Thank you Alpha Robinson.Mr Sallah will also have to excuse me for making him
even more uncomfortable here, but you express my sentiments exactly( in your
posting below)in a much more eloquent way than l would have been able to do.
Familiaring myself with the work that Halifa and PDOIS have been engaged in
all the while, has certainly been an eye opener that has renewed my hope in
the future of our country. This, while those whose only contribution has been
to rob our country and our people blind ,and feed an insatiable power
hungriness pound their chests, and the cronies of yet another generation of
opportunists devise ever more deceitful ways to pull the wool over our eyes.
However, this is the dawn of a new day in Gambian politics, a new day where
people are more politically aware, and some of that credit has to go where it
belongs. Namely to the people who have made it their business and their
life's work not to be mesmerized by "cheap power", to be in touch with the
common folk, teaching them that they matter, and that the taxes paid by the
market seller who sells her "kani" on a piece of sack cloth, is equally as
precious as those paid by the millionaire. That their tax money, voices and
their votes are needed otherwise there will be no government, and no money to
spend on fancy cars that the politicians ride in with arrogance.That even the
borrowed millions are to be paid by none other than the sweat and blood of
these common folk.That as their representatives, their government has the
responsibility to address their every need, and that it is these parameters
that the people need to use to determine who has their interest at heart, and
who does not. Mr sallah and PDOIS have and continue to do all the above, by
working on the grassroots level, with the common people, and thereby know
what ails them, and what their needs are, and went even further to devise
some solutions to these problems even with the meager resources they have
to work with.This is the mark of true leadership, and this is what we need.
If anyone else wants to grab our attention, it will have to be with something
equally substantial that we can sink our teeth into, and the arena is wide
open.But please be forewarned, manipulation, trickery and attempts to
discredit do not and cannot qualify as acceptable methods. Let those who
think that cunning, manipulation and the smearing of people's character is
what will win them or those they support a position in the hall's of Gambian
leadership think again.Gone are the days of politicians operating on "the
embicile factor" And just what is "the embicile factor"? It is when
politicians and their supporters operate on the assumption that those whose
votes they are seeking are stupid. Tell them anything,make up any stories,
promise them anything until you get their vote, and then do as you please,
because they are not sophisticated enough to know the idifference anyway, to
think throught the issues and decide what is fact or fiction, what arguments
hold water and which do not.
Mr Sallah, the jury is out as far as l am concerned, and all l see is
credibility, competence and an undying dedication to the betterment of our
people and our country. As we say on the L, keep up the good work down
there.Some of us are wide awake with our feet planted firmly on the ground,
and those numbers are climbing at an alarming rate.Truth will never be the
equal of fiction.
Jabou Joh
In a message dated 12/10/99 1:25:34 AM Central Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
<< Brother Sallah,
After reading this mail of yours, I had to pause for a while and think.
I think I can feel the dilemma you are in. I must say that I personally
did not know that you were offered a ministerial post for a second time,
and I thought I am to some extent informed. likewise I had to discover
during your trial that PDOIS had challenged the P.P.P. Government before
an international court on election irregularities and won, without
making much noise about it or using it for political propaganda. These
are examples of your way of dealing with the urgent task; do what needs
to be done in the interest of the country without drumming on your chest
or trumpeting your greatness.
Honest human beings who know you will never doubt your integrity,
sincerity, straightforwardness and the great sacrifices you have made
your way of life. Sometimes, I feel that this world is not a place for
people who are honest and just. The dilemma you seem to be faced with
now is whether to continue doing the work of the people without blowing
your trumpet loud or to clear the way once and for all, thereby
inevitably trampling on certain people.
Halifa, whatever you decide, be rest assured that there are many
Gambians and non-Gambians who treasure your role in our history. Today,
tomorrow and the day after, there will be Gambians who will do
everything necessary to straighten the records. No one can throw sand
into our eyes any longer. No one can turn us against you. My personal
opinion at this very moment is to clear the way ONCE AND FOREVER in a
document which will be kept for anyone who comes up later with baseless
accusations to access, and ONLY after reading such a document come back
to challenge your stand before and after the coup. That way, you can
focus on the more important work of the people.
Let me conclude by saying that I know you will not be comfortable with
this kind of writing; I know you do not like to be praised, but allow me
once to state before this Forum that I count myself among those Gambians
you have always inspired to this very day. I had to get this out of my
chest. To be honest, I was preparing a more detailed piece to deal with
the rudeness, lack of respect and absolute lack of objectivity with
which some members on this Forum continue to try to castigate you. How
many of them are raising a finger to contribute to the enlightenment of
our ordinary people? How many of them are ready to drink brown water
from wells in the countryside to be in touch with our people? How many
of them are ready to put their lives on the hook to defend our
sovereignty and human rights, as you did in Jawara's time and after the
coup, when the iron was really hot?
Somehow, some people seem to think that by writing on Gambia-L the
Gambia can be changed overnight. Those who bother to look beyond their
noses will certainly know that the future of our country is primarily
determined by what is happening on the ground. And anyone who is honest
to accept simple truth knows that you could have easily found green
pasture in the big cities of industrialized nations like most of us. For
who in this Forum doubts your intellectual capacity? Maybe you would
have been treated differently if you had pursued academic interests
alone and become Professor, Dr. Halifa Sallah, riding black, shining
Mercedes Benzes, wearing silk neckties and talking through the nose with
arrogance, producing tons of academic "junk" which bears little
relevance to our deplorable situation.
May you be strengthened to continue doing the work of the people with
perfection and vigilance. Let me make it clear that everything written
here is my personal opinion. I satute you!
Alpha Robinson
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