Issue No. 64/2004, 12-15 August, 2004 EDITORIAL THE NAWEC BILLS FRIGHTEN CONSUMERS What are the coping strategies? When the newspapers published the new tariffs many readers could not understand the consequences of a unit of electricity increasing in price by 88% should the consumers utilize between 41 and 60 units of electricity per month. Suffice it say that if one 60 watts bulb consumes one unit of electricity every 10 hours in 30 days one is likely to consume 41 units. In short, most client of NAWEC consume between 41-600 units of electricity per month. This means that while they used to pay 2.80 dalasis per unit before the rate went up now they are paying 5.25 dalasis per unit. This means that the prices have almost doubled. They have increased by 88% to be precise. Hence if one used to pay 500 dalasis bill yesterday one would be paying 940 dalasis today. This is more than a “Sadam” bag of rice. It is above the salary of uncertificated teachers. This is why many consumers are saying that if NAWEC provides twenty four hours generating capacity they would still have to switch off their electricity to reduce the cost. Instead, load shedding will be replaced by a “switching off” strategy. Gambians should now come to terms with the reality that the high cost of living is here to stay. What is necessary now is to develop coping strategies Foroyaa will try to talk to the experts so that the unit of electricity consumed by all appliances per hour can be known. It will publish this information for general consumption. All Gambians should also become electricity literate. One should be able to read a meter periodically to know how much is being consumed and regulate consumption so that it remains below the 40 unit mark. Each consumer should be able to write down the last reading of each meter in a diary and follow up the units consumed every week. Enlightenment is required to live in a society whose hardship is increasing. We must not just submit to adversity. We must develop coping strategies until better solutions are found to our common problem. Coalition/Collision Scenario Halifa Sallah On The Observer Editorial The Daily Observer Editorial has set the pace for a debate on the nature and essence of coalitions or alliances. The public debate on any issue gives it a sense of public ownership. Nations do not belong to leaders. They belong to the people. Leaders cannot bring what the people do not want. Leaders cannot suppress what the people want. The voice of the people is the voice of the Nation. Their stand is the determining factor in shaping the destiny of a nation. The importance of the media is its ability to capture the public mind. Hence, the Daily Observer Editorial does reflect the views of some sectors in Gambian society. It is therefore necessary to do a critic of the situation. The Daily Observer referred to Kenya where the Kibaki led a coalition, which is considered to be in shambles and is given as an example of coalitions resulting in collisions between partners. Senegal is also given as an example where coalition partners fell apart. The editorial concluded that coalitions are political marriages of convenience devoid of any clear cut political programmes beyond winning power; that they are agglomerations of interest groups bound by nothing but the desire to win power and do not have vision beyond getting into power; that a coalition built on the promise of regime change only will not solve problems, they will compound problems. First and foremost, it is necessary to note the political transition in Mali, which is very different from what happened in Kenya and Senegal. The refusal of Tumani Toure to take over the government after the overthrow of President Traore led to a transition programme to build a political system that would put an end to the self perpetuating rule of the past. Consequently, a new constitution limiting that term of office of President to two years was established. Konare reinvented the constitution and decided not to give favours to his party members. This led to free contest of the Presidential elections and the emergence of a non party candidate as President. This is a lesson that Gambia should learn from. A coalition may be imposed by necessity instead of being a mere marriage of convenience. It is elementary knowledge that where a second round of voting does not exist a government can emerge without the votes of the absolute majority when opposition parties split their shares of the vote. Division can therefore bar the determination of the undiluted choice of the people. This is what dictates a tactical move to establish an Alliance to prevent a regime from winning by exploiting the divisions among the opposition. Of course, if opposition parties are to form an alliance they must determine the basis of the alliance. An alliance just to change a regime is inadequate. What to put in its place is what is of paramount importance. In our view, political parties of different shades had formed a coalition government in South Africa only to build a more stable democratic system that allows each party to go on its own to seek the mandate of the people if it so desires. Any viable coalition should aim to create better constitutions, laws, administrative structures and offer each partner a better environment to seek the mandate of the people. This is also achievable. Hence it is left to the parties in the Gambia and the people to decide whether they are truly committed to the type of rectification agenda that is implemented by a transitional president and government with a short mandate too create the type of governance environment that will earn the confidence of the people at home and our partners abroad and provide a ground start for any subsequent government. This is the question that should be the focus of the debate. We must not be disturbed by what is happening in Kenya. We should learn from it and create something that others will be proud to emulate. History is made by people who are innovators and not imitators. We must dare to be innovative and dare to succeed where others failed. ALKALOSHIP CRISIS IN NJAWARA By Modou Nyang An Alkaloship crisis has threatened to divide the people of Njawara in the Lower Baddibu Constituency North Bank Division, following the demise of the former Alkalo of the village, Mr. Babou Panneh. On Friday a delegation of National Assembly members Abdoulie Kanagi Jawla and Kebba Touray, including Dr Ahmed Gibril Jassey chairman of the Brikama area council and the deputy permanent secretary at the department of state for local Government and lands converged in the village in a desperate effort to strike a deal between the contending parties to the crisis in a bid to avert any dissatisfaction against the government and a possible fear of offending either faction by imposing an Alkalo on the people, which the constitution asserts since its amendment by the National Assembly. The delegation 'sent' by the SOS for local government and lands, Manlafi Jarjue to resolve the matter ‘amicably’ after a twice-unsuccessful attempt by the chief of the area Fafanding Kinteh and commissioner Batata Juwara, encountered hard-line and uncompromising factions, one clamouring support for the succession of the Alkaloship by the wife of the former Alkalo Ya Haddy Panneh. Whilst on the other hand, the mainly youthful group stood for a change of the status quo in favour of Njundu Touray, an elder of the village. Advocating for a change, Amadou Mbowe a youth of the village, categorically said that they (youths) need change for the better in accordance with democratic values. He pointed out that those clamouring for the succession of the Alkaloship by Ya Haddy Panneh do not command the support of the majority of the villagers. The forward speaking Amadou Mbowe continued by faulting the former ‘Panneh’ leadership by pointing out some of their wrongs as the confiscation of the village women’s garden and the village’s ‘model’ compound and turning them in to their own properties. ‘They gathered their own people (Panneh family) to select Ya Haddy, thereby hijacking the whole process’ said Amadou, to the gaping and perplexed crowd. Showing support to Ya Haddy Panneh, Ablie Touray refuted the claims that their side did not have the support of the majority of the villagers. ‘There are less than three hundred (300) eligible voters in the village and we collected one hundred and eighty nine (189) voters cards’ said Ablie Touray in support of the lady Alkalo aspirant. As more comments in support of either side flared from the gathering at the village bantaba, trouble almost erupted when one Malick Mbowe a member of the Njawara development society based in the Kombos said that an Alkalo for the village should be selected away from the Panneh family and that the village elders are refusing to speak the truth. This statement received wild condemnation and the near exchange of blows between the two contending parties. But determined to ensure that the process went on unhindered, the members of the delegation played a mediator’s role by urging the protagonist to exercise restrain and continue the dialogue. Abdoulie Kanagi Jawla, National Assembly Member for Sandu in a question form told the various speakers that the issue of selecting an Alkalo in an election type process would mean violating the law that they themselves enacted. ‘Each side is claming to have the majority support of the villagers, if we support what the speakers are saying then it means we will have an election. I want the elders and youths to know that the president has the power after consulting few elders, to select someone. Whether you like it or not’ an overwhelmed Abdoulie Jawla put to the zealous crowd. Furthermore, as night approached and no conclusion at sight, Kebba Touray, National Assembly Member for Kombo East interjected by asking for the names of ten people each from the village’s council of elders, village development committee (VDC), the village women’s group and the Njawara development society in the Kombos. He finally told the people of the village that they (the delegation) would report back exactly what transpired at the meeting to the authorities. Meanwhile as the 'ministerial' delegation departed from the meeting ground, confusion gripped the minds of many of the villagers as they speculated that the names of the people submitted to the delegation would do the final selection. Alagie Njundu Touray, the male Alkalo aspirant joined the dissatisfied people who were complaining, that most of the names of people submitted are sympathizers of the ‘Panneh family’. Whilst the other side representing Ya Haddy Panneh who was at home mourning her late husband, refuted the claims saying that the names submitted represented the whole of the village. It could be recalled that the constitution of the republic of the Gambia had earlier on in established for the election of an Alkalo whenever there is a disagreement in filling the post. However the national Assembly has usurped this power from the people by amending the section and handing over the authority to the president and secretary of state responsible. FAO Country Representative Bemoans Poor Performance Of The Agric Sector Heimon Nicola, the FAO Country Representative in The Gambia has bemoaned the poor performance of the country’s agriculture sector. Mr. Nicola was speaking at a validation workshop on the involvement of the private sector on food production. The FAO representative said the country’s agriculture sector has failed to deliver the objectives set for attaining food sufficiency. “ The traditional sector has failed and the private sector is not coming in. We should be nationalistic to take care of our food security than relying on somebody to take care of our food supply. If there is something wrong with that person, then we will be affected. We are doing extremely bad in inputs supply. We are doing better in the fisheries and horticulture sector”, he remarked. For his part, Yahya Sanyang, the Action Aid Director said despite several years of interventions by his institution, poverty is still on the increase in the country. He said his institution has strategically directed its programmes in the country, whilst noting that Action Aid has expanded its programmes to Guinea Bissau. He said the Gambia is presently faced with a potential locust invasion, which could wipe out the efforts in food production. For his part, the Chief Executive Officer of the Gambia Chamber of Commerce, Kebba Njie said the government should endeavour to see to it that an agriculture development bank is established. He said this would provide capital to those who wish to invest in the agriculture sector whilst noting that efforts should be made to ensure that the Kuntaur rice mills utilized with maximum output. Mr. Njie said the central government should encourage the private sector to engage local rice growers to reduce the volume of rice importation. A CAUSE FOR ALARM AGAINST LOCUST INVASION By Amie Sanneh The Secretary of State for Agriculture, Sulayman Mboob has said that government has already spent over US$500,000 towards the campaign against locust calamity. SOS Mboob was speaking to Journalists at a press conference at state house on Friday. He indicated that government has mobilized all human resources at its disposal towards the campaign. He expressed disappointment over the delay respond from the International Community adding that this situation is serious and need urgent response. Despite all these SOS Mboob said the government is so concerned that they will try their best towards this calamity. He said instead of them concentrating on the affected regions, the region has lost its capacity that is why each country is concentrating on its own. “In the presence of such imminent disaster, it is appalling that our sub-region has totally lost its capacity to confront the threat regionally and as a result, all individual countries are putting up their own strategies to tackle the situation.” He pointed out. However he said government has mobilized over D60 million in the fight against the locust invasion, which he said is increasing in the sub-region and the latest being in Senegal’s northern region. He said as part of their contingency plan there is a command centre at Yundum where everything will be planned and executed and also an Information Centre, which he said, will be set at the Department of Agriculture and it will deal with enquiries and responses. SOS Mboob revealed that a well-equipped mobile unit comprising of vehicles, motor bicycles, human resource, pesticides, spraying equipments, etc are online so as to tackle the situation. At the level of the field, he said that there are fifteen teams, which are already on duty. He however said a budget of D41,280,170 and a mobile brigade fully equipped together with $1.5 million is needed for the campaign. For her part, the vice President and Chairperson of the National Disaster Relief Committee, Madam Isatou Njie Saidy said that the imminent locust invasion in the country is a national problem adding that it is a serious threat to the country. She however urged Gambians donor partners and friends of the Gambia to come to board in the fight against this calamity. Madam Njie Saidy thanked all those who contributed positively towards the fight against this threat. For his part the Action Aid’s country Director, Mr. Yaya Sanyang gave an overview of the NGOs who have showed their commitment towards the fight against the locust invasion adding that sixteen of them have contributed. Action Aid has contributed D3 million; Methodist Mission Agric Program provided sight extension staff, four motor bicycles, a pick up vehicle, training facilities, surveillance and monitoring equipments, etc; concern universal provided two trained sprayers, a pick up vehicle and a motor cycle. The Point Newspaper also contributed D2,000 and a free publication on locust. Many other organisations also contributed in the fight against this menace. Locusts live in a barn in North West African region in the desert (semi- arid areas). It is one of the most deadly pests to crops. Its life cycle is short and can lay 150 eggs per adult. It takes about 10 days to hatch and each adult consumes about two grams of food per day. More adults are said to be laying eggs in the Senegal River Basin, Western Mali and Mauritania. A lot of farmers have stopped planting in that area because of the locust invasion. WELLINGARA GARBAGE DUMP SITE IN A DEPLORABLE CONDITION By Sainey I Gibba The President of the Wellingara Social and Environmental Studies Club, Miss Fatoumatta Small Njie has raised concern over the deplorable condition of the garbage dumping site which she described as getting worst day by day. Miss Njie made this remarks after a visit she and her Vice President made to the site recently. The dumping site she said is not hygienic at all for the people especially the children going to a nearby nursery school and the customers and vendors at the village central market. When asked what was the purpose of the visit to the site, Miss Njie said as a social and environmental club it is among their primary objectives to ensure a healthy environment but when they reach at the dumping site, the condition in which they found it was indeed unhygienic and hence her club have not got access to preventive material there is nothing they can do but to only call on the Brikama Area Council to help. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~