> >Bantaba >-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >BANTABA >Sidia Jatta, PDOIS >By Omar Bah >Dec 7, 2003, 15:47 > >Email this article >Printer friendly page > > >The Author >In this edition of Bantaba, Sidia Jatta of PDOIS, a writer, thinker >and a >man of letters and languages, talks about the state of the country >today, >PDOIS and other things. > >Bantaba: Tell us about your days at the Curriculum Development >Centre? >Sidia Jatta: My work there had to do with Gambian languages. I >succeeded in >designing an autography for the transcription of Gambian languages. >We >developed materials for the teaching of Gambian languages. We even >embarked >on experimenting the teaching of Gambian languages in primary >schools. >Eventually, it failed because Government didn’t provide any money >for the >printing of the materials. Since government wasn’t seriously >committed to >the promotion of national languages, I decided to leave. >I had already had an international appointment in London with the >International African Institute. I rejected it and came to The >Gambia hoping >that I would be given the opportunity to help develop these >languages but >government was not willing, so I went back to London and the >institute as >part of a research team on all the African languages including >Arabic. At >the end of it, I came back to The Gambia again in 1982, and this >time, I >came to collect data for my doctoral thesis but no sooner I arrived, >the >same Curriculum Development Centre, the government, wanted me to >occupy my >position when I left, even though they said they had dismissed me. > > > >Sidia >Did you go back? >When I went back again, the same problem persisted. > >And you left? >I decided to leave - that was in 1986 - to form a political party >because I >saw that there was a fundamental need to change the whole system in >this >country. So we joined hands and formed a political party. That’s how >I found >myself in politics. > >The former Government was very popular and changing it through the >ballot >box would have been hard, how confident were you that one day you >would >change the status quo through elections? >If the former government was popular, they wouldn’t have been thrown >away >just cheaply one early morning on Friday and nothing else happened. >Popular >things don’t just go away like that. The role of a political party >was to >sensitise people about what it intends to do for them. So, it >depends on the >popularity of whatever programme you are presenting to the people. >The >winning or not winning of any party depends on the programme you >present to >the people. > >Currently, what do you think needed to be done to solve the >country’s >economic problems? >There has to be a change of policy; the policies that were here in >the First >Republic are the same policies that are still prevailing. > >What do you mean? >Policies that were responsible for bringing about the Economic >Recovery >Programme (ERP) and all the rest being followed are the same >policies. The >economic situation as it is, is as a result of what has been >happening and >the same practices continue under the Second Republic. > >In your own view, what do you think is the way forward in tackling >the >economy? >Fundamentally, the economic policies have to be changed. You know, a >poor >country like The Gambia, if you talk about a free liberal economy >and you >don’t produce anything, it means you are just simply opening up your >country >to the industrialised countries which have been using your country >as a >colony and as a market. And they will continue to use you even in >the >post-independence period because you are producing nothing and >import >everything. You have no technological capacity even to transform the >raw >materials you have produced into value-added products. > >Many analysts have argued that the business community is responsible >for the >high prices of commodities, do you subscribe to that view? >This is ridiculous! You as a journalist, if you are saying that type >of >thing, it means you are also not informed. How can the business >community be >responsible for what is happening in the country now? This is >ridiculous! >There is no price control. That’s the fundamental policy of the >government >since 1985 and there has been no change. So, how can you just get up >and say >you can control prices? They cannot control prices. As long as the >policy >remains the same, the programmes they are executing in the country >stipulate >that there cannot be price control. These programmes are designed >not by >them, but by the IMF and World Bank. That’s why they talk about >Gambian >commodities. Why don’t they talk about the imported items? You sell >Gambian >products to buy imported items. If the imported items remain >expensive, >naturally Gambian items will go up. > >Do you think President Jammeh’s ‘Operation No Compromise’ can >salvage the >Gambian economy? >Don’t you read newspapers, don’t you read Foroyaa, don’t you read >what we >have been saying? Listen, you don’t ask things that you already >know. We >have written thousand times on ‘Operation No Compromise’. It is a >meaningless slogan. Have they succeeded in controlling prices? No, >so it is >ridiculous, so ‘Operation No Compromise’ is a meaningless slogan >which is >earning nothing. > >Don’t you think the groundnut season will improve the situation? >How can that improve the situation of everybody, is everybody a >farmer in >this country? The ordinary farmers produce but they have no market >for their >products. > >But the government has announced on-the-spot-buying. Don’t you think >that >will improve things? >Look, you are telling me what they say, but you know what has >happened last >year and the year before last. It’s empty talk. They have always >said that >and they will say it again. But you know the groundnut trade season >is >always fundamentally characterised by credit buying. Government >stopped >buying groundnuts since 1985, the inception of this Economic >Recovery >Programme and all its successor programmes. > >So who buys? >Anybody can pretend to be a buyer whether he or she has money. >That’s what >brought about this credit buying. Is this a system which can help >any >farmer? > >What is your take on the taking of loans from IMF and World Bank? >How can they stop it? Everything you see happening in this country >is almost >a loan. > >Why are IMF conditions and terms so oppressive? >It is not IMF who are oppressive, it is the government who are >oppressive to >themselves. You have to activate the productive sectors of your >economy to >the extent that it caters to your needs by what you generate. >When ‘Operation No Compromise’ started, money-changers were >rounded-up and >their trade eventually banned in the country. That surely was the >right >thing to do? >I don’t see where they [money changers] have contributed to the >economic >problems. It was government who issued licences to them. All of them >had >bought licences. Government is just making them scapegoats. > >In view of the foregoing, can’t the opposition join government for >the sake >of helping the Gambian masses? >Oppositions have always been doing what they can to bring about >development >in the country. It is ridiculous to say, join hands with government. >Where >are we? Are we not in this country? We are all working. > >No, I mean, to take up office in government? >Then what is the essential of being a opposition? Do you think I’m >in >politics because I want position? I’m not in politics because I want >to be a >minister or a president. I’m in politics because I want to bring >about >fundamental changes. > >What of if that’s the only way out to help the people? >I’m in politics as an opposition with a different party because in >my view, >the options of all other parties cannot solve the problems of this >country. >So, if I join them, it means I’m negating my position. I’m somebody >with >alternative measures and policies. How can that bring about change? >This is >a ridiculous talk! If we have different agendas, policies and >programmes, if >I leave that and join you, then what am I telling the public? Am I >not >telling them that my party and their options and policies are not >necessary? >You are not talking about coalition, you are talking about joining. > >Would PDOIS be prepared to join a future coalition? >It depends on what type of coalition. If it’s a coalition based on >the >people’s agenda, yes. But coalition for coalition sake, no. > >Will you enter into a coalition with other opposition parties in >2006 taking >into consideration the simple majority system for presidential >elections >now? >Because people want to win elections we come together? No! I’m >saying that a >coalition must be the people’s agenda, people-oriented. If it >doesn’t >address that fundamental need, it’s a useless coalition. >It can’t work. You could just come together because you want to win >elections. If you win elections and so what? What next? You win >elections >for the sake of winning elections, you win to do better than what >preceded. >If you can’t do that, then there is no need to win. Any political >party that >wins is the party whose programmes and policies appeal more to the >people. > >Are you saying the programmes and policies of the other parties >appealed >more to the people than that of PDOIS, since PDOIS always comes last >in the >polls? >I’m not saying that! When you talk about elections, there are >several >factors. So, I’m not saying that in fact, that’s very ridiculous. > >Why do you like the word ‘ridiculous’? >It means it is fury, ludicrous, laughable. Because if you just say >that, >it’s like a clown...how can that be? > >Okay, let’s go back to my question? >Have you been following elections in this country? > >Yes. >Are you satisfied with the way they have been conducted? Are you >convinced >that they were conducted fairly and freely? Are you convinced that >the >people who cast their votes were informed? I’m asking you, as a >journalist >tell me.” > >You know... >You cannot ask me any other question unless you answer my question. > >I’ve never seen people’s hands being held back to stop them from >casting >their votes. >I’m saying before going into the polling booth, is it free? Who is >free? If >you are not informed, you do not even know the essence of elections. > >Who should inform the people, is it not the parties? >Yes, you are in The Gambia, I’m not going to go into that >discussion. > >Do you think PDOIS stands a chance of ever winning a presidential >election >in this country? >That depends on the people, I cannot say yes, I cannot say no. > >But you won’t give up? >Give up what? You don’t understand anything! Give up what? I’m here >to work! >I’m not here to look for positions, I’m here to work. What I’m doing >is a >fundamental work. Don’t you see that? So, you want to tell me to >leave my >work? This is the contribution I can make towards the development of >my >country, you are telling me you leave it, because I’m not what? So >you >cannot do anything in your country unless you are president, or >Member of >Parliament? That’s what you are telling me? These are very ludicrous >conceptions. > >How would you react to critics’ assertions that PDOIS’ concepts are >very >difficult to fathom? >I’m not coming to that, people have talked about it million times. >You are >very backward. > >But you know... >(Cuts in) listen, let’s end this interview, because that is not >relevant. > >Thank you sir >Don’t call me sir. I’m not sir. Because if you tell me thank you >sir, then >in your view, sir belongs to me because of my position. But if I >tell you >sir, you would think you don’t deserve it. I don’t deserve it. So >you want >to tell me you don’t deserve respect? Respect belongs to every human >entity. >I’m happy when people just call me by my name. That’s why I’m Sidia. > >People say PDOIS politics is so sophisticated for Gambians to >understand? >No, PDOIS politics is sophisticated for so-called Gambian >intellectuals. But >the ordinary person in this country understands PDOIS politics more >than the >so-called intellectuals. PDOIS politics is based on the language the >people >speak. You know you are funny. We are the first party in this >country which >has been conducting everything in the language of the people. > >© Copyright 2003 by Observer Company > >Top of Page > > > >  Bantaba >Latest Headlines > >Gabbie Sosseh >President, GFA >Ida Fye-Hydara >Director, Women’s Bureau >BANTABA >Sidia Jatta, PDOIS >Major Momodou Bojang >Former Minister, Commissioner >Ousman Jah >Vice-President, SIC, Amirul Hajj >Professor Edris Makward >Acting vice chancellor, University of The Gambia >Roseclair Charles - UNV Aids worker >A Matter of Knowledge and Experience - Sang Ndong > >_________________________________________________________________ >It's fast, it's easy and it's free. 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