Be cautious of Wade's proposals
Written by Jarga ‘Jigster’ Gigo,



Tuesday, 27 September 2005


Editor,
The Gambia should be extra cautious of Wade's proposals. President Wade is yet to manifest sincerity in building peace and justice in Senegambia.
Why can't he ask the the Senegalese union to bring back normalcy and give him three to six months to negotiate with The Gambia Government? Why is he suggesting his proposals if he is really a man of justice? Based on his proposals, he doesn't seem to give a damn about the interest of the Senegalese union but what his government could collect. It seems he doesn't only want to collect from Senegalese inputs but from Guinea Bissau's vehicles, tourists, and Gambian vehicles for using Gambian soil and waters.

Unless The Gambia Government sends circumspect thinkers, we Gambians will be paying the Senegalese government for using our own soil and water. Is this a new form of limited colonisation or what?

This is not a very complex issue and intellectuals within Senegambia should understand that an unjust agreement based on today's powers will only bring enmity and other problems tomorrow. So it is wiser for all us to try to work together in love and justice, including tolerance.

The money involved is huge for poor individuals like myself but relatively small for governments. Today, most of the argument is pro tariff reduction for the trying poor person; but if we over involve both governments, the ordinary people will be paying a lot more in the near future. And they may choose to stop protests with an iron fist come that time. Many Gambian great minds are presently at odd with President Jammeh and it is sad that some of them want to politicise the issue and others don't seem to understand that The Gambia is ours with or without Jammeh. An unjust agreement today may not be easy to dissolve tomorrow. Or worse, if the problems heighten to certain levels, we may see the negative debris for centuries.

Any honest mind can understand that Wade's proposal is costly and will eventually be paid for by the ordinary person. Also he wants his government to be paid without working or preferably to reduce his unemployment problem through The Gambia, even though we have our own problems, regardless of the high number of Senegalese working in The Gambia. We should never lose touch of the importance of appreciation and tolerance. There is so much we should appreciate each other for, but greed seems to blind us from tolerance.

The Senegalese government should be sincere and focus-oriented in her people's worries – high tariffs. They may suggest for The Gambia government but trying to rob us is simply wrong. If they choose lengthy arguments, ignore the blessings they are enjoying in The Gambia and shun justice and tolerance, then may be The Gambia government should try to offer them a percentage of the Senegalese inputs or choose a discriminatory pricing for the Senegalese and give their government the difference. A percentage of their inputs is due to the ferry manufacturers, our workers, our government and now how much to their government?

The projects President Wade is proposing as joint projects could be carried out by The Gambia through loans from other countries, perhaps including Senegal. The more the Senegalese government invests in The Gambia, the more they naturally have the right to protect their investment. I don't think I have to spell out the possible dangers that may crop up. There are so many issues one cannot discuss publicly, so I only hope The Gambia government sends circumspect thinkers and for peace-loving Senegalese to understand that over-pressuring us or fooling us today only means brewing tension between the two countries, who should live in harmony, love and justice.
May God bless us: Let's learn, let's work, let's have fun.

Jarga ‘Jigster’ Gigo,
Canada




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