Jammeh Cabinet Has 'Highest Turnover in West  Africa'

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_Gambia  Daily News_
(http://allafrica.com/publishers.html?passed_name=Gambia%20Daily%20News&passed_location=Banjul)  (Banjul)
March 11, 2005
Posted  to the web March 11, 2005
Momodou Trawally
PRESIDENT Yahya Jammeh has realised that his Cabinet may  have a reputation
in the sub region for being one of the institutions of  government with "the
highest turnover rate in west Africa", but reiterated that  the principle of
transparency and accountability in government, "is an ideology  as well as an
ideal that I believe in", and that those who join his government  must do so with
that attitude.
"They must know that at any given moment there will be  accountability, and
that you will all account for what you have done, wrong or  right", he
declared, recalling that "we came with that principle (when the army  took over in
July 1994)", and that "it was not an empty mere military slogan; it  is something
we believed in, because, we came to fix things that were going  wrong".
The occasion was the State House ceremony held at the  Cabinet room on
Thursday, presided over by the President, when the new Secretary  of State for
Finance and Economic Affairs, Margaret Keita, and the Secretary of  State for
Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tamsir Mbowe, took the oaths of office,  allegiance
and secrecy. Speaking after being sworn in, Mrs Keita thanked the  President
for appointing her.
"I wish to state that I would do my best to live up to his  expectations. I
would do my best to serve my country, and the public, and I ask  for the
support of the whole Cabinet, in doing that. I pray that God will give  us all the
strength and the courage to go on and deliver, as we should. Thank  you." Dr.
Mbowe thanked the President "for elevating me to this position. I am  indeed
humbled and honoured by this opportunity to serve the nation. I promise  to rise
to the challenge, and serve the nation with humility and dedication." He
thanked the Head of State "for the trust reposed in me."
President Yahya Jammeh speaking in response, congratulated  the two
newly-sworn in ministers, and welcomed them to "the family." Noting that  his Cabinet
has the reputation in the sub region of being one of the  institutions of
government "that has the highest turnover rate in west Africa",  President Jammeh
reminded his audience comprising a nearly full house of the  Cabinet
colleagues, senior government officials and reporters, that "it is not a  pleasure, but
as I have always said, we have made a pledge to deliver to the  Gambian
people. And we must deliver, by the grace of the Almighty Allah.
"It is not a pleasure for me to say good-bye to anybody; but  put yourself in
my position. Everybody looks up to us", he added, and that one  thing must be
asked - "why was development so rapid during the Transition  (period from
military to civilian rule, 1994 to 1996) when we were under  economic embargo?"
"The difference between now and then," he continued," is  that during the
Transition, "everyone was on his or her toes, for fear that if  he fails to
deliver, we do not waste time in getting you out of the way and  putting in
somebody".
"Democracy does not mean that we should take all the time in  the world, to
do what we are suppose to do - what you are suppose to do today  you must do
today. We don't have to put it off till tomorrow, because its  democracy. In
fact, if anything, democracy means hard work, because you are  given the mandate
by the people, an agreement and a mandate to run the country,  since they
"expect something from you". In fact, now that there is democracy,  "we should
have developed faster than before, so why then the slow down?"  President Jammeh
said people who come into his Cabinet usually start off very  well.
"When you come, you shine like the brightest light one can  ever see. You are
efficient. And then, five to six months, you start changing  your attitude",
becoming sneaky, complacent and dodgy.
"These are three things I would not accept".
"And if I have to change the Cabinet everyday, I will,  because I've sworn to
deliver. We all make mistakes; none of us is perfect. But  deliberate
mistakes are unacceptable.
"And the attitude that you are working for me is  unacceptable. If we all
buckle up like during the Transition, we could have  developed double the speed
we had during the Transition, when we had no  resources".
"But, what has been happening? When I go round the world  asking for
assistance, and then the assistance is promised, just for some of you  to just go and
work it out, you go and mesh it up so that it doesn't come in,  thinking it
will make me more popular. If you are a politician, and you have a  hidden
agenda, leave my Cabinet.
"If you think that you are not supporting the government;  you are not
supportive of the government, but you just want to be here, and you  want to come in
and sabotage the system of progress, you are asking for trouble.  Because, as
I said under Operation No Compromise, I would not hesitate to  dismiss
somebody from the Cabinet and send you to gaol".
The President recalled that he had made it very clear, about  two or three
years ago - "you remember the meeting we had here" - when he called  SOSs
including permanent secretaries and directors to a meeting at State  House.
Then, "I made it very clear that from now onwards, it would  not be a
question of sending somebody home, and then 'Yours Truly'... if you  think that you
are just coming in to make a quick kill, or make money fast and  be dismissed,
and you go away with that money, you are making a grave mistake. I  want that
to be very clear, to not only these two new people, but all of you who  were
here for a long time".
He warned those who would think of joining the Cabinet to  sabotage the
system, because Yahya Jammeh is popular, adding that unlike those  who pretend, his
love for this country is genuine, and that is why "Allah is  always on my
side - I live for the development of the country, and I live for  the welfare of
Gambians..." President Jammeh also warned those who "think that  you can come
in and fool me", adding, "you are fooling yourself, and you are  also asking
for trouble". "What is even more amazing is that some people will  still go
around and say I'm working for these boys. We are no longer boys", he  declared,
reminding his audience that a 39-year-old man cannot be called a boy,  any way
you choose to define "boy".
In any case, he will be 40 years old soon (in May 2005),  Jammeh pointed out.
Asking, what is the problem? Jammeh said "the problem is we  are not sincere
to ourselves. And, sooner or later it surfaces that you are not  sincere I
have no other alternative, but to tell you good-bye".
He also reminded all present that democracy does not provide  a licence for
corruption, "and those who think so are asking for trouble".  President Jammeh
recalled that in the days of the Transition, when "nobody gave  us a mandate,
and we were our own lords, and could have lorded it over the  people, our
intention was not to be lords over our people; our intention was to  serve the
people". He further recalled that at that time "we had so many  agencies
following people", such as the civil service inspection team which went  into offices.
"But do people need a special agency to follow them, for you to  work?"
"I think the most important thing to do is, if you are not  sincere, just
leave. Because, as I said, if I have to dismiss somebody everyday  from the
Cabinet, until I get what I want, I will. Because what I want is simple  - for
honest Gambians who will work with me, for us to achieve the objectives  set". He
went on, "it is really very frustrating to see some of you act in such  a way
that is detrimental and inimical to the rapid socio-economic development  of
this country. That is no longer going to be tolerated. I don't need to scare
anybody, but I mean what I'm talking about.
"Please for God sake, if we want this Cabinet to be stable,  let us be
sincere and work." He asserted that "for Finance to prepare a budget,  we have to
run after some of you, to bring the budget from your sectors. How  many times
have I told all of you, all the sectors, to come up with your own  development
plans, for your sector? So that when we are making projects, we can  take your
plans into consideration, so that we have a master plan of  development. Up to
now, some of you have not delivered. Or you deliver scanty  information," he
said, noting that "some will only respond when given a  deadline. Why do we
have to give you a deadline for something to be done?"
President Jammeh said being 40 means getting older. "I'm  getting very old.
Which means I have little patience. I'm making it very clear.  And I also want
the Gambians to understand my situation - some of you are not  helping; so if
you are not helping, you going home!" "So, for God's sake, if we  want to stop
this record of having the highest turnover rate, with regards to  ministers,
in the sub region, deliver! If you deliver, I have no problems with  you".
He noted that some have been in his Cabinet since July 1994,  and "it does
not mean that they are perfect; but when somebody makes a genuine  sincere
mistake, you understand, because nobody is perfect. "But when you try to  be
snakes...you know a snake cannot be a chameleon at the same time...you want  to be a
snake and a chameleon at the same time...that's the attitude of some
people".
President Jammeh also reminded his audience that "this is a  small country",
and that they were committing suicide who believed "that there  wouldn't be a
commission, and do the outrageous things that you have done. "I  think you
must be either sick, mad... because, we came in on the principle of  transparency
and accountability. So if you join my government, join my  government with
that attitude. Knowing that, at any given moment, there will be  accountability,
and that you will all account for what you have done, wrong or  right.
"Because we came with that principle - it was not an empty  mere military
slogan; it is something we believed in - is an ideology as well as  an ideal that
I believe in, because, we came to fix things that were going  wrong".
Therefore, one should expect that "if things continue to go wrong, we  will fix them
by using the same method, or even a more drastic method that we  used during
the Transition".
"So, for some of you to do what you have been doing, I think  you have been
committing suicide. And sooner or later, you will know what I'm  talking about,
because I am not going to spare anybody. Let that be very clear.  "...what is
important is, let us be honest and sincere. If you don't like the
government, please don't join the government. If you are not interested in the
socio-economic development of this country, then please don't join this  government,
because this government is for development".
Turning to the two new members of the Cabinet just sworn in,  the President
assured them that "I do not mean to scare the two of you," to  which Dr. Mbowe
replied, "we are not scared". "I just want you to understand",  President
Jammeh went on, pointing out that they must not allow themselves to be  misled by
colleagues who will tell them, "oh, my friend, this is not the way we  do
it..." "Each of you is responsible for your own area. So, whatever you think  is
in the best interest of the Gambian people, implement that."
They must not allow anyone to tell them how to run their  office although, of
course, people can give them genuine advice on technical  problems, or as
when they need advice on the way forward.           Relevant  Links      _West
Africa_ (http://allafrica.com/westafrica/)
_Sustainable  Development_ (http://allafrica.com/sustainable/)
_Gambia_ (http://allafrica.com/gambia/)
"But don't listen to people to give you advice that, when  followed, you will
not deliver. I think this should be understood...So please,  for God's sake,
let us work together and develop this country. This is a very  small country.
He said "with the prevailing atmosphere, with our standing  internationally,
we can develop this country faster than a rocket. But we must  be honest, and
we must be sincere to our country. We must be patriotic. If you  love your
country, you will die for your country."
The President concluded by pointing out that he had to say  so much, "because
it is important for everyone, including the Gambian people, to  understand
the reasons why some of you would just come for a week and you leave  (his
Cabinet)."

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