Malik: Hamat Bah is clearly a waste of time. I read the story on ASN and the man is more of a comedian looking for more fans than liberating our people. I am sorry but time and again the man just acts childish. You wonder if he does have anything more to offer than some of the cheap shots he've been making in these local papers. For healthy democracy, debates are encouraged....but what gains in this case? Well, Hamat was Halifa's choice for President in 2011. I am keenly following and thanks for sharing. Best, Yero
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Subject: [>-<] RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE, HALIFA V HAMAT
Date: Tue, 14 May 2013 09:33:37 +0100
Burning Issues
HAMAT BAH RESPONDS TO HALIFA'S LETTER
Published on Monday, 13 May 2013 17:24 | Written by Alagi F. S. Sora
The National Reconciliation Party (NRP) leader, Hamat Bah, on Friday,10 May 2013, convened a press conference at his home in Sinchu Alagie in Kombo North, West Coast Region. According to the NRP party leader, the purpose of the press conference was to discuss many issues and the most important of which is his acceptance of the invitation by Mr. Halifa Sallah to a debate as well as to attend the international conference on Democracy and Good Governance which is scheduled to take place from the 18 to 19 May 2013. He said this conference is on democracy and good governance in the Gambia and is being organised by the Gambia Democratic Action Group and Save the Gambia Democracy Project, in conjunction with the other civil society groups, adding that various opposition parties including NRP are invited and that they have accepted the invitation. Mr. Bah told the journalists that he received a letter from Mr. Halifa Sallah inviting him to a debate on the “Way forward” and also making a lot of comments about the statement he (Bah) made during his last press conference. He said “I have accepted the invitation of honorable Sallah on the way forward but on a public forum.” The NRP leader said he chose the venue to be the Independent Stadium so that many people can attend. He said he would take the opportunity to appeal to all the media houses, both electronic and print, and in particular the national television (GRTS), to cover the event so as to enable everybody to see and hear what will be discussed on the way forward. He also called on all the professional bodies, including teachers, University of The Gambia (UTG), government, NGO’s etc to come and attend the debate. He said he is requesting for Mr. Demba Jawo to moderate the event since, according to him, he is an independent and impartial journalist and does not belong to any political party. The NRP leader said he would reserve his comments for now and expressed his hope that the debate will be a well organized event that will not make President Jammeh to laugh at them (opposition parties). He said Mr. Sallah is his brother, colleague and friend and so they will not be divided to that level. Mr. Bah said he read Halifa’s letter on the newspaper before receiving his copy and as such he is also going to respond to him on a newspaper before writing to him. He said Mr. Sallah has been inviting people to debates and they never turned up and that this is the first time he is inviting him (Bah) and he has fully accepted and will honour the invitation. Mr. Bah also talked about the letter written by the minority leader, who is a member of his party, inviting the president to the naming ceremony of his baby which, he said, was broadcast on national television. He defended the minority leader as someone who has every right to invite anybody to his naming ceremony. He however added that he wants to clarify to all that the minority leader did not inform the party about this invitation letter to the president. “I want to make clarification on a point. The NRP is willing to cooperate with the APRC in matters of nation interest,” said Mr. Bah. The NRP leader added that on the issue of cooperation with regard to national interest is not restricted to the APRC but extends to other institutions and organizations. He said his party will cooperate with any party, organization and institution toward the national interest. He said if the minority leader had invited the head of state in his individual capacity without mentioning NRP he would not have said anything. Responding to the question on the changes of the logo of the NRP, Mr. Bah said they have a problem in identifying the party boxes, noting that the IEC painted the ballot box of the Independent Candidate blue and also painted his party with the same colour. According to him, this is what has compelled them to change their logo to that of a cow. In response to a question on the reason behind selection of the cow as his party’s new logo, he said the change of the logo of his party has nothing to do with ethnicity as being alluded to, adding that there is a party which is also using as its logo the palm tree which is identified with a particular ethnic group. He said the cow is not used by anybody as a logo, adding that this is why the IEC had accepted the change. Mr. Bah called on the government to be giving subvention to the media houses so that they can be able to improve on the wages and salaries of their staff. He said he had listened to the World Press Freedom Day celebration but did not hear anything like that.
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Category: Burning Issues
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