>From: "Foroyaa" <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: [log in to unmask] >To: "Sheikh Ndow" <[log in to unmask]> >CC: "Alagie Jobe" <[log in to unmask]>, "Alpha Robinson" ><[log in to unmask]>, "Basiru Ndow" ><[log in to unmask]>, "Haruna Darbo" <[log in to unmask]>, > "Joe Sambou" <[log in to unmask]>, "Jabou Joh" ><[log in to unmask]>, "Maba Jahu" <[log in to unmask]>, "Mbye Ceesay" ><[log in to unmask]>, "Ndey Tida Kejera" ><[log in to unmask]>, "Pasamba Jow" <[log in to unmask]>, > "Sarian Loum" <[log in to unmask]>, "Sheikh Faye" ><[log in to unmask]>, "Musa Famara" <[log in to unmask]>, > "Musa Manneh" <[log in to unmask]>, "Omar Touray" ><[log in to unmask]>, "pdois group" <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: [pdois] FOROYAA Burning Issue >Date: Tue, 19 Feb 2002 13:00:31 -0000 > > >FOROYAA > > > >NO: 7/2002 19 - 21 February, 2002 > > > >Editorial >Citizen FM Is Missed > >Radio Gambia and the National TV plus the independent press had tried to >cover the sittings of the National Assembly. However none of the media >houses have be able to give the direct and timely coverage that Citizen FM >used to give. Citizen FM used to focus on the main points of the contention >during its news coverage and then broadcast the sittings immediately after >its news programme. > >Many patriots have been lamenting that Citizen FM is still off the air and >the National Radio is unable to cover important deliberations like the >National Assembly sittings with consistency. The press can only cover some >points. Hence only some aspects of what happened could be comprehended. > >There was a very interesting debate on the constitutionality of the first >session of the National Assembly. Part of the sittings were focused on by >the TV but essential points which revealed the whole picture were missed. >Some people have tried to give the picture that the minority parties are >only involved in criticising lapses in procedure. Some felt that the >Speaker was maintaining a strong arm position to suppress some members of >the minority parties. > >In fact, the Speaker claim that he was new on the seat that he was not >incompetent and that things will improve with more knowledge of the >Standing Orders, all indicate that the issues are not the question of >stubborness or strong arm Speaker but one of competence, maturity and >sincerity. > >It is very clear from the contributions that the members of the minority >are moving away from empty criticisms of the government and are now engaged >in substantive analysis. However if there is no media coverage the real >developments in the National Assembly will not be fully conveyed to the >people. > >Citizen FM is being keenly awaited > > >Independence And Today's Gambia >On 18th February 2002 the country commemorates the 37th anniversary of its >indenpedence. Attempts had been made to give 22nd July more prominence than >18th February since the coup d'etat of 1994. > >However 18th February has again been given more focus this year with the >invitation of president Abdoulie Wadda. National events should be a time >for reflection. Many people are still wondering about the significance of >February 18th, April 24 and 22nd July. > >It is important to point out that independence comes when the sovereignty >of a nation no longer resides in the hands of a foreign power or state. Two >types of independent nations have been known. The first type came into >being when national monarches led their people against the domination of >other foreign powers and then established independent kingdoms of their >own. In many places such monarches ultimately set up constitutions and >parliaments to help in the running of the countries. In such countries the >kings stay as the executives while prime ministers run cabinets and >parliaments pass bills which have to be assented to by the kings. > >Such a system of government is called constitutional monarchy. Morocco, >Lesotho and so on are examples of independent countries governed by >monarchs. > >On the other hand there are independent countries which are not under the >sovereign rule of the foreign powers or local monarchs. Such independent >states where sovereignty resides in the people are called independent >Republics. > >The most advanced form of independent state is the Republic. > >The lesson that Gambians should learn is that on the 18th February 1965 a >foreign monarch still held executive power in the Gambia. This is why the >British monarch had the authority to appoint a Governor General to >represent her in the Gambia. This is why section 32 of the constitution of >the 1965 stated : > > "There shall be a parliament which shall consist of Her Majesty and a >House of Representatives." Section 62 subsection (1) further added: > >"The executive authority of The Gambia is vested in Her Majesty." > >Section 60 subsection (1) indicated: > >"The Governor-General may at any time progue or dissolve parliament". > >Section 56 sub section (1) added : > >"The power of Parliament to make laws shall be exerciseable by bills >passed by the House of Representatives and assented to by the >Governor-General on behalf of Her Majesty." > >Section 29 emphasises a foreign monarch to appoint the Governor-General. It >reads: > >" There shall be a Governor-general who shall be appointed by Her Majesty >and shall hold office during Her Majesty's pleasure and who shall be Her >Majesty's representative in the Gambia." > >This is why Gambia cannot be said to have become independent in 1965. It >is on 24th April 1970 that The Gambia became completely free from the >sovereign authority of a foreign power and became an independent republic. >On 22nd July 1994 the Gambia was still politically independent. However the >Republic was overthrown since the leaders no longer owed their power to >the consent of the people. The real date that is worth commemorating is >24th April 1970. > > > >Independence Celebration > >Speech With A Difference > >Time For Stock Taking >FOROYAA wondered what there was to celebrate. We were therefore waiting >keenly to hear what the president had to say to the Gambian people. >Apparently the president himself realised that the Gambia is as dependent >as ever after 37 years of so called independence. He therefore decided to >give an ironical speech which is likely to go down well with anyone who is >not interested in flowery ceremonial speeches. > >The president started by indicating on the 18th of February 2002 at the >Stadium in Bakau that it was time for stock taking. > >The President welcomed President Wadda to the Gambia and indicated that his >presence confirms the importance he attaches to Senegalo Gambian >relationship. > >That the celebration attaches importance to civil rights and liberties; >that children are are exposed to danger, casualties to war, refugee >stations, hunger, illiteracy and epidemic, external indebtedness and poor >economic circumstances of least developed countries. > >President Jammeh indicated that children are the focus of the government; >that for 37 years we are still importing candles, matches." What have the >colonialists done for us for 400 years. Political independence is >meaningless unless we have economic independence. Independence will not >come from the sky. The 21st century is the century of the survival of the >fittest. We have to work, we have to acquire skills. How long will we >benefit from that benevolence of others? he asked. He said that Gambian >youths must be educated and disciplined; that there must be a change of >attitude. He emphasised that we must change our attitudes in order to be >responsible for Gambia's future. > >President Jammeh indicated that the independence of the Gambia is linked to >the independence of Senegal; that the two countries must unite; that >Africa must unite; that Gambia and Senegal are inseparable; that we either >swim together or sink together; that Gambia ns will always be willing to >move with the Senegalese people; that Africans must unite, stop killing >each other so that there will be development. > >He left the children with the message that to drink tea one must have >water; that Gambians must provide their own water. President Jammeh >indicated that all Gambians must engage in stock taking; that to have >sugar, tea cup and coffee without water will not enable a person to drink >coffee; that Gambians must realise that we cannot continue to import >everything and still see ourselves as independent. He emphasised that >intolerance, hate, racism destroyed the world. We human beings must make >the world a haven; that humanity is challenged by one disease; that of hate >and intolerance. That intolerance and terrorism must be fought in all their >forms. That tolerance will breed destruction; that there must be tolerance >of diversity; that unless we love each other as different tribes, religions >the nation cannot move forward; that is easier to destroy than to build. >That young people must prepare to be parents tomorrow and therefore respect >their parents and teachers today. That teachers and parents should import >on the children high moral values. > >That children must prepare themselves to be the judges, the tailors, the >shopkeepers and so on in order to prepare to be part of an independent >country. > >FOROYAA considers the speech to be one with a difference because it was >free from any mystification of the realities of the country. > > > >Education For All By When? >It has been a universal principle that education is a right and not a >privilege. The world set up an agenda for the year two thousand (2000) to >give rise to free and compulsory education at the basic educational level >under section 30 paragraph (a) of the Gambia Constitution which states in >section 30 that all persons shall have the right to equal educational >opportunities and facilities and with a view to achieving the full >realisation of that right and Paragraph a indicated that basic education >shall be free, compulsory and available to all. > >In his state of the nation address at the national assembly president >Jammeh indicated that the government will also strive to provide free >education for children in lower basic and upper basic schools in a gradual >manner. That in the not too distance future, all girls will benefit from >the scholarship scheme for girls to encourage their enrolment relation and >performance in school. > > Many wonder whether the provision of free basic education is not a >dream. The fact of the matter is that the scholarship scheme is providing >approximately 1800 girls in upper basic and secondary schools in the CRD >and URD with sponsorship to the live of 1.7 million dalasis. Suffice it to >say a sum of 1 million had to be requested for by the president's office >for expenditure on the president's inauguration. If the sum spent on the >inauguration and the independence celebration are put together, other 1800 >girls could be provided with sponsorship. In short we can never achieve our >goal if free and compulsory basic education on the basis of self reliance >unless we cut the fact out of government expenditure we must do away with >wastage and extravagance and sacrifice for the nation to develop. This is >the only way forward. The other way is to depend on foreign donor and grant >which is not sustainable. > > > >Boat Capcised In The Sea > >A fire ravaged the house of one Mr Alagie Ceesay, a resident of Ebo Town on >Friday morning. > > Alagie who operates a canteen near Super Bird told Foroyaa that he >was at his place of work when the fire started, pointing out that he >was informed by one of the neighbours that their compound was on fire. >According to him, upon arrival at the scene, he found out that the fire was >at its peak. > > "The fire burnt my refrigerator, cupboard, television set, video, >money, beds, clothes , etc. I have some of my money inside my safe, the >safe is burnt but I don't know whether the money inside is burnt", he >lamented. > > Majang Jobe, a tenant at the compound narrated that he too was >not in when the fire started, but was later called by one of the >neighbours. Jobe noted that he lost valuable properties, pointing out that >all his belongings and that of his room mates were burnt to ashes. He noted >that even though he lost enormous sums of money and things, he could not >tell what started the fire. He pointed out that most of the items his >room mates purchased for the Tobaski were devasted by the fire. > > Lamin Fatty, one of the neighbours who came to extinguish the fire >said the fire brigades from Serrekunda fire station came to the scene with >inadequate water. He further stated that some of the people who came to >quench off the fire got minor injuries during the course of the exercise. > > Most of the people at the scene were heard blaming the fire >service for not measuring up to expectations. The fire officers at the >scene declined to comment on the matter, instead they referred our reporter >to their public relations officer who could not be reached at the time for >comments. It could be recalled that the Public Relations Officer of the >Fire Service Department, Haddy Konneh, had earlier informed this paper >that their tanks are always full, but then a tank can only take 400 gallons >of water. She said years back, the fire tenders they could take 800 >gallons. She also told this paper that their tanks discharge 150 litres of >water per minute, which means once they start discharging water, the tank >empties within a period of three to five minutes. She noted that the >vehicles are expected to operate well where hydrants exist since the tank >will be connected to the hydrant as the tank empties its water on the fire. > > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp. <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>