The following article is culled from The Point on the Qanet web page.

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This Issue was last updated on 03/12/99, by QuantumNET


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WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT THE REPORT AND JAMMEH THREATS


News Watch looks at the debate by the general public of the Auditor
General's report and President Jammeh's threat to dismiss any civil servant
involved in the theft and mismanagement of public funds.

Since News Watch talked to some civil servants to get their reaction, the
names of the people involved will not be mentioned as it is against
government rules for civil servants to talk to members of the press. As you
will see, people have mixed feelings about the issues.

M.M. Jallow:- "If the President says that all those involved would be
dismissed, then we are in a serious problem because this thing is widespread
and it's not possible to dismiss a very large section  of the Civil Service.
This would also mean that all the monies involved will be lost. I suggest
that the best thing to do is to set up a system whereby they would be
allowed to continue working and a percentage deducted from their salaries
until the full amount is repaid."

T.A.K - :- what the President has  said is true,  nobody has the right to
misuse government funds but this is not just dealing with junior civil
servants. You are talking about starting to clean from the top right down,
so a lot of people will be affected. As the saying goes, when you start
digging, dig carefully because the kind of soil you find at the top and the
one at the bottom might be totally different.

Aji Fatou  - Market Woman: - "As you know we don't know what is happening in
the government, all we know is what the radio tells us. Anyway, if they are
talking about corruption I can only say that it is among themselves, because
it is they who show off a lot of money and drive in big expensive cars. As
for us, the market women, all we know is that we stay here without selling
for a whole day, and at the end of the day we have to pay taxes to
government. Whose pocket it goes into, we don't know."

Ceesay Rtd Civil Servant:- "My brother, what do you expect to happen when
the salaries of the executives can be increased and the rank and file left
to suffer. They will steal to survive. The President has nothing to say. Let
him allow himself and the State House to be audited first! The hand that
holds the whip cannot whip. Ah! look for yourself and see, where is he now,
either overseas or Kanilai. What do you think, don't you think that money is
needed for all of this?."

F. Marenah:- Ex-July 22nd member. "The President has taken the move to show
that no matter who you are or what party you belong to, if you misuse
government funds, you will be dealt with. This is something he said himself,
and I believe him because he is a man of his word. If he says that the
corrupt will be removed, then be rest assured it will happen."

Njie - Department of State ... "My friend, you and I are here and we have
seen what is happening. In fact, things are much worse than before. I wonder
what happened to the once frequent use of slogans like: eradication of
rampant corruption,  transparency, accountability and probity. Maybe they
should start by probing the Office of the President."

Mendy :- "Look, the last thing I want to discuss is Yahya Jammeh or what he
says. To me, they are all the same, none is better than the other. All I am
concerned about is maintaining my job and  that my family eats at the end of
the day."

Senghore-Businessman:-  "Well, the fact that they have been able to come
this far with the report, and having the National Assembly openly debate on
it is a good sign. But what I would like to see is that the former junta
members be audited on individual basis starting from July 22nd 1994 to date.
This way, people will have more confidence in them and what they are doing."

A Journalist- "I think that Jammeh should start by setting up a commission
for himself and his Cabinet before thinking about setting it up for other
people."






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