My fellow Gambians,
This is indeed a decisive period in Gambian Political history, and it
requires decisive measures and actions from us all, if we want to carry the
day and take The Gambia forwards into a bright future.
Today, it is abundantly clear to all of us that the Gambia has no future
with Jammeh at the helm: he continues to destroy our Nation, and the sad
truth is that he will continue to do this as long as we allow him. Jammeh is
a travesty of a leader, and he sets himself above every single one of us.
It is therefore imperative that we Gambians turn this situation around.
Indeed, the shaping of the future of our wonderful nation now lies fairly
and squarely with us all as voters.
We have now seen very clearly what happens when we allow our leadership to
assume absolute power: mismanagement and failure follow closely on the
people’s "laissez-faire" attitudes. The Gambia is therefore no different
from so many other African countries, where the electorate has allowed poor
quality leaders to assume absolute power, and bring absolute chaos in their
wake.
Now, in order to avoid a repetition of the past, we MUST make the RIGHT
choices by electing to office, leaders who are capable of addressing their
people's needs and aspirations.
In most cases, our prospective leaders would make high-sounding promises
which appeal to us, and we would vote them in willy-nilly and without
question. They then do not deliver the goods they have so solemnly promised.
Instead, they put themselves above the people who empowered them and we in
turn, treat them as demi-gods.
Consequently, if we really want success after Jammeh, then we have to put
ourselves, the people, on a level footing with our elected leaders. There
has to be full and close partnership between the governed and the governors.
As an electorate, we vote our leaders into office and as such, we do have an
obligation to monitor, to review, to discuss and to evaluate the work of
these elected leaders.
From now on, we - the Gambian people - have to assume our share of the
administration of the country. We have to become deeply and commitedly
interested in the running of our country, and our aim should be the
building of a nation which is prosperous, forward looking and responsible,
and which offers dignity, respect and socio/economic well-being for all its
citizens. To achieve these goals, it is vital for us to work in tandem
together.
My fellow Gambians, this new century is crucial: Africa and Africans need to
be proving to the world that they can effectively manage their own countries
to best effect. We HAVE to prove to the world that we are up to the job,
that we can do it.
And in order to get on the right track, we have to ensure that the leaders
we put in place are the right ones: those who will ensure that our short,
medium and long-term goals are achievable and realistic: those who will look
after us, and the nation.
As a nation, we have to take full charge of our destiny. The blame for
failure lies as much with us all, as it does with our poor quality leaders.
We have to recognise and understand that this is not "play-time": our very
lives are at stake as well as that of our children and grandchildren in the
future. The latter have every right to expect that we have given our best
efforts to securing their future: they need our assurances that we have left
not one stone unturned in our efforts to take our country forwards.
We know now that the leadership we "elected" in September 1996 (and which
illegally seized power in 1994) is chronically and acutely awful. We allowed
the worst possible applicant for the job to assume power, and we have
continued to allow him to do his worst for our nation.
My fellow Gambians, this has to stop forthwith: if we are public-spirited
and have the best interests of The Gambia at heart, then we have to unseat
Jammeh at the next elections.
We have to turn ourselves around, and become critically and selectively
analytical in our choice of leadership and government. We have to train
ourselves to be discriminating; we have to become monitors and evaluators
who are constantly overseeing the actions of our government. We have to
lose our fear of offending our leaders, and become honest and open in our
judgements.
Africa has always had leadership crises because of our lack of selective
analysis: we allow ourselves to be led without question, without comment,
and without criticism. In other words, we get what we deserve.
The Gambian people have to follow the example of the Senegalese voters, and
show the way forward for the rest of the continent: we have to demonstrate
that we can distinguish between sincere and insincere leaders: that we can
learn from the lessons of the past to ensure a better future for ourselves
and our country. It is so easy to blame false leaders whilst at the same
time denying one’s own role. We have to be asking ourselves, "Where have we
gone wrong ?", "What can we do about it ?".
It is therefore crucial for all of us that we are sure of the person we next
empower as a leader of our country; we have to know that we are making a
sound and well-judged investment in the future. Sweet-talkers are two a
penny: we have to learn to become attentive and critical judges of those who
try to sweet-talk us. It is certain that no-one is perfect.
But we have to use our brains and hearts to make the best possible choice,
and the choice has to be based on full information. A large part of the
leadership crisis we are witnessing today, stems from ourselves, the people.
No-one else is to blame, except us.
In The Gambia, the last six years have taken us on a backward journey: it
has been a sad time for all of us. However, in this new millennium, we CAN
turn things around: we can start to repair the damage suffered by our
country both by electing the right people for the jobs of leadership AND by
changing our attitudes.
We have to learn to be openly critical, but constructively so. We have to
assume our equal role in governing our nation. We as a people have an
integral part/role to play in Gambia's future: a future in which the people
and government work hand-in-glove together for the betterment of our nation
and our own conditions.
And we really do have to take time to consider all the options open to us
before we make our voting decisions: we have to demand full and frank
discussion of the issues with all parties during the election process, so
that we can be best informed. We have to bid farewell to the politics of
personality, and welcome sound, political judgements based on what we know
rather than on what we assume we know. The time has come for us to be sober
in our reflections: to be attentive and careful listeners: to be politically
discriminating.
In this new Century, Gambians should be looking to become partners in
administration and government, rather than remaining as servants of both. We
have to assume control of our destiny in order to achieve dignity and
prosperity.
It comes down to us making choices: making the right choices based on full
information AND on having a good and representative list of choices from
which we may choose the best in our view.
As a people, we have to try and build a society which is led by people who
have us, the people, and our country, as paramount. The aspirations of the
people are central.
The task is not going to be easy: let us not fool ourselves about that.
But, if we set our heart on change for the better, then we can change
things. There is no guarantee of "heaven on earth" for all, but we can be
looking to guaranteeing the basics of a full and prosperous life for the
majority.
This is a serious time for us all: the elections are just around the corner.
We have to take things beyond talk only: we cannot allow Jammeh to reassume
power without challenging him root and branch. The ballot box is ours, and
we have to exercise our electoral power effectively and sensibly.
Following on from my last two messages, I now need to touch briefly on other
issues and challenges which will face our next government and its leader.
1. Corruption
Both from the bottom up, and from the top down, corruption and corrupt
practices are eating away at our country’s integrity. The damage caused by
corruption is irreparable, and it impacts powerfully on the economic life
and stability of the nation.
It is therefore going to be absolutely crucial for our next leader and
his/her government to have stringent anti-corruption measures and strategies
in place.
Again, it is largely a question of changing public attitudes. All of us,
like Caesar’s wife, have to be "above reproach". We cannot criticise those
in power of corruption, if we are in any way benefiting from corruption
ourselves, or acquiescing to it. We need to be identifying those areas of
life where corruption is rampant, investigating these fully, and reporting
instances to the proper authorities for action. In turn, the authorities
need to be seen to be taking action to rid our nation of this "unseen"
menace.
It is vital that we institute mechanisms whereby people may report genuine
cases of corruption with impunity. At the same time, we need to be looking
at ourselves: at our own actions and responses. We should be asking
ourselves whether we are contributing to this national scandal, actively or
indirectly. If we answer "yes", or "maybe", then we have to change our own
attitudes before we can possibly expect change on a national level.
It will be vital for the next government to ensure that civil servants
receive a decent salary: one which enables them to live comfortably, without
needing to supplement income with illegal practices. If our police,
immigration officials, customs officers, post office workers etc. are being
paid a decent wage, then we have more hope of expecting a decent and
corruption-free service from them.
We shall never be able to eradicate the issue of corruption totally: it is a
sad part of human nature. What we can do is set in place measures which will
reduce corruption to a more acceptable level in all spheres of life.
Let us make the media our watchdogs, and let us have the expectation that
our leaders will be our exemplars. Let them live their lives commensurate
with their legal earnings, and let them set the tone for the rest of the
nation.
2. Employment
In an earlier posting, I spoke of the importance of promoting a vibrant and
expanding economy. Employment issues are central to this debate, and the
next leader will have a huge task on his/her hands firstly to tackle the
high level of unemployment in The Gambia today, secondly to promote economic
growth which will create new jobs and thirdly to look to improving
employment law throughout the country.
Without a sound economy and guaranteed investment levels in business and
commerce, the pattern of unemployment throughout the country will remain
unchanged. Our new leaders will need to be actively searching for fresh
investment in existing industries, for investment in new industries and for
innovative ideas for national economic growth and diversification.
Although we are a small nation, we have a lot to offer on the African and
the world stage: our people are endlessly resourceful and full of good
intent. We can ensure that new as well as existing industries in The Gambia
will be staffed by hardworking, dedicated and forward-looking employees. As
well as offering every possible inducement to Gambian entrepreneurs and
business people, our government will also need to be trawling for investors
in the wider international community.
It is vital that we refresh and add to our industrial base: that we look for
ways in which we may best utilise our home-produced resources for both home
consumption and for export. With the right attitudes, there is nothing that
we cannot achieve.
As a corollary to economic diversification and growth, the new government
will also need to take a close look at employment law. For too long, our
Gambian workers have not enjoyed employment rights of any sort except within
the Civil Service. The rights of Gambians to be protected by the law in
their employment, have to be guaranteed and we need to be looking for ways
in which we might best and most speedily achieve this aim. Our new leaders
will need to be seeking advice from the Trade Union movement across the
world, in order to ensure that the best systems are put in place for workers
in The Gambia.
3. Being a good Gambian citizen
It is an easy thing to describe oneself as a Gambian citizen: it requires no
effort other than the speaking of the words. However, to be a good citizen
requires a whole lot more than words. It requires an attitude of mind, a
dedication to the common good, an acceptance of personal responsibility, a
social perspective, a political will and a genuine desire to do the best for
one’s country and for one’s fellows.
For too long, we have been encumbered by a system which encourages people to
think of themselves only: to look for the betterment of one’s own family; to
ignore wider issues of cooperation and "commonwealth".
One of our chief priorities will be to change these entrenched attitudes: to
empower people to think both creatively and socially: to have a genuine
regard for each other, and to respect each other in the fullest sense of the
word.
The changes will start at the top: our next leader will need to be setting
the example for us all. However, in turn, we shall need to be playing our
part in turning things around. Parents and teachers will have a vital role
to play in ensuring that the Gambians of the future have the background
knowledge and understanding to become citizens in the full sense of the
word.
Politcally, if we are to make progress as a fully democratic nation, our
children (and we, ourselves) need thorough grounding in how best to do this.
Our attitudes and beliefs have to be changed so as to accommodate the new
thinking which will take our country forwards.
The message is therefore clear: Gambians have to take control over their
future: we know now what poverty and repression smell and taste like. We
have the experience of six years to guide us. We really do now know what we
do NOT want for our country and ourselves.
If we were to allow a similar regime to assume power, then we should only
have ourselves to blame. We know from first-hand, direct experience what the
power of fire is, and if we then go on to deliberately touch fire again and
get burned, who do we blame except ourselves ?
We have to work together to lay the foundations for a decent society which
can guarantee liberty, progress, respect and dignity for all the people.
The choice is ours: let us not just get rid of Yahya Jammeh, let us also put
in place a government which is truly and genuinely concerned to do the best
for all its citizens: a government which working alongside the people will
put in place a development paradigm which will afford all the people the
basics and necessities of life. Gambians have the right to expect this as a
minimum from the country’s next government.
Ebrima Ceesay
Birmingham, UK.
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