Gentlemen: I will try to respond simultaneously to all rejoinders to my earlier comments...it is too late for me now. Mr Sidibeh, I can only add Amen to your comments. Mr. Joof: I think I asserted earlier that the European influence on the African continent has been quite corrosive, and I never imply in anyway an apology for slavery. It is a historical fact that Africans were willing accomplice to that institution. Those in denial from both sides of the Atlantic choose to accentuate one side of the story over another for very obvious reasons. On the issue of African resources...I have heard before of similar fantastic claims which eventually lapse into spurious dependencia theories- The center (the West) bilked the periphery (Third World) of their raw materials at low world market prices only to sell them again manufactured goods at exorbitant prices etc etc- all but a morbid propensity to find fault with everyone else but oneself- in other words signature economic impotence. The obvious fact is prosperity or socio-economic development does not rest on the availability of natural resources alone but essentially on productivity to a large extent. King George: I figure you argued my quoted statement out of context perhaps since you have not read the previous issue posted on the G-l. My point is Africa has very limited options in global affairs regardless of its quantity of resources,...and that change, a cultural transformation is inevitable inorder to escape from the pathological socio-economic abyss. I make this argument in reference to a sagacious comment that the late Sen. Patrick Moynihan once said: "The central conservative truth is that it is culture, not politics, that determines the success of a society. The central liberal truth is that politics can change a culture and save it from itself". However, considering the post-colonial history of Africa since Krumah advocated to "seek the political kingdom and everything else shall follow", all that followed after political independence is nothing but gloom and doom. This opens a strong case to revisit the validity of the late Senator's observation...There is a now a very compelling case as studied by the Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies, that culture makes all the difference in socio-economic development. Perhaps you may want to read Harvard professor David Landes' book "The Wealth and Poverty of Nations", one good source amongst many to start with....... Regards, Ebou PS: Clarissa is doing fine, and gives her regards to everyone. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Hotjobs: Enter the "Signing Bonus" Sweepstakes http://hotjobs.sweepstakes.yahoo.com/signingbonus ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~