FOROYAA
NO: 7/2002 19 - 21 February, 2002
Editorial
Citizen FM Is Missed
Radio Gambia and the National TV plus the independent press had tried to
cover the sittings of the National Assembly. However none of the media
houses have be able to give the direct and timely coverage that Citizen FM
used to give. Citizen FM used to focus on the main points of the contention
during its news coverage and then broadcast the sittings immediately after
its news programme.
Many patriots have been lamenting that Citizen FM is still off the air and
the National Radio is unable to cover important deliberations like the
National Assembly sittings with consistency. The press can only cover some
points. Hence only some aspects of what happened could be comprehended.
There was a very interesting debate on the constitutionality of the first
session of the National Assembly. Part of the sittings were focused on by
the TV but essential points which revealed the whole picture were missed.
Some people have tried to give the picture that the minority parties are
only involved in criticising lapses in procedure. Some felt that the Speaker
was maintaining a strong arm position to suppress some members of the
minority parties.
In fact, the Speaker claim that he was new on the seat that he was not
incompetent and that things will improve with more knowledge of the Standing
Orders, all indicate that the issues are not the question of stubborness or
strong arm Speaker but one of competence, maturity and sincerity.
It is very clear from the contributions that the members of the minority are
moving away from empty criticisms of the government and are now engaged in
substantive analysis. However if there is no media coverage the real
developments in the National Assembly will not be fully conveyed to the
people.
Citizen FM is being keenly awaited
Independence And Today’s Gambia
On 18th February 2002 the country commemorates the 37th anniversary of its
indenpedence. Attempts had been made to give 22nd July more prominence than
18th February since the coup d’etat of 1994.
However 18th February has again been given more focus this year with the
invitation of president Abdoulie Wadda. National events should be a time for
reflection. Many people are still wondering about the significance of
February 18th, April 24 and 22nd July.
It is important to point out that independence comes when the sovereignty of
a nation no longer resides in the hands of a foreign power or state. Two
types of independent nations have been known. The first type came into being
when national monarches led their people against the domination of other
foreign powers and then established independent kingdoms of their own. In
many places such monarches ultimately set up constitutions and parliaments
to help in the running of the countries. In such countries the kings stay as
the executives while prime ministers run cabinets and parliaments pass bills
which have to be assented to by the kings.
Such a system of government is called constitutional monarchy. Morocco,
Lesotho and so on are examples of independent countries governed by
monarchs.
On the other hand there are independent countries which are not under the
sovereign rule of the foreign powers or local monarchs. Such independent
states where sovereignty resides in the people are called independent
Republics.
The most advanced form of independent state is the Republic.
The lesson that Gambians should learn is that on the 18th February 1965 a
foreign monarch still held executive power in the Gambia. This is why the
British monarch had the authority to appoint a Governor General to represent
her in the Gambia. This is why section 32 of the constitution of the 1965
stated :
“There shall be a parliament which shall consist of Her Majesty and a House
of Representatives.” Section 62 subsection (1) further added:
“The executive authority of The Gambia is vested in Her Majesty.”
Section 60 subsection (1) indicated:
“The Governor-General may at any time progue or dissolve parliament”.
Section 56 sub section (1) added :
“The power of Parliament to make laws shall be exerciseable by bills passed
by the House of Representatives and assented to by the Governor-General on
behalf of Her Majesty.”
Section 29 emphasises a foreign monarch to appoint the Governor-General. It
reads:
“ There shall be a Governor-general who shall be appointed by Her Majesty
and shall hold office during Her Majesty’s pleasure and who shall be Her
Majesty’s representative in the Gambia.”
This is why Gambia cannot be said to have become independent in 1965. It
is on 24th April 1970 that The Gambia became completely free from the
sovereign authority of a foreign power and became an independent republic.
On 22nd July 1994 the Gambia was still politically independent. However the
Republic was overthrown since the leaders no longer owed their power to the
consent of the people. The real date that is worth commemorating is 24th
April 1970.
Independence Celebration
Speech With A Difference
Time For Stock Taking
FOROYAA wondered what there was to celebrate. We were therefore waiting
keenly to hear what the president had to say to the Gambian people.
Apparently the president himself realised that the Gambia is as dependent as
ever after 37 years of so called independence. He therefore decided to give
an ironical speech which is likely to go down well with anyone who is not
interested in flowery ceremonial speeches.
The president started by indicating on the 18th of February 2002 at the
Stadium in Bakau that it was time for stock taking.
The President welcomed President Wadda to the Gambia and indicated that his
presence confirms the importance he attaches to Senegalo Gambian
relationship.
That the celebration attaches importance to civil rights and liberties; that
children are are exposed to danger, casualties to war, refugee stations,
hunger, illiteracy and epidemic, external indebtedness and poor economic
circumstances of least developed countries.
President Jammeh indicated that children are the focus of the government;
that for 37 years we are still importing candles, matches.” What have the
colonialists done for us for 400 years. Political independence is
meaningless unless we have economic independence. Independence will not come
from the sky. The 21st century is the century of the survival of the
fittest. We have to work, we have to acquire skills. How long will we
benefit from that benevolence of others? he asked. He said that Gambian
youths must be educated and disciplined; that there must be a change of
attitude. He emphasised that we must change our attitudes in order to be
responsible for Gambia’s future.
President Jammeh indicated that the independence of the Gambia is linked to
the independence of Senegal; that the two countries must unite; that
Africa must unite; that Gambia and Senegal are inseparable; that we either
swim together or sink together; that Gambia ns will always be willing to
move with the Senegalese people; that Africans must unite, stop killing each
other so that there will be development.
He left the children with the message that to drink tea one must have water;
that Gambians must provide their own water. President Jammeh indicated that
all Gambians must engage in stock taking; that to have sugar, tea cup and
coffee without water will not enable a person to drink coffee; that Gambians
must realise that we cannot continue to import everything and still see
ourselves as independent. He emphasised that intolerance, hate, racism
destroyed the world. We human beings must make the world a haven; that
humanity is challenged by one disease; that of hate and intolerance. That
intolerance and terrorism must be fought in all their forms. That tolerance
will breed destruction; that there must be tolerance of diversity; that
unless we love each other as different tribes, religions the nation cannot
move forward; that is easier to destroy than to build. That young people
must prepare to be parents tomorrow and therefore respect their parents and
teachers today. That teachers and parents should import on the children high
moral values.
That children must prepare themselves to be the judges, the tailors, the
shopkeepers and so on in order to prepare to be part of an independent
country.
FOROYAA considers the speech to be one with a difference because it was free
from any mystification of the realities of the country.
Education For All By When?
It has been a universal principle that education is a right and not a
privilege. The world set up an agenda for the year two thousand (2000) to
give rise to free and compulsory education at the basic educational level
under section 30 paragraph (a) of the Gambia Constitution which states in
section 30 that all persons shall have the right to equal educational
opportunities and facilities and with a view to achieving the full
realisation of that right and Paragraph a indicated that basic education
shall be free, compulsory and available to all.
In his state of the nation address at the national assembly president Jammeh
indicated that the government will also strive to provide free education for
children in lower basic and upper basic schools in a gradual manner. That in
the not too distance future, all girls will benefit from the scholarship
scheme for girls to encourage their enrolment relation and performance in
school.
Many wonder whether the provision of free basic education is not a
dream. The fact of the matter is that the scholarship scheme is providing
approximately 1800 girls in upper basic and secondary schools in the CRD and
URD with sponsorship to the live of 1.7 million dalasis. Suffice it to say a
sum of 1 million had to be requested for by the president’s office for
expenditure on the president’s inauguration. If the sum spent on the
inauguration and the independence celebration are put together, other 1800
girls could be provided with sponsorship. In short we can never achieve our
goal if free and compulsory basic education on the basis of self reliance
unless we cut the fact out of government expenditure we must do away with
wastage and extravagance and sacrifice for the nation to develop. This is
the only way forward. The other way is to depend on foreign donor and grant
which is not sustainable.
Boat Capcised In The Sea
A fire ravaged the house of one Mr Alagie Ceesay, a resident of Ebo Town on
Friday morning.
Alagie who operates a canteen near Super Bird told Foroyaa that he
was at his place of work when the fire started, pointing out that he was
informed by one of the neighbours that their compound was on fire. According
to him, upon arrival at the scene, he found out that the fire was at its
peak.
“The fire burnt my refrigerator, cupboard, television set, video, money,
beds, clothes , etc. I have some of my money inside my safe, the safe is
burnt but I don’t know whether the money inside is burnt”, he lamented.
Majang Jobe, a tenant at the compound narrated that he too was not
in when the fire started, but was later called by one of the neighbours.
Jobe noted that he lost valuable properties, pointing out that all his
belongings and that of his room mates were burnt to ashes. He noted that
even though he lost enormous sums of money and things, he could not tell
what started the fire. He pointed out that most of the items his room
mates purchased for the Tobaski were devasted by the fire.
Lamin Fatty, one of the neighbours who came to extinguish the fire
said the fire brigades from Serrekunda fire station came to the scene with
inadequate water. He further stated that some of the people who came to
quench off the fire got minor injuries during the course of the exercise.
Most of the people at the scene were heard blaming the fire
service for not measuring up to expectations. The fire officers at the scene
declined to comment on the matter, instead they referred our reporter to
their public relations officer who could not be reached at the time for
comments. It could be recalled that the Public Relations Officer of the Fire
Service Department, Haddy Konneh, had earlier informed this paper that
their tanks are always full, but then a tank can only take 400 gallons of
water. She said years back, the fire tenders they could take 800 gallons.
She also told this paper that their tanks discharge 150 litres of water per
minute, which means once they start discharging water, the tank empties
within a period of three to five minutes. She noted that the vehicles are
expected to operate well where hydrants exist since the tank will be
connected to the hydrant as the tank empties its water on the fire.
_________________________________________________________________
Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com
<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>
To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface
at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
[log in to unmask]
<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>
|
