From FOROYAA Burning issues NO: 2/2003 6 - 8 January, 2003
Voices of Political Leaders
The Secretary Generals of Political Parties Air Their views
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I did not include President Jammeh's New Year Message To The Nation
December31, 2002 because it has already been posted to Gambia-L and can be
read at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?A2=ind0301&L=gambia-
l&H=1&O=D&F=P&S=&P=1962
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Statement From The United Democratic Party (UDP)
As we take the first step towards another year, we in the United Democratic
Party wish to take the opportunity offered to us by the Foroyaa Newspaper
to extend our warm and sincere felicitations to all our fellow citizens and
those non-Gambians living and working in The Gambia. The initiatives that
Foroyaa has taken in inviting all political parties to make a statement on
the eve of the New Year is very commendable and we congratulate them for it.
We have completed another year by the Grace of Allah and we are starting
another one by His Grace. The occasion calls for retrospection as well as
introspection.
The year 2002 has been a year when the Gambian people felt more than ever
before, the pinch of poverty and economic stagnation - a year when no jobs
were available, no salaries were increased and yet prices of basic
commodities soared by leap and bounds.
The Gambia has unfortunately been polarized by two extremes, which makes it
difficult for national stakeholders to embark upon a meaningful political
dialogue. On the other hand, the governing authorities continue to be
plagued by their own image of past and present misdeeds, which in turn
makes it very difficult for them to open and discuss alternatives and
opinions within the framework of a national conference.
On the other hand, the great number of people cannot forgive and forget
past and present sufferings attributed to a corrupt and oppressive regime,
with a propensity for violent actions and which is a direct descendant of a
military junta.
It is unfortunate that these two antagonistic extremes continue to alienate
each other at the expense of genuine political social, and economic
advancement. It is the honest opinion of the United Democratic Party that
this present government has become too arrogant, too intolerant and too
inward looking to admit that mistakes have been made and are still being
made during their tenure of office. It should allow criticism or
accommodate new ideas especially from groups else where, especially other
political parties. It has always been obvious to the citizens of this
country that this government believes in solving problems only through
force and coercion and as such cannot enter into dialogue with other
national stakeholders on the current serious problems that the country is
going through.
The direct consequences of such self-centred approach to governance are the
policy failures culminating in the multiple cracks in the entire economic
fabric of this country. The general out come is mass suffering, economic
decline and uncontrolled corruption.
The present inflationary trend is a direct result of costly mistakes
committed out of our intolerant approach to dissenting views and the use of
force to impose unrealistic policy measures. The damage has deepened almost
beyond salvage because the productive sectors have not been revitalized and
people find it difficult if not impossible nowadays to make ends meet.
It is heart rending to realize that presently, with the galloping
inflation, the greatest majority of Gambians can no longer even meet their
basic food needs not to mention other necessities. Yet we see in the new
Budget a load of new taxes and other increases being added to the already
unbearable burden of the common man. This is not only unsympathetic but
also totally misguided.
It takes a real restructuring to salvage the country and the economy and the
only way forward is a genuine political will. For this to succeed, it is
necessary to set aside arrogance, segregation of opponents and targeting
individuals who express their free opinion about current national issues and
concerns.
In face of the political and economic decline in the country, the various
opinion leaders - professional bodies, trade unions and religious elders -
therefore, should all come together and take a special interest in matters
affecting the welfare and well being of the people of this country. The
current government should organise and support a national conference so
that the present situation and policies can be reexamined and solutions to
our present predicament found. Without such initiatives, there will be
further decline and an eventual collapse of the remaining structures in
this country that we love so well.
The country is now going through a serious crisis affecting the common man
in the street and we in the UDP wish to reiterate our firm, oft repeated
commitment and readiness to answer to any national effort to bring all
stakeholders together to discuss the country's future and its progress. We
consider that this is the only way forward at the moment.
On behalf of the National Executive of the United Democratic Party and on
my own behalf, I wish all Gambians and visitors living and working among
us, a good, fruitful and peaceful New year, and God bless us all.
Ousainou Darboe
Party Leader and Secretary General
United Democratic Party
31st December,2002.
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People's Progressive Party (PPP)
According to Omar A. Jallow better known as O.J., the interim Secretary
General of the People's Progressive Party, PPP. The underlying factor
responsible for the deteriorating economy of the Gambia in these few years
are due to the following factors;
(1) The relaxation and destruction of the fiscal and monetary discipline
that was in place by the regime in power, because of the reckless and
uncontrolled spending, on things that does not generate wealth on revenue
to the state.
(2) The over burdening of the country with external debts which are mostly
invested in white elephant projects. He went further to add that these
projects do not have any rates of economic returns for the country.
(3) The lack of well defined policies that would address development and
the enhancement of the resource base of the economy. The resource base of
the economy has been abandoned. He said this was confirmed by the SoS for
Finance in his 2003 budget speech when he indicated that rice production
had gone down in the country by 40%.
(4) Fisheries, horticulture and orchard which could have yielded a
lot for the economy, if properly managed and organised, are being relegated
and are no more given priority by the regime of the day.
(5) On Tourism Mr. O.J said it is very important but has been in a very
confused and chaotic situation in the last four years. Mr. Jallow further
added that in addition to the above factors the government could not up to
date usher into the country, the environment of peace and stability and
self confidence within the civil and public services and the private
sector. He noted that this is manifested in the frequent sackings of SoS,
public and civil servants and some of the utterances made by the top
government officers against the private sector.
In such a situation he said people will lack the interest and confidence to
maximize on their productivity. Political and economic programmes are made
redundant.
(6) The legislation of obnoxious laws called decrees and laws like the
Indemnity (Amendment Act) 2000, the Media Commission Act, the recent
amendment of the Criminal Procedure Code and other obnoxious decrees "that
are still part of our laws. He submitted that this puts into question the
country's democratic and good governance credentials which are very serious
deficiencies, the result of which are now being felt by every Gambian.
On the way forward in such a situation, Mr. Omar Jallow said that since we
are faced with a national economic crisis, there is the need for the
government to call for a national conference where all stakeholders will be
invited to carve the new way forward and when this is not possible, the
government should accept that it has failed the Gambian people and resign
for fresh elections to take place.
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National Reconciliation Party (NRP)
National Reconciliation Party (NRP) Campaign Manager, Mr. Dulo Bah on
Thursday 2nd January 2003 spoke to our reporter and first expressed his
view with regards to major problems of the country.
Mr. Dulo Bah: The major problems are just the economic crisis of this
country because prices of commodities are skyrocketing everyday.
And the ordinary Gambian is finding it difficult every day because of the
skyrocketing of prices.
So it is very serious and should be handled or put to a stop by government,
or else really it would be a disaster to Gambians. Because an ordinary
Gambian cannot afford three meals a day. Absolutely it is a disaster. For
the economic hardship in this country no Gambian can actually predict where
we are heading to. It is so serious that at least we should all come
together to seek for a solution to it and speak out our views.
Foroyaa: What in your view do you think are the causes, could it be
personality' policies or what?
Dulo: No the causes are there. You see the central bank of the Gambia,
governing the whole finance of this country, should, be restructured and
the policies of the bank should be changed to address the needs of the
people.
Now the problem with the Central Bank is that businessmen or business
tycoons are getting all these foreign exchange, they allow them to deposit
the foreign exchange in the Central Bank so what they usually do is every
morning they get this foreign exchange money from the dealers and deposit
it in the Central Bank. In doing that you are killing the dalasi because of
everyday you are struggling to get foreign exchange, you get and deposit it
in your own account in the Central Bank. It means you are killing the
dalasi. So every morning they get whatever they can and deposit it in the
Central Bank. This is the situation now, because if you see these
currencies going up against the dalasi everyday it is because these
business tycoons are taking the chance of getting all what they can get to
deposit in the Central Bank.
The Central bank was doing good and in 1971 up to last year and year before
last, they started these bad policies which is very serious because if you
scramble for one thing everyday so it means you are killing the dalasi.
Our dalasi is possibly getting dead, so this is the problem. Now if you are
to import those business tycoons they always request foreign exchange.
What actually they should have done was to use the dalasi to import through
the Central Bank, they can arrange with the Central bank to do that. If you
want to import you go to the Central Bank they give you what you want to
import, that at least can help the dalasi. That is the only thing we can do
to get the dalasi on its feet.
Foroyaa: What other solution do you think can be done to solve the problem.
Dulo: The solution to this problem is what we have been saying all along;
that at least we should all come together as a nation. A national
conference need to be called by the president so that everybody come on
board. You have that panel discussion on TV about the depreciation of the
dalasi and the way forward, did you see any opposition party member among
them, why?
They are not invited, they don't care about us and we have a say on this
problems, if you mean Gambian; we are all Gambians. They are seeing us in
another form which should not be.
This economic crisis which everybody is facing, you and my wife go to the
same market, we are all experiencing the same hardship.
So there should have been a call now for a national conference where at
least all of us come together and discuss these bad policies and get rid of
them.
The next thing is, government expenditure especially on vehicles (cars). The
vehicles plying our streets are expensive cars costing D700,000, are paid
at the expense of the ordinary Gambian who cannot even provide two meals a
day. They should reduce their expenditure. The tax levied on Gambians
generally is too much to bear. Some of those doing business are closing and
going to the border.
The tax that has been imposed on people is too much.
Look at our foreigners most of them are leaving the country because the
taxation on them is too much, and as they are leaving what about their
places of work?
What is going to happen?
You should understand one thing there are certain jobs which Gambians would
not like to do at home but would also go to other countries, to do such
jobs. It is other nationals who can do those kind of jobs here, so it is
vice versa.
Foroyaa: Finally Mr. Bah, in your opinion what is the way forward for a
dignified and prosperous Gambia.
Dulo: Our way forward is to let the government know that they have a
responsibility; let them take that responsibility seriously.
One, let them dissolve the management of the Central Bank. Let them do that.
They should bring to cabinet able technocrats who have the technical know-
how to manage the affairs of this country. You cannot pick any person you
feel like to bring to cabinet.
Bring people who have at least the country at heart, who are prepared to
work and correct and advice. This is lacking in Jammeh's administration. So
let him have the people who can do the job, people with the technical know-
how to do certain things. Look at our agricultural sector now, it has
failed. What is going on in the provinces is not encouraging at all. All
our groundnuts is going into Senegal, because of the foreign exchange our
farmers prefer to sell their groundnuts to Senegal than here.
They have a responsibility. This last elections they promised the Gambians,
that they will uplift livelihood. Is that happening now? It is from bad to
worst, from the frying pan to the fire. We have never experienced such a
situation in the country.
Foroyaa: Thank you Dulo Bah for interview?
Dulo: It is a pleasure for me talking to you Mr. Nyassi.
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NDAM - Wa Juwara
Mr. Lamin Wa Juwara, leader for National Democratic Action Movement (NDAM).
S.Nyassi: What do you think are the basic problem of this country?
Juwara: Well, basically what I would analyse in my own heart of heart is to
accept the fact that we are able to restore democracy to the country.
Democracy, good governance and human rights is a big package and unless and
until you can restore that then the country still has a problem.
To be honest with you what happened in this country on 22nd July 1994 is an
abuse of democracy and no politician all over the world would accept what
happened on that day. I was on the opposite political divide, I was on the
opposite bench. What I said was that the PPP government was wrong, not
accountable. If the PPP government pursues bad governance there is no
credibility that we can show to the rest of the world by toppling it with
arm rebellion and that is what had happened.
And I felt very sick that even people that know, condoned and accept the
22nd July 1994 take over. And today we are in problems simply because
Gambians that could have been trusted, intellectuals, trusted this
government. Let me be on the right track.
Foroyaa is a political paper, accept it or leave it. I remember when Halifa
Sallah and Sidia Jatta sold that very newspaper in Brikama and eventually
they were arrested because of a certain decree and the Gambian people did
not rise up to say that was wrong.
I was subjected, consequently to the same assault, I was taken to
Jangjangbureh prisons. I was detained throughout the period. I was detained
in cells at police stations. The immediate problem that comes to my mind is
that we are preparing the minds of the people like it or not anything we
say was countered and we have to look at ourselves again. Are we prepared
to accept the political dispensation that has been going on. We can turn
round in those years and lecture and say everything across the board to the
whole world, do we act? This is why we say National Democratic Action
Movement (NDAM).
What is lacking in the Gambia is action. You preach and preach with no
action.
S.Nyassi: Are you saying the problem of this country is a problem of
personality?
Juwara: It is not a question of personality, it is a question of
principles. Do I say what I believe. Sheriff Mustapha Dibba is a
personality, Assan Musa Camara is a personality but do they preach what
they believe in? I am saying what I believe in, humble small man who owns
nothing is still the Lamin Wa Juwara you have.
Are we going to tell the world what is right and what is wrong and we are
prepared to fight for our rights? These are the problems that we are facing
now.
I mean let's look at it squarely. If everything that you say is right but
there is no follow up of actions in the country to make sure that what you
say is right, what is the use of the sermon?
Tell me one thing, did PDOIS ever agitate to make sure that when they
preached human rights they lead the people into action? That is what is
lacking. They have never done that, they preach and preach, they don't
practice.
S.Nyassi: When I say action, I mean we will go into the street, we will
demonstrate, I don't mind being killed, I don't mind being detained. When we
finally put our party in practice, if we have been here for fifteen years
like PDOIS we would have gone in the streets.
If you preach and you don't put it into practice that is the end who cares
about you? Are you going to have a follow up action. You have volumes and
volumes about discontentment, the anormaly of the society you have
diagnosed everything. It is like a doctor, you know what is happening, your
patient is suffering from cancer, but what do you do about it. If you
diagnose everything we are talking about you don't say anything and sit
down then that is the end.
And that is what we are saying. We are an action oriented party, come storm
come rain we are going to be in the streets.
S.Nyassi: Don't you think it would be better if your party should have a
policy and programmes to tell the people before going on the streets?
Juwara: Look, let me tell you one thing, did you succeed? How long have your
party been in operation?
S.Nyassi: The people are to decide.
Juwara: the people do not decide, you provide the ultimate for people to
decide you have failed the people as leaders. You come and failed the
people as leaders. You come and preach and leave it to the people , how
long are going to continue to preach. We are going into the street; let
them come, come rain, come storm. I am the one person who will tell you. I
am prepared to die for the Gambia. Like it or leave it.
S.Nyassi: In your opinion what do you think is the way forward for a
prosperous and dignified Gambia?
Juwara: you have been in the political arena for fifteen years, you are
asking me why don't you have answers. Let's be honest to each other. For 15
years you have been in the political arena, you come here and ask me what.
I think the way forward for the Gambia. Is that not accepting that things
have gone wrong. You as a political unit fighting in the opposition, you
still don't have an answer you want to ask me. Let's be honest to each
other.
S.Nyassi: Hence you are saying that PDOIS has failed, this is not an
individual thing as you stated about the country, if you have the answer it
might help the nation that is what I am saying.
Juwara: Look let's not be hypocritical, we have our own agenda we have it
in our manifesto, we called a press conference, we gave it to you, all
around you, all ran and say, is this the correct thing?
Go and ask Halifa Sallah what he thinks is the way forward for the Gambia
and he cannot give you an answer, you have failed. Let us not continue to
play this that intellectual dishonesty. Has he got a vision for the
Gambia's problem?
Publish it and I will read it in Foroyaa and come back to me, I will tell
you.
S.Nyassi: Thank you Mr. Juwara for accepting the interview.
Juwara; it is a pleasure, this is your country. This is your own place, feel
free and come at any time. Thank you.
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People's Democratic Organisation For Independence And Socialism (PDOIS)
The Success or failure of a government is determined by its capacity or
incapacity to enhance liberty, dignity and prosperity.
The twenty first century is the turning point of human civilization. Africa
has to meet the challenges of development to end its marginalisation. This
imposes on each African country a challenge to put its house in order
economically, politically, socially and culturally.
Economically, people must be freed from poverty and food security assured,
productivity in agriculture, processing and the rendering of services should
absorb the labour force of each country.
Politically, democracy must transcend its formal structures and become a
culture and way of like. Each should recognize one's sovereign authority
and refuse to be subjected to any dictation by the fellow human being.
Socially, the marginalisation of people on the basis of status, income,
gender, age, race, language grouping and place of origin must be put to an
end.
Culturally, all norms that are alien to the development of the human
personality must be combatted and other alternatives built to ensure
dignity and worth of the African person. Ignorance must give way to the
enlightenment of the African person.
Is Gambia Meeting The Challenge?
Currently, 69% of the population are living below the poverty line. The
earning of farmers is below 2000 dalasis a year which can only meet the
bill of one child in Senior Secondary School. Many people in the rural
areas can no longer afford to move from Base to Serrekunda and back because
of high cost of transportation.
The government was elected to provide services and bring about development.
It has not promoted the establishment of a viable public or private sector
that can generate revenue to provide services. This is why it has been
suffering from budget deficits just like the government it has replaced. It
has been taking loans from the commercial banks and other investors by
issuing treasury bills to the tune of 2900 million dalssis. Since it can no
longer sustain such debts it has continued to expand the tax base by
scraping the backs of those who live from hand to mouth like hairdressers,
carpenters, masons, fitters and other informal sector workers. The socalled
Alien Identity Card for foreign citizens which cost one thousand dalasis
plus Residential Permit for some of them will require the payment of D1800
per person. A family may be paying three or four times the amount. This is
the problem of the tax that is not linked to the level of income. It
increases the burden of the poor and wipe out their capital to invest in
informal sector activities.
On the other hand, the farming community have been subjected to credit
buying which is a disincentive to cash crop production. Lack of
determination for research into drought resistance crop varieties makes
the country very vulnerable to erratic rainfall patterns. The mismanagement
of the groundnut subsector led to the payment of 11.4 million dollars to
GGC which is over 200 million dalasis, when the company bought GPMB
facilities for only 20 million dalasis. Currently agriculture contributes
only about 25% of GDP and manufacture 11%. This indicates a very narrow
productive base. This is precisely why the country exported only 417
million dalasis worth of goods while imports rose to 2900 million dalasis.
This gives a trade deficit of 2500 million dalasis. This is why the dalasi
is depreciating in relation to other currencies which are being purchased
for import savings abroad and to repay debts.
The government receives very little from public corporations as dividend. It
therefore does not have much to contribute to the development budget. It
contributes about 5.5% of the development budget. The rest is financed by
loans and grants. This is why the debt of the country has gone up to 13,000
million dalasis or 602 million dollars. This is for a population of about
1.2 million.
This means that even the baby in the Gambia has a debt burden of 13,000
dalasis loan on his or her head. The sum that should be paid as debt
service charges is 539 million. This burden is soften just a bit by the
Highly Indebted Poor Countries' initiative. The Gambia has always been and
still is among the Least Developed Poor Countries.
Politically, the regime has failed to empower the people by raising their
awareness and combat all views that must make political representation to
symbolize a monarchy. The people need freedom to disseminate information
and have access to ideas that enables them to make informed choices.
The Way Forward
PDOIS has long reflected the trend in the world. All along it has indicated
that while the trend in the world is leaving everything to market forces it
would soon be realized that no government can rely on taxes alone to
deliver social and general welfare. As businesses collapse one demands tax
holidays to be competitive, government must run into deficits. The only
government which can cope with market forces is one which can promote a
productive sector which can compete with the private and formal sector and
thus pushed each to develop according to its capacity to promote general
prosperity. This can only he done by a government whose leaders are not in
self enrichment. In fact when the PDOIS National Assembly members decided
to give 5000 dalasis to their constituencies some felt that PDOIS is
opposed to salary increases, but when PDOIS National Assembly members
started to expose that even those receiving 2000 dalasis cannot eat a kilo
of meat a day at 55 dalasis per kilo, it became clear that PDOIS National
Assembly members have simply been driving the message home that only a
humble government can utilise national resources to promote the general
welfare.
It is such a government which will be willing to educate the people and
organise them everywhere to control their destiny. This is the era of the
people.
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Source: FOROYAA (Freedom) NO: 2/2003 6 - 8 January, 2003 ISSN: 0796- 08573
Address: FOROYAA, P.O.Box 2306, Serrekunda, The Gambia, West Africa
Telephone: (220) 393177 Fax: (220) 393177
Email address: [log in to unmask]
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