NOT FOR PUBLICATION (informal content),

Aningbara Lovely Gambia-L Bantaba "intaneti kafo molu,"


Congratulating my Brother Babili Mansa directly was not part of my original plan. But after my previous mails, I spoke with my mother and other non-political people experiencing the Gambian reality first hand on the ground, and then did it. Oops.


On election day I received numerous SMS (texts) from people asking me for whom to finally vote. I told them I endorsed Jammeh. They should vote for him and inform all the others to do the same. I was therefore not surprised when my rural constituency of Jimara gave Jammeh 11,612 votes. One of the highest core rural counts outside the Fonis, Niumis. Lower Fulladu West, the Kombos and Greater Banjul Area (GBA). I cannot quantify the urban GBA ones as voters there are more mixed.


I cannot buy the mystification of APRC's landslide victory by commentators. Since the beginning this year, the APRC people have been relentlessly shouting for “100%” as their slogan. They did everything to mobilize the resources at their disposal for it. If we are to ignore the results of Lawyer Darboe and Hamat Bah, one can say APRC got its virtual 100% of the votes cast. So it is no rocket science.


The opposition parties are only active during the election periods. Their strategists have failed to learn how to remain active throughout the 5-year legislative calendar and win hearts. You said 11-day campaign is too short? You had five years - 2006 to 2011 - to start early. If you do not have the resources of the incumbent, you start early as a short campaign period requires a fire-power that only the ruling party/incumbent can often display.


Anyway, the horse-trading for the 2012 parliamentary election has started while the oppositions are dreaming about whether to accept or reject the forgone presidential one.


I have been asked once again by my people to contest our constituency seat on APRC or independent ticket. They badly need someone who can convince the authorities to deliver essential services from their taxes without red tape. But I told my folks that the residency requirement bars me from participating in national elections and my time do not also favour me. I am also not eager to actively lobby Jammeh to use his discretionary powers  and make me Nominated Member of the National Assembly.


However, I dispatched my congratulatory letter to President Jammeh by traditional post and it should be at State House in Banjul within the next working days. I want Jammeh or his private secretary to read it the traditional way. Possibly, they will forward it to the Daily Observer and GRTS Radio for their usual tam-tam. Possibly, some of the so called insiders would intercept it, post it in the cyberspace and make noise about it.


We live in an era of communication pluralism and as a seasoned warhorse in the field, getting my message to the target audience is easier for me than licking ice cream. Am not desperate for publicity and I do not therefore need to beg any outlet under the sun to give me coverage so I can get audience.


As my lovely Wolofs would say MAATEY, MAAKO BINDA. I have the right to congratulate any body I want. From the winner of the village beauty contest to the Nobel Prize Laureate and any one in between.


The letter has nothing confidential and nothing closer to praise-singing. I am not lobbying for any state contract like the Touray Brothers and then end up in the Gambian swamp of greed, jealousy, betrayal and in-fighting. I am also not setting up any local business that could be hijacked by Jammeh.


Apart from the usual pleasantries and formal style, I made two suggestions to President Jammeh:


One, I told him to establish a Special Green Economy Zone modelled to the Californian Green Valley to attract clean and alternative industries. It is a shame that since independence, The Gambia could create only one conventional manufacturing base called the Kanifing Industrial Estate which has now been transformed into a virtual warehousing zone for the parasitic import-export trade. To seriously develop a country one must place manufacturing at the centre of its socio-economic development plan.


Two, I told my Brother Jammeh to establish a Gambian Creative Cluster/Artistic Film Village that will serve as incubator for Gambian soft power and creative talents in the fields of innovation, film, music, design, theatre arts, artisan crafts, fashion, visual arts, literature, photographic and other arts forms to boost our Gross Domestic Product.


I am not one of those armchair noise-makers who enjoy boring people with “Jammeh this, Jammeh that” 24/7 but cannot even come up with a simple constructive idea that can improve the well-being of the common Gambians beyond politics. I was moderate and liberal, I am moderate and liberal and will die moderate and liberal. I criticize Jammeh as President without fear or favour. But I never said I hate him as I have no reason for it. My records are there for verification.


Apart from the above suggestions, I also attached a model project with the procedures for organising an International Film Festival as catalyst for the Gambian audiovisual sector. The Government officials are free to fund and go ahead with it without my direct or indirect involvement if they so desire. The most important thing is that they have something on the ground for Gambians.


Helping the Gambia build its own cosy film industry with or without the government is part of my “giving back” passion. Initially I wanted to give the anti-Jammeh camps at home and abroad the time and space to deliver but since they are not serious and cannot unite, I changed my mind. Now I will not wait until the anti-Jammeh people wake up from their comfort zones to send him away.


The well-being of the young Gambians who have no means of showcasing and earning a decent living out of their creative talents is more important for me than raw politics and the name of the president of the day.


Dr. Isatou Touray and her GAMCOTRAP teams are advancing social justice without the blessing of the anti-Jammeh people and without being stained by the pro-Jammeh fanatics.


They are among my role models.


For The Gambia, Our Homeland....We need go-getters and not go-gossipers. I am pissed off by the Gambian lazy attitudes of idle talk and zero action. Am losing my appetite for the national discourse and could follow the example of my learned good friend THE WATCHMAN by disappearing into oblivion. Coming out only when I cant take the ongoing hypocrisy any more or when my Noble Names are dragged through the mud by online gossipers who would like to receive letters from my defamation attorney(s).


There are many alternative ways of enlightening the people and the end justifies the civilized means. As my sincere Brother Michael Scales tapped me on my shoulders “you need to bend sometimes to climb a tree”.

Youuuuuuuuhouuuuuuu! Lovely trees, am coming!

Crazy Christmas and Funny New Year 2012 in advance!!!

Prince Bubacarr Aminata Sankanu
Cologne
Germany or “Bundes” as our semesters love to glorify it.


--
HSH Prince Bubacarr A. Sankanu

¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface
at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html

To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l
To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
[log in to unmask]
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤