"If you require quantification of the benefits of PDOIS "relentless programme of political education and civic consciousness", I do not have the mathematical wherewithal to do that, but I take it the evidence is obvious in the number of other parties obliterated from the national consciousness with the passage of time. The PPP itself is one such victim, and the party was at the centre of national life for three decades."

 

Lamin, you are unto something here.  Very very briefly, the reason why Gambians, the so-called intellectuals in particular, are afraid of a PDOIS anything, is the fear that the "Fat" called "Political Patronage" will be melted away and replaced by merit.  Those that believe in the principle of merit have nothing to fear such a future.  For almost half a century, our politics has been a patron-client relationship affair and not based on merit, but Tribal affair, Religious Affair, sycophancy affair.  For Thirty Years did PPP have a news anything, aside from the national media?  Let's not even start talking about building anything to uplift the mind.  The same ole thing the APRC is engaged in, in addition to tortures, illegal detentions, murders, and massive corruption.  You look at the NCP, GPP, Che Yasin's outfit, UDP, NDAM, NRP, what do they offer Gambians aside of who they are in relation to ethnic affiliations, and in the case of Che Yassin, "I am learned"?  Do they have a center where Gambians can dialogue with them when there are no elections around?  How about a news outlet?  Or a soup kitchen?  And so, the so-called intellectuals are just that and are no different from those that currently populate the APRC and who mooched off the PPP, just like handkerchief head Taal, Thomasi, Sanneh, et al.  Those same so-called intellectuals are aspirants to sycophancy to a future government that is not PDOIS.  The trump card for most political parties in the Gambia is tribal.  PDOIS does not engage in tribal anything, thus you see Mandinkas, Fulas, Jolas, Sarahulehs, Njagos, etc., visit them for counsel for their day-to-day battles with realities.  They run centers for adult education that Gambians benefit from regardless of ethnicity of religious affiliation.  They provide scholarships to poor students on the basis of need and anyone can obtain such a list to see for themselves.  The funds used are also transparent and it comes from Gambians like you and I and legitimately.  They are not funded by Russia, Cuba, or China, but by Gambians and in addition to their own meager salaries.  Thus, the code behind Gambians' talk of PDOIS cannot lead Gambia, is just that.  Even the griots in various ethnic groups are in this act with complains of "Nyom Danu Wowe Lohor".  Certainly, the religious dealerships we have a bound benefit tremendously to the detriment of their congregation, through collusion with the powers that be, whether legitimate or illegitimate.  Certainly, Imams Kah and Fatty know the difference between PDOIS and the APRC, and that is the size of their wallet.  That individualism to the detriment of the community is the reason why Gambia had a PPP for thirty years and Yaya for thirteen and counting, and if we keep at it for another half a century and counting.  Thus, we are not remotely ready for prime time.

 

Chi Jaama

 

Joe  > Date: Sat, 1 Sep 2007 19:23:28 +0100> From: [log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: WHY IS PDOIS OR NADD MISUNDERSTOOD> To: [log in to unmask]> > Malanding:> > Remember Saints in the mid- to late-70s?> > When other members of your class, including myself, were struggling with ordinary maths, a select group of you were grappling with the stupefying concepts of Additional Mathematics under the tutelage of Father Flynn. If not him, then Father somebody, but I think it was Father Flynn. > > After Saints, I stayed away from the mathematical sciences and wouldn't know how to tackle metric concepts especially in relation to socio-political questions.> > Although another outsider, I am at least aware that through its principal information organ - FOROYAA - PDOIS has contributed tremendously to awakening and nurturing the political consciousness of Gambians. It is my understanding that PDOIS has a multi-purpose centre for the proliferation of education, especially in the socio-political area. And the leadership are usually invited by youth-controlled community and civic organisations to give speeches. I have a video of Halifa giving one such speech at Tujereng in Kombo South. > > Outside party political functions, I do not recall the leadership of any other political party being invited to share their socio-political views with fellow Gambians. In my view, the reason may be attributable to the fact that in our pre- and post-1994 systems, both the dominant parties have no sensible programmes to sell to Gambians, and hence continue to exploit the easy option of steering national life in darkness. > > To preempt a retort of why their relatively insignificant political representation in government, I suggest you search for answers in the atrocious unaccountable systems of PPP and APRC. If you require quantification of the benefits of PDOIS "relentless programme of political education and civic consciousness", I do not have the mathematical wherewithal to do that, but I take it the evidence is obvious in the number of other parties obliterated from the national consciousness with the passage of time. The PPP itself is one such victim, and the party was at the centre of national life for three decades.> > > > LJDarbo > > > > > > Malanding Jaiteh <[log in to unmask]> wrote:> Lamin, my friend from Dabanani, what are metrics out there to help a > PDOIS outsider understand the effectiveness of PDOIS "relentless > programme of political education and civic consciousness" in the Gambia?> > Malanding> > Lamin Darbo wrote:> > >Suntou:> > > > For starters, PDOIS and NADD are different entities.> > > > Although PDOIS may not be a mass party, its relentless programme of political education and civic consciousness is proving to be of more enduring benefit to Gambians than Jawara's thirty two years of waste and stagnation, and Jammeh's continuing record of directionless dictatorship. > > > > Since NADD grew out of the efforts of diaspora Gambia, principally of the STGDP, have you bothered to ask your conferees about their views regarding this organisation as responses thereto may better illuminate the thinking about clearly misinformed mindsets. Although you heard what they said about PDOIS and NADD, it is not entirely clear that you understood what they meant. I suggest to you that the art of mastering conversation lies in appreciating the unstated, especially if the issue at hand is uncomfortable.> > > > I do not think you should be unduly concerned about the reference to PDOIS as "anti-religious" and "communist" by "university and college educated" Gambians. Attending college, and, or university, and being certificated in the process, is not necessarily a prophylactic against hopeless ignorance.> > > > I take it your "university and college educated" Gambians are generally happy with locating a mosque in the administrative headquarters of a secular and multi-religious nation.> > > > > > > > > > > > LJDarbo> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> >> >SUNTOU TOURAY wrote: I was at a private gambian event yesterday in Birmingham city U.K .there was about a hundred gambians male and females ,we were there untill 10pm .but when the discussions which were informal went political ,all sorts of issues was discussed but when Halifa and pdois was mention ,almost more than half of those present aggreed that pdois/nadd is not the alternative to aprc .i was very concern at the magnitude of the number of educated Gambians misunderstanding of the ideas of pdois .> >> >i am not sure if the excutives of pdois are aware of this misunderstanding.the party was accussed of both anti-religion to being a communist party. i did my best to explain otherwise but many didn't want to listen.> >> >if pdois is not an option in the Gambian political scheme ,and that halifa and sedia should retire who is the option to aprc ? this men/women present were not the average illitrate we all would like to blame for the three election victories of APRC but these are university and college educated Gambian .Are we under-estimating the extend of political backsliding we are experiencing ?> >> >we also talked about UDP which some aggreed with their polices but the majority again don't consider mr Darboe a fomidable leader.> >> >this way of thinking is scary for us ,the door is wide open for APRC to continue exploitinmg the backward way of thinking about our politicians. Mr M Sidibe did a good analysis of NADD but what i am concern about is ,why is PDOIS still misunderstood ? Why is Darboe considered a weak opponent to Jammeh ? what sort of opponent do we want for yahya and APRC ?> >it seems that our house is not in order .who benefit from all this misunderstanding and what is the real problem with gambians and politics ?> >> >､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､> >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]> >､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､> >> >> > > >---------------------------------> > For ideas on reducing your carbon footprint visit Yahoo! For Good this month.> >> >､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､> >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]> >､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､> >> > > >> > ､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､> 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]> ､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､> > > > ---------------------------------> Yahoo! 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