Laye, a good report from Foroyaa. However, the paper missed the million dollar question - What is the source of Yaya Jammeh's resources to the enslavement of Gambians? I'm sure Foroyaa knows this question needs to be asked, why don't they ask it? It seems to me neither the media nor the political leaders would remotely ask this simple question. Is it a crime to ask Yaya where he is getting the money to turn Gambians into beggars? Gambians are not however innocent of their enslavement by Yaya. The excuse is they are hungry to the point that they could not even say enough is enough. On the other hand, the politicians are busy prooving to Yaya how peaceful and Godly they are. We are not remotely ready for Prime Time!
 
Joe
 

> Date: Tue, 16 Aug 2011 14:53:55 -0500
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [G_L] Unbelievable! What Has Become of Gambia??
> To: [log in to unmask]
> 
> WE COULD NOT BELIEVE OUR EYES? CHARITY OR REVELATION OF POVERTY
> Author: Publisher | Date: 16-08-11 | Topic: Editorial
> 
> The supporters of the ruling party describe it as an act of generosity
> but Foroyaa has constantly lamented that the battle for biscuits
> thrown by the President and for milk, meat and sugar in plastic bags
> thrown to the crowd by the soldiers on behalf of the President reveals
> the high level of poverty in the Country. Statistics reveal that over
> 61 percent of the population is living in abject poverty in the
> Gambia.
> 
> 
> This became manifested on Friday, 12 August 2011 when we witnessed a
> stampeding crowd at both King Fahd Mosque in Banjul and the Ghadaffi
> Mosque in Serrekunda. Military trucks carried the food items and
> soldiers did the distribution. The Crowd consisted young men and
> women. Lactating mothers, those living with disability and some who
> appeared well dressed.
> 
> Many people would jump at the same time to grab the plastic bags. It
> was the survival of the fittest. The strong boys would elbow the
> lactating women and one would hear the complaints of injuries and
> insults. Some of the mothers were no longer conscious of the safety of
> the babies on their back as they battled for food. When over- powered
> they would accuse the boys of insensitivity and mercilessness.
> 
> One could hear the guys responding “Don’t say that. We are all equal
> here. What Kumba wants is also what Samba wants.” Some visually
> impaired men and women were also seen struggling in the midst of the
> uncontrollable crowd in order to attract the attention of a more
> sympathetic member of the mob who would grab or spare something for
> them. Apparently, everybody was busy trying to get one or more bags of
> the food item.
> 
> The worse aspect of the pandemonium was the physical confrontation of
> angry and hungry youth. The whole atmosphere was catastrophic. The
> more people heard about the food being distributed in the streets the
> more they turned up in their numbers hoping that mother luck would be
> in their favour.
> 
> It is very clear that the lottery mentality is developing in the
> Gambia. Many are expecting to get benefits out of nowhere, only few
> would realise their dream.
> 
> In our view the country needs certainty. It is not sufficient for the
> President to use military trucks to ferry gifts around or throw
> biscuits from his motorcade. This cannot feed hungry stomachs on a
> daily basis.
> 
> It goes without saying that selling meat at 75 dalasi for meat and
> bone and 90 dalasi for beef steak is not meant to reduce the poverty
> of the poor who receive less than 50 dalasi a day. What is clear as
> noon day is that a family of five would have to buy bread at four
> dalasi amounting to 20 dalasi, sugar at 9 dalasi per cup, milk at 10
> dalasi, and coffee 3 dalasi and tea bag 50 bututs. Hence a family of
> five needs 50 dalasi daily to eat empty bread and drink tea or coffee
> with milk. to As for lunch, a cup of rice is being sold in the market
> at 4 dalasi, 3 set of fish at 10 or 20 dalasi, 3 small onions at 10
> dalasi, 3 small firewood at 5 dalasi. In short if one does not have
> another 100 dalasi one would not be able to cook a regular meal.
> 
> Hence the throwing of biscuits and bags of food as well as the selling
> of meat and oil below what other business persons are selling will not
> automatically lead to the reduction of poverty.. On the contrary, the
> scramble for biscuits and other food items only shows more vividly the
> ugly face of poverty. What is needed is a welfare programme to address
> the problem of the poor in a dignified way. Secondly, the President
> needs to show the Gambian businessmen where he is buying oil and other
> commodities and then negotiate the retail price with the Gambia
> Chamber of commerce so that both the consumers and the retailers would
> be served.
> 
> 
> -- 
> -Laye
> ==============================
> "With fair speech thou might have thy will,
> With it thou might thy self spoil."
> --The R.M
> 
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