Mr Gomez, sir! Thank you very much, message received.Keep them comeing. Respect Modou >From: Michael Ba Banutu-Gomez <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: FINAL PART III >Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 09:11:59 EST > >THREE FACTORS >Sisters and brothers, I believe there are three factors that suppresses >sustainable democracy in our society and can hinder the successful growth >of >positive exchange in The Gambia: 1) failure to treat those we disagree with >as potential allies instead of enemies, 2) ignoring the need to understand >the world from others' unique points of view and 3) our lack of awareness >about our own interaction style. I say to you today that to achieve this, >it >requires maturity to: a) Be aware of the needs of an ally, b) seek mutual >benefit only, c) not use that knowledge and power to manipulate them in >order >to further one's own aims. I am convinced that this will help us in >nurturing and sustaining democracy for the 21st Century Gambia that we all >can be proud of. Unfortunately, those of us who consider ourselves >professionals, advocates, activist, religious leaders or political leaders >are sometimes not good examples to follow because we usually stubbornly >stick >to our own ideas because we are so sure we hold a monopoly on "truth". Our >failure to accommodate our potential ally's needs and desires often doom >collaboration. It is precisely because we have been especially successful >by >using a particular approach or method that we find it extremely difficult >to >see that our overuse of it obscures the need to use different, more >appropriate ones that we can sustain in our nation. >I say to you today, I am convinced that, joint experiences being the best >teacher, as more Gambians work together, more trust between us will be >created and thus, the exchange process will become easier in time. I >believe >that our greatest problem is that WE FEEL, WE JUST DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME >LEFT. > That being the case, we must immediately close our quarrelsome lips, as >our >parents would say, and get to work today on the task at hand, issues to >address or problem to be solved with our focus on improving our >relationship >with our allies, Gambians who are different from ourselves. Successful >exchange and sustainable democracy involves not only achieving task goals >or >solving problems but also, establishing valuable collaborative >relationships >based on the satisfaction of mutual needs so the next interaction will be >even more productive! This kind of relationship can be reached by always >keeping mutual benefit the central outcome of each word we speak to each >other and each action we take during each day of our lives as a Gambian >whom >our great ancestors can have the honor to praise where they dwell with THE >CREATOR. Before I close I would like to offer a model for sustainable >democracy for 21st Century Gambia. > > >QUEEN MOTHER GAMBIA MODEL > >QUEEN MOTHER GAMBIA >We received so much from Queen Mother Gambia >We owe it to Queen Mother Gambia >We owe it to our Ancestors, our Children and Ourselves >We must give back to Queen Mother Gambia >Queen Mother Gambia is here for us all. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Fellow sisters and brothers I can see a positive light in the future for >The >Gambia, so I have hope that we will overcome our problems as individuals, >families and as a society that nurtures a sustainable democracy for the >21st >Century Gambia. Once again, thank you very much and may the peace of the >creator be with us all. Long Live The Gambia! Forward We Move! The Struggle >Continues! > ><<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> > >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] > ><<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> _________________________________________________________________ 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] <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>