Confirming what most people already know, Gambia is showing signs of
inability to service its debts. This was confirmed by a senior economist at
a seminar at the MDI not long ago. The economist had indicated to the
audience that the IMF had written a stern letter of warning to the
government after they were a month overdue in arrears. This is significant
because at a time when the government is showing off flying fighter planes
it is finding it difficult to meet its financial obligations. This truly is
ironic, for in any planning programme I assume that the theory of the three
concentric circles apply, that is meeting the needs of the essentials,  the
necessities and then the nice to haves. But it appears that those
responsible for designing  policies have got their priorities wrong. Instead
of focusing on the provision of the essentials they are focused on the nice
to haves. One would have thought that the government with all its rhetorics
will focus on providing basic necessities, but at a time when things have
become deserate our priorities should not be geared towards war
preparations, this is absolutely misleading.

I hope the call for so-called foreigners to regularise their stay is not
designed to be a penchant diplomatic response against certainly
nationalities. If this happens to be the case it would be serious diplomatic
blunder for instead of enhancing commonality it would be very divisive. In
this day and age Africans should not be experiencing certain types of
treatment within the continent, I do appreciate the fact that we must
protect our geo-political integrity but not at the expense of humilliating
and treating our fellow Africans in a humilliating fashion. The Gambia can
only benefit as a haven in the sub-region, those that come there in the hope
of economic bettement should be encouraged, after all they contribute
towards the labour market cosequently adding value to the economy. I hope
the way the police go about this is will not invoke sentiments of revenge
from other countries. Afterall Gambians are scattered all over the world
contributing in their own way towards the economy. Imagine how the
government will cope if all those Gambians were to be sent back home,
obviously they will not be able to cope considering that the Gambia is
already experincing economic hardships of unprecedented magnitude.

The rhetoric about Pan-Africanism must be matched by positive concrete
action. One would have been gullible to believe that Africans will never
experience any form of harassment under Jammeh considering his rhetoric, but
the facts do not tally with the experience. Africans do sign treaties in
defence of their citizens but this means nothing to non law abiding
presidents, at then whiff of their arms they can consign all those hitherto
protocols or agrrements into oblivion.

I hope the Gambians will not scapegoat their African brothers and sisters as
responsible for the woes of the economy. Instead of being myopic or looking
for scapegoats the leadership should confer to the people the reality. The
economic mess we are in is maily due to the loans that were taken under
Jawara as well as under Jammeh. The leadership should have the audacity to
tell the people that they are building roads and hospitals with loans that
have  high rates of intrests which would be paid by the sweat of the hard
working ordinary people. It must be made clear that the state operates only
as debt collector to money lending organisations that do sometimes impose
unbearable conditions. They must inform the people catergorically that the
country is living above it's means and that is why some people oppose taking
more debts.

If the leadership had been honest to the people and the proceed to impose
stringent economic policies especially state wastage they could go a long
way in helping the country. But no instead what charactersie the nation is
wastage and propagander, wherever the presidents goes he showers the youths
and the village with enormous amounts of money that he may not be able to
account for from his wages, that is precisely why I feel that the money
given to Gambians in the USA should have been refused out of conscience. In
what country can you find  a president dishing out money as Jammeh does it
is absolutely ridiculous, the reality of it is catching up with the people
and all those who shared in accepting such a money should take part of the
blame. A country that cannot fulfil its international financial obligations
as well as pay its farmers should not be able to give charity, it is
abosolute madness to say the least. I hope Gambians especially those in the
diaspora will avoid such cheap way of giving their allegiance.


pan- africanism


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