Dear Yusupha,
Thanks for bringing this observation to my attention. I think you do agree with

me that people should be matured enough to discuss issues instead of
personalities and sending insults to the list.

Please find my comments on some of the issues you raised below.

On 23 Jun 00, at 22:56, Yusupha Jow wrote:

> Hello Mr. Camara:
>
> With all due respect, I would like to raise a quiet voice of objection to the
> tone of the message you sent.  This message, in my personal opinion, has
> dictatorial undertones to it.  The "take it or leave it because I am the
> boss" type attitude that seemed to be one of the underlying messages in your
> email is what I am talking about.  This has always been the predominant
> attitude of Gambian managers.  When one compares this attitude to how bosses
> and community leaders interact with their underlings in other countries, we
> then begin to get a little insight as to why our countries are so "effed" up.

Please accept my apologies for sounding "bossy" in my statement. It is in no
way premeditated to be dictatorial. The Gambia-L management, for this forum to
function at it's best, decided to take steps in cleaning the language on this
List. My "take it or leave it" statement is directed at the people who use
insults on the list.  If they do not want to respect our  the rule of "no
insults", then we will remove them from the List. We must not waste our
precious time debating whether a person who continues to send insults to the
list should be removed or not.

No one is forced to join the this List and those who have nothing meaningful
to contribute apart from insults should either join the peepers or set up
their own forum where insults and personal attacks are the major topics of
the day.

> This message is not meant to undermine your authority in any way whatsoever.
> In fact, I have nothing but respect for the list managers and yourself. There
> is no doubt in my mind that you are an excellent group of managers. However,
> a leader/manager should be extremely judicious in his/her ways.  In other
> words, think, think and think again before sending a message like the above
> to hundreds of your fellow countrymen, especially when one considers the fact
> that Gambians at home are dealing with a dictator.  Interact with us like
> equals, and you might be surpassed by the outcome of this strategy.
>

Yus, being List Manager is  a volunteer job and we are all equals on this
forum.  Keeping this forum democratic has been our goal and continues to be
just that.

> On a final note, I am certain that this piece of mail might not be looked
> upon kindly by many people.  But, hopefully, some will see a germ of truth in
> my words.
>
> Have a nice weekend, everyone ! :)

Thanks, I will take this opportunity to state to you that I really enjoy your
contributions both here on the Gambia-l and other forums on the net.  I've
seen you get into heated discussions without losing your cool head (and
apologizing when you did).  Gambia-L wants to maintain subscribers like that
and if cleaning up the L means maintaining members like you, then I don't
think we are doing a bad job.

Keep up the good work, and please don't hesitate to write to us in the event
you have dissatisfaction with the way we are administering the list etc.

regards,
Momodou Camara
*******************************************************
   http://home3.inet.tele.dk/mcamara

**"Start by doing what's necessary, then what's
 possible and suddenly you are doing the impossible"***

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