I think what Ebrima Ceesay and his source have actually managed to do, is to
clip a raw nerve in the "body-corporate" of Hilo Trading, and in the person
of Mr.. Collins. It is apparent, that all the dust that Collins is raising
is either to obscure the true intentions of his company, or to deter
Gambians from continuing the exposure of those intention, with threats of
legal actions.

I will like to remind you Mr. Collins, that you do not have an exclusive
recourse to legal action. If you believe, as your threats suggests, that you
do have a cause in law, you should proceed with a suit either here in the UK
or in the USA, from where you hail, and see how far we are ready to take
this case. What you don't seem to realise, is that whilst you are fighting
for the right to make a few million dollars, our fight quite literally is
about the destiny of an entire nation. In the real world, this fight is not
won or lost in the court rooms of the world it is won in the hearts and
minds of the people who have to fight the fight.

You have made some patently idle threats about legal actions and insinuated
even more direct physical acts against the person of Ebrima Ceesay. These
are not only odious behaviour directed towards someone who is exercising a
basic right of free expression, but it also speaks volume about the caliber
of persons who visit our shores to do business. The USA, where you come from
is currently treating the world to the highest and most refined
demonstration in democratic exercise, whilst you Mr. Collins, is engage in
an exercise in futility, by trying to snuff out one of the fundamental
pillars of this great system/culture. Surely you should know by now, that
you can't win.

You should also remember, that as Gambians, OUR interest in OUR COUNTRY is a
GENUINE and WHOLESOME one. On the other hand, your interests in the Gambia
are limited purely to financial matters. You are not a Gambian, no matter
what high ranking connections you can claim in government. Your children
don't have to live there nor do you Mr. Collins, i am sure, contemplate
retirement in our country. It is therefore a cheek of the highest order and
a demonstration of outright impudence and arrogance to question Ebrima,s
very healthy interest in the economic well being of OUR country.

Mr. Collins, in defense of your company, you have embarked on a robust but
apparently spurious crusade to silence the Gambian people from commenting on
the direction and destiny of OUR COUNTRY. Well, you were either not a
student of history, or you were a "not so good one", because history would
have taught you, the futility of your quest. That task, is an impossibility
period. The zeal with which you defend your company and its interests, fades
into absolute and total insignificance, when compared with OUR determination
to protect our collective national interest and to rescue our national
legacy from the scourge of exploitation, be it economic, political, foreign
or domestic.

If you are entirely certain of the credibility and integrity of HILO, why
fuss and whine about assertions that may or may not be true. Why go on the
defensive in a way that provides even greater credence to the assertions
proffered by Ebrima and his Source. I can only conclude, from your
reactions, that there is indeed something to hide. Your less than
conciliatory stance in this whole matter has only whetted the appetite of
countless more Ebrima Ceesay's, who are prepared, able and willing to follow
through with this case. Be assured, that you have not heard the last of this
case yet.

Finally Mr. Collins, you referred to Ebrima and others, as political
activists. I say, what is wrong with that label? If it means standing up and
fighting for what is right and proper, Ebrima, myself and countless more
Gambians are on their feet dying to be counted. But what does it say about
you? Remember, that whilst we do not even pretend to be seen in concert with
the legendary Nelson Mandela, he was also labeled a political activist and a
communist. It turned out that he is more democratic than even the Greeks who
purported to have invented the system. But you see, Mr. Collins we knew that
long before. Come to think of it, and i am sure i speak for a large section
of the membership of the Gambia-L, we do not need Mr. Collins, his patrons
or his partners to validate us. The fight is right.

Jeggan Bahoum
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