Saiks eventually the truth will prevail, as for those who praise Jammeh's
speech, they must be living in a different world, that is why they are not
telling the emperor the truth about his clothes.  Sheriff Bojang have at
least spoken the truth.


>From: saikss <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: GAMBIA DIRE STRAITS
>Date: Wed, 21 Aug 2002 17:20:13 +0200
>
>Mike,
>I just sent a response to your this wonderful piece, but it seems it did
>not
>come through. However the crisis in the country seems to be more serious
>than
>some of us can imagine. That the value of the dalasi is still diving
>downwards
>is an indication. Had it not been the case, we would have seen an effective
>government intervention. That there is crisis is no more the issue but how
>serious the crisis is and with this warning letter, from the butcher, IMF,
>the
>government must speak now before it is too late. The recent speech by
>Jammeh,
>which a section of the media referred to as the best speech they have heard
>from him, full of passion and regret might also be signalling sometime, but
>plain talk is what is  needed. Speaking of failures and regret whiles
>political prisoners are still behind the bars is suspicious. The big loans
>that built the four lanes etc are indications that we need leaders and
>economists who are not suffering from neo-colonial hangovers. A book I read
>sometime back, a critic of post colonial African Leaders and Intellectuals,
>the author insisted that had it not been that our leaders were weight down
>by
>the idea of technological backwardness, we might have chosen our own way to
>economic freedom. This does not apply to post -colonial African leaders
>alone,
>the fact that with all the economic crisis we are facing right now,
>parliment
>approved a loan to build a five star Hotel make this critic still valuable.
>The crisis might go longer than any one of us can  tell, that is why
>calling
>all these big roads and first class airports as development makes me mad.
>What
>I know as a Gambian is that, our people are hungry and they are getting
>more
>and more hungry. Bro lets pray for miracles, to get us out of this trouble,
>we
>are too small a country.
>
>For freedom
>Saiks
>
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>
> >===== Original Message From The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]> =====
> >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
> >
> >
> >_________________________________________________________________
> >Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com
> >
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