GAMBIA-L,

Below is the APRC Elections Manifesto. Get the full text and pictures at
www.jammeh2001.org.



(APRC)

ManifestO 2001


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Empowerment of The People


Contents

Foreword
............................................................................................................................................................

The Gambia, its People and Development Objectives
.....................................................................

Democracy and Governance
.......................................................................................................................

Human Rights
...................................................................................................................................................

Attitudes
.............................................................................................................................................................

Women in Development
...............................................................................................................................

The Private Sector
...........................................................................................................................................

The Public Sector
............................................................................................................................................

Public Enterprises
............................................................................................................................................

Accountability, Transparency and Probity
.............................................................................................

Population and Standard of Living
...........................................................................................................

Housing
............................................................................................................................................................

Health
................................................................................................................................................................

Education for All
..........................................................................................................................................

Employment and Labour
...........................................................................................................................

Agriculture and Food Security
.................................................................................................................

Financing of Agricultural Ventures
..........................................................................................

Macro-economic Policies
..........................................................................................................................

Taxation and Tax Reform
..........................................................................................................................

Energy for Development
...........................................................................................................................

Trade and Industry
........................................................................................................................................

Transport
..........................................................................................................................................................

Tourism
.............................................................................................................................................................

Mass Media
.....................................................................................................................................................

Foreign Policy
................................................................................................................................................

Youths
...............................................................................................................................................................

Sports and Recreation
.................................................................................................................................

Justice for All and to All
............................................................................................................................

Law and Order for Peace
...........................................................................................................................

Defence and National Security
................................................................................................................

Religion and Tolerance
...............................................................................................................................

Arts and Culture
............................................................................................................................................

The Second Rebublican Constitution
....................................................................................................

Our Message to all Gambians
..................................................................................................................

FOREWORD

The principal objective of the Alliance for Patriotic Re-orientation and
Construction (APRC) is the "Empowerment of The People" in order that they
take full control of their own destiny on the road to socio-economic
development. This is the second edition of the APRC Manifesto.

Ahead of the 2001 Presidential and 2002 National Assembly elections, this
Manifesto seeks to inform the electorate about the policies and programmes
to be implemented by the APRC government during its second term in office.
This document is therefore the embodiment of the APRC’s public declaration
of intent and policy for the years ahead.

Since the change of government in 1994 and during the first term in office
of the APRC government, observers have witnessed the birth of a NEW GAMBIA.
The Gambia has seen a radical transformation of both her physical
infrastructure and her people. The country has seen a proliferation of
schools, the establishment of the University of The Gambia, the construction
of two new hospitals, the construction of an ultra modern airport terminal,
the extension of the road network and construction of bridges, the
acquisition of 18 MW electricity generating capacity, the revival of the
Kuntaur Rice Mill, the creation of a television service, among many others.
The Gambian people have become more conscious about their rights and
responsibilities through deliberate civic education programmes and general
participation in policy formulation and implementation. This is the true
"Empowerment of The People" which seeks to enable the private individual to
realise his/her creative potentials for development in an environment devoid
of restrictions. For the APRC, popular empowerment also means the
curtailment of Government and the limitation of State intervention in the
market and the production process to only when and where absolutely
necessary.


The achievements of the transition period and the first term in office of
the APRC are quite evident having been widely acknowledged by diverse
sources at home and abroad. The Alliance for Patriotic Re-orientation and
Construction is strongly committed to building on those successes in a
purposeful follow-up during its second term in office and to achieve even
better results.


The central element in achieving the desired results is the Gambian people
themselves. The burden, which this endeavour puts on the shoulders of each
and every Gambian is enormous. It is however not an insurmountable
challenge. What it calls for from every Gambian is profound reflection and
unreserved patriotic commitment to the motherland. On the part of the APRC
government it calls for effective planning and the pursuit of consistent
results-oriented policies towards socio-economic development. As a Party,
the APRC is strongly committed to that.


The Manifesto details the Party’s policy intentions on certain issues and in
various sectors including, People, Development, Democracy, Governance,
Agriculture, Health, Education, Housing, Energy, Employment and Labour,
Trade and Industry, Transport, Tourism, Law and Order, Justice, Defence and
National Security, Religion and Tolerance. It explains the Party’s social,
economic and political objectives sector by sector and lays down the
operative policy framework and expounds on the Party’s strategies for
realizing its objectives.


We solemnly call on all Gambians to join us in the crusade to build the NEW
GAMBIA under the banner of the People’s true Party, the Alliance for
Patriotic Re-orientation and Construction, and in the framework of its
Manifesto. Together we will consolidate the achievements and bring to
fruition the aspirations of all Gambians. This is a clarion call to all
stakeholders in The Gambia, individuals or organisations, irrespective of
tribe, religion or origin. All of us have a crucial role to play in the
construction of the NEW GAMBIA, we all cherish so dearly.

-SIGNED-
Dr. Alhaji Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh
Chairman
ALLIANCE FOR PATRIOTIC RE-ORIENTATION AND CONSTRUCTION


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THE GAMBIA, ITS PEOPLE
AND DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES


Over two decades of the First Republic, characterised by sterile
socio-economic policies, stunted growth in the public and private sectors,
misplaced priorities in public infrastructural development, compounded by an
uninspiring leadership have left The Gambia trailing as one of the least
developed and aid-dependent countries in the World. Change from this
inglorious situation has become an inescapable imperative.


The Alliance for Patriotic Re-orientation and Construction (APRC) is
determined to build on the remarkable achievements made since coming to
power and to evolve a system of governance which will involve the people in
the process of development.


In recognition of the creative spirit of the individual Gambian as a
catalyst towards the achievement of the common good, we pledge to empower
the people in order to enable them realize their fullest potentials in a
FREE and competitive environment.


To the APRC, the ultimate objective of development is to liberate the
Gambian people from the bondage of ignorance, disease, want, hunger, fear,
dependence and exploitation to enable them build their self-esteem, develop
a spirit of self-reliance and lead a dignified and fulfilled life.


Our central objective is to spearhead the march towards realizing the
principal target in "VISION 2020", which is:


"to transform The Gambia into a financial centre, a tourist paradise,
a trading export-oriented agricultural and manufacturing nation,
thriving on free market policies and a vibrant private sector, sustained by
a
well-educated, trained, skilled, healthy, self-reliant and enterprising
population
and guaranteeing a well-balanced eco-system and a decent standard of living
for one and all under a system of government based on the consent of the
citizenry".


To achieve this goal we must re-order our priorities, rely more on our own
human, material, financial and other resources while regarding foreign aid
only as a supplement to our efforts.


DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE


During the First Republic, The Gambia was falsely advertised as a
multi-party democracy and hailed as a model for tolerance and respect for
human rights and fundamental freedoms in Africa. On the contrary, however,
the system was multi-party on paper and in form only. In essence, substance
and effect it was a one-party system that ousted sanity, frowned on dissent,
disregarded institutional checks and balances, promoted patron-client
relationship that gave rise to nepotism, rampant corruption and encouraged
ethnic considerations in the management of public affairs. Respect for human
rights and fundamental freedom was only a cliché while accountability was
unpardonably compromised.


The APRC pledges to build a NEW GAMBIA that is characterised by good
governance, genuine democracy and freedom for our people. The New Gambian
society will be one in which our people will be:


(a) Free to participate in the process of national development;


(b) Free to choose who governs them and in what way;


(c) Free to say what they think and exchange ideas in a spirit of tolerance
and mutual respect;


(d) Free to determine the socio-economic and political atmosphere within
which to pursue their development objectives without dictation from any
external sources;


(e) Free to know what the Government does in their name and on their behalf;

and

(f) Free to demand accountability, transparency and probity in public life
and to determine their choice of laws, rules and regulations that govern
their lives.


Our democracy will not be a copy of any outside model. Rather, it would be
inspired by our own history, our cultural diversity and the heterogeneity of
our society. In a nutshell, it will be a democracy, which will recognise our
socio-cultural realities as a people and a country.


HUMAN RIGHTS


The APRC regards human rights as indivisible and symbiotic in their
relationship. We also consider that the most essential human rights, in our
present socio-economic circumstances, are those which guarantee the basic
necessities of life, such as food, shelter, education, medical care, clean
water and environment, work and the opportunity to live and develop in a
free society and in peace and dignity.


The APRC pledges to work assiduously towards making these rights accessible
to all Gambians. The APRC also pledges to uphold and defend the human rights
and fundamental freedoms enshrined in Chapter IV of the Constitution of the
Second Republic, particularly, the right to life, personal liberty,
property, freedom of speech, association, assembly, movement, privacy,
equality before the law and freedom of a responsible press. We, as a people,
must however know where our rights end and where other peoples’ rights
begin. The various rights and freedoms must however be exercised with due
regard to our duties to the State.

ATTITUDES


The culture of "maslaha", greed, corruption, nepotism, patronage,
extravagance and conspicuous consumption has militated against our process
of development in several ways while the extended family system has created
a system of dependence of the majority on the few. This has promoted
laziness, covetousness, and a general laissez-faire attitude that is not
conducive to development.


The APRC would formulate policies that would reward enterprise and eliminate
these negative tendencies from the New Gambian society.


The erroneous notion of Government as the all-provider and all-doer ("Mansa
Kunda") has no place in the New Gambia the APRC is determined to build.


The APRC would seek to inculcate into Gambians the ideals of self-reliance
and hard work. Through civic education, public information and communication
programmes, the APRC would aim at awakening Gambians to the realization that
they are all stakeholders in The Gambia and must therefore participate in
the production, preservation, maintenance and protection of the nation’s
resources.


WOMEN IN DEVELOPMENT

The importance of the economic role of women in national development cannot
be over emphasized. The APRC recognizes that no national development
programme would be successful without the effective participation and full
support of women. They are indispensable partners in The Gambia’s
development process. The APRC shall pursue its deliberate policy of
empowering Gambian women by appointing qualified and capable women into
positions of authority and decision-making in the Administration. During the
APRC’s first term in office, the appointment of a female Vice President and
female Secretaries of State, a female Secretary General and Permanent
Secretaries, a female Auditor General and Accountant General is testimony of
the APRC Government’s recognition of the critical role of women in the
development process. All forms of gender inequality will be eliminated and
women will have access to and control of factors of production as well as
appropriate skills training. The APRC government shall also take steps to
eliminate all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls,
reduce illiteracy among women and improve the quality and access to health
care services.


THE PRIVATE SECTOR


The APRC recognizes the Private Sector as the true engine of socio-economic
development growth. Without a vibrant private sector there cannot be any
meaningful development. For this reason, the APRC government during its
first term in office has put in place policies that seek to enhance the role
of the private sector, and unleash their creative potentials.


Tanji Cold Storage

The APRC government has passed into law the Investment Promotion Act and the
Free Zones Act, established a one-stop-shop called Gambia Investment
Promotion and Free Zones Agency (GIPFZA) and institutionalised the Economic
Summit as a forum for Public–Private Sector dialogue on economic management
issues. All these actions seek to create that conducive environment needed
for the Private Sector to thrive in.


The APRC would not relent in its drive to create the most enabling
environment to stimulate private sector activities and to encourage both
domestic and foreign investors to take advantage of the numerous
opportunities in The Gambia. The APRC government will limit itself strictly
to the provision of public goods and services and would encourage private
Gambian entrepreneurs to take advantage of the space left by it through its
divestiture programme.


The APRC strongly believes that the public and private sectors both have the
same objective – that is to improve the welfare of the Gambian people. The
APRC government will therefore collaborate and work effectively with the
private sector to achieve that objective.


The Party recognises the importance of the private sector in economic
development and growth will put in place measures to further enhance a
friendly environment for business and economic operators. The APRC realizes
that the objectives of the National Vision 2020 together with the goals of
sustainable economic development the private sector must play a leading role
hence the APRC through the coordination of the existing trade, industrial,
competition and investment policies would enhance effective and productive
private participation in the economy. It is expected that such policies will
enhance growth in the agriculture, fisheries and natural resources,
manufacturing and tourism sectors, and promote exports of Gambian products.
The overall aim is to provide employment and increased income for Gambians.


The APRC will continue to improve the existing infrastructures that
facilitate both domestic and foreign trade such as the seaport and airport,
roads, and telecommunications for eventual private sector growth and
sustainable development

THE PUBLIC SECTOR


Notwithstanding the key role assigned to the private sector as the engine of
growth, achieving our development objectives will be impossible without an
efficient, committed, well-trained, well-motivated and dedicated public
service.


The APRC will continue the policy of developing the capacity of the Civil
Service to enable them offer institutional and infrastructural support to
the private sector. The delivery of social services by public sector
institutions is crucial to rapid development. Appropriate incentive schemes
will also be introduced in order to motivate public servants and improve
their performance. Performance will be appraised and rewarded appropriately.
The incentive schemes will, among other things, include training, both short
and long term, and periodic salary increases in order to maintain the
purchasing power of public servants. The APRC government will vigorously
pursue its efforts to streamline and rationalise government operations in
order to stamp out red tape and bureaucracy.



GRTS Headquaters

PUBLIC ENTERPRISES


The APRC is committed to a lean and efficient public sector. One of the
strategies to be implemented in order to achieve that objective is through
the implementation of cautious and judicious divestiture programme. There is
however no gainsaying that some public enterprises provide services that
require them to remain public institutions. These public enterprises would
be made to continue to operate on commercial lines to improve on their
productivity.


The challenge to these institutions is for them to play their vital role as
forerunners of economic and financial efficiency while providing adequate
infrastructural and social services to the private sector. The APRC
government will ensure that the public enterprises stand up to that
challenge.


Pro-active Boards will be set up within Public Enterprises to work closely
with the respective line Departments of State in the formulation,
implementation and monitoring of strategic plans for the public sector. The
ultimate goal is for the public enterprises to create optimum value for all
stakeholders in their assets and activities.


ACCOUNTABILITY,
TRANSPARENCY AND PROBITY


The APRC considers probity in public life as one of the most essential
pre-requisites for effective running of the public service. We also strongly
believe that accountability is an indispensable factor in public
administration and that transparency in public affairs is imperative in
order to maintain confidence in the public service and to justify the
enormous sacrifices Gambians are called upon to make for the public good.


The APRC would formalize a set of rules and regulations that would make the
Public Service accountable to the people and make it less profitable for
public officers to indulge in corrupt practices.


The Commissions of Inquiry would eventually be moulded into a single
institution to investigate and punish illegal and dishonest acquisition of
property and wealth.


POPULATION AND
STANDARD OF LIVING


The population growth rate of 4.1 per cent in a country classified as one of
the least developed in the world is alarming considering the size of our
land surface area and the resources at our disposal, especially when this
growth rate outstrips our economic growth. Basic infrastructure and social
amenities are still at a rudimentary stage and the standard of living of the
population (particularly the rural population) is, by world standards,
extremely low. Production in the major sectors of the economy is yet to
attain modern standards while productivity growth and income levels for the
same sectors are far below world averages.


Undoubtedly, some of the factors affecting our population growth include a
high fertility rate, a decreasing rate of mortality and migration both
within our borders and from neighbouring countries.


The APRC will elaborate strategies to promote middle-sized households
through the National Population Programme in order to improve the capacity
of the individual to earn enough income and improve his standard of living.


Access to birth spacing services would be greatly enhanced with emphasis on
the education of Women since educated Women are better able to slow
population growth through prescribed methods. However, a campaign for a
change in male attitudes becomes inevitable in this regard. Efforts to
encourage population planning will be directed at men as well.


The APRC will improve efforts to control migration from outside our borders
without compromising our commitments to ECOWAS while creating appropriate
conditions for a proper integration of foreigners who have legal residence
in The Gambia.


HOUSING


The prevailing demographic trends, rapid urbanization and concentration of
the urban population have increased the demand for decent housing to
alarming proportions. As shelter is a fundamental human right, the APRC will
accord sufficient urgency to this titanic problem by first reviewing the
National Housing Policy formulated in 1989 to bring it in line with current
realities. Attention will be focused on solving the immediate problems of
inadequate access to land for housing, dependence on imported building
materials, the manpower and technical limitation of the construction
industry and the need for specialized housing finance institutions such as
housing banks and housing cooperatives.


In order to increase the housing stock of the urban centres, the APRC will
encourage commercial estate developers, both public and private, by
providing them with state land in designated areas. In addition, fiscal
incentives will be provided to those estate developers catering for the need
of the low-income group.


The APRC will address the inequities of state land allocation for
residential purposes and formulate legislation that will provide for
everybody’s need not for everybody’s greed.


HEALTH


Before the advent of the APRC government, the health sector faced some major
constraints including shortage of trained nurses, doctors and health
professionals, inadequate transport and storage facilities for the provision
and accessibility of drugs, insufficient coordination of programmes and
inadequate coordination of donor assistance.


During its first term in office, the APRC has given top priority to these
problems and has taken practical steps to address them. The APRC government
sought assistance from friendly countries in the form of trained medical
personnel and financial resources in order to guarantee an accessible and
affordable health delivery system for all Gambians. The results are
fantastic and unprecedented in the history of The Gambia! In August 2001,
there are 313 foreign health personnel (i.e. doctors, nurses, laboratory
technicians and pharmacists) and 21 Gambian medical doctors operating not
only in all government dispensaries, minor health centres and major health
centres but also in many villages spread throughout the country. For the
first time in the history of this country, villagers have the services of a
doctor at their doorsteps.


In order to sustain this feat and reduce the heavy dependence on foreign
doctors, the APRC government has also established a School of Medicine under
the University of The Gambia. In the next five years, this School will turn
out Gambian trained doctors who will take care of their kin and kindred.


The APRC strongly believes that a sick nation cannot be productive and that
any meaningful and sustainable socio-economic development programme would
necessarily require a healthy people. The health of our people is our
primary concern as a Party and we will leave no stone unturned in improving
the health care delivery system in The Gambia. To this end, the APRC will
continue to update the infrastructure in the Primary Health Care System with
the objective of further reducing infant and maternal mortality rates and
expanding the system to cover more villages.


The goal of the APRC is to provide quality health care services and
management practices within an enabling environment, delivered by
appropriately and adequately trained, skilled and motivated personnel at all
levels of care with the involvement of all stakeholders to ensure a healthy
population. The APRC will continue its efforts to address the infrastructure
and logistic requirements of the health services and will ensure the
provision of essential care packages at all levels of the health delivery
system. A new hospital will be built in SerreKunda and 10 new health centres
will be built around the country. These are in addition to the four new
health facilities (Farafenni, Bwiam, Bundung and Soma) built by the APRC
government during its first term in office. The Party will also empower
communities to be active partners in the management of their health and will
integrate traditional medicine into the formal health sector.


EDUCATION FOR ALL


One of the threats to rapid socio-economic development is ignorance. The
APRC will continue its war against illiteracy in order to achieve its triple
objective of making education not only accessible, but also relevant and of
good quality.


We will construct more classrooms and more schools and will create
conditions to enhance the policy of Education-For-All with a view to
providing at least nine years of uninterrupted basic education for all
enrolled pupils in our School System. In particular, the APRC will adopt
measures that will encourage the education of the girl child.


Scholarships will be awarded to deserving pupils to pursue further education
in higher institutions both within and outside this country. For those who
do not wish to or are unable to continue beyond Grade 9, Skills Centres will
be opened to enable them learn various skills/trades conducive to our
national development effort.



PEACE

Tombong

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