Jammeh Cabinet Has 'Highest Turnover in West Africa'
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_Gambia Daily News_
(http://allafrica.com/publishers.html?passed_name=Gambia%20Daily%20News&passed_location=Banjul) (Banjul)
March 11, 2005
Posted to the web March 11, 2005
Momodou Trawally
PRESIDENT Yahya Jammeh has realised that his Cabinet may have a reputation
in the sub region for being one of the institutions of government with "the
highest turnover rate in west Africa", but reiterated that the principle of
transparency and accountability in government, "is an ideology as well as an
ideal that I believe in", and that those who join his government must do so with
that attitude.
"They must know that at any given moment there will be accountability, and
that you will all account for what you have done, wrong or right", he
declared, recalling that "we came with that principle (when the army took over in
July 1994)", and that "it was not an empty mere military slogan; it is something
we believed in, because, we came to fix things that were going wrong".
The occasion was the State House ceremony held at the Cabinet room on
Thursday, presided over by the President, when the new Secretary of State for
Finance and Economic Affairs, Margaret Keita, and the Secretary of State for
Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tamsir Mbowe, took the oaths of office, allegiance
and secrecy. Speaking after being sworn in, Mrs Keita thanked the President
for appointing her.
"I wish to state that I would do my best to live up to his expectations. I
would do my best to serve my country, and the public, and I ask for the
support of the whole Cabinet, in doing that. I pray that God will give us all the
strength and the courage to go on and deliver, as we should. Thank you." Dr.
Mbowe thanked the President "for elevating me to this position. I am indeed
humbled and honoured by this opportunity to serve the nation. I promise to rise
to the challenge, and serve the nation with humility and dedication." He
thanked the Head of State "for the trust reposed in me."
President Yahya Jammeh speaking in response, congratulated the two
newly-sworn in ministers, and welcomed them to "the family." Noting that his Cabinet
has the reputation in the sub region of being one of the institutions of
government "that has the highest turnover rate in west Africa", President Jammeh
reminded his audience comprising a nearly full house of the Cabinet
colleagues, senior government officials and reporters, that "it is not a pleasure, but
as I have always said, we have made a pledge to deliver to the Gambian
people. And we must deliver, by the grace of the Almighty Allah.
"It is not a pleasure for me to say good-bye to anybody; but put yourself in
my position. Everybody looks up to us", he added, and that one thing must be
asked - "why was development so rapid during the Transition (period from
military to civilian rule, 1994 to 1996) when we were under economic embargo?"
"The difference between now and then," he continued," is that during the
Transition, "everyone was on his or her toes, for fear that if he fails to
deliver, we do not waste time in getting you out of the way and putting in
somebody".
"Democracy does not mean that we should take all the time in the world, to
do what we are suppose to do - what you are suppose to do today you must do
today. We don't have to put it off till tomorrow, because its democracy. In
fact, if anything, democracy means hard work, because you are given the mandate
by the people, an agreement and a mandate to run the country, since they
"expect something from you". In fact, now that there is democracy, "we should
have developed faster than before, so why then the slow down?" President Jammeh
said people who come into his Cabinet usually start off very well.
"When you come, you shine like the brightest light one can ever see. You are
efficient. And then, five to six months, you start changing your attitude",
becoming sneaky, complacent and dodgy.
"These are three things I would not accept".
"And if I have to change the Cabinet everyday, I will, because I've sworn to
deliver. We all make mistakes; none of us is perfect. But deliberate
mistakes are unacceptable.
"And the attitude that you are working for me is unacceptable. If we all
buckle up like during the Transition, we could have developed double the speed
we had during the Transition, when we had no resources".
"But, what has been happening? When I go round the world asking for
assistance, and then the assistance is promised, just for some of you to just go and
work it out, you go and mesh it up so that it doesn't come in, thinking it
will make me more popular. If you are a politician, and you have a hidden
agenda, leave my Cabinet.
"If you think that you are not supporting the government; you are not
supportive of the government, but you just want to be here, and you want to come in
and sabotage the system of progress, you are asking for trouble. Because, as
I said under Operation No Compromise, I would not hesitate to dismiss
somebody from the Cabinet and send you to gaol".
The President recalled that he had made it very clear, about two or three
years ago - "you remember the meeting we had here" - when he called SOSs
including permanent secretaries and directors to a meeting at State House.
Then, "I made it very clear that from now onwards, it would not be a
question of sending somebody home, and then 'Yours Truly'... if you think that you
are just coming in to make a quick kill, or make money fast and be dismissed,
and you go away with that money, you are making a grave mistake. I want that
to be very clear, to not only these two new people, but all of you who were
here for a long time".
He warned those who would think of joining the Cabinet to sabotage the
system, because Yahya Jammeh is popular, adding that unlike those who pretend, his
love for this country is genuine, and that is why "Allah is always on my
side - I live for the development of the country, and I live for the welfare of
Gambians..." President Jammeh also warned those who "think that you can come
in and fool me", adding, "you are fooling yourself, and you are also asking
for trouble". "What is even more amazing is that some people will still go
around and say I'm working for these boys. We are no longer boys", he declared,
reminding his audience that a 39-year-old man cannot be called a boy, any way
you choose to define "boy".
In any case, he will be 40 years old soon (in May 2005), Jammeh pointed out.
Asking, what is the problem? Jammeh said "the problem is we are not sincere
to ourselves. And, sooner or later it surfaces that you are not sincere I
have no other alternative, but to tell you good-bye".
He also reminded all present that democracy does not provide a licence for
corruption, "and those who think so are asking for trouble". President Jammeh
recalled that in the days of the Transition, when "nobody gave us a mandate,
and we were our own lords, and could have lorded it over the people, our
intention was not to be lords over our people; our intention was to serve the
people". He further recalled that at that time "we had so many agencies
following people", such as the civil service inspection team which went into offices.
"But do people need a special agency to follow them, for you to work?"
"I think the most important thing to do is, if you are not sincere, just
leave. Because, as I said, if I have to dismiss somebody everyday from the
Cabinet, until I get what I want, I will. Because what I want is simple - for
honest Gambians who will work with me, for us to achieve the objectives set". He
went on, "it is really very frustrating to see some of you act in such a way
that is detrimental and inimical to the rapid socio-economic development of
this country. That is no longer going to be tolerated. I don't need to scare
anybody, but I mean what I'm talking about.
"Please for God sake, if we want this Cabinet to be stable, let us be
sincere and work." He asserted that "for Finance to prepare a budget, we have to
run after some of you, to bring the budget from your sectors. How many times
have I told all of you, all the sectors, to come up with your own development
plans, for your sector? So that when we are making projects, we can take your
plans into consideration, so that we have a master plan of development. Up to
now, some of you have not delivered. Or you deliver scanty information," he
said, noting that "some will only respond when given a deadline. Why do we
have to give you a deadline for something to be done?"
President Jammeh said being 40 means getting older. "I'm getting very old.
Which means I have little patience. I'm making it very clear. And I also want
the Gambians to understand my situation - some of you are not helping; so if
you are not helping, you going home!" "So, for God's sake, if we want to stop
this record of having the highest turnover rate, with regards to ministers,
in the sub region, deliver! If you deliver, I have no problems with you".
He noted that some have been in his Cabinet since July 1994, and "it does
not mean that they are perfect; but when somebody makes a genuine sincere
mistake, you understand, because nobody is perfect. "But when you try to be
snakes...you know a snake cannot be a chameleon at the same time...you want to be a
snake and a chameleon at the same time...that's the attitude of some
people".
President Jammeh also reminded his audience that "this is a small country",
and that they were committing suicide who believed "that there wouldn't be a
commission, and do the outrageous things that you have done. "I think you
must be either sick, mad... because, we came in on the principle of transparency
and accountability. So if you join my government, join my government with
that attitude. Knowing that, at any given moment, there will be accountability,
and that you will all account for what you have done, wrong or right.
"Because we came with that principle - it was not an empty mere military
slogan; it is something we believed in - is an ideology as well as an ideal that
I believe in, because, we came to fix things that were going wrong".
Therefore, one should expect that "if things continue to go wrong, we will fix them
by using the same method, or even a more drastic method that we used during
the Transition".
"So, for some of you to do what you have been doing, I think you have been
committing suicide. And sooner or later, you will know what I'm talking about,
because I am not going to spare anybody. Let that be very clear. "...what is
important is, let us be honest and sincere. If you don't like the
government, please don't join the government. If you are not interested in the
socio-economic development of this country, then please don't join this government,
because this government is for development".
Turning to the two new members of the Cabinet just sworn in, the President
assured them that "I do not mean to scare the two of you," to which Dr. Mbowe
replied, "we are not scared". "I just want you to understand", President
Jammeh went on, pointing out that they must not allow themselves to be misled by
colleagues who will tell them, "oh, my friend, this is not the way we do
it..." "Each of you is responsible for your own area. So, whatever you think is
in the best interest of the Gambian people, implement that."
They must not allow anyone to tell them how to run their office although, of
course, people can give them genuine advice on technical problems, or as
when they need advice on the way forward. Relevant Links _West
Africa_ (http://allafrica.com/westafrica/)
_Sustainable Development_ (http://allafrica.com/sustainable/)
_Gambia_ (http://allafrica.com/gambia/)
"But don't listen to people to give you advice that, when followed, you will
not deliver. I think this should be understood...So please, for God's sake,
let us work together and develop this country. This is a very small country.
He said "with the prevailing atmosphere, with our standing internationally,
we can develop this country faster than a rocket. But we must be honest, and
we must be sincere to our country. We must be patriotic. If you love your
country, you will die for your country."
The President concluded by pointing out that he had to say so much, "because
it is important for everyone, including the Gambian people, to understand
the reasons why some of you would just come for a week and you leave (his
Cabinet)."
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