Issue No. 6/2005, 20-23 January, 2005

Editorial

The Beginning of a New Beginning

It is indeed the beginning of a new beginning. The first step has been taken in a completely new direction, on the road to liberty and prosperity.

People want change, they want liberty, and they want empowerment. They have demanded for a coalition not to merely replace the current ruling party but to effect genuine changes. The Opposition Parties have taken a historic step by responding to the demand of the time.

They have taken the bull by the horn by appending their signatures top the historic Memorandum of Understanding which has established the National Alliance for Democracy and Development (NADD).

The new born baby has said no to self perpetuating rule, no to tyranny, no to censorship. It has vowed to put an end to these evils that at wrecking our society. It has committed itself to pursue the empowerment of the people.

NADD has a future because the people have taken ownership of it. The old order is a thorn in the flesh of the people, it must crumble. All the signs are that if will crumble. A new order where leaders are not monarchs but servants to the people must emerge to replace the old order. In fact a new dynamic movement is arising and developing to brush aside the old order and establish a new order, just as the chick has to emerge from its eggshell when the time is ripe.

There is no doubt that the Gambia has a bright future. Opposition Parties have taken a bold step. They have spoken with one voice. But this bold step is just the beginning of a long and tortuous journey.

What is required of the leadership is steadfastness, consistency, resolution and sincerity. Through struggle all obstacles can be surmounted to achieve victory. Do not despair because behind every dark cloud there is silver lining.

OPPOSITION PARTIES UNITE

By Surakata Danso and Sarjo Camara

Representatives of five opposition political parties appended their signatures on an agreement known as the Memorandum of Understanding at Palm Grove Hotel on Monday 17th January 2005 in the presence of supporters and independent observers. The Memorandum of Understanding is supposed to bind the five political parties in their pronouncements and actions during the period of their union.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishes an alliance known as the National Alliance for Democracy and Development (NADD). NADD is not only interested in replacing the ruling party but to effect far reaching changes in governance. Hence, according to the MOU the goal of the alliance is to put an end to self-perpetuating rule and unsure the empowerment of the people. Furthermore, a presidential candidate shall be selected in due course but in the spirit of averting self-perpetuating rule the elected president is not permitted by the MOU to serve for more than one term or to even give support to a presidential candidate. The members of the executive who comprise two members of each political party emphasized in their statements that NADD has come into being in order to carry out rectification.

The signing ceremony was opened by the chairman of the provisional coalition Mr. Assan Musa Camara. He was later elected as the chairman of NADD at the end of the signing ceremony. His opening statement is published in this issue. After the opening statement the entire text of the MOU was read by the Coordinator of the provisional coalition Halifa Sallah. He was later elected Coordinator of NADD. After this two representatives of each political party was invited one after the other to sign the MOU. The party leaders were then called upon to sign a declaration committing themselves to the letter and spirit of the MOU. The ceremony ended with a press conference by the coordinator.

NADD COORDINATOR HOLDS PRESS BRIEFING

Halifa Sallah, who as on Monday elected Coordinator of the Opposition Coalition, has indicated that the National Alliance for Democracy and Development (NADD), which will be registered as a political entity, will have its own colour, emblem and motto.

Sallah said the Presidential Candidate for the Alliance in the forthcoming presidential election will be selected by the Executive Committee of the Alliance by consensus, and if that fails, they will resort to primaries.

"The term of the first President Elect of the Alliance will be only one five year term, and that person is a candidate of the Alliance, and will not support a political party and will not stand for a second term," he remarked.

Sallah said the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the leaders of the various political parties will be translated into local languages and Arabic and published for every Gambian to have access to it.

"There will be a mass distribution of this memorandum. We will be translating it in the local languages and put it in cassettes, and disseminate the cassettes. We want the people to understand what the Alliance is all about, to see that it is above political parties. It is a supreme organ to which all member parties agreed to surrender part of their sovereignty. We want that to be understood. At the launching, its motto, its emblem, its symbol and colour will also be disseminated," he remarked.

He said the Technical Committee will work out a Code of Conduct and each party is supposed to take that Code of Conduct to sensitize its members, so that if they stand on a political platform that will guide them.

"In that sense, we hope we will introduce a new brand of politics in The Gambia, one that is based on maturity, one that is based on the popular interest. Lastly, the state media is supposed to disseminate divergent views according to section 207 of the constitution. That is the requirement. We are going to insist on that. We want to be seen as an alternative government," he posited.

He said they will appeal to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to reconvene the multi-party committee so that all political parties will meet periodically to look at the democratic process.

"Democracy is more than voting. The whole process of public sensitization, the whole process of how you translate your programme to the people matters and the Elections Decree which the IEC is supposed to administer states categorically that the objective of a political party is to disseminate its programmes and policies to the wider public. This means the state media should be open and we are going to work very hard to make sure that is respected," he remarked.

STATEMENTS BY POLITICAL LEADERS



STATEMENT BY LAMIN WAA JUWARA OF NDAM

What we have formulated here today is a commitment to make sure that we free our country. Ho Chi Minh of Vietnam once said that the freedom of the Vietnamese people is as precious as the life of each and every Vietnamese. We are undertaking to free the Gambian people. This is a task that no individual can accomplish alone. It is a task for the entire Gambian people, including those on the other side of the political divide. We want them to come and join us. What is at stake here is not an electoral alliance. It is more than electoral alliance. What we want to achieve is to make sure we prevent what has happened in our sister republics from happening to The Gambia. And the only way to do that is to be united, to stand and be counted and wake up from our slumber. That is the message to be given to every Gambian in every hamlet and we will not spare any effort not to do that.

Our lives have been reduced to arbitrary arrests, detentions, torture and imprisonment. The time has come for the Gambian people to show the rest of the world that Gambia has been sliding gradually to conflict. We are people of peace and we will make sure that we stem that process and restore sanity in our home. What I have seen today and in the past months have done a lot to give us courage, because people of conscience have started to speak. You must remember, there is no easy road to peace. What we are doing today is not just electioneering but to rectify everything that has gone wrong so that we will gain our respectability among nations despite our small size.

HON. HAMAT N.K. BAH, SECRETARY GENERAL, NRP

We in the National Reconciliation Party have accepted the idea of an alliance of opposition parties in our beloved country because it has become a successful method of removing incumbents from power. Besides, this unity has become a necessity in the interest of strengthening our democracy. Our party is convinced that if the alliance succeeds it is capable of creating a secure society where people can participate either directly or indirectly in every aspect of national development without fear of intimidation or harassment.

Mr. Chairman, colleagues in the prospective alliance, invited guest, ladies and gentlemen, Gambians are more than ever before longing for a Gambia devoid of tribalism, provocation, character assassination and impunity. We are fighting for a Gambia that would be endowed with a leadership that would be sensitive to the plight of their people, a leadership that would manifest total respect for human and peoples’ rights, good governance, the right to freedom of _expression and of the press and divergent views as enshrined in our constitution. And more so respect for the legislature and the judiciary. A leadership that would preserve and depoliticise our traditional institutions so as to strengthen national unity. Production center for the sub region for employment generation.

SIDIA JATTA, CHAIRPERSON PDOIS

This signing ceremony is not a drama. We are not actors and actresses. You are not spectators. This is history in the making and we are all part of the process.

This is why we became a Republic in 1970. We moved from a country where sovereignty resided in the British crown to a country where sovereignty resides in the people and the country. They should say how this country is to be governed. Any government must derive its legitimacy from the people and it can only maintain its legitimacy by enhancing their liberty and prosperity. This is why we in PDOIS are inspired by the goal of the Alliance. "The goal of the Alliance is to put an end to self-perpetuating rule, ensure the empowerment of the people so that they can participate in sustainable development."

Empowerment is what the sovereign citizens of the Gambia lack. This is why they are yet to fully become the owners of the country. An owner must have the power to decide what is to be done with his or her property. The Gambian people are yet to display such sense of ownership of the Gambia.

An owner must be able to hold those he/she entrusts with the management of his/her property accountable. The people in the Gambia are yet to assume such a responsibility. The fact each of us should realize is that the Gambian people have the power to check any abuse of authority by their leaders. This is why they have the power to cast their vote every five years. They can change representatives who happen to misrepresent them every five years. This is why they should see their vote as means of expressing their power and have their say on how their country is run and who will run it on their behalf, it does require insults, slander, antagonism, sectionalism, tribalism, religion and intolerance. This is the moment of truth and the moment of decision. The Alliance should give the facts to the people and the truth shall enable them to know how to exercise their sovereign powers to determine who is to be given their affairs.

We in PDOIS have long advocated for the slogan that representatives are mere public trustees or servants of the people. This is corroborated by section 112 of the constitution, which states:

"The responsibilities of the members of the National Assembly shall include the following -

(a) all members shall maintain the dignity of the National Assembly both during the sittings of the National Assembly and in their acts and activities outside the National Assembly;

(b) all members shall regard themselves as servants of the people of The Gambia, desist from any conduct by which they seek improperly to enrich themselves from the people, and shall discharge their duties and functions in the interest of the nation as a whole and in doing so shall be influenced by the dictates of conscience and the national interest."

This is the type of leadership that the country needs in. the 21st century.

We in the PDOIS are inspired that we have not come together to form an alliance just to share positions and benefits. We have mutually pledged that the protection of the people and National -Interest shall be our supreme goal. We have made our goals public so that our practice shall be judged by our precepts. We vow that we will never be found wanting in backing percepts with practice. This is the challenge posed by our generation. We want to assure all of you that we will equal the challenge.

MR. OUSAINOU DARBOE, SECRETARY GENERAL AND PARTY LEADER OF THE UDP

It is with a great sense of pride and achievement that I participate in this historic and groundbreaking event. It is an event that is the climax of months of frank and sincere discussions among the five signatory Parties. This has been possible because of our patriotism and the love we have for our dear country. This event demonstrates that the opposition parties in the Gambia can subordinate party interests to supreme national interest and this is what makes it extremely significant.

A few years ago, indeed a few months ago, nobody would have thought that this was possible. As a matter of fact, when the inter party talks began skeptics prophesied that they will lead to nowhere. They had under estimated the yearning of the majority of the Gambian people for a better Gambia, a Gambia in which peace will reign in the streets and in all corners, a Gambia where the rule of law will be supreme, and where there will be justice and fair play for all citizens, a Gambia where there will be tolerance and understanding at all strata of society, a Gambia where security for every one is assured. This is the new Gambia’ that we aspire to create for ourselves and for generations yet unborn.

Mr. Chairman, as we append our names and signatures to this Memorandum of Understanding, we open a new page in this country’s history. We are confident in the rightness of our cause and the justice of our mission. We believe that this is the right path to rescuing our country from the decadence and ruin in which it has been plunged. The present Administration has failed this country and the entire country is crying out for change and this Alliance we have just established will serve the Gambian nation as the vehicle for the change it so much needs and deserves.

Mr. Chairman, today we rededicate and once again commit ourselves to bringing change through the ballot box, change with the consent of the people, the will of the people and the hearts of people.

Let the whole world bear witness that we, representing the majority of the Gambian population, have solemnly decided to come together and work together for the common good of all Gambians and we invite all Gambians who have concern for the welfare and future of this country to join us in this crusade to salvage our country and re establish the lost dignity and respect for all Gambians both within the country and abroad. This is a sacred duty for all Gambians

This event is as significant as it is historic. Never in the annals of post colonial history has any country in Africa or anywhere else, experienced a situation when all parties outside the government came together to form an alliance. We know therefore, that we will succeed because the masses are with us and behind us.

Omar A. Jallow (O.J.) Secretary General of the Peoples Progressive Party

Today is a good day, because it has taken almost two years for us to get to where we have gotten to today. After painstaking and genuine negotiations on the way forward, after months, and weeks and days and nights of placing together a plan of action for the people of this country, who have called on us to come together as one party, I can today say that we have answered that call. Today Ladies and gentlemen we (NDAM, NRP, PDIOS, PPP and UDP) have put our differences aside, focused on our common objective, which is the common wish of most Gambians and joined forces to form a National Alliance for Democracy and Development (NADD).

It is this because the youth, women, and men of this country yearn for an opportunity to choose a better alternative party in a little less than twenty months from now. The past and the present situations in Gambia have taught us that things cannot continue as they are. The Gambia cannot afford to continue to be governed the way it has been. As long as our schools remain over crowded, our teachers and nurses under paid, our youth unemployed, our civil service politicized and inefficient, our media threatened, freedom to state what is right censored, our nation divided, our economy collapsing, and poverty rising, the future will remain bleak.

And that is why we all must move in a different direction; a new direction that seeks to improve the lot of the majority. A future that guarantees opportunity to all, for all, and by all to speak freely, live freely, and be able to provide for one’s family daily.

Today is a good day, ladies and gentlemen, because we have seen the light peep over the dark clouds that have covered this nation for over a decade now.

We have heard the rolling thunder pass over the land and yet we fear not its threats but are emboldened and encouraged by this new dawn. From this day on we know we are living in a time of rejuvenated hope, a time of work together for the common good. A time of sincerity to our selves, to each other and most importantly to those who have asked for this Alliance, the Gambian People.

The Gambians abroad have also played a key role in strengthening the need for a viable, vibrant and emboldened alternative in Gambian politics. Our thanks go to all of them who have supported, challenged and facilitated in many ways the journey that has led to this new arrival today NADD, since the first forum two years ago in Atlanta.

Ladies and gentlemen, in the coming months NADD will need every single person that wants this country to move forward; toward a direction of justice, freedom, economic opportunity, liberty, and security for all, irrespective of gender, creed, economic status or ethnic origin. We will need the intellectuals, the professionals, the artists, the laborers, the market women, the farmers, the youth groups, the unions, the associations, village communities and everyone, to come together and join NADD in this journey toward 2006.

We will unveil the manifesto, choose our candidate and ask for volunteers to help with fundraising, campaigning and voter mobilization as well as civic education. There is much work to be done. But we started years ago, even though this is just the beginning, a new day has come- for you, for me, for all of us, for our children, for The Gambia our homeland, because today is a good day!

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDIN G ESTABLISHING AN ALLIANCE OF OPPOSITION PARTIES IN THE GAMBIA

PREAMBLE

We, the undersigned representatives of opposition political parties, who seek to establish an alliance, are fully conscious of the duty, that wisdom and honour bestow on us, to explain to the people, from whose consent we must derive the authority to preside over the affairs of the nation and to generations yet unborn, the exceptional circumstances which compelled us to assemble and take these decisions that are here engraved or entrenched in this Memorandum Of Understanding.

Two years following the coup d’etat of July 22nd 1994, The Gambia was supposed to have gone through a transition from an unconstitutional and undemocratic system of government imposed by the AFPRC regime, based on the might of the gun, to a constitutional and democratic system of government, based on the consent of the people under a Second Republic.

Gambians were made to believe that the Second Republic would usher in an era of transparency, accountability and probity. A period of rectification was promised that would put an end to the alleged abuse of office, corruption and other related vices of public office, which negated the welfare of the people.

To achieve these fundamental aims, state administration under the Second Republic should have been characterized by the initiation of constitutional, institutional and administrative reforms and the setting into motion of policies, programmes and democratic practices that would oblige the members of the executive, the legislature, the judiciary and all the other custodians or trustees of public authority to perform their duties in accordance with the dictates of law and the general welfare of the people.

However, it has become evident that after eight years of APRC rule under the Second Republic, the government has not lived up to its promises and has not shown any commitment to enlarge the freedom of the people or ensure their empowerment. On the contrary, it has systematically amended the constitution and enacted laws that concentrate power in the hands of the executive, stifle the authority of the people and legitimise impunity in both matters of governance and economic management.

Constitutional amendments such as the deletion of the elective principle in constituting district and village leadership and the usurpation of such powers by the President and the Secretary of State for Local Government, respectively; the negation of the autonomy of local government bodies through the introduction of intrusive laws that enable the Secretary of State for Local Government to exert undue control over the affairs of local councils in contravention of the principles of decentraliation and devolution of power to local authorities and communities; the assault on the independence and integrity of the Independent Electoral Commission by the removal and replacement of its Chairperson by the President; the frequent shifting and firing of public servants without any legal process; the general militarization of government affairs through the declaration of one operational code after another provide us with ample evidence of the trend towards the centralization of absolute power
 in the hands of the executive.

The abuse of such absolute power is further evidenced by frequent threats to deprive communities of public services because of political affiliation, the arbitrary arrest and detention of persons beyond the constitutional provision of 72 hours set for detention without trial and the unparalleled affront to the independence and impartiality of the judiciary as the president makes repeated claims that he is responsible for the imprisonment of persons convicted by courts.

It goes without saying that maladministration in matters of governance is further compounded by the mismanagement of the economy which has led to the contraction of the productive base, the dwindling of the required investment capacity to generate employment and enhance the income earning capacity of the people, escalation of internal and external borrowing, chronic indebtedness, depreciation of the Dalasi, skyrocketing prices and a perpetual increase in poverty.

Despite all the evidence that the regime is neither capable nor willing to protect and enlarge the rights and freedoms of the citizenry and free them from economic mismanagement and poverty, it has been making systematic effort to perpetuate itself in office beyond the year 2020.

This is corroborated by the failed attempt to abrogate the permanent structures of the IEC because of the stringent requirements imposed by the constitution in case of amendment of entrenched clauses; the repealing of the provision for the second round of voting, should no Presidential candidate receive more than fifty percent of the total number of votes validly cast at an election on the first ballot; the complete monopoly of the state media and the attempt to establish a media commission that could close down media houses on the basis of administrative discretion, which was aborted only because of outcry, both national and international; the refusal to allow Citizen FM to operate because of administrative recalcitrance; the imposition of a bond of half a million dalasi on media houses before being allowed to operate and its retroactive application to close down existing media houses who may not be able to comply; the establishment of draconian laws which impose prison sentences of
 not less than six months with neither an upper limit nor the option of fine for offences such as uttering seditious words, publishing false news, publishing cartoons which are considered to be derogatory; the partisan approach to public administration, the personalization of the public service delivery system and the stifling of the National Council for Civic Education which should have had access to the national television and other public media to provide civic awareness to the people on their constitutional, political and civic rights.

These omissions and transgressions reveal with overwhelming thoroughness that the regime has capitulated to the temptation of perpetuating itself in office, despite all its shortcomings.

In this light, we the undersigned representing our political parties, are obliged to strive for the establishment of an alternative government in order to put an end to self-perpetuating rule, establish proper democratic and constitutional safeguards, implement sound and sustainable economic policies and ensure that patronage, intimidation and inducement shall not stifle the undiluted consent of the people.

Appreciating that no single opposition party can put an end to self-perpetuating rule given the culture of patronage, intimidation and inducement that has already taken root in the political life of the country;

Taking note of the fact that any given party may easily lapse into the vicious cycle of self-perpetuating rule if the proper institutional and administrative safeguards are not put in place to ensure democratic processes and practices;

Recognizing that empowering the Gambian people, to build a durable and sustainable democracy, is the only way to put an end to the self-perpetuating rule of the APRC regime and bar the possibility of the emergence of any government that would perpetuate itself in office in the future;

Conscious of the fact that a sustainable democratic system can best thrive within a multi-party political environment that would enable many parties to have the competence to be credible alternatives to any party in office;

Being fully committed to the values of fundamental rights and freedoms, the rule of law, the dignity of the human person, good governance and democratic culture;

Being fully conscious of the imperative and urgent need to consolidate the aspirations of the Gambian people for greater national unity transcending tribe, religion, gender, place of origin, birth, disability or other status;

Firmly convinced that an alliance transcending ideological and other differences in principle, policies and programmes could augur well for the country by ensuring the adherence to a common code of conduct and thus consolidate a culture of respect for fundamental rights and freedoms, democratic participation, tolerance of diversity that can serve as a launching pad for genuine multi-party electoral contest based on diverse principles, policies programmes and practices;

Acknowledging the fact that commitment to the values of fundamental rights and freedoms, the rule of law, the dignity of the human person, democracy and good governance characterized by transparency, accountability and popular participation shall best prepare The Gambia for African integration and raise the prestige and reputation of the country at the international level;

Drawing our inspiration from our own acknowledgement of these ideals, we the representatives of the political parties here assembled agree as follows:



PART I

Name, Goals and Strategic Objective and Mechanism of the Alliance

1. Establishment of the Alliance

An alliance is hereby established. The name of the alliance is National Alliance for Democracy and Development with the acronym (NADD).

2. Goal

The goal of the alliance is to put an end to self-perpetuating rule, ensure the empowerment of the people so that they can participate in sustainable development.

3. Strategic Objectives

The strategic objectives of the Alliance shall be to:

A. put in place constitutional and legal instruments as well as democratic institutions and practices covering all areas of state administration and management so as to put a definitive end to self-perpetuating rule and ensure the empowerment of the people;

B. pull together resources within the framework of the alliance to contest the forthcoming presidential, National Assembly and Local Government elections;

C. Launch a five year transitional rectification programme in order to ensure an open democratic society based on the promotion of national unity, freedom, peace, prosperity and justice for all;

D. create an economic environment that ensures the development of the productive base, maximize economic growth, employment and general welfare as well as foster African regional integration;

E. promote the ideals, policies and programmes of ECOWAS and other sub-regional groupings in particular and the African Union in general;

F. promote the fullest participation of the people, especially the Gambian women, in development and maximize the benefits derived therefrom;

G. promote the prestige and image of the country internationally by ensuring full respect for the human rights of the citizenry and their democratic participation in running the country in accordance with the ideals enshrined in international human rights law and norms of best practice;

H. develop partnership with civil society organizations to enable them to participate and guide the governance and development priorities of the country;

I. encourage the freedom of information through the creation of laws and practices that would safeguard the independence and impartiality of the public media and the freedom of the non-governmental media to disseminate information without censorship;

J. establish a code of conduct that will put an end to the politics of slander, character assassination, patronage and intimidation and replace it with the politics based on enlightenment, principles, policies and programmes.



4. Composition

A. All opposition parties who are signatories to this memorandum of understanding shall be founding members of the Alliance.

B. Any opposition party that has not been a member of the Alliance may notify the coordinator of its intention to accede to this Memorandum Of Understanding. The coordinator shall, upon receipt of such notification, provide them with an official copy of the Memorandum of Understanding and further transmit the signed copy to the executive committee of the Alliance. The opposition party acquires full membership once the instrument of accession is reviewed and approved by the executive committee and deposited at the Secretariat of the Alliance.



C. All members of the Alliance shall be equally represented in all the organs of the Alliance.



PART II

POLICY MAKING ORGANS

5.The Executive Committee

There shall be an Executive Committee of the Alliance, which shall be the highest decision making organ of the Alliance comprising two members from each member party. One other member shall be selected to serve as an alternate. At least one of the Permanent Members of the Executive Committee or the alternate shall be a woman The Executive Committee shall be responsible for policy making. The Chairperson, Coordinator and Deputy Coordinator of the Alliance shall be ex-officio members of the Executive Committee.

6.The Technical Committee

Policy, Planning, Assessment and Advisory Organ

There shall be a Technical Committee of the Alliance comprising two members and one alternate member appointed by each member party. At least one of the permanent members of the Technical Committee or the alternate shall be a woman. The Technical Committee shall have an advisory role and shall be accountable to the Executive Committee for all its activities.

It shall be responsible for the facilitation of policy formulation, planning, assessment, briefings and recommendations to the Executive Committee. It shall receive periodic assignments from the Executive Committee for review and recommendation on any matter.

7. The Secretariat

Administrative, Information, Education, Communication and Implementation Organ

There shall be a secretariat constituting the administrative and financial organs of the Alliance. It shall be the administrative and implementation organ of the alliance. It shall have an administrative and financial staff managed by a subcommittee comprising the Coordinator and one of the members of the party representatives in the Technical Committee, with the other member serving as alternative. The secretariat shall be housed in the headquarters of the Alliance and shall have branches in the seven administrative areas. The exercise of direction and control over matters relating to staff, budgets, banking, finance, accounting and auditing shall be bound by established rules and procedures drawn up by the Technical Committee and approved by the Executive Committee. It shall implement policies on information, education and communication as proposed by the Technical Committee and approved by the Executive Committee.

The Chairperson shall preside over all meetings of the Executive Committee. In the absence of the Chairperson, the Coordinator or Deputy Coordinator shall preside. The Chairperson and Coordinator shall perform advisory functions. Neither the Chairperson nor the Coordinator or Deputy Coordinator shall have voting powers.



PART III

ELECTIONS AND TENURE OF OFFICE

8. Nomination of Candidate

The selection of the candidate of the Alliance for the presidential, National Assembly and council elections shall be done by consensus; provided that in the event of an impasse selection shall be done by holding a primary election restricted to party delegates on the basis of equal number of delegates, comprising the chairman, chairwoman and youth leader of each party from each village/ward in a constituency.

9. Tenure of Office of Interim President under the Alliance

a) The interim president of the republic under the Alliance shall serve for one five year term of office only. He/she shall vacate his or her seat at the end of his or her term and shall neither seek nor support the candidature of any other person for the ensuing presidential election.

b) A constitutional provision shall be put in place under the Alliance that would limit the number of terms a person can occupy the office of president of the republic to two.



PART IV

PROCEDURES

10. Decision Making

Decision making at all levels of the committees of the Alliance shall be based on the principle of unanimity provided that matters of procedure shall be determined on the basis of simple majority of the delegates present and voting. In the event of the need to break an impasse the delegates may agree unanimously to make a decision by consensus.

11. Quorum

At least one member of each member party shall be present to have a quorum.

12. Authentication

All agreements or decisions shall be authenticated by appending the signatures of all the representatives associated with a given committee of the Alliance. All pages of any agreement of the Alliance shall contain the initials of the signatories to be deemed as authentic. All instruments of the Alliance shall be deposited with the coordinator for safekeeping and proper custody.

13. Dissolution

The Alliance stands dissolved when the majority of its members sign a petition to call for its dissolution and upon the confirmation of the positions of each party at a meeting of the Executive Committee. The disposal of resources shall be the subject of a subsequent protocol to the Memorandum of Understanding.

PART V

TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS

14. Every mandate given and decision taken with the authorization of the Executive Committee, prior to the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, shall be deemed to be approved as if they were done under this Memorandum Of Understanding.

15. The Alliance shall prepare a Code Of Conduct to guide the political conduct of its member parties and its supporters within one month of the coming into force of this agreement to ensure that slander, intimidation, inducement and appeal to ethnic, religious and other divisive sentiments shall be expunged from the platform of the Alliance.



16. The Alliance shall have an emblem, colour, motto and symbol to be determined within one month of the coming into force of the agreement with the full participation of its supporters and sympathizers.

17. The Memorandum Of Understanding shall come into force upon the appending of signatures by two representatives of each party, one of whom shall be its president/chairperson or secretary general.

18. Upon signature of the Memorandum of Understanding all provisional responsibilities such as the offices of Chairperson and Coordinator ceases and the members of the Executive Committee shall elect the substantive holders of such offices in line with the Memorandum of Understanding.



Done this ……… day of ………………….. in the year ……….



National Democratic Action Movement (NDAM)

National Reconciliation Party (NRP)



People’s Democratic Organisation for

Independence and Socialism (PDOIS)



People’s Progressive Party (PPP)

United Democratic Party (UDP)

Chairperson

Coordinator

ADAMA DEEN CLEARED OF ALLEGATIONS

By Tombong Jadama

Mr. Adama Deen, the former Managing Director of GPA is presently under detention at the Serious Crimes Unit of the Police. It was alleged that he owned a boat, which is presently harboured at the ports dockyard in Banjul. Mr. Deen is said to have bought that boat and has been in contact with some people who are supposed to be working for him.

When this reporter visited the ports, he found military personnel guarding the vessel. However, when the police PRO was contacted, he revealed to FOROYAA that the police were earlier on tipped with information that Mr. Deen had bought a vessel some time before his removal from his position and shipped the vessel to The Gambia for his own personal business. He pointed out that after their investigations they found out that the vessel in question was in fact owned by one white man called Mr. Delmon Thomas and the vessel arrived in The Gambia some time around mid 2004. The PRO further went on the say that this Mr. Delmon had contacted Mr. Deen who informed him that he (Deen) is no more working and would be ready to work with him. He added that it was then that Mr. Thomas appointed Mr. Deen as a Consultant. He further pointed out that Mr. Thomas was also doing business with one Gambian by the name Mam Essa Gaye of Banjul who is his partner; that in this business Mr. Delmon Thomas owns 80
 % and the other 20 % is owned by Mam Essa Gaye, as a shareholder.

PRO Bojang confirmed to this reporter that as at now Mr. Deen is cleared of what he had been accused of but could not say when and why Mr. Deen is going to be released to join his family. However, it could be recalled that Mr. Deen had been detained for more than seventy-two hours beyond what is required by the constitution.

Director Of Technical Services Arrested And Released

What Is responsible?

According to reports reaching FOROYAA, the Director of Technical Services at the Department of State for Works, Construction and Infrastructure Mr. Mustapha Leigh was on Thursday 13th January 2005 arrested and finally released on Monday 17th January 2005 but told to be reporting at the Police Headquarters.

According to reliable sources Mustapha was arrested in connection to a letter addressed to the Department of Finance concerning invoices, which have something to do with CSE company.

Sources also say that Leigh was put in complete incommunicado and his mobile was also said to be have been seized from him but later returned. When the Police PRO Aziz Bojang was contacted he confirmed seeing Mr. Leigh at Police headquarters but could not confirm why he was there. He promised to say something after finding out, but we could not reach him before going to press.





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