The overall message seems ok, but I read no clear and explicit
acknowledgement of the economic hardships suffocating the average Gambian.
Maybe, by highlighting those problems, his call to the "lazy Gambians" to
get off their butts will be completely undermined. I guess it's really hard
to empathize with the average folks when one is sheltered away in the
presidential castle.

Ousman






>From: Sidi M Sanneh <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: The President's New Year Message
>Date: Thu, 2 Jan 2003 19:52:57 +0000
>
>The President’s New Year Message
>Culled from the Daily Observer of 2 January, 2003
>
>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
>
>Fellow Gambians
>
>Tomorrow marks the beginning of 2003, and as we all wait to see the New
>Year
>begin in a few hours, it gives me much pleasure to convey to you my very
>best wishes and greetings for a Happy New Year.  As we mark the end of
>2002,
>let us first and foremost thank the Almighty Allah for giving us the chance
>and opportunity to live through and witness the Year 2002 to the end, and
>for showering on us and our great beloved nation, The Gambia, his mercies,
>grace and blessings.  It is but fitting to remember Allah the Almighty for
>His warmth of love for mankind, His unfailing guidance, and His bountiful
>provisions.  We also must thank Him for making us live with good health to
>undertake our individual and collective tasks and responsibilities in the
>drive to make our country peaceful, successful and enduring to live in. It
>is also fitting that we today renew remembrance of, and prayers for, our
>gallant compatriots, who have made sacrifices in one form or another
>towards
>the progress of this nation, but did not live this far to see the fruits of
>their sacrifices or enjoy the gains of their selfless endeavours.  We pray
>that Allah the Almighty, to whom all praises belong, and in whose might we
>rely for guidance and protection, grant the souls of our lost colleagues
>and
>dear friends in nation building His mercy and eternal blessing.  Let us
>also
>remember our duties to the sick, the children and the elderly who need our
>support, care, and company to make them enjoy health and well being.  To
>the
>sick, we pray for speedy recovery, and a return of the power, energy and
>strength to be able to about their work and live the comforts of the normal
>life for which we all yearn.
>
>Fellow Gambians
>
>Over the period since I took over the leadership of this country, my
>government has not lost focus on what our development priorities are.  In
>the important areas of roads, telecommunications, education, health and
>agriculture, we have concentrated priority attention to the building of
>infrastructure, institutional strengthening and human resource development.
>Here, I wish to mention the rich and exemplary collaboration, support and
>inspiration given to us by our development partners whom we consider as
>true
>friends of The Gambia and who deserve our thanks and commendation.
>
>The sectors of health, education and agriculture will continue to receive
>my
>government’s fullest attention.  Significantly, the emphasis for each of
>these sectors will be on ways to augment service delivery efficiently,
>resource use, institutional strengthening and development.
>
>Fellow Gambians
>
>Our intervention in the coming year will involve programmes and projects
>tied to the eradication of poverty.  To achieve poverty eradication, our
>efforts will continue to be reinforced by higher rates of programme
>coordination and implementation, poverty monitoring, capacity building and
>resource mobilization.
>
>The menace of HIV/AIDS poses and the potential it has to negate efforts at
>nation building have not been lost sight of.  The campaign to eradicate the
>spread of HIV/AIDS will therefore engage the close attention of all sectors
>of the economy.
>
>Fellow Gambians
>
>My New Year message this year again recognizes the importance and necessity
>for attitudinal change among Gambians.  Our development programmes and
>projects can only be sustained provided there is a drastic change of
>attitudes and a major breakaway from the dependency syndrome plaguing our
>societies today.  We Gambians need to inculcate the virtues of
>self-reliance
>and return to the traditional values of hard work, respect to authority and
>discipline.  I call on all Gambians to take on these virtues as the
>resolution of the New Year.  Only through these virtues can we revitalize
>the true sense of nationalism and patriotism.
>
>I urge all Gambians to implement the hard adage of ‘no free lunch’ towards
>accelerated socio-economic development.  Gambians, in all fields of
>discipline and work, must take a critical look at the situations
>confronting
>us today, and must in this sense, resolve to work harder.  We must move
>away
>from the sort of laissez-faire attitude, which is more characteristic of
>our
>youths as they constitute the greatest source of vigour, innovation, and
>hard work, and thereby form the jewel in the crown of our population.  My
>government has been supportive of their development through numerous
>schemes
>that seek to inculcate in our youths self-discipline, patriotism,
>entrepreneurship, and a true sense of responsibility.  However, it is
>rather
>sad that many still cling to laziness, living from one day to the other and
>end up sitting down and doing nothing.  Gambians should endeavour to do
>things for themselves and avoid high dependency on social connections and
>outsiders to do things for us.  In order to do this, Gambians must go all
>out to acquire skills; skills that can be used resourcefully to earn them a
>living, and free them from the bondage of self-imprisonment and
>non-productiveness that many of our people find themselves in.
>
>Let us take the case of food security and food self-sufficiency.  There is
>no reason why this country should continue to spend large amounts of scarce
>foreign exchange to import virtually all our food requirements into this
>country, when we have abundance of land, and a strong youth population to
>help transform this land into meaningful agricultural activities.  For its
>part, Government will give particular focus towards commercializing
>agriculture, and will to this end, develop responsive mechanisms for
>increased access to factors of production, including land, and increased
>legal title to agricultural land ownership particularly for women.  My
>government is ready to work with any person, club or association through
>the
>offer of special assistance that respond to back-to-land policy which
>targets at attaining food security and poverty eradication.
>
>Fellow Gambians
>
>2003 will be the year for improved and accelerated implementation of
>government programmes and projects, and as we prepare to usher in the year,
>may I therefore call on all Gambians to come on board, join the race in the
>defense of our nation.  The programmes that are set for implementation are
>yours and are as close to you than you tend to regard them.  My government
>will put in place concrete steps and mechanisms to empower an all-inclusive
>approach to nation building in which all Gambians will have a stake and
>feel
>part of.  In this respect, all Gambians both in the country and in the
>Diaspora are invited to put all hands on deck to ensure rapid and smooth
>sailing to glorious growth and development.  All of us must come on board
>the national development agenda to contribute our quota.  We have nowhere
>but The Gambia, and I believe that we have the talents, skills, and
>resources that can be pooled for the betterment of our nation.  I invite
>all
>Gambians to feel free to make practical contributions to nation building
>and
>be involved in constructive criticism on how our great country should move
>ahead.  I also call on Gambians in the Diaspora to emulate their
>compatriots
>from other countries by remitting and investing acquired funds and capital
>back home.  In some countries, such remittances are by far greater than the
>country’s loan stock.  Our website www.statehouse.gm is open to all
>Gambians
>interested in sharing constructive opinions and view on ways to attain the
>goals of the national agenda.  Together we will make a difference for there
>can be no meaningful development without an enhanced pool of the most
>important resource of a nation – the human resources.  Together, we will
>also overcome all threats of marginalisation and become active participants
>and beneficiaries of globalisation.
>
>In concluding my speech, and in observance of the ideals and aspirations of
>all peace-loving and development-oriented peoples of the world, I want to
>enjoin all nations and peoples at war, nations and peoples of the world
>bent
>on making war and those plagued with conflict, to strive for peace and
>reconciliation for the sake of humanity in the New Year.  I encourage them
>to give greater chance to dialogue and building of common understanding,
>for
>in these lies the guarantee not only for peaceful settlement of issues, but
>a better world for us all to live in.  The greatness of any nation lies not
>in its ability to make war but in its ability to make peace and
>reconciliation with its mortal enemies.  The prevention of war is our only
>safe path to global peace and security which will ensure rapid victory in
>our collective fight against hate, terrorism, racism and exploitation.  To
>our development partners in the United Nations system, the NGO community,
>international institutions and at the bilateral level, I wish to thank you
>all for being supportive of The Gambia in very many ways.  I use this
>occasion to renew my government’s gratitude as well as willingness to work
>together with you in our common drive to develop the nation.  As it is also
>the tourism season, let me take the opportunity to wish all our tourist
>friends and visitors a happy and prosperous New Year and a memorable stay
>in
>The Gambia.  I have no doubt that those who would return the next time
>around would find The Gambia a home away from home in line with
>government’s
>objective of making this country a tourism paradise.
>
>Finally, I pray that Allah continues to guide and protect us as we usher in
>the New Year and as we go through it.  I conclude by re-echoing my call to
>all Gambians in and out of the country to put all hands on deck in the true
>spirit of reconciliation, nation building and patriotism.
>
>I wish you all a Happy, peacefully thriving, prosperous, and a morally
>enriching and blessed New Year.
>
>May Allah guide and protect you.
>
>I thank you for your kind attention.
>
>END
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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