Hamjatta,

l  think l have also made my point here very clear, and we will just move on.

Jabou

In a message dated 1/23/00 5:40:12 AM Central Standard Time, [log in to unmask]
writes:

Jabou,
     I'm glad we have reached a cordial end to all this seemingly endless
 haggling about Halifa and CO.
     You have admitted that "perhaps a flaw in judgement on his [Halifa's]
 part, and lack of insight as to how things will eventually unfold is a fair
 accusation, and making that clear, but nothing more." [Additive mine] If only
 our good friend Halifa has owned upto his misplaced enthusiasm, blind
 pragmatism, historical immediacy and political expediency that resulted in
 what you aptly labelled as "a flaw in judgement," then there would never have
 been any need for all the haggling that has preoccupied the Gambia-L for the
 past two months or so. But our learned friend it seemed is all talk when it
 comes to humility for he won't own upto his peccadilloes. It is precisely
 this that I called his attitude as reeking of snooty elitism so common
 amongst left wing intellectuals.
     I have noticed that you haven't bothered to refute my assertions that: if
 any individual voice in the public realm bears a measure of responsibility on
 the tragic inversion of priorities as the Gambia slid towards the abyss, it
 is Halifa's.
     I'm surprised that it has taken you just my last posting to get my line
 of argument. I have been repeating the same points all this time. Perchance
 you were lost in the labyrinth of my prose. For it seems you find fault with
 my calling the 1997 constitution as Halifa's "precious constitution" or "your
 constitution." You have taken this on the face of it. Or a literary
 interpretation. Clearly I was exchanging polemics with Halifa and since he
 doesn't find the 1997 constitution faulty enough; for he is stuffily
 reverential of it, I used the phrases "your precious constitution" as a stick
 to poke him to some positive provocation. Of course the 1997 constitution is
 not his or his handiwork alone. I hope you get the point now.
      I hope now our efforts would be geared towards the debate on what sort
 of democracy we would like for post modern Africa that is currently raging on
 the L. Our compatriots, Dr. Saine, Ousman Bojang, Saul Jawara, Ndey Jobarteh
 et al. are making very acute and exciting contributions to this debate. I
 hope to hear your sober thoughts on that and many others.
     Good Morning.
 Hamjatta Kanteh
 hkanteh
  >>

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