Jabou,
I was equally concerned at the statement attributed to the UDP/ppp presidential candidate regarding the summary firing of civil servants who don party colors. But upon second and more careful reading, this is what I understood from it:
The position of civil servant, like that of president, is a position of agency. Their salary and authority comes from the collective voices and resources of the people. Their pay, authority, and fringe benefits do not come from any single party's treasures. At this moment in time, we do not have a president. We will decide that come thursday or friday. And absent shenanigans, we will have known the peoples' choice. So constitutionally, the president excuses him/herself from being an agent of the country. He/she must not make any trips overseas that bear on bilateral relations, the execution of any agreements in which he/she binds the honor and integrity of the Gambian people. He/she must not receive foreign representatives or dignitaries. He/she must actually vacate the State house to a place devoid of authority of popular agency (preferably on the campaign trail if he/she is vying for re-election).
As for the civil servants, the work of the nation's emergency services, law enforcement, commerce and industry, health, water, and sewerage must continue. From that recognition, civil servants continue to receive the authority of agency and its attendant compensation from the people with the caveat that they must not unduly affect or attempt to undermine the people's regime of taking stock and electing their choice of president.
We at PDOIS share the same belief and therefore the summary termination of civil servants who breach this simple but honest code of conduct is in line with the cleansing of corrupt governance and service delivery.
If indeed this was from the UDP/ppp presidential candidate, I am pleased that he is upfront with us and demonstrates that he, like PDOIS, is not interested in any 11th hour masquerading. He could have said it sooner. It would have been sweeter but better late than never.
Of course this explanation is from my point of view as understood from PDOIS' principles. But like you, It would be nice if the UDP/ppp comes up with their intent and rationalisation following such incendiary commentary.
God Bless.
Haruna.
>From: Jabou Joh <
[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <
[log in to unmask]>
>To:
[log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: civil servants in "asobi"
>Date: Sun, 14 Oct 2001 10:44:16 EDT
>
>In a message dated 10/13/2001 7:58:49 PM Central Daylight Time,
>
[log in to unmask] writes:
>
>
> > . On another development, Ousainou Darboe
> > >has warned civil servants who are blatantly supporting the APRC to the
> > >extent of wearing "Asobis" that he wouldn't work with them should he be
> > >elected President. He specifically mentioned The Gambia Ports Authority
> > >Management, the Management of SSHFC and GPTC. These folks know who they
> > >are; so let them consider this warning as notice to retire gracefully come
> > >19th October 2001. Ousainou's Government will not terminate civil servants'
> > >services willy nilly without due process.
> >
> >
> > Well, Ebrima, we definitely appreciate your sources and the insight they
> > bring here, but this particular statement that is attributed to Ousainou
> > Darboe is if great concern to me and should be to every Gambian. Does this
> > mean that if Darboe should win, we are to revisit the dismissal of civil
> > servants due to their party affiliations? Are we to understand that this
> > party that promises to uphold and protect the human rights of all Gambians
> > as his supportes have been teling us daily on this forum, and a party that
> > hasbeen fighting to depose a dictatorship because of the way this
> > dictatorship has trampled the rights of Gambians is now telling us that if
> > they get into power people will be dimiissed because they exercised their
> > constitutional right to support a particular political party and display
> > that fact openly?
> > I do hope that someone in a position of responsibility in Mr Darboe's
> > organization will shed light on this statement that is attributed to him
> > because this is not a very comforting statement coming from any party's
> > leader at this time, whether it is Darboe or anyone else. If the candidate
> > I support made this statement, I will confront him myself because we are
> > fighting to have a country where everyone is free to support whatever party
> > or candidate the ychoose without being persicuted for it or being
> > threatened with dismissal from their jobs because if this.
> > I notice that the addendum to the statement says that no civil servant will
> > be dismissed without due process, and I would like to know just what kind
> > of due process one can produce as justification to terminate anyone because
> > they manifested their support for the candidate of their choice during a
> > presidential election. This particular statement sounds exactly like
> > something that Jammeh would make, and it sounds like political coercion and
> > blackmail that should not come from any respectable candidate. Darboe will
> > do himself a big favour by addresing this statement attributed to him.
>This should concern all of us, and again, in advance, I beg those who
>relegate any sober statement as being motivated by hatred to give us a break.
>I do not hate anyone as that is a waste of time and an exercise for the
>stupid. What i disagree wit hare methods employed by certain groups, and
>which will be detrimental to our progress in our search for true freedom in
>our country.
>
>For KB's information and before you jumps on the hatred bandwagon again as he
>si inclined to do, Ousainou Darboe went out of his way to ask for my phone
>number and to have someone call me to ask my oermision for him to call me
>when he was here the last time. He called me athome to commend me for my
>contribution to the struggel, and we also chatted about other things. I have
>since come to the realization that Darboe and I do not share the same modus
>operandi in moving our country forward, but that is not the same as hatred.
>Therefore, let us try to think straight, and to advice our leaders to also
>think clearly so that we d onot repeat the past here.
>
>Jabou Joh
>
><>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>
>
>To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface
>at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
>
><>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>