Dr. Jaiteh,

The only ride has to belong to His Powership. And yes, it is a one-man show 
par excellence. Under the current regime, categories like performance and 
administration are totally redundant. The entire non-system is geared only 
towards one supreme goal - more power longer for the one single person who 
wields any public power at all, though there must necessarily be a lot of 
hidden power wielders in the shadows - talk about "hidden transcripts" in 
situations of tyranny and despotism!! A tragically sad political situation 
we have in our country just now.

Baba


>From: Malanding Jaiteh <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list              
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Is this real love for the President?
>Date: Thu, 1 Nov 2007 15:31:39 -0400
>
>Baba,
>SOS Sambou's grand explanation can only suggest one of two things. Either:
>1. Mr Sambou cannot perform as desired by his boss thus the "confession"  
>that HE should take over his Department or
>2. Gambian  President has nothing better to do than tend to LOCAL 
>government adminstration.
>In either case I wonder how President Jammeh sees himself among his peers. 
>A village alkalo or head of state? Is it that the Gambia is not fit to be a 
>state that institutions of state such as Secretarie of State are not 
>necessary?  As you said, we should not be surprised to hear another one of 
>his SoS call upon him to take over the Alkaloship of Sare Mankamang Kunda. 
>Since thats what they have come to expect of him.
>
>To tell you the truth I sincerely do not know who is taking who for the 
>ride. The President or his men?
>
>
>Malanding
>
>
>
>Baba Galleh Jallow wrote:
>
>>Right right Dr. Jaiteh. Bon appetite to His All Powerful Lordship. Next 
>>step would be takling over all Alkaloships, Borom Dekaships, Jomsaareships 
>>and Kabiloheadships and even riverships, roadships and streetships! Just a 
>>reminder that he who controls everything loses everything. But of course 
>>paranoia demands all-holding, all-seeing, all-monitoring lest something 
>>somewhere goes unnoticed and therefore proves potentially power-seizing. 
>>Thanks for sharing.
>>
>>Baba
>>
>>
>>>From: Malanding Jaiteh <[log in to unmask]>
>>>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list              
>>><[log in to unmask]>
>>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>>Subject: Is this real love for the President?
>>>Date: Thu, 1 Nov 2007 10:26:09 -0400
>>>
>>>As they say in Mandinka- now that the President has in his custody of 
>>>both the knife and the meat, he can indulge in whichever part he choses! 
>>>Lets wish him bon apetit!
>>>
>>>Courtesy of the Daily Observer.
>>>
>>>
>>>  President given executive power over Councils
>>>
>>>Africa <http://www.observer.gm/africa/news> » Gambia 
>>><http://www.observer.gm/africa/gambia/news>
>>>Thursday, November 01, 2007
>>>
>>>It has finally been considered and approved for the President of the 
>>>Republic of The Gambia to take over the affairs of all Area Councils and 
>>>Municipalities, with effect from November 1, 2007.
>>>
>>>This was considered and approved by NAMs yesterday, at an Extra-ordinary 
>>>session of the National Assembly in the 2007 Legislative Year.
>>>
>>>Presenting the motion for approval, Ismaila Sambou, Secretary of State 
>>>for Local Government, Lands and Religious Affairs, said Section 152 of 
>>>the Local Government Act 2002, provides that the President may with the 
>>>approval of a simple majority of the votes of all members of the National 
>>>Assembly, assume the executive powers of any Local Government Area, in 
>>>circumstance where the Council so request and it is in the public 
>>>interest to do so and where it has become extremely difficult or 
>>>impossible for a Council to function.
>>>
>>>According to SoS Sambou, there has been constant power conflict between 
>>>the Office of the Regional Governors and the office of the Chairman of 
>>>Area Councils, the latter claiming being elected by universal adult 
>>>suffrage of all eligible voters in the Local Government Area, thus 
>>>creating functional difficulties.
>>>
>>>"This power struggle in many instances do not yield positive impact. As a 
>>>result, this constitutional provision has recently been amended to pave 
>>>the way for the amendment of Section 13(1) of the Local Government Act 
>>>2002, among other things. For a good transition and to achieve the 
>>>desired results, therefore, it will be desirable for the President to 
>>>take over the administration of Local Government Councils for them to be 
>>>well-prepared for the forthcoming Council Elections," he said.
>>>
>>>He added that there has been a series of complaints from the general 
>>>public and other stakeholders in Local Government Administration about 
>>>the poor performance of the Local Area Councils, which in some cases led 
>>>to public outcry and great confusion. It is for such reasons, according 
>>>to him, that, the Department of State for  Local Government and Lands had 
>>>to come up with a press release in 2006 to reduce rates across the 
>>>country. "Also, because of the unsatisfactory method of car park fees 
>>>collection by Councils, the Department of State in collaboration with the 
>>>Department of State for Finance and Economic Affairs and the Interior had 
>>>to shift the collection of car park fees from Councils to The Gambia 
>>>Police Force," he noted.
>>>
>>>SoS Sambou then noted that, these and many other cases are result of both 
>>>financial and administrative malfunctions, leading to unsatisfactory 
>>>performances by all Councils. He added that to arrest this undesirable 
>>>situation and considering that Local Government Elections are scheduled 
>>>for January 2008, the need to better prepare new Councils to take up 
>>>their financial and administrative responsibilities as expected by the 
>>>citizens they are supposed to serve, cannot be over-emphasised.
>>>
>>>He then observed that in the light of the above and under the present 
>>>circumstances, it is only proper for the President to invoke Section 
>>>152(1)(b) of the Local Government Act 2002 to remedy the current 
>>>situation and prepare good grounds for a more vibrant and result-oriented 
>>>Local Government Councils in The Gambia to achieve the aspirations of the 
>>>MDGs and our Decentralisation and Good Governance Strategies.
>>>
>>>Supporting the motion, Hon.Netty Baldeh, NAM for Tumana, said the motion 
>>>is timely for the fact that the Local Government elections are just in 
>>>the pipeline. He said this will help to create a level playing ground 
>>>field for all participants and also indicates government's commitment to 
>>>ensure a fair play in the election process.
>>>
>>>He urged the NAMs to ratify the motion so that the President of the 
>>>Republic of The Gambia can take actions to remedy the current poor 
>>>situations of Councils and Municipalities.
>>>
>>>Hon. Sellu Bah, NAM for Basse, also supported the motion for the 
>>>President to take over the affairs of the Councils and Municipalities. He 
>>>urged for the proper scrutiny of the administrative actions of the 
>>>Councils and Municipalities.
>>>
>>>Hon. Sedia Jatta, NAM for Wuli West urged the authorities to create an 
>>>interim management structures to run Councils until the election are 
>>>over.
>>>
>>>by Alhagie Jobe
>>>
>>>
>>>¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
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