Sams, thanks for your post and welcome to the "Cabudu Factor".  I am glad
that you also noticed the subtleties of this government.  A while back I
mentioned the Jola factor and I guess folks just discount it as "there goes
Joe again".  Now, you mentioned the "Gurrmet" factor, and I agree with you,
but guess what, it is going to be ignored.  Not that a "Gurrmet, Seringe, or
Jola" should not be given this or that position, but it should be based on
merit.  Please show me anyone of the SOSs that was selected based on merit?
None.  So, we should not be surprised that brother Manu Kumba was selected
over brother Axi or any other brother or sister.  The fact is, it could have
been anyone, and the nomination would still lack merit.  We cannot build a
society based on patronage and nepotism.  The Gurrmets are benefactors as a
result of the family that raised Jammeh.  As they would fondly say "Yaya
Sunn Bos Laa".  The Jolas are benefactors by virtue of their ethnicity.  The
countless others that do not fit these two categories got what they have
through praise singing and other miserly conducts.

This is why I said that we cannot see our struggle with this criminal
enterprise in piece-meal.  We cannot also wait until it hits close to home
for us to start calling a spade a spade.  I am Jola, but that never stopped
me from calling the "Jola Factor" what is.  I am perceived to be Catholic,
which I am not, but that did not stop me from calling it as it is.  I am
friends with many Gambians, but that should not stop me from telling the
truth, regardless of who is affected.  I know how many folks wrote me
privately, questioning my friendship with Mafy and TJ.  That will never stop
me from speaking the truth.  This is how we can transform our society for
the better.  However, if we only speak when it relates to the "Other", then
we are participants to the corrupt culture of "Ratcha Taai Saa Borr".  I now
leave you once again with an excerpt from Mr. D.A. Jawo's piece on "Jammeh's
Dilemma", which sums the sickness that is consuming our society.

"It appears that President Jammeh is beginning to be confronted with the
reality that it is not easy to run a government through the use of political
patronage, as it seems to have been the practice in his administration.
While he may be the richest head of state in the sub-region, he has to
realise that the running of a government is much more than the frequent
dishing out of money and material gifts as well as the distribution of
public service positions to party loyalists and praise singers. Such a
situation is not only expensive and unsustainable but there are not also
enough public service positions to go round to all those who kow-tow after
him. Therefore, the only reasonable thing to do is to appoint the right
people in the right places, regardless of their political affiliation or
social status.The frequent sacking of public service employees,apparently
for being suspected of sympathising with the opposition is no doubt part of
the scheme to create more jobs for the party loyalists and praise-singers.

That in itself is not only unsustainable but is also having a negative
impact on productivity within the public service. The situation is so bad
that the public service is now less than half as productive as it had been
before the coup in 1994. One possible reason for that is because most of the
seasoned professionals within the public service have been replaced by
mediocres whose most important qualifications had been their loyalty to
President Jammeh and the APRC.

While President Jammeh may have the best intentions for the progress of this
country and the 'sky is the limit' for his intention to make this country
into a model in Africa, but unless he gets the right calibre of people to
man the various sectors of his administration and help him implement his
Vision 2020 dream, he cannot make a headway. Therefore, it is time that he
realised the futility of encouraging political patronage and instead start
to encourage every well meaning Gambian with the necessary talents and
skills to participate in nation building, regardless of their political
inclinations. He should therefore disregard all the bad advices he had been
receiving from his praise-singers and cronies, most of whom are only
interested in their own personal aggrandizement."  Thank you Mr. Jawo for
calling it as it is.

"We Sall Speak The Truth For It Shall Set Us Free"

Chi Jaama

Joe Sambou

>From: Samba Boye <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: THE MAYOR OF BANJUL CONTROVERSY
>Date: Mon, 8 Apr 2002 14:45:02 +0000
>
>Agitation, arguments and counter arguments  within the APRC party over the
>selection of candidate for the mayor of  banjul show that all is not well
>over the selection process. At the time of writing there is indication that
>the APRC divisional have an appointment with the President to protest the
>selection of Manu Kumba and there is a likely demonstration in the offing
>against the selection process.
>It is no news that Manu Kumba has had his eye on the seat from the time of
>Samba faal but since the latter has always been more popular with the APRC
>Divisional and the Banjulians themselves he (Manu)had to wait in the wings
>all this time.
>Word has it that the catholic(gurrmet) connection which is very strong in
>the APRC/government ranks have been working strategically to place
>christians in positions of power in todays government and despite the fact
>that they form the minority of the population the same cannot be said of
>the
>positions of power they occupy  ie SOS Works, SOS Fisheries and
>Environment,
>SOS Justice, SOS Education, Secretary General, P.S. Presidents
>office,Accountant General, NAM Banjul South, NAM Banjul Central to name a
>few.Word further has it that the gurrmet connection, just like the jola
>connection make sure that their numbers will continue to increase and not
>decrease, which is why you hardly hear of christian or a jola fired for
>that
>matter. It is a subtle but effectively campaign which you will hardly
>notice
>unless you look close enough.
>Different ways were looked for to place Manu and various posts were offered
>but he declined all and insisted that he wanted the mayorial, he found
>support in Waffa Ogoo and Joseph Joof. The main obstacle was of course
>Samba
>Faal and what to do with him in the face of his popularity with Banjulians.
>The cabinet reshuffle presented the perfect opportunity and Samba Faal was
>"promoted" to an SOS. This effectively got him out of the way despite
>protests from the Divisional. What the connection was not prepared for was
>the emergence of Mass Axi Gye as an aspirant. Axi did not present himself
>as
>a candidate but was popularly selected by the people. The top ranks were
>suddenly divided as to what to do. Waffa Ogoo and Joof wanted Manu Kumba
>whilst Yankuba and Aji Fat Sallah were in support of Axi. The connection
>were able to win over Yankuba and he switched over allegience.This was
>apparently done in Dakar when they went for the independence state visit.
>Yankuba was not part of the delegation and only went to the airport to see
>off the President, but was called in afer the plane doors were closed and
>opened again and he was asked to join them. The events that followed
>explained why he had to go with them to Dakar. Yankuba from Dakar switched
>over and declared his allegience to the gurrmet connection. Axi was later
>called upon by a commitee comprising Joof, Waffa Ogoo, Singhatey,FJC etc,
>to
>withdraw to which he instead suggested that they should request his
>withdrawal from the Divisional who proposed him in the first place.Manu
>Kumba was eventually selected, the connection had finally won.
>As at now the Divisional are staging a peaceful protest outside the state
>house grounds to register their dissapointment in the way the selection
>process was done. They have also sought audience with Jammeh for them to
>heed the voice of the masses. We will see how all this unfolds but it would
>seem that the gurrmets already have the upper hand.
>Sams
>
>
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