I hear you Lamin, And as Muhamed Ali would say "What ever it means (Optimist) if it is good I am that" lol. Anyway, I hear you loud and clear and the only reason I am optimistic is because I look beyond Jammeh, beyond the dictators of Africa. By the way the $14 is just a token of what was being paraded. If you watched the signing ceremony at the business forum there were project projected to cost over $700 billion dollars over a period of time... so.. I wanted to be optimistic that if we have a Lamin Darboe as President then am certain you will represent our best interest and demand our fair share of the pie... If we have level headed leaders, leaders who care about the future of our continent then Africa can certainly benefit from these investments... I look at China and the emerging markets in Asia, even thought you can reasonably argue that American businesses continue to make fortunes in those markets example Wal Mart the local people are economically benefiting through employment and rise in standard of living.. .This is the lens through which I see Africa benefiting from such a summit.. of course there are challenges but think about 20 to 50 years or even later for Africa when you and I are probably no longer around... Thanks always LJD Demba On Wed, Aug 6, 2014 at 11:06 AM, Lamin Darbo <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > An optimist you are Demba, but there is nothing wrong with that. > > I wish only to point out that Africa is not a country, and US$14 billion, > the potential investment headline figure being bandied around in some > quarters, is not a lot of money in continental terms. It appears that most > of the cash comes in as foreign direct investment, and that does not work > multi-laterally. A significant proportion of the countries would have > virtually nothing of this headline figure for any of several reasons, > including resource poverty. You know quite well that western businesses > don't do charity. Always about the bottom line! > > And countering your point on the US markets, can we sell anything to a > market that sophisticated and regulated. Can we compete in a market with > such high standards? Its all about resources and services, extracting one, > and offering the other. > > Even in the UK, q major domestic bank like Barclays are > downsizing internally even as it opens branches in African countries. That > is a major corporate decision, and Barclays will be offering services > expected to yield premium returns. Barclays did this on the back of > retrenching thousands of employees in the UK. > > So the opportunity is principally America's. In light of the legal climate > for business in much of Africa, 'investment' may pursue areas where profits > are not tied to the very long term. Better to make your money and get out > before losing everything. In our own country, Alementa, and the recent high > profile expulsions of foreign businessmen (Lebanese), are cases in point. > Do you think the Professor is likely to inspire confidence in any potential > 'investors'? If not, why is he in the States? > > And to tell a whole continent you are about to invest the earth-shaking > amount of $14 billion? Nigeria claimed it could not account for US$29 > billion of its oil revenue. Extraordinary by every measure. > > Our activists won the day for us in Washington DC, and I'm happy to accept > that as part of the US promised 'investments'. I'm not sure we are about to > encounter any rush of *bona fide* 'investors' scouting for opportunities > in Banjul. > > Uncle Sam, as ever, put on a show for the ages! Kudos to America, and > shame on Africa's rulers for bothering to be in the White House. > > > > > LJDarbo > > > On Tuesday, 5 August 2014, 23:55, Demba Baldeh <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > > > Thanks LJD, I absolutely agree with a lot of your points, but also want to > point out that it is up to Africans to take advantage of such initiatives > and demand to be a leader in controlling what rightfully belongs to them. > It is indisputable that US is one of if not the biggest market in terms of > investment. So for Africa to have the opportunity to access US markets and > for US businesses to invest in Africa it is a great opportunity... > > Now the question is whether our leaders will live to our expectations by > taking advantage of this situation. Africa without a doubt is the last > frontier in terms of economic prosperity and political freedom. So I think > we also need to look at the potentials of such an opportunity... > > Watching the Business forum I think there were significant projects > initiatives signed by heads of business executives. It is a matter of what > will Africa demand at the table... I see positive things from this summit > and again you can call me an optimist... > > Thanks > > Demba > > > On Tue, Aug 5, 2014 at 8:06 AM, Lamin Darbo <[log in to unmask]> > wrote: > > I say an utterly worthless jamboree for the ordinary of Gambia, and the > rest of Africa. > > Even more confounding is the rather perplexing issue of rulers, and a > continent, that refuses to grow up in international transactions, public, > or private. If there is any benefit at all, the US is the main beneficiary, > economically speaking, considering Africa's widely accepted status as a > major, virtually untapped market. It is a vast emerging market for buying > and selling, and on either side of that coin, US businesses have the > resources, and the expertise, and every conceivable advantage considering > the clout that anchors Uncle Sams global merchants transacting across > international boundaries. If someone needs you, he comes to you, not you to > him. Childish rulers leading resource-rich countries in a global economic > climate every bit saturated for the mature economies in their own internal > markets. The scramble is truly under-way and with rulers interested in the > now, individual countries, and the continent, would be short-changed > however you look at it. And the ensuing contracts, some very long term, are > going to be enforced by international rules that work only against the > powerless. > > The US is well aware that decision making in Africa, even in the somewhat > admirable countries like Senegal, and Ghana, is still a one-stop-shop, and > therefore quite immature. There is effectively no scrutiny of even > transactions that bind a country for decades in the future. All an > 'investor' needs is to sort out a few persons to freely loot a national > economy. > > A sad occasion indeed as there is no need talking about governance in a > gathering whose sole purpose is enlarging the US economic base. > > > LJDarbo > > > > > > > On Monday, 4 August 2014, 23:19, Burama Jammeh <[log in to unmask]> > wrote: > > > What was the purpose? How realistic? Or photo-up for both sides? What was > talked about? How binding? > > Was anyone concern with democracy and the protection of the rights of the > people. Or more aid for Ebola and other problems continuous bad governance > caused and/or compounded? > > What's the real benefit? Who're the beneficiaries? Why domestic > oppositions/CSOs not invited to counter government heavy-handedness? Or > they believe governments will police themselves without vigilant citizens? > > Should the later happen - who will represent Gambian dissents? Giving we > have no National Face! > > What say you? > > Burama > ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ To > unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web > interface at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html > To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: > http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.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://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html > To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: > http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l To contact the > List Management, please send an e-mail to: > [log in to unmask] > ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ > > > > > -- > *"Be the change you want to see in the World"* > ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ To > unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web > interface at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html > To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: > http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.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://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html > > To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: > http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l To contact the > List Management, please send an e-mail to: > [log in to unmask] > ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ > -- *"Be the change you want to see in the World"* ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤