-----Original Message-----
From: rebadjan <[log in to unmask]>
To: GAMBIA-L <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sun, Mar 13, 2011 2:48 pm
Subject: Re: Is it Going to be Another 'Destiny has Called on Me to Lead?

Modou,

For all I know, PDOIS will never be found wanting in any area of accountability. This is precisely so, because the party takes a scientific approach in analyzing and arriving at any decision. This is why their assertions are backed by facts and will always pass the rigorous test of time.

The very idea of forming this party was based on very strong foundation, where principles and obejectivity were the overiding factors that allows the party, to surmount all its difficulties and weaknesses to be in the consciousness of the Gambian mind for decades and decades, whereas all others have whiffle out of relevancy or died a natural death.

In my opinion, I do not see any political party that can compete with PDOIS when it comes to ideas; these are the fundamental bases upon which the party was founded. That is why I have never seen anywhere where the party is challenged on its numerous expositions on the Gambia's political question, economic question, social question and cultural question, which has been thoroughly analyzed and alternative proposals proffered.

You want to compete with PDOIS base it on ideas and programs.

Rene

-----Original Message-----
From: Modou Nyang <[log in to unmask]>
To: GAMBIA-L <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sun, Mar 13, 2011 12:13 am
Subject: Re: Is it Going to be Another 'Destiny has Called on Me to Lead?

UDP Daffeh, bellow i once again present the PDOIS 2010 Congress Agenda and Resolutions. You can also help us to see if we can "recall" reading any resolution taken at the UDP congress in Soma. I learnt of Only DArboe and Hamat giving speaches and a rally held later on.

You might also choose to include my response in your postings at the Bantaba.

Nyang

The PDOIS 2010 CONGRESS approved the following Agenda for discussion :

Ø Report on NADD and the Way Forward For PDOIS

Ø Report on Agenda 2011

Ø Policy on Internal or Intra-Party Democracy

Ø Review on Operations of Political Parties under the Constitution and Laws of the Gambia

Ø Review of PDOIS Membership Policy

Ø Gender and the Multi-Party system

Ø Resolutions and Recommendations

1. Resolution On PDOIS’ Relation with NADD

The PDOIS Congress,

Cognisant that NADD came into being as a Tactical and Strategic Alliance aimed at founding a transitional Government that would usher in a level ground for future Multi Party contests in the Gambia;

Acknowledging that it is a safe PDOIS seat which has been transformed into a NADD seat after the withdrawal of some parties from the Alliance;

Aware that PDOIS is the only party in the original Alliance which has not experienced any desertions to join other political parties;

Therefore Resolves that

v PDOIS shall not abandon NADD;

v PDOIS shall maintain its relation with NADD until the next Presidential and National Assembly elections;

v PDOIS shall be the last party to sever relation with NADD.

2. Resolution on Agenda 2011

The PDOIS Congress,

Observing that PDOIS is a party of its own in spite of its relation to NADD;

Deeply concerned with the consequences of the disintegration of NADD which gave rise to a high degree of voter apathy;

Taking note of the fact that out of 670336 voters 405,932 voters did not vote for the APRC Candidate and 542,055 voters did not vote for the opposition;

Cognisant of the fact that voter apathy is the greatest threat to democratic change;

Acknowledging that the tactic and strategy that could bring people from all sides of the political spectrum together and imbue them with a sense of common destiny is the way forward for Democratic change;

Mindful that when the attempt was made to build an Alliance by political leaders from the top failed, the people who constitute the support base could not salvage the situation from below;

Acknowledging that if the people themselves form an alliance to choose their candidate, no leader would be able to desert a grand Alliance and be relevant;

Being convinced that the most durable and invincible form of Alliance is one empowering the people to select their own candidate through a primary;

Taking note of the fact that Agenda 2011 calls for the unity of all those who support the policy of establishing a transitional Government lasting 2 to five years, and their participation in selecting the presidential candidate, who must publicly affirm to constitute and preside over a nonpartisan administration, in order to build the democratic instruments and institutions necessary to create a level ground for multi- party contest;

Observing that Agenda 2011 provides the way to bring on board the members of different political parties and non party members to participate in and take ownership of, the political process to bring about change that most people want and need;

Therefore Resolves:

· that all members of PDOIS shall endorse and promote Agenda 2011 and shall undertake to play effective role in sensitising, mobilising and organising party and non party members to ensure its realisation;

· that all members of political parties which aim to bring about change shall be encouraged to motivate their parties to hold congresses to endorse Agenda 2011so as to bring about unity among all forces for change.

3.On Party Membership Policy.

The PDOIS Congress,

Taking note of the fact that the sovereignty of The Gambia resides in the people;

Bearing in mind that every Gambian is entitled to basic Social Services;

Acknowledging the fact that governments must be established at the National and Local levels which derive their authority from the consent of the people, to provide public services;

Convinced that political parties have the mandate to shape the political will of the people so that they could exercise their right to choose their representatives on the basis of policies and programmes put before them;

Fully convinced that every Gambian has the right freely to choose whether or not to belong to a political party;

Realising that without mass awareness there can be no enlightened mass movement, and without an enlightened mass movement, there can be no conscious participation by the people in ensuring their political and economic emancipation;

Being conscious that Awareness does not drop from the sky but comes from learning and sharing experiences;

Being convinced that the most important function a party could perform in shaping the political will of the people is to pass on knowledge and experience to those who are yet to know;

Being conscious of the fact that one cannot share knowledge and experience with others that one has not acquired;

Therefore resolves that a PDOIS member:

ü shall strive to know its principles, policies and programmes in order to pass on the knowledge to others to facilitate the building of a conscious mass movement for democratic change;

ü shall fill the prescribe form upon request to update one’s membership;

ü shall build up links with other PDOIS members at the village, ward, district, regional and National levels in order to build branches of the party;

ü shall contribute resources according to one’s capacity to ensure that the objectives of Agenda 2011 is realised in the short run to ensure a level ground for multi-party contest and that PDOIS Principles, Policies and Programmes are implemented by a PDOIS led Government in the future.

2. On the exercise of political rights

The PDOIS Congress,

Being Cognisant of the fact that the Gambia is a sovereign Republic and that sovereignty resides in the people;

Acknowledging that the authority to lead must be derived from the consent of the people;

Taking note of the fact that it is the right of each sovereign Gambian to take part in the management of the affairs of the country either directly or through chosen representatives;

Noting that representatives are chosen through a free and fair voting system;

Bearing in mind that each Gambian has a right to form or belong to a political association;

Taking note of the legal provision that political parties are mandated to shape the political will of the people by disseminating their political, economic and social programmes;

Recalling the code of conduct adopted by all political parties in the Gambia on 6^th February 2006 which calls for the respect of the rights of all other parties to campaign freely and to disseminate their political ideas and principles without fear;

Therefore resolves,

o to educate all its members to understand their constitutional and legal rights and refrain from interfering with the rights of others;

o to cooperate with all political parties and civil society organisations to ensure that the constitutional and legal provisions as well as the code of conduct governing the exercise of civil and political rights are respected and implemented by the state and all citizens;

o to contribute to the realisation, consolidation, protection, preservation and expansion of the sovereignty of the people;

o to uphold and defend freedom of association and freedom of expression and further contribute to ensuring that the will of the people is not fettered in any way;

o Promote the establishment of a genuine multiparty system in the country to ensure that no restriction or hindrance is imposed on any party from exercising its political rights in the country.

5. On party development fund

The PDOIS Congress,

Acknowledging that no political party can survive without mobilising adequate resources to carry out its activities;

Being conscious of the fact that PDOIS relies principally on the human and financial resources of its members to carry out its activities;

Taking into consideration those financial difficulties do bar many people from contributing their quota to the material wellbeing of the party;

Noting that through collaboration some party members could establish joint enterprises and contribute to the party’s welfare;

Convinced that the party could manage its own website, build its own fund raising schemes and support its own members to provided services to the public at minimum fees;

Therefore Resolves

To establish a Party Development Fund which will be utilised to initiate party development projects to promote the development of the party, its members and the community at large;

That the party leadership establishes an ad hoc committee to advise the Central Committee on the modalities for creating the party development fund and to further work with party members on projects at the village, district, regional, national and international levels that will further the interests of the party, its members and the communities at large;

The community based branches initiate projects for their economic self reliance and foster other community based programmes such as adult literacy and other cooperative ventures that could satisfy community needs.

6. On party branches abroad

The PDOIS Congress

Bearing in mind that many PDOIS members have gone abroad for one purpose or another;

Acknowledging that travelling abroad does not negate the sovereignty of the person and one’s right to participate in determining the affairs of the country;

Taking note of the fact that PDOIS is committed to extending the franchise to Gambians abroad;

Acknowledging the presence of Party members from abroad;

Therefore resolves that,

Each member of the party abroad who has the desire to participate fully in party activities writes to the Central Committee at ones own volition and indicate any commitment to link to other members to form party branches in their countries or continents of residence;

All supporters who have been consistent in giving solidarity to the party and are now resolved to become members may write to the Central Committee to indicate their request to be members;

The Central Committee shall consider and make a decision on either request to form a party branch or become a member;

All members and supporters abroad should support Agenda 2011and provide time, energy, material and financial resources to facilitate its realisation;

that those who attended the Congress from abroad should represent the interest of the party in the countries where they reside and further work towards building party branches in those countries, operating in a democratic manner and conveying any decision they may make to that effect back to the party leadership.

7. On internal or intra party democracy

The PDOIS Congress,

Taking note of the fact that that the party is a school that helps party members to come together to share knowledge and experiences on how to manage the affairs of a country;

Being Fully convinced that internal party Democracy is inconceivable without power being exercised by the party members to determine the representation in the party at all levels and further determine and implement the policies and programmes of the party;

Bearing in mind that PDOIS is a principle, policy and programme-centred party and not a leader-centred party and that the membership is required to be fully in charge of the decision making powers of the party and are supposed to be educators, mobilisers and organisers of the people;

Recognizing the urgency to assert, strengthen and expand the democratic character of the Party, which gives the membership power to determine those who are to manage its day to day affairs, on their behalf, if the Party is to be safeguarded from being centred around personalities;

Acknowledging that the membership must be an embodiment of collective political awareness if it is to exercise power to determine who is to handle what responsibility for the Party in an informed manner;

Therefore Resolves

v To foster the growth of party branches to enable the membership to develop understanding of issues of importance and build relation with each other to consolidate their organisational capacities and democratic characteristics at the village and ward level;

v To promote the convening of conferences of members and sensitisation workshops at the village, ward, district, regional, National and Diaspora levels before the end of 2010 in order to prepare the ground for the holding of a Congress immediately after the declaration of the date for the 2011 Presidential elections in order to elect party executive members.

v Initiate party political civic education and cultural activities to win the hearts and minds of the people and expand its membership base

8. On Gender

The PDOIS Congress,

Acknowledging that in a Republic sovereignty resides in all citizens, irrespective of ethno-linguistic origin, gender, religion or class status;

Recognising that the authority to manage the affairs of the Gambia is derived from the consent of each Gambian man and woman;

Being aware that the antagonistic debates on whether man is equal to woman has no connection to the political realities of the Gambia which is a sovereign Republic;

Noting that the principle of one person one vote guarantees equal political right to men and women to determine the affairs of the country;

Cognisant of the fact that, both men and women are entitled to social services such as health, education and social justice in general without discrimination;

Convinced that equal voting rights between men and women should be translated into equal opportunity to represent both men and women or be represented by them;

Being aware of the fact that empowerment of women is inconceivable unless each Gambian becomes a sovereign person who owns the totality of one’s very being and cannot be subjected to any form of inducement or intimidation;

Therefore resolves that

ü All members of PDOIS shall strive to build a just society and party which will guarantee, enhance and consolidate the sovereignty of each man and woman, ensure their equal right to determine the affairs of the country and party and guarantee equal opportunity to serve and be served as sovereign partners and equal owners of the country;

ü Maximum effort shall be made to empower women and free each person from the politics of patronage and rely on proportional representation to ensure that men and women participate as equal partners in handling executive, legislative, judicial and local government functions;

ü All members and branches shall ensure a balanced and proportionate participation of men and women in all party activities;

ü A women movement be created as a branch of the party that is designed to conduct civic education among women and combat all forms of discrimination against women and promote a relationship of partnership with men to ensure their collective liberty, dignity, prosperity and happiness.

Internal Party Democracy

PDOIS’ Internal party Democratic principles have been developed over the years through prolonged, exhaustive and enthusiastic debate. It became clear to all members that if we are to become the architects of our own destiny, we must gain political awareness. It is equally evident that without mass awareness there can be no enlightened mass movement, and without an enlightened mass movement, there can be no conscious participation by the people in ensuring their political and economic emancipation. Awareness does not drop from the sky. It comes out of learning and experience.

This realisation explains how fundamentally important it is for those who know to pass on their knowledge and experience to those who are yet to know. It is recognised that a PDOIS member should be one who strives to know in order to pass on one’s knowledge to others to facilitate the building of a conscious mass movement. Herein lies the fundamental difference between PDOIS and some political parties. Membership of such parties is based on the pursuit of short term interests of people who are not linked together by any principles, policies and programmes. Consequently, such parties are generally centred around personalities. Such personalities become the symbol of unity.

Their political successes keep the parties together while their failure leads them to disintegrate. The masses become mere pawns, under the dictate of the party leader. They show their loyalty and commitment by outdoing each other in showering praises to a party leader, selling membership cards, canvassing for votes and raising funds just to ensure the electoral victory of a particular political personality.

Members of PDOIS, however are not brought together just to strive to win votes and contribute to the electoral successes of patrons; on the contrary, they come together to acquire the experience and knowledge on how to ensure the political and economic emancipation of the people.

PDOIS is a principle, policy and programme-centred party and not a leader-centred party. The membership constitutes a principle-centred membership that is required to be an educator, liberator and organiser of the people.

The very foundation of the Party depends on its members. This is why it is recognised that, if the Party is to be the embodiment of the collective will of its members then the members must be aware of the principles, policies and programmes which bind them together. They must be committed to upholding, defending and spreading those principles. It requires for the membership to rely on itself to build the party instead of relying on patronage. Such resourcefulness is the only way to guarantee that the sovereign will of the members shall always prevail. Such self reliance will make the Party to know only solidarity from those who are convinced of the correctness of its cause.

It is therefore urgent for the democratic character of the Party, which gives the membership power to determine those who are to manage the day to day affairs of the party on their behalf, to be expanded and consolidated if the Party is to be safeguarded from being centred around personalities.

Internal Party Democracy cannot be sustained without promoting political maturity among the general membership. It must be acknowledged that the membership must be an embodiment of collective political awareness if it is to exercise power to determine who is to handle what responsibility for the Party. Those elected to occupy offices should not see their posts as symbols of status but as a position of service to enhance the political maturity of the members and the capacity of the party to lead a nation to attain greater liberty and prosperity.

The Building of Party Branches

The party branches are the key link between the Party’s Central Committee and the masses. The Party cannot expand and consolidate its links with the masses without the establishment of these community based branches that are to knit together genuine educators and organisers of the masses so that they could continue to expand their political and organisational skills in order to empower the people. This will enable them to build the mass movement that could ensure their political liberation and economic emancipation.

The community based branches should initiate projects for their economic self reliance and initiate other community based projects and programmes such as adult literacy and other cooperative ventures that could satisfy community needs.

Consolidating the Party Branches

All the party structures, from the village to the National level should be closely knitted to ensure that the right hand knows what the left hand is doing. It calls for programmes, workshops, seminars, symposia, fire side discussions, meetings on farms, bantabas, neighbourhoods and with clubs to make the person sovereign. PDOIS must be ever present among the masses. That is the only way that it can clarify issues and help to shape public opinion in favour of the sovereignty and emancipation of the people.

The Way forward for the Party

Each member should initiate discussion with other members and engage the Central Committee to analyse what has been done so far to transform theory into practice, plans into action, examine what ought to be done and give concrete recommendation on the way forward to consolidate what has been done and initiate what has not been done. One must take personal responsibility to follow up on policies, programmes, plans and promises. This is the era to build the sovereign person who shall be the architect of the sovereign Republic.

--- On Sun, 3/13/11, Modou Nyang <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

From: Modou Nyang <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Is it Going to be Another 'Destiny has Called on Me to Lead?
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Sunday, March 13, 2011, 3:50 AM

Ok, Mr UDP, i did recall very clearly when PDOIS held it's congress in 2010 at the Atlantic Hotel. And i did also recall that PDOIS had a congress in 2001 (not 2000 as Mr UDP is saying) in Taibatu, Wuli. Not only that, i also recalled other congresses in 1997, 1998, (need verification for 1999 and 2000).
mR. UDP Daffeh, i also recalled that it was at the Wuli congress in 2001 as we we preparing for the presidential election, that a resolution was passed to shift the congresses from a yearly basis to every four years due to the high cost involved in organising them.

Hence UDP Daffeh, you might wish to remind us how many times you held a congress since your inception in 1996? And how about RAMBO'S Youth President's portfolio? Are you considering a mini congress to elect a replacement? How about Falai? You might also consider tabling his concerns and to also offer the other members to share their views on his membership status.

You will also do us good in helping us "recall" some of these issues too.

Nyang

--- On Sat, 3/12/11, UDP United Kingdom <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

From: UDP United Kingdom <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Is it Going to be Another 'Destiny has Called on Me to Lead?
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Saturday, March 12, 2011, 10:56 AM

Folks,

If you could recall sometime last year, the PDOIS party convened a congress at the Atlantic Hotel in Banjul but and for unexplained reasons, failed to elect a new executive and leader or renew the mandate of the existing ones. However, they have promised to convene another congress this year, 2011, to review and elect a new leadership. The 2011 election is now not more than six months away and yet no word has being said or heard about PDOIS’s pending leadership election.

If PDOIS is to be taken seriously on democracy and their mantra of ''Soveriegnty of the People'', I think it is absolutely imperative that its oligarchs are seen not only adhering to but also projecting democracy and democratic principles through their very own internal politics.

My question now is; is the PDOIS party ever going to convene anther congress this year, before the 2011 election, to elect a leader? Or is it going to be another ''Destiny has called on me to lead?''

The last time PDOIS conducted leadership election was in 2000 in the village of Wuli Taibatu, Upper River Region.

Thanks

Daffeh
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