Hello again -

For the great benefit of having Dumo and his co-accused freed, we will
tolerate, only so far, the carrot and stick games of this regime.  The
majority of those in attendance had no idea that two square meals a day for
the average Gambian was a luxury, that our society has been reduced to a
beggar-dom, that there is no such thing as accountability and transparency
or probity, that there is no freedom of the press, or that law and justice
took flight when the soldiers with a difference marched in.  Granted, the
reps from the government were not there to talk about my musings or the
realities on the ground.  They were there to sell the idea that trade with
the Gambia is a good thing.  Yes, it is a good thing but for whom?

The representatives extolled the virtues of our "democracy", our wonderful
health care and communication systems, amongst the reasons why to invest in
our country. The media bill which in effect, puts into law the further
muzzling of the press, opened up the question and answer session at Howard
on Monday.

Pa Samba averred the failure of the delegation to mention the media amongst
the independent institutions in the country.  He said he found it
interesting given that the media suffers the "brunt of the government's
harsh treatment of people".  He followed with this question - "Mr. Jagne,
you stated that investment will result to growth and stability.  How do you
expect people to invest in a country whose government is one of the most
vicious dictatorships in Africa, where people who are deemed to be opponents
of the government are targeted and seen as enemies?  You do not have to take
my work for this but you can go to the internet and check the Amnesty report
and the US state department report."

"We were told that there would be Gambians who would be hurling insults at
the Gambia regardless of what we say here" responded Blaise Jagne, after
which asked Mr. Sallah to respond.

"If the Gambia was as bad as this man is making it to be, then we would not
be doing business with the US.  We all know that the US does not do business
with governments that are not democratic."  He went on to name the number of
private radio stations and print media houses and briefly mentioned the
incident when supporters of the regime set a radio station on fire.

Saul Saidy Khan told them to drop that crap and educated them, not that I
think they are ignorant of them, about the countries that the US does
business with and how anathema democracy is to them.  Saul asked how they
can brag about being #3 for good governance when they cannot account for
$500 million from the crude oil saga being investigated in Nigeria.  Of
course, Mr. Sallah downplayed the issue, calling into question the
credibility of the newspaper that reported the deal and that Gambia
government responded to the inquiries.  In effect, saying that there were no
improprieties in regards to the crude oil.

Yes, they kept repeating this #3 standing which, like a magic pill, has
catapulted them into this regime that does everything right and as a result,
has qualified and has been accepted into the world's business circles.

I welcomed and thanked them for representing our country so well.  I said
that if their pronouncements and hopes come to fruition, Gambia will benefit
which hopefully, will result in the cessation of children eating out of
dumpsters, that with our health care system being what they say it is, the
president's wife can now take her baby to our able doctors for well-baby
visits instead of jetting to the US for such.  Having said that, I reminded
them of what they said - that the government bought tractors for our
farmers, agriculture being the backbone of our economy.  I wanted them to
tell the audience why our farmers could not afford to buy their own tractors
and what their earning power is.  This was never answered.  Instead we were
treated "to my family use our health facilities" and I don't know what the
president's wife does and that the country is a poor developing country,
that the country now graduates so many students who do not have to come here
and spend so much money to be educated, and that perhaps I am able to raise
these issues because of my privileged station in life and should go home -
excuses ad nauseam.

None of their responses was a surprise.  Except for Blaise Jagne's
disingenuousness in responding to Pa Samba and former ambassador Hailey's
sad comment that Gambia was the finest and most stable country in Africa and
that Pa Samba should do more research to know his country, no surprises.
Interestingly, the ambassador was not there for the whole session so that Pa
Samba could make good on his promise to speak to him afterwards.  Yes,
Gambia is a fine country but stability is relative.  If we are being
compared to the Ivory Coast of Sierra Leone, or Liberia, of course it is
stable.  However, ask those whose rights and liberties are abrogated on the
whim of gun totting, torture enjoying do-no-gooders, and they may tell you
differently.

Thanks for your indulgence and the struggle continues.

Soffie

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