Civil Service Protection:

In the early nineties going home to start a career was beginning to be very popular among Diasporas. You go to any of the major gatherings, whether the July Fourth in Atlanta, or ALD in Washington, Gambians in groups are busy discussing the pros and cons of going home as an option, especially after spending years in the US, or Europe for that matter. With most Gambians after finishing school and start working in the US for several years, you start developing this feeling of wanting to go home, and this normal feeling that there is something extra special, to make things happen among the people that know you best. You work around with this void that needs to be filled. You are periodically reminded that you are not one of them and the real experience of being a foreigner, notwithstanding your skills or capabilities can still be a challenged even in one of the most democratic nations of the world. Of course, there was always the fear factor that one has to forego the good life, the standard of living, the financial compensation, and to opt for the unknown. This hot debate among Diasporas led to many people taking the plunge and went home to pursue their career, and contribute their quota to national development. One thing that was absent in those debates, the fear factor that a political leanings or support could easily lead to losing one's job.

 The debate has obviously shifted and most Diasporas would not risk going home because the general sentiment is, you can be easily hired and easily fired. The lack of protection and rights of the worker has created this fear and most people asked, why would anyone quit your job in the US, sacrifice the financial reward, skill growth, relatively high standard of living to a situation that you can be easily fired from? Some would give you examples of people like Tombong Saidy, a fellow Diasporas who was given a job and over night lost the job. Mr. Saidy was definitely a friend of the status quo, and that is what led to him getting the job, but does that mean that Mr.Saidy should not have any protection of his service rights. Another friend said, why do you thing some desperate Diasporas are even considering joining one these new political organizations? They are seen as a way of getting a job, but then where is the protection? Just asked Mr. Saidy one quipped with laughter

To most Diasporas, civil rights protection is a subset to the rule of law, constitutionality, people rights and the Gambia we all yearned for. Clearly, any right thinking government would recognized the human resources among Gambian living abroad that can be vital to the development of our country, and come up with a strategy of bringing them home for a better and prosperous Gambia. The Gambia Human Resources department (PMO) should engage in a major recruiting effort to Gambians living outside the Gambia, and definitely not to be politicized in any form. Creation of incentive programs like relocation compensation, and to make sure that the whole effort is genuine in order to bring about restoring a dynamic civil service and to build a resourceful people within the private and public economy. Obviously, no Gambian would ever considering going home if there is and inkling of a possibility that by not supporting the government party in power can put their job in jeopardy.

The first republic had seriously flaws, mismanagement, lack of transparency, not very accountable and other host of issues that led to the under development of our Dear Gambia, but to most Gambians, there was at least civil service protection. Your political affiliation or connection was always a factor in landing a job, but it was not that easy to loose you one. Like a friend pointed out to me, there were lots of NCP supporters in the highest positions of the Civil Service, and it would definitely be nice to get that aspect of our country back.

Musa Jeng

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