Hello, Joe and all, the article said:

"It is meaningless for us to consider those in the Diaspora who have
abandoned the country. And very few of whom are participating in the
development process of the country.''


Huh?  Isn't sending money / remittances home to The Gambia
contributing something?  Where would Gambians be without these
remittances?  And if some of this money is going to buy food and build
houses, and to pay for putting kids through school, how is that not
contributing to the development of The Gambia.  I'd say that if not
for the money sent back home, Gambians would be a lot worse off!

He noted that preference should be given to the stay-at-homes, who continue
to support the country's development process.


First, refer to my comments above, secondly what is this guy talking
about?  Why shouldn't Gambians abroad be able to vote?  If the US /
other countries allow absentee voting, why not The Gambia, if it wants
to call itself a legitimate democracy?  And as Joe said, there is one
simple answer for that, and that is that the current government knows
that they don'thave as much, if any, support among Gambians living
outside of The Gambia.  So, it's in their best interest not to allow
Gambians living in the diaspora to vote.


But he praised the dialogue forum set up by the Commonwealth, describing it
as essentially helpful in the search for political unity.


    Political unity my...  Whatever...  

Ginny




On 9/14/05, Joe Sambou <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Folks, if you have jokes for leaders, then yours is a joke.  How can this
> fool even form his mouth to utter such nonsense when our economy in gliding
> on the remittances of diasporans?  This confirms our belief that these
> handkerchief heads do not want diasporans to vote because they know that it
> will be easy victory for NADD.  Thus, NADD should do all it can to make
> sure
> that diasporans are enfranchised.  These people are pathetic!
> 
> "He noted that preference should be given to the stay-at-homes, who
> continue
> to support the country's development process."
> 
> Does Chicken know his purpose in that Assembly?
> 
> 
> Majority leader urges Commonwealth to reconsider Diaspora voting
> Written by Alieu Badara Ceesay
> Wednesday, 14 September 2005
> Churchill Baldeh, the majority leader of the National Assembly, has called
> on the Commonwealth to think twice about its willingness to help
> enfranchise
> Gambians in the Diaspora, in the build-up to the 2006 presidential
> election.
> 
> 
> Speaking recently in an interview with the Daily Observer, Hon Baldeh said:
> "It is meaningless for us to consider those in the Diaspora who have
> abandoned the country. And very few of whom are participating in the
> development process of the country.''
> 
> 
> He noted that preference should be given to the stay-at-homes, who continue
> to support the country's development process.
> 
> But he praised the dialogue forum set up by the Commonwealth, describing it
> as essentially helpful in the search for political unity.
> 
> ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
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-- 
Visit my blog at: http://GinnysThoughts.blogspot.com/

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