From The Observer Thursday, November 15, 2001 MDI director general and staff congratulate Jammeh Rumours of her dismissal not true As rumours of the sacking of Juka Jabang, director general of the Management Development Institute (MDI) take the rounds, the president-elect Yahya Jammeh, has cleared the fog surrounding the alleged dismissal when he received the staff and management of the MDI who paid a courtesy call on him at the State House. Speaking yesterday at the occasion, President Jammeh said, "I am aware that people call you and say you are next, that is not true, in fact there is a rumour in town and that you are next which is not true. The bottom line is that we are not looking at people based on what political ideology they explore. We are only interested in delivery. At the end of the day, we don't care as long as you are delivering irrespective of your political ideology," he said. President Jammeh said it would be unwise for him to expect everybody in the civil service and in all the institutions to be loyal to the APRC Government. The president emphasised that everybody’s responsibility was to serve the Gambian people "but what is unacceptable is to delay and sabotage government policies and efforts because you do not support my party. Your political affiliation does not matter to me as long as you deliver as expected. I would not sack anybody because of political affiliation. All am interested in is to work for the development of our country, our vision 2020 ambitions," the president remarked. President Jammeh further congratulated the people of MDI for accepting the people’s verdict and promised to further strengthen and improve the quality of education. "I know that no nation can develop without an educated populace. We are beset by a lot of problems in Africa, that make others outside Africa look down upon us and laugh, all because of ignorance and the only way we can get rid of this is through education. That is why since 1994, education had been given the topmost priority because all conflicts results from ignorance which is Africa's most divastating problem. During our campaign, there were a lot of tension due to ignorance". President Jammeh said the majority of Gambian women and youths were able to follow the right path because they at least had some formal education. He said as a result of education,they know that issues of tribalism and other stereotypical concepts can only breed conflict and "the best way forward is to choose anybody that can deliver" . President Jammeh thanked Gambian women for their active roles in bringing up their families. He finally promised to help in the expansion of the MDI. On staff training, he said his government would train at least three staff each year, two on Masters degree and one Phd degree programmes beginning 2002. President Jammeh also donated a computer set to MDI. Also speaking the vice president and secretary of state for women's affairs, Isatou Njie-Saidy, congratulated the management and staff of MDI, describing their courtesy call as timely. "This is what is exactly expected of the Gambian people, to come forward after the verdict had been declared and join hands and work together to develop our country," she said. For her part, the secretary of state for education, Ann Therese Ndong-Jatta, said the call was timely and gratifying. "It is time for Gambians to come out especially women and youths to work towards development". SoS Jatta called for change of attitude, behaviour and a commitment to achieve "our vision 2020 objectives". Speaking on behalf of the staff and management of MDI, the director general, Juka Jabang, congratulated President Jammeh on his landslide victory at the recent presidential polls which she said was accepted by both Gambians and the International Community. "Now that the noble people of The Gambia in a most democratic and mature manner have diligently demonstrated their confidence and hope for a better future in your youthful and dynamic leadership, we also come to share this joy with you," she noted. Mrs Jabang said the MDI as an institution of higher learning devoted to training, research and consultancy as well as other activities that assist the growth and development of her country's human and institutional resources, has watched with an acute sense of pleasure and pride, the great strides registered "by your government to achieve sustainable human development for our people. The university of the Gambia, the establishment of numerous schools, throughout the country, good model infrastructure and indeed an unprecedented investment in facilitating access to health care, education and skills training especially for the needy". Other speakers included Matilda Johnson, Amie Jallow, Chris Greywood and Fatou Jobe, a student, all of whom congratulated Jammeh for his laudable efforts in developing the country. Present were the secretary general, Office of the President, Julia Joiner and other senior staff members of MDI. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>