From the 2002 National Budget, supposedly lies the development roadmap,
or lack of it, to our dear country. The National Budget event has become
a yearly ritual to our political and social evolution. The reading of
the budget that takes for hours is somehow a necessity to our democratic
values, but ironically serious debates from civic groups and interested
parties and most importantly the lack of any form of serious debate from
the legislature. Other points that I found rather interesting, maybe
some one can help with the constitutionality of it.  What is the role of
the legislature in regards to the putting together of the budget and the
final approval of the National budget?

It is very interesting to read the comparison of the deliberation of the
National Budget by SM Dibba in the seventies, and Mr. Jatta’s 2002
Budget. And to re-echo Katim’s sentiments, after 30 years of National
budget deliberations, has there been significant changes in terms of the
lives of average Gambians. And it is with this backdrop that brings me
to the spirit of this paper. There should be a refocus to the role of
Municipalities, Area councils and City governments in terms of giving
them significant roles, It is over due to start holding these offices
accountable for development initiatives. It is time to remove functional
illiterates and replace them with effective Administrators.  Unless
Municipalities, Area councils, Cities and Towns start to play a
significant role in our development challenges, the average Gambian
would continue to find this whole National budget ritual meaningless and
would always questions its impact to their social and economic lives. I
was born in Kaur, and have heard of an office call the Area council, of
course like many Kaurians; we have always expected the National
Government to bring in the electricity, the roads and other
infrastructure developments. Well, we are still waiting. I have never
heard of the annual budget of the Kaur Area council, Its annual revenue
flow, whether in terms of Government subvention, taxes collected? Or
annual development projects within the area. Ok maybe, I am expecting a
little bit too much because Kaur is just a Town in the rural areas, and
most of the real organization and structures are concentrated within the
colony. I have also spent my adult live in Banjul, and cannot recall the
city buzz with the annual budget from the BCC. The Annual budget for the
city of Banjul would most likely have a direct impact to the daily lives
of the people in the city. It would be interesting to review the 2001
budget for the city of Banjul, in terms of tax collections and
infrastructure development layout plans. What strategic plan does the
Mayor of Banjul has to bring Bathurst back to its heydays?

A friend of mine once told me, I have a D500, 000 home at Kerr Seringe
and I am surrounded by expensive homes. This is one area that most
Gambians would like to live in, and most are willing to start small
businesses and services in areas like these in the metropolitan area of
the Kombos, but there is absolutely no infrastructure development in
these areas. Kerr Seringe and Kotu are well known as the Real estate
investment dream for most Gambian, and they have been around for the
last twenty years, and there is not a not a single road constructed in
most of these areas. During the rainy season, Kerr seringe and most of
these expensive dream areas are inaccessible, not to mention
electricity, water supply and other service amenities. I have never paid
any property taxes, my friend lamented and most of my rich neighbors
have not either, and this may logically explain the lack of
infrastructure development in most of these areas. I am told we are
under Brikama Area council, and I seriously doubt that they have any
effective structure for the collection of taxes, or governance for that
matter. The only official link between Brikama Area council to our city
is the Alkalo, and with him God helps us. The Man is incapable of his
functions, uneducated, cannot read or write and is clueless to how
government works, and corrupt to the core. If there is any fees or taxes
been collected, I am really interested to know the structure in place
and how are these funds use for the development of the area. Having that
kind of awareness about the reading of the National budget should be
extended to these local municipalities and start holding these
Administrators accountable, this will at least create the structure and
help us begins to address the development challenges of our City. The
KMC is one of the most notable and influential municipalities; here you
have kanifing, Bakau, kotu, The Fajara and Serekunda and Jesewang. The
KMC if brought under a dynamic, effective leadership can be the
lightening rod for the development of the Kombos and can set the tone
for the development of The Gambia. Unless these governments are given
the challenge and the expectation of delivering the goods, there is
always of course corruption, but worst a lack of serious structure and
accountability makes these offices useless. I f we continue to hold
President Jammeh, or ExPresidefnt Jawara for the lack of development of
these municipalities and areas, these areas and cities will continue to
deteriorate. President Jammeh cannot be accountable if the trash in
serekunda is not getting pickup, or if not a single road is constructed
in the Kanifing area. We have to start holding the KMC chairman, Mayor
of Banjul and Area council leaders equally accountable for the issues
confronting their cities and areas, and this would at least focus on the
issues that affect our daily lives. If we start focusing on these so
called local champions, and start putting the heat on, budgetary issues
from them will bring some of it closer to home.

The National Government and the 2002 National budget may have the
answers to our development challenges, but to expect the 2002 National
Budget to significantly affect our daily lives is wishful thinking on
our part. There has to be a new thinking and attitude towards city and
local governments. The creation of effective city and Area governments
can have a direct impact to the lives of Gambians. Imagine a City
government at Kerr Seringe that taxes are effectively collected, and an
annual community budget that will begin to address road development,
schools and other amenities. Local leaders can be held accountable for
the development the area, or the lack of it for that matter.  Take for
instance, Fajara, it has always been one area that every successful
person wanted to live, it is also known for having expensive houses and
I am yet to see one single road constructed by the KMC inside the
Fajara, or street lights for that matter. There is a need to revisit the
role of community governments in our search for making a difference in
the lives of Gambians, and the National Government alone has not done it
yet, and is incapable of doing it. Effective City and Community
governments hold the key to at least confront the infrastructure
development of our cities and towns. The 2002 National budget, yes
crucial to our development roadmap, but the non-existence of serious and
effective municipal and city governments will make our development
initiatives very difficult indeed. President Jammeh is preoccupied with
the macro-economic forces and our relationship with funding agencies,
and I will be able to sleep better if Kaur Area Council with a serious
local government is looking into development challenges of my dear
Dandimayo and its surroundings.

Musa Jeng

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