I give this example not to aggravate but to support the right thinking.

I was approached once for a head position in a Gambian body and  I turned it down because someone mentioned that I was a 'narr' and not representative of Gambia but many who were present stood up and said he is equally a Gambian like all of us and he is the most qualified then  for the position and that is what mattered most to avoid trouble or anger.Those who stood up  were for justice  and a peace loving community .(After thinking hard I declined the top position but accepted to work for the organization in the best possible way in a much lower capacity not because of what was said to me but what was in the interest of all the Gambians and I did not want to be the person who would create a division.) Sometimes I regret it as that later affected the apparent success and progress of the said organization .

In life when you start putting people in positions just because  of their ethnic or religious backgrounds instead of their qualifications it will lead to an apparent down fall of the group . If either Manual or Axis have the experience and are qualified for the position of mayor then let him have it .  Many times minorities are better leaders as they do not tend to take sides ( in my opinion) and are more flexible when it comes to major decisions.

Habib Diab Ghanim

>From: Joe Sambou <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: THE MAYOR OF BANJUL CONTROVERSY >Date: Mon, 8 Apr 2002 16:29:12 +0000 > >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 >> >> >>_________________________________________________________________ >>Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. >>http://www.hotmail.com >> >>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> >>To unsubscribe/subscribe or 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] >> >>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > > > > > >_________________________________________________________________ >Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. >http://www.hotmail.com > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or 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] > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~