Rene,
I would agree that PDOIS, has  for many years been very clear about 
their agenda, aims and objectives, and the principles that that guide 
the conduct of its members and activities.

That said, PDOIS has been in existence since 1986. After 23 years,  
under two very different incumbents (Jawara and Jammeh),  fielding 
candidates in 5 Parliamentary and/or Presidential elections, PDOIS 
remains largely an out of the mainstream political party. Even among the 
educated elite, who had been reading the Foroyaa, the party newspaper, 
the party is painted with with Communist/socialist brush from the Jawara 
era.

I know very few who doubt the sincerity of Messrs Jatta, Sallah and Sarr 
or their commitment to spend all their being for a democratic Gambia. 
However, it is not hard to find those who would not vote for them. Those 
who would say Halifa / or Seedia are good descent people but I do not 
trust PDOIS. My problem is why this disparity? More importantly why is 
the party unable to grow its share of votes (under 5% the last time I 
checked) over the past 23 yrs? What is the PDOIS end game? Is it a PDOIS 
majority in government or an political educated Gambian electorate even 
if such a group chose some other party?


Malanding

[log in to unmask] wrote:
> Aunty Jabou,
>               Just imagine; PDOIS supposedly has no strong following, 
> but has managed  to be in the public consciousness and the political 
> debate for more than two decades. And there are no signs that this 
> enthusiasm and commitment will abate soon. One of the reasons why this 
> has been the case, is the fact that first and foremost, PDOIS has a 
> political argument to make; and secondly, it has been able to 
> articulate that argument clearly and conceptually. 
>  
>               If we move away from personalities, and the individual 
> who make most of the arguments on behalf  of PDOIS, Halifa Sallah, and 
> look at PDOIS from the standpoint of its political, social, cultural 
> and economic positions,  we will then begin to appreciate the huge 
> contributions in our national political debate that the party has been 
> able to make, in the  quest for a political alternative or solution 
> from the first republic to the second republic.
>  
>              The first thing that everyone should note is that PDOIS 
> has an agenda. It has its aims and objectives. It has principles that 
> guide the conduct and affairs of its members and activities. It has an 
> agenda based on programs that it would implement whenever it succeeds 
> to take over the reigns of government. It has a programs based agenda.
>  
>             PDOIS's agenda, aims and objectives, and the principles 
> that guide the conduct of its members and activities, have been 
> stipulated variously in their myriad of publications over the years. 
> It is my hope that those who want to state  a different position will 
> take issue with their agenda; or their aims and objectives and in so 
> doing, give impetus to the evolution of a political thought process 
> that can help to shape the discourse on politics. This will also 
> make the awakening of our political consciousness more appreciable. 
>  
>            I cannot wait to learn more from the different 
> postulations; different ideas and conceptions. This is the kind of 
> political discourse I am yearning for.
>  
>             Rene  
>
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