Gassa,
Thank you for getting back on this issue.
You have alright to support Jammeh but one thing i have to make clear is the fact that monies have been coming to the country and the situation are getting worse. You have just mentioned the condition of the people at present at the same time the same Jammeh and his people are aliving millionaire in the Gambia. So how do we justify this. Yes, there is Jawara's legacy but this affects only the poor people not Jammeh and his people. They are not affected by this legacy. Jammeh has 6 years to stabilise the country but from what i am seeing is getting worse and people are just having it enough.
What you still forget or shall i say refused to accept is the fact that the establishment of the rule of law and democratic institutions is also conditional to achieve economic growth and improved living conditions. People must have a say in the structure of our society. They must be able to find a remedy through courts, their must be rules and regulations in place that provide an atmosphere of accountability. You just mentioned the fees for legal consultation. If the right structures are in place people won't waste their monies to protect themselves from the same government that is supposed to be helping them. They will spend their monies in other things than that. Most of the cases the lawyers are having now is against the state or someone is trying to get protection against the state. Is this healthy? Is this what we are asking for? We want leaders in place that are dedicated and capable of imposing sound fiscal and economic policies. We need Leaders that work for the people. That is why an emphasis on building democratic institutions is an essential building block in any plan to help improve conditions at home. Establishing institutions, accountability and rule of law helps establish favorable conditions for investment in the private sector.
Just an example: "Look at Satang Jobarteh who is doing a very good job back home. Helping the youths who have lost faith in the system. Giving them the opportunity to make a meaning in their lives. What did Jammeh and co try to do, silence her by any means neccesary. Even to label her as a drug dealer, i just laugh when i got the news. The bad news for them is that Satang is a proud and patriotic Gambian who see no reason to compromise her standards. There are many Satangs out there, some they managed to silence and some still try to find ways out AFPRC's oppression. I even warn Satang to be very careful of these people because the next time they might plant drugs in her house. These were the same tricks used by Rawlings here in Ghana to silence people who have different opinions."
So, therefore a sound and inclusive governance is central to creating an enabling environment for eradicating poverty. When a government does not function effectively, scarce resources are wasted. When it does not have legitimacy in the eyes of the people, it cannot meet its objectives or theirs. Good governance demands well-functioning and accountable public and private institutions. It requires people's empowerment and participation. It entails mobilizing social capital for development. It is a prerequisite for sustained action against poverty.
This is what is lacking at home, these monies come and dissapear in the system. I don't care how much money Jammeh goes and begged for as long as it does not end up in his pocket and the rest of his cronies. These guys are not serious about development which is very clear. You don't need to be told how much money Jammeh and his people have stolen, you just have to be observant and look around you. Where we defer is for me these monies have their ways of getting to AFPRC's pocket.
I am glad you narrated the suffering of the people. If these people were doning the right thing don't you think by now we would have moved to a different level. We won't have Gambians starving, A nation used to four daily meal cannot afford one meal a day. Is this not serious. Just look around the country all you see is malnurished , starving people and youths with no hope for a better life. My heart bleeds when i see people suffereing. My heart bleeds when i work in the streets of Banjul and youths are begging you for Ataya money. Adult are begging you for fish money and school fees. My heart bleeds when i see women struggling to get food for their children. I cry when i was sitting at home at T-Road and a woman came to me wanting to sell her cooking pots because she needs money to buy food and the list goes on. These stories you narrated to me are not new or foreign to me because i live with them. Do you now know what i want? Did this answer your question as to my desire and hope. I am proud of my country but