Jabou,

I have saved you the "trouble".....please find the mail below.

Cheers,
        Madiba.
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I was very impressed with the plethora of suggestions and positive comments
relayed by members in response to your proposal. For once, members tabled
their domesday rhetoric that is usually exhibited on this forum and
provided  constructive suggestions. I strongly believe that you motivated such
responses. You literally part people on the back with your calm tone and
capitulating manner. I have been an L reader for a while and I have not seen
such open-mindedness in members' responses.

We have very intelligent, I do not mean book-learning, Gambians both in the
Diaspora and at home. I think we spend too much time attacking each other
rather than discussing innovative interventions to make a difference. It's
time we mobilize what resources we have available to us to effect positive
change. Your message cannot be timelier!
As you rightfully indicated, we cannot change the mistakes done in the past
but we can definitely influence what happens in the future.

As we prepare for the next millennium, I hope and pray that all Gambians join
forces to influence the future of our motherland.

I think it would be unrealistic of us to demand that Jammeh publicly submit to
the people about his infringement on human rights. Sadly, some families have
been traumatized secondary to the aftermath of the coup. He is definitely
persona non grata to most Gambians. However, challenging him and his
administration is counterproductive; not only is it counterproductive, but it
would eventually perpetuate the problem. The president and his administration
will alienate us and feel that we are working against them and not with them.
Wrong move, I'll say! What is next? There is a myriad of strategies we can
explore.

Political
* I support unbaning all political parties and politicians
* Influence the administration to make it possible to vote by proxy - now that
would make a lot of difference!
* Form a strong group to represent Gambians in the Diaspora to convey our
suggestions and participate in implementing the strategies. Members from the
political profession should take precedence, of course
* The group should comprise of members who will be objective in dealing with
the situation and should be prepared to actively participate in the negotiations
* Most of us are second-generation American citizens. How can we utilize this
to our advantage to assist our people?


Socio-economical/Educational
* Provide strategies that will assist our people. For example send equipment,
books, computers, etc. to the Gambia
* Explore venues to obtain scholarship for students at home to pursue further
studies. We can come up with a set criteria
* Influence some companies to send needed equipment/ material home
* Obtain medical supplies for the hospitals. The Western world invests
millions on drugs for obesity, cosmetic surgery etc. Our people both in the
Gambia and Africa at large are dying of AIDS and malaria because they do not
have access to the medications they need. They also do not have the means to
strategically mobilize preventive measures for most of the preventive
diseases common in the Gambia. With a strong and efficient group, we can
research the possibilities and come up with some strategies
* Forming a group that is recognized and respected could provide a conduit for
the strategies to be implemented
* We need to find the means to transport material, equipment and supplies we
get to the Gambia. I  have  a lot of books and a computer which I solicited
from my colleagues. I still cannot get them to the School of Nursing back home
* Explore possibilities to initiate businesses back home. As you are aware,
the Gambia needs well-maintained machinery and equipment to be self-sufficient
and to be more productive. For example farming equipment, chicken incubators
( this I know from experience), and equipment and supplies to produce and sell
Gambian music in the global market.

I can go on and on. I hope these have been helpful suggestions

We have work to do! Do we have time for personal attacks or individual agenda?
I don't think so. All the more reason I sometimes find the dialogue on the L
mediocre and offensive.

We are a very eloquent people, I guess it is the British influence, but we
need to progress beyond eloquence and get things DONE.

It certainly behooves us to act. I must say that ideas no matter how creative
are dreams, (like a child's) until they are implemented. Granted, we have
innovative ideas. However, it is what we do with the ideas, which
demarcates reality from dreams or fantasy.

Let's get to work!!

Have a productive day.

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