Culled from the Independent:  15/02/02

 

I would resign if I cannot influence a process Halifa Sallah tells National Assembly

The National Assembly member for Serrekunda Central Halifa Sallah has vowed to resign from his seat if he cannot play any influential role in the country’s democratization process.

Speaking on the adjournment debate last week, Honourable Sallah stated that as a representative of the people in the National Assembly, he would not continue to serve as a member of the Assembly if he cannot influence the process in their interest. He added that he is not in the assembly to build an image or privilege at the expense of the electorates. He said he has lived all his life trying to fight against image laundering. What was important he said was for members to understand that they all have the interest of developing the country at heart despite their politician differences. He observed that one couldn’t develop a nation without acknowledging the reality and truth on the ground regarding the living conditions of the people. “We cannot be afraid of ideas as the 21st century is an era of ideas and all those without ideas would not survive.

Honourable Sallah further noted that he was not elected to give lectures to the National Assembly but stressed his hatred for what he called intellectual arrogance, which he said was to blame for the lack of development. He added that as National Assembly members they have the capacity, will and sense of mission to influence a process, which are in the interest of the people.

He noted that the claim being made by his colleagues that the country is developed is far fetched hence according to him, the reality of the Gambian situation is such that poverty and lack of development have made him witness the scene of a child on barefoot in Serrekunda scavenging in a trash dump. “How can one say that the country is developed under such circumstances” he asked, adding that such phenomenon is the crisis of the African continent since Africans choose to ignore the realities on the ground. He noted that the suffering and hardship on the Gambian people must be acknowledged by all members.

He said it was important to own up to the fact that this situation cannot be eradicated by the so-called development projects as 69 percent of the population are living in abject poverty. He said it was hard to understand why government officials say they were caring for the welfare of Gambians. “Who can convince me that I don’t love the country and that you love the country more” he asked, facing the majority leader Baba Jobe.

Halifa added that all issues he raised at the Assembly are guided by the premise that all development projects must have an integrated form of planning that would benefit the Gambian people in order to alleviate their sufferings. Reacting to criticism from the APRC members that he exaggerate the economic situation in the country, Honourable Sallah quoted the SOS for Finance Famara Jatta’s deliberation on the budget speech that the foreign asset of the banking sector, which was at 894.7000000 at the end of September 2001 has experienced a substantial decline of 50.7 percent compared to December 2000 whiles the next foreign asset of the Central Bank went down by 12.1 percent. “I don’t have any reason to exaggerate but highlight the truth” he said, adding that the Secretary of State for Finance has stated that the burden in the country is no longer sustainable and as a result it is hampering government’s efforts to alleviate poverty, which is covered by the debt service of the budget ratio currently at 30 percent. “Is that not a crisis” he inquired.

He said it was significant for his colleagues to know that he was trained to work for the betterment of people and not build privileges at the expense of poor Gambians.