Dr. Jaiteh,
Jammeh did this to help his fellow Muslims. May be he should have allocated 3000 bags to UDP, and then we wouldn't be having this discussion. I think we can agree that the donor is entitled to donate to whoever: family, friends, foes. So let us not politicize this good gesture.

On Tuesday, July 24, 2012, Demba Baldeh <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Thanks Dr. Jaiteh for sharing. You can say the same thing in every sector of our economy, from baking bread, selling bananas, meat, sugar, rice, medicine and farming etc.. this president has taken advantage of the office of President to enrich himself. It is in fact a violation of the Gambian constitution for the President to engage in profitable commercial venture while in office. This constitutional  protection was meant to prevent the President from using his office to out compete the rest of the citizens in business. That is exactly what he is doing...
>  
> Am sorry but I think this man is the one who commercialized Islam by paying millions for Quran recitation competition. Classic "do as I say and not as I do"
> Thanks
>
> Demba
>
> On Tue, Jul 24, 2012 at 7:52 AM, Malanding Jaiteh <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> It will be seen unkind or even un-Islamic to say that the President should not be so generous especially in Ramadan in August. Nevertheless I sincerely believe that this kind of generosity has severe economic consequences.
>
> First assuming average consumption of sugar in Ramadan is 1 kg per week per person; 27000 bags at 50kg per bag amounts to 1,350,000 kg
> 27,000 bags is could easily translate to 25% of sugar trade in the country at a time when corner store, street hawker hope they can make a few extra Dalasi to pay school fees, buy the extra food and enjoy the coming Eid. Its just like asking those in the trade which includes tens of thousands of little vendors and hawkers to take a 25% pay cut.
>
> Secondly much of the gift is disproportionately going to  security  services,  politically and economically connected people. These are the people with monthly income, those most able to buy sugar from the lady street vendor or the corner store boy. Some of these would end of not buying sugar for the whole of Ramadan. With back to school around the corner, one can only imagine what that would mean for clothing, shoes and book sales.
>
> As for the big traders and importers, Ramadan is the "Teret" (trade season). Unlike the President they will have to pay top Dalasi to get their sugar transported to market. Of course the transporters also rely on that to get by.  Unlike the President's gift the labor to load and unload their sugar is paid for (meaning more money into the economy). Should they come out richer, much of that is likely to go into building extra houses and apartments all of which means buying things like cement, other imported goods and engaging more labor.
>
> I am not an economist but this is anything but trivial. While the President may be genuinely being benevolent, it does not always turn out that way. There is a Mandinka saying that a successful farmer makes sure that both the "Nioo" (millet) and the "Sossoo" (bean) are protected.
>
> Malanding Jaiteh 
>
>
>
>
> Commercialising Islam is forbidden: Says President Jammeh, as he gives out Ramadan gift
>
> Tuesday, July 24, 2012
>
> The president of the Republic has denounced the commercialisation of Islam, saying it is forbidden and will not be accepted in The Gambia. His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Yahya Jammeh was speaking Monday afternoon at State House grounds in Banjul, while distributing over 27,000 bags of sugar as Ramadan gift to Muslims all over the country.
>
> The Gambian leader condemned what he called the commercialisation of death and the Quran recitation, something he emphasised strongly, will not be accepted. He urged the Gambia Supreme Islamic Council to regulate it before it develops roots in society. “These two practices must stop. These are very bad practices that are spreading it tentacles in our society. What kind of Muslims are we? Now I am challenging the Supreme Islamic Council to regulate these practices. As religious leaders, you have a huge task and I want to see that all these are regulated,” he said.
>
> While emphasising strongly on the importance of the Holy Quran, the Gambian leader stressed that knowing and reading the Quran and without respect for Allah that knowledge is useless.
>
> He continued: “You will realise nowadays people turn up in their large numbers attending rich people’s funerals than the average people, and prefer attending Quran recitations where they anticipate to earn money and you don’t mind you will not be able to accommodate everybody.
>
> If you have faith in Allah, you should know that the way you are being affected is the same way that someone is also poor and there is a Surah in the Holy Quran which says that, one should not sell anything in the Quran. Now if people commercialise the Holy Quran recitation and funerals that means they are doing business with the Quran. And if I talk they say I am attacking people, but these are things that are happening.”
>
> President Jammeh also stated that he will not tol
>
> --
> "Be the change you want to see in the World"
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