Dear Comrades:

My fellow Gambians, Ladies and Gentlemen.  My name is Muhammad Lamine Jassey-Conteh.  I am a Gambian living in Greensboro, North Carolina.  I appreciate the opportunity you have given me in engaging you on substantive issues facing The Gambia.  I am excited that we may cultivate our political thought on wisdom of free understanding, and the ability to fully evaluate issues in their entirety.  I thank you for this commitment.  I profess to indulge your time on critical reasoning.  I affirm my love for The Gambian people.
I understand that we can only move forward if we have the ultimate understanding in summation of issues.  I believe that we are seeking the greater benefit for the people of The Gambia.  I am under the impression that we engage to agree and disagree voluntarily, and that our responsibilities are, I hope for the greater benefit of the constituents we are fighting for.
This is what I call the meeting of minds.  Yes my fellow comrades, a mind is a terrible thing to waste.  As a Gambian, I promise to engage you objectively.  Allah bears witness that I profess to say nothing but the truth, so Allah helps us all.

Empowering Gambians cannot be done without stakeholders improving their perceptions.  Stakeholders must both reinforce their attentions and motivation skills objectively.  As President Jammeh noted in his inaugural reconciliatory move, and a call for participation in national development, those in the opposition should not view him as a threat to our country’s development, but as an individual encouraging Gambians to be willing and sincere participants.
My acceptance of such a move is not in part as being Jammeh’s defender, but a symbolism of acceptance for national development.  I also reserve the right to condemn the APRC government when inconsistencies appear.  President Jammeh and the rest of the stakeholders are equally entrusted as vital agents in furthering their fiduciary responsibilities for The Gambia’s progress.  We must also be willing to obtain and satisfy the overall maximization of our goals and objectives, especially at this critical time in our country.  Whether you are the president, or a vendor at a market place in The Gambia, I want to reiterate that you are equally entrusted as agents of our country.  Thus, we should evaluate issues consistently and fairly.  Our rich culture that was passed through generations should preserve to be the guiding light for our political development, both in thought and behavior.  Are we not equally advocating for the progress and stability of The Gambia?

Since July 22, 1994, Gambians have been engaged in political differences that I believe should fully be revisited.  Our position at this critical movement is a moment of political understanding for the overall success of our country.  I encourage that we begin to evaluate our position in our engagements.  We should be willing to come together because The Gambia is our country.  Our value systems cannot be differential to a position that we cannot sit and engage amicably.  Political differences do indeed provide reasonable assurance for a favorable outcome.  We cannot decide on political polarization, that I believe will only provide negative thought in our engagements.  After all, are we not all Gambians?

Comparative political thought is fully identical to competitive advantage of Michael E. Porter’s five competitive forces.  According to Dr. Porter, the following attributes are essential in competitiveness:  (1) the rivalry of competitors within its industry, (2) the threat of new entrants, (3) the threat of substitutes, (4) the bargaining power of customers, and (5) the bargaining power of suppliers.  The most competitive element against the government is a possibility that the opposition may unilaterally agree in unification as a means against Jammeh’s presidency.  The most damaging element for the opposition is the unwillingness for a unilateral agreement in symbolism against the APRC government.  These elements I emphasized do carry risks of failure and risks of success.   Our inability in understanding our differences will regrettably set us back, both in human capital and other essentials for national development.  Why are we fighting, my friend?

The Government of The Gambia should understand that the opposition has a vital role to play in our national development.  The opposition must also understand that it should provide its vision in a friendly and patriotic way.  In this summation, I want to congratulate Representative elects Dr. Sidia Jatta, Mr. Halifa Sallah and Mr. Hammat Bah.  You three gentlemen went against all odds in defying conventional wisdom in protecting your rights in electoral process.  I want to indicate my profound happiness in your relentless efforts as friendly opposition members.  Gambians are indebted to your continuous advocacy for a more tolerant political behavior.  Confrontational politics should be the thing of the past.

The APRC government should be aware of diversity of political thought.  It should be willing to be tolerant both in appearance and form.  It cannot continue to be differential in dealing with Gambians.  Those in the opposition should initiate a willingness of cooperative engagement for the interest of our country.

We should not excuse ourselves for a thorough evaluation of our individual responsibility to our country.  We should understand that we are one Gambia and one tribe.  We should not be anti-Jammeh to a point that we are anti progress in The Gambia.  We will be doing disservice to our country for our relentless selfishness in coming up with the meeting of minds for constructive engagement.  Those that disagree with me must come to the realization that we are equally entrusted by Allah to be truthful in our engagements.  It is a detriment if we continue to be confrontational in behavior as we deal with each other for our country’s progress.

In reshaping ourselves, I hope we will be able to penetrate politically in providing sound and effective message of change.  Competitive political advantage, whether through restructuring or encouraging disagreements, can only come around if we are willing and serious about our country.  We should provide diversity of political thought and encourage Gambians, especially those that we disagree with, that they are vital members for national development.

How can we be empowered, when we are unwilling to be accommodating?  I asked this question because I believe that empowerment or maximization of the citizenry values cannot take place when we continue to be indifferent.

Should we be subjective in our evaluations?  I hope not.  Should we be objective in evaluating critical issues that are affecting us?  I hope so.  Therefore, my friends, we can only empower ourselves if we:

1. Objectively evaluate issues at face value
2. Get rid of subjective tendencies in dealing
   with management
3. Exemplify teamwork spirit
4. Get along with our peers
5. Form informal and formal groups in enhancing our
   progress
6. Retool ourselves politically
7. Engage the government critically by being
   innovative in reshaping our country’s strategy for
   its overall success
8. Be sincere in our engagements.

I thank you for this engagement. Our rich culture that was passed through generations should preserve to be the guiding light for our political development, both in thought and behavior.  I hope we can agree that The Gambia’s interest rises above all. My acceptance of such a move is not in part as being Jammeh’s defender, but a symbolism of acceptance for national development.  I also reserve the right to condemn the APRC government when inconsistencies appear.

Finally, I want to reiterate that I will not be a prisoner of thoughts in dealing with the APRC government.

Naphiyo,

Comrade Muhammad Lamine Jassey-Conteh,MBA
Greensboro, NC/Kombo East Constituency
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