BY AKALEKE, OUR BANJUL CORRESPONDENT     

   
  President Yahya Jammeh's recent 10 percent pay package for Civil Servants, is not well received by a section of The Gambian Community, as they  accused The Gambian leader of trying to  hide behind salary increment to induce potential voters. Gambians are going to the polls in October of 2006 and most of the people interviewed by our Banjul reporter, say the President's pay raise came rather too late and was meant to score political points, "as his government is currently unpopular in the West African country."  
   
    
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   JAMMEH UNDER FIRE AGAIN, HIS PACKAGE DOUBTED
   
  The Gambia, a  former British Colony, is said to be experiencing political and economic crisis. Due to lack of funds, the government of the day could not afford to raise the pay of workers for the past three years. Observers say, the economic down turn  had contributed greatly to  the growing institutionalised corruption and low staff moral in the Civil Service. 
   
  Despite the ailing economy, President Jammeh, emerges with a surprising pay package for Civil Servants, shortly after his return from Mecca, this past Week. The Gambian leader told news men at The Banjul International airport that the new pay package will commence with effect from January 1ST, 2006. 
   
   Speaking to our reporter, a concerned Gambian argued that the President should preoccupy himself with revamping the country's "sick economy" and not make promises that he cannot fulfil in the long term. The concerned Gambian says the country's ailing economy is taking its toll on citizens and that Jammeh had not demonstrated any serious move to salvage our country's  men and women from such economic mess. 
   
   A resident of Fajara, who wished to remain anonymous commented “This clearly tells Gambians that Jammeh, is only interested in getting their votes and not  their welfare."  The Fajara resident, challenged Jammeh, to tell Gambians, why his government could not increase the salaries of Civil Servants last year. The concerned Fajara resident,  added that  "Jammeh is desperate and was bent on soliciting support from government workers." He vowed that he will not cast his vote for Jammeh, but the opposition NADD.   
   
   Ebrima Secka of Serekunda has a different opinion on Jammeh’s move, as he calls on  Gambians to be grateful with the president's gesture “Jammeh did his best to increase salaries this year,  so Gambians should appreciate his gesture  and stop criticizing him. We are ahead of many African countries today” he said. When asked whether he is an APRC militant, Mr. Jobe replied “I am not and I never supported the APRC, but when the President initiated something good, we should all appreciate it and encourage him so that he can do more”. 32 year old Ebrima  Secka concluded by saying “I am calling on  Gambians to hail this increment on salaries and put politics behind till October” he hinted.

   
  Despite, the dissenting opinoin on Jammeh's pay raise  package,  majority of Gambians, questioned the timing of  the President's pay raise announcement. They argued that pay raise will not change the minds of Civil Servants, who are increasing unhappy with Jammeh's governance style and treatment of Public Servants. A good  number of  Civil Servants, who spoke to this reporter said Jammeh's hiring and firing of government workers had reached an alarming proportion in recent times. They told this paper that under Jammeh, they are not assured job security and good working incentives. They vowed to vote againt him come againsttober elections, despite his pay package. 
   
  The President's  10 percent pay package for workers,  was not included in this year's budget, which prompted many observers to wonder where he was going to secure such funds to pay Civil Servants. But sources close to the State House, hinted that Taiwan recently gave the President several millions of dollars to facilitate his re-election come October. 
   
  "We believe that he is going to use part of the Taiwanese funds to boost  the low moral of workers. He is banking on the Taiwanese election fund for his ruling party. I can confirm this to you. Besides, he doesn't  have money right now, Our foreign reserves are not in good shape, as the country's export cover is very bad. The business sector is not importing these days. There is no serious ecomomic activites going  on in this country. They tried to force so called investors to come to The Gambia, but it didn't work. Most of the people, who came here were not well established investors interms of business,"said the State House insider.  
   
   











		
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