No One Can Stop Opposition Party Meetings - Sidia Jatta




The Point (Banjul)

September 13, 2000

Banjul

The National Assembly member for Wuli and the PDOIS presidential candidate,
Sidia Jatta, has stressed that no one on this earth can stop them from holding
public meetings or rallies in this country.

Mr. Jatta made this statement last Saturday at a mass political rally in
Serrekunda, while reacting to earlier rumours that no party will be allowed to
hold political meetings. Sidia said even if they came with all the guns, they
would never be threatened, and that even if they killed them, the truth they
preach would never be destroyed and would remain here for generations to come.
Gambian people, Sidia said, should no longer tolerate their president and
National Assembly members as their kings, that they are their servants and
representatives who can be removed if they do not satisfy their electorates. Mr.
Jatta condemned and blamed the politics of insults and hypocrisy among the
Gambian people. According to him, the Gambians should instead blame themselves
for the hardship they are encountering, not the National Assembly members, since
they have the right to recall them if they do not perform their duties
efficiently and satisfactorily.

Mr. Jatta also described as baseless rumours that no elections will be held in
the Gambia. It is a constitutional right for elections to be held in the country
and, therefore, warned Gambians to desist from such rumourmongering. "No one can
protect the Gambia except Gambians," Sidia noted. Sidia also told the gathering
that no one is paying taxes for any individual purpose, but to provide public
services such as good roads, schools and hospitals for the entire populace. He
cited the poor state of the roads in the country, and garbage everywhere around
the KMC area which makes the area completely filthy and unhygienic for the
health of its inhabitants. Provision of electricity and clean water, according
to Mr. Jatta, still remain problems to Gambians. According to him, the
electricity problem has become worse anytime the president speaks about it. This
was received with loud applause and laughter among the audience.

Mr. Jatta also disclosed at the rally that every new born baby today owes a debt
of more than D2000; that out of the D1.45 billion in the Gambian budget from
January to December, D352 million will all go into debt payments. That should
have been used to create employment and provide many basic things for the
Gambian people, he pointed out. Halifa Sallah disclosed that there is little or
no difference in the living standard of the Gambian as compared to the past and
now. He cited the poor living standard of the average Gambian. He also said the
unemployment rates are high, and the country lacks good roads, among other
things.

Mr. Sallah described as baseless allegations made against them that PDOIS and
the APRC are the same. While the other National Assembly members paid themselves
D7,000 the Wuli National Assembly member only receives D2500 and has reserved
the rest for his electorates called the Wuli Trust Fund. The rally was chaired
by Mrs. Amie Sillah.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask]
if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------