Malanding,
I associate myself with your concerns and verily financial remuneration is
the single most important consideration given the suffocating poverty in
Gambia. Since Gambia has a long way to go even after Yahya to match the financial
alternatives available to new graduates, I tend to share the belief, as you
indicated, that given a modicum of financial consideration, Life, Liberty, and
the unfettered pursuit of happiness and choice will do wonders in a short
period of time. And those things cannot just be promised. They have to be seen
to be givens. Professionalism must also be important to Yahya and it cannot be
bought. I know Yahya has the capacity within him to make it happen. What a
great day that would be for Gambia.
In my own case for example, I was not lucky enough to be allocated a
scolarship. I wasn't even looking forward to it. I knew that whether I went abroad
for further studies or not, a university degree or not, I could be a valuable
citizen of Gambia and inmspire my fellow citizens. Luck would have it that I
was brought to the US by an acquaintance. All the while I was planning to
return to Gambia to give back even when Yahya first came. Meanwhile, and as luck
would have it, the graduate school of engineering afforded me an opportunity
to engage in research for the Texas Oil company and Aramco even before I
completed my undergraduate studies. I was still looking forward to going to
Gambia to work for the country. Even though I was handsomely compensated by these
two companies, I ended up giving most of it away to charity and endowment to
Morehouse school of Medicine. The ensuing events of wanton disappearances and
idiots running around town with weapons they could hardly operate just
sapped the enthusiasm from me. When I was finally ready to go, but sans zeal and
desire, (you know I can't keep quiet about important matters, hell I can't
even keep quiet for benign matters), I just fooled around and submitted a
proposal for a recurring annual contract for a multinational company and when it
was accepted I wasn't even exopecting it. But the rest is history.
I am going to Gambia soon with the hope that I can share some ideas with
Yahya, without needing or requiring payment for it, just to lend me his ears. I
think even Yahya is tired of doing wrong now, at least that's what mutual
friends are telling me. I think I can make a difference in his life FOR GAMBIA
even if he has to take my life for it. It will have been well worth it. I see
he is making some effort and I think he needs encouragement.
Thanx again for sharing. At the risk of going on and on about the fleeting
promise Yahya holds for Gambia, Haroun Masoud. MQDT. Al Mutawakkil. I just have
to liqudate my assets or give them away first or perhaps exchange them for
value in Gambia. If anyone is interested in a beautiful home or two, one for
$340,000.00 the other for $200,000 and a few drilling rigs for a total of
$10,000,000.00, Lemme know quick. They are priced to sell. I will be in South
Africa soon so giddy up folks.
In a message dated 10/30/2007 12:06:37 P.M. Mountain Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
Suntou,
I am sure you will agree with me that all things (job security, proper
pay and personal safety) equal, few Gambians including yourself would
want to migrate to the West. And who says that an educated Gambian
living in the Gambia is more valuable than that who lives in Japan/New
Zealand, Spain or USA? Bytheway, did you check to see what effect
recent changes at Gamtel had on this fellow's decision to migrate?
Suntou, it is not really difficult for one to figure out that many
Gambians (male, female, educated and illiterate) leave because the
Gambia failed to provide them Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of
Happiness (Thomas Jefferson). Trust me if the government of the Gambia
spends its time and energy to ensure these three things for the
citizens, few will think of migrating. And those already away will
surely return if things improve.
If we do the arithmetic - A university graduate (MSc engineer) at middle
level management position in the civil service earns about D15,000 per
month take home. This is less than 700 today's daollars. With
moonlighting (as building construction supervisor or running after
travel per diem) the guy is doomed to embezzle public funds just to put
food on the table.
The same person in the US could take home $5000 per month. This could
easily guarantee him a mortgage, a car loan, food at the table, a chance
to buy a government allocate plot of land in the Gambia for $12,000 and
a regular monthly stipen for family back home of $100(D2000 todays dollar).
May we should see government scholarship as investment on its citizens.
If the return on investment is higher when recipients work in Mexico
than in the Gambia, let it be. Bonding or other restrictions could only
worsen the situation.
Malanding Jaiteh
Suntou Touray wrote:
>some Gambian students are fortunate enough to gain scholarship into
>expensive overseas universities.this is a big opportunity for every hard
working
>son/daughter's of the gambia.but i have one major concern.the government
>spend thausands of dollars into this students .what policies do the
>government or regulators put in place to make sure the best is gain from
this
>students ? again ,what measures are in place to make sure some of this
>students return home after graduation ?
>
>i have seen quite a few government sponsored students who overstay or
>return home only to come back to europe or america in a very short period.
>
>i just heard of a case recently of a gamtel sponsored students who spend
>over three years doing his degree and then his masters .he return home four
>months ago . i heard he got a job in u.s and he is planning to travel to
america
>by next month.what a waste of public fund.on average a sponsored student
>spend 20000 dollars par year .how many civil servants can get their wages
>paid from that ? why are this people abandoning our country after the tax
>payers money has been spent on them ?
>who is to blame for this mess ? many have gone breifly to the government
>just to be seen and then disappear into either non-government organistion
or
>some other work places. what sort of bond do this people have to sign ? i
am
>not the least jealous of any one who went through a government scholarship
>program ,i only want appropraite repayment back to the gambian people.it
>doesn't make any one wiser to cheat our system.i may not aggree with
>government in place but if any one accept a scholarship from them ,then it
>only right you fulfil the terms of the aggrrement.
>
>いいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいいい
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