Well stated Brother Ebrima. A very warm welcome from
me with all the best wishes in your academic
engagements.
The struggle continues.

Ebou Colly
--- Ebrima Ceesay <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> "Kebba Jobe" or Minister Sarjo Jallow:
>
>
> I have noted several remarks made against me by you,
> and I have thus far
> chosen to ignore them, because initially, I did not
> take you ("Kebba Jobe")
> seriously.
>
> However, I have now been informed by one of my
> sources in the Gambian
> government, that you are indeed Sarjo Jallow, the
> Minister for Youth and
> Sports, and the government’s official Spokesman.
>
> I intend henceforth, to take you seriously, and I am
> now ready to take up
> serious debate with you, now that I have some
> vacation time on my hands.
>
> As you may know, I am a passionate advocate of the
> process of debate,
> especially of debate whose outcome may result in the
> betterment of the lives
> of Gambians at home and abroad.
>
> I believe in the power of debate, where both parties
> are honest, ready to
> admit their shortcomings and open to learning from
> each other.  I support
> debate based on decency, decorum and FACTS.
>
> I am now publicly challenging you to take part in a
> series of debates on the
> merits and demerits of the Jammeh regime, and on
> Jammeh’s record since
> assuming power.  I should expect the debates to
> centre on every sector of
> life – on education, on health, on agriculture, on
> the economy, on women’s
> issues, on population, on infrastructure, on human
> rights, on the judiciary,
> on electoral issues etc. etc.
>
> But, in order for our debates to be of use and
> purpose to Gambians and to
> the betterment of The Gambia, both sides of the
> debating forum have to be
> honest, and open to admitting each other’s
> shortcomings as well as
> strengths.
>
> I am not interested in engaging in personal attacks,
> and shall avoid any
> discussions involving the latter.   I am interested
> in participating in
> debates which focus on issues and on facts, rather
> than on personalities or
> inventions.
>
> There are two debating options open to us:
>
> The first would be a series of debates based on
> philosophical arguments
> where our differing ideas and thoughts (although not
> supported by cited
> sources or other references per se) could
> notwithstanding, convince the
> general public one way or the other.  It has tended
> to be this sort of
> debate which has characterised many of the postings
> to Gambia-L in the past.
>
> The second would be a series of scholarly debates
> based on empirical data
> and facts which will be referenced and sourced.
> Whatever we stated in the
> debates, we should back with relevant sources so
> that other people could
> also refer to the cited sources to check the record.
>
> For instance, if I were to say that the current
> Gambian debt burden has
> risen to 500 million Dollars, then I should follow
> this by quoting the
> source for this figure as the 2001 Budget Speech.
> Similarly, if you come up
> with a claim, then you would need to substantiate it
> by citing the relevant
> and publicly accessible source.  In this way, our
> readers can check the
> accuracy or otherwise of our statements or views.
>
> I am not interested in engaging in debate where
> character assassination is
> involved in any way, or where there is gossip or
> innuendo.  The debates
> would be issues-based in order for me to be a
> participant.  I have no wish
> to waste my time in debates which are less than
> serious and sincere.
>
> This is a crucial period for The Gambia, and I
> intend to resume my series of
> messages to all Gambians.  However, I am willing to
> put these to one side
> for the time being, in order to be involved in
> direct and enlightened debate
> with you, or any of the pro-Jammeh lobby.
>
> I am not a public figure:  I hold no public office.
> But I am not afraid of
> scrutiny.  It does seem that many of you pro-Jammeh
> people (apart from
> Tombong Saidy) who have the guns, who are in The
> Gambia and whose government
> is in power, are the ones who are hiding their true
> identities under
> pen-names.
>
> If you believe in what you are saying, and are a man
> of conscience and
> integrity, then you should not be fearful to speak
> on the record and
> officially on behalf of your government. If a
> government spokesman uses a
> pen name to put forward the government case, your
> readership may ask
> themselves "why?".  However, whatever name you
> choose to write under, I am
> ready to participate in open, public and fair debate
> with you.
>
> I believe that it is vital that the Gambian people
> have access to this sort
> of debate in the pre-electoral period:  without
> this, they are less able to
> make informed and sound judgements.  Let us
> therefore focus on the issues
> affecting Gambians and The Gambia, and back up our
> views with credible
> references and data.  Both sides will need to be
> able to substantiate any
> claims.
>
> If the Jammeh team on the Gambia-L want to be taken
> seriously, let them give
> factual and substantive accounts, rather than
> engaging in public attacks on
> non-public figures (eg. Kebba Dampha, Ebou Colley,
> Hamjatta Kanteh, Saul
> Khan, myself and many others).
>
> If you, "Kebba Jobe", are ready for a mature and
> enlightening debate, I
> shall be delighted to take you on, and to spend my
> Easter vacation on this.
> If you choose not to, then allow me to spend my
> holiday resuming my series
> of personal messages to my Fellow Gambians.
>
> I await your reply.
>
> Ebrima Ceesay,
> Birmingham, UK.
>
>
>
_________________________________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at
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>
>
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