToExecutiveOrders

I’m a concerned citizen

The piercing persistent ring of the phone shattered the tranquil of the brief predawn sleep. I concluded that it was not the Suhoor (heda) alarm having already let it ring a few times.

“Doctor, bed X’s condition has changed.”

“Please remind me again, what’s her name and the admitting diagnosis? “, I blearily mumbled to the nurse. “And secondly is she really alive or dead?” I asked the admittedly cynical question because believe it or not, I’ve been called numerous times about patients’ ‘changed condition’ only to find that the patient was actually taking their final breaths or already dead. But I digress as that’s a story for another day.

On the ward I found the patient gasping for breath. Her blood oxygen level was dangerously low and she urgently needed oxygen amongst other things. But life-saving oxygen first and foremost.

The nurse tiredly shook her head. The only oxygen sources on the ward, the portable cylinder and the concentrator were being used for two patients at that very moment. In effect there was no oxygen available for this patient. 4M15 am, no oxygen in the hospital. The hospital only had limited oxygen supply in the form of portable cylinders and oxygen concentrators. The word portable is a misnomer as there is nothing portable about them; each cylinder is the height of an adult male and heavy. Not to mention expensive. Oxygen concentrators are machines the size of a small suitcase and basically extract oxygen from the air using electrical power. They are also expensive to purchase, run and maintain, and our hospital only had 3 working concentrators. The remaining two are owned by the maternity/gynae department and paediatrics department. Borrowing from those two wards was out of the question. As we pondered this quandary, her sister who had been by her bedside all night pleadingly stared at me……

———————

This oxygen shortage experience I just related happens with wretched regularity the length and breath of the national health system, and I speak with the conviction of a health care practitioner on the front lines of care. I am not interested in massaging the facts or delivering some ‘maslaha’/spin about how plans are afoot to address this situation as healthcare practitioners have been hearing such platitudes for ages with no progress. The painful catastrophic reality is that patients i.e. your relatives, my relatives, OUR relatives, die daily due to a shortage of oxygen in our health system and the situation shows no Y. Z. [. \. signs or fierce urgency to improve.

Consider the following:

There is no overarching national framework or strategy to supply oxygen to the major health centers or public hospitals, or if there is, it is only on paper i.e. the perennial ‘being worked on’.

The international standard is for individual hospitals to have their own oxygen plants on site, or at the very least a central Government-owned manufacturing plant that supplies oxygen to the peripheral health facilities. Each patient bed ideally should have piped oxygen on demand from the on-site plant.

As such major hospitals and health centers (public and private) have to source/buy their oxygen cylinders from private oxygen manufacturers like Banjul Oxygen Ltd, which is hideously expensive and unsustainable.

Our apex referral Hospital EFSTH (Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital) at one point was allegedly spending 800,000 Dalasis monthly on oxygen purchases alone.

Oxygen is classified as a drug and it goes without saying that it is among the most elemental and fundamental in any health care system. It is critical in life support systems i.e. emergencies and surgeries.

Across the myriad issues facing the Gambian health system, there is a disheartening continuation even widening of that disconnect between the daily experience of those on the front-lines (i.e health care workers) and the policy/ decision makers ‘at the top’ especially how the former can guide what needs to urgently addressed to deliver good patient care.

A sustainable long-term solution to the oxygen issue would be a good start.

By: Dr John Locke

By Gibril Saine

I observed with great distress recent reports emanating from Treasury officials in Banjul regarding the health of the nation’s finances. The astronomical figures being quoted and claimed to have been embezzled by the previous incumbent continue to shock & awe in equal measure. It is no secret that the country is in dire straits in terms of its money and I fear, with near certainly that The Gambia shall never register any meaningful progress, nor fulfilled the sustainable development goals target without disposing of its debt burden. The country, like most of Africa is caught up in a vicious cycle of ill-advised loan schemes encouraged by Western powers through their agents – multilateral financial institutions – carrying punishing interest rates. After the subjugation of a particular country in such economic mess, the next phase becomes stringent austerity measures through the much maligned structural adjustment programmes, to be completed by privatisation, auctioning off its assets, companies and resources to foreign hands. This pillage and plundering of Africa’s resources thus became the norm, subjecting the continent at the beck and call of the West. Africa, how tragic, yet an avoidable one – But will we ever learn?

To President Barrow – you don’t have to be an expert in British and US foreign policy to effectively administer, just ponder & reflect and use common sense. Analysing from a vintage point across the London financial district, I sense such ground work being laid for the Gambia, urging the leadership to wise up to the trap. For the record – future generations of Gambians are indebted to the neck held hostage in financial ruins, but for the flamboyant lifestyle the ‘Jammeh family’ had lived crisscrossing the globe in private jets, decadent cars, lavish mansions, legendary ‘Kanilai’ parties the world has come to know about. It is still baffling to many, and an absolute travesty that Central bank officials and their cohorts at the Finance Ministry who aided and abetted – presiding over a thievery of the worst kind West Africa has ever seen prevail scot-free; still practising at the heart of government. Many-a-night, I woke up to nightmarish dreams watching history repeat itself for a country we all so dearly love. If empiricism is anything to go by, the Barrow government appears reticent leading without a rear-view-mirror, blinded by big money, the business class, auctioning off the nation’s assets to foreign hands reminiscent of recent past.

Cheii Gambia – Where are we heading to; and where is honourable Halifa Sallah and the rest of Parliament in their oversight roles policing executive power. With a measure of anger, the Gambian people are whispering chants of betrayal #President Barrow #Ousainou Darboe continually repositioning their selves & kind ever closer to positions of influence. With due respect to Darboe, he is clueless in terms of foreign policy and diplomatic niceties, and should be reshuffled. The banished adage of patronage, clientelism, thru a façade of nepotism and cronyism thus emerged overstepping bounds of conflict of interest. It is incumbent upon President Barrow to separate himself from businessmen and negotiations, and to allow each line ministry handle investments as accordingly. The so-called permanent secretary for investment at the office of the president is undemocratic, and must close immediately. The country boasts a chamber of commerce, and an Investment zone and free trade Agency (GIZFTA), so why the multiplication of services – further adding to bureaucracy.

Dialling back to the 2015 IMF & World Bank report on the country, both institutions in essence called out sheer incompetence at the Central bank of the Gambia and the finance ministry where officials are found culpable in their oversight duties pertaining to monetary policy. It was against the backdrop of that report when the erstwhile finance minister ‘Kolley’ came out with a falsified statement projecting 6% GDP growth rates he knew was untrue. Loans were contracted with foreign financial firms disappearing into thin air. Inflated road projects that do not measure to scrutiny, nor the huge costs attached. The diaspora is screaming asking why is it that European road projects are built to last 100 years, yet in Gambia multimillion dollar projects erode under the power of heavy rainfall. incredible right!. As of 2016 the interest rate payments alone on Gambia’s external and domestic debt stock stood at 107% GDP. This figure is bound to accelerate to monstrous figures the country can never afford nor repay. Over several decades, poorly structured schemes of greed emasculated under clouds of lies and deceit in covering tracks came to define Africa’s failures. Looking closer, It became apparent that certain aspects of corruption and looting selling the nations assets and reserves to vested interest are deliberately calculated by the very politicians screaming national interest. A classic scenario came to define Yahya Jammeh – rich beyond measure.

For Gambia, the country lives on hand-to-mouth producing just to give it all away in interest payments and then borrow more to survive the year ahead further adding more pain to the already existing wound. The Jammeh era mismanagement of borrowing-at-will with no questions asked a docile parliament nor the media unaware of its true role. From an advantaged vintage point in London, I watched the Gambia and Africa on a pattern to destruction signing mismanaged loans deals secured on exorbitant interest payments which consume large chunks of the country’s GDP. I’m all for debt ceiling legislation in curtailing supplementary budget expenses as brilliantly enunciated by Gambian economist, Nyang Njie. The IMF and such partner financial institutions carry bad reputations for impoverishing developing nations exacerbating poverty through painful austerity regimes. It’s about time Africa and Africans take our own destiny in our own hands drawing plans designed to last. With total debt wipe-out, I stand optimistic the Gambia can finally wave bye to the much maligned ‘SAPs’ and set meaningful economic agenda in motion as infrastructure spending, agriculture, education, ambitious social programmes that uplift everyday Gambians further away from the poverty line boosting job creation too.

Western bilateral and multilateral aid gestures are mere charitable handouts the Gambia must try kick addiction from. Just look at the few millions handed to the new government with the right hand, yet taking it all back with the left through excruciating interest payments on loans consuming total GDP output. To the world – the Gambia is drowning under the weight of a national debt burden ratio at an alarming 110% GDP, rising annually. The only honest and pragmatic solution to remedy this unacceptable state of affairs is total debt wipe-off if the United States and Europe truly care and are sincere partners as they claim. I urge Britain to lead in this benign gesture given centuries old history, but will she? So I task Mr Lajos, EU high diplomat in the Gambia to help lay the foundations with the Finance Ministry counting in U.S embassy and the UN system for a better way forward. I urge Gambians & our government to pre-empt IMF and World Bank together with EU are talking of debt restructuring. These are mere semantics, useless as the paper written on. They are also looking to prop up government and the nation’s coffers with few cool millions – do not fall for it, those shall register worthless in the long run as interest payments multiply on the debt in situ. The only pragmatic and honest solution to the Gambia’s economic woes & future aspirations in building a progressive city-state as envisaged in the national development blueprint is, but total debt cancellation and a wipe-off.