Wow, Joe, I don't think I could have said it any better myself.

     Actually, this is one reason why I like the idea of implementing
a plan to root out corruption, once NADD wins the elections come 2006.
 As you said, there not only needs to be a change of government in The
Gambia, but the problem of corruption needs to also be dealt with, as
well as the factors that lead to it.

Take care all...  Again, as Joe and Chris have so eloquently stated,
we all need to donate to NADD / STGDP, and also continue to do what we
can to support NADD and other people's efforts to restore democracy
and the rule of law in The Gambia.

     I can't help but think that if we, or should I say Gambians don't
act now to do something, this may be the last chance to do so, and it
may be too late, once people decide that they want to do something.
We have the by-elections coming up on September 29, as well as the
elctions in 2006.  The by-elections are a test, for those who are
against the excesses of the Jammeh government, as well as tyranny and
dictatorship, in general, to really show what we're made of, if we're
all just talk and no action.

     I'd say, let's show Jammeh what we're made of!  We're not just a
bunch of diasporans who care nothing for The Gambia, as he and others
of his ilk would like to suggest!

     We want free and fair and transparent elections in The Gambia,
and I don't think we should accept anything less than that!

     But NADD needs the funding, so they can gather the resources to
combat Jammeh's comtrol of the state aparatus and the clamp down on
the media which makes it hard for the media in The Gambia to report
fairly, on all the poltical parties, and not just acting as if the
APRC is the only thing that exists, and the best thing for Gambians
since sliced bread.

OK, enough of my rambling.  Take care, everyone.

Ginny



On 9/15/05, Joe Sambou <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Ginny, this demonstrates that the Gambia needs both a regime change and a
> system change.  If we get rid of Yaya and leave rodents like Chicken all
> over the place we will revert back to square one, just like they have made
> the transition from Jawara to Jammeh.  We must purge such mindsets from the
>
> affairs of the state.  Chicken did not misspoke, and indeed he speak for a
> lot of geezers in that country who are not interested in nothing but what
> comes to their wallet.  Thus, I expect such nonsense from him.  The people
> can change that and they have an opportunity to start that process on
> September 29, by recommitting to Halifa, Hamat, Kemeseng, and Sedia.  Gambia
>
> will progress only when we elect people that can do the job as oppose to
> corrupt minds like we see in the current Assembly.  We have an ignoramus for
>
> a president, starchheads for a legislature, and a judiciary on the take.
> Folks, even if the executive, legislature, and judiciary were functioning
> and vibrant, we'd had to fight for existence in the current world structure,
>
> with trade imbalances, high oil prices, food shortages, etc.  Now, try
> having a Yaya Jammeh, a rubberstamp Assembly, and a buck judiciary on top of
>
> a fight for survival as a nation and you tell me, how in hell do you have a
>
> chance at anything?  And that is where we are today and the situation is
> getting worse.
>
> Yaya's administrations is a poor excuse for effort and thrives on
> intimidation to continue to exit.  Gambians have the power to stop that and
>
> we are going to start with this elections.  If he intends to be law abiding
>
> and let the voices of the people to be heard, then we will meet him half way
>
> to increase the peace.  However, if he wants to use use intimidation,
> violence, etc., we shall not sit and sing we shall over come, but to go toe
>
> to toe with him to its logical conclusion.  At some point in our lives we
> ought to take a stand against thuggry and Yaya will continue to brutalize
> Gambians if we allow him.  This time around, the people are going to take
> whatever he starts to his doorstep.  When Ugandans marched the violence of
> Edi Amin to his doorstep, they get rid of him.  Same as what obtains with
> Mobutu, Doe, Taylor, and many other criminals that strangled Africans.  Yaya
>
> Jammeh will not be an exception to that rule.  Both Yaya and the IEC have
> been put on notice and what happens next depends on how they conduct
> themselves.
>
> Chicken is a big joke and we are going to change that.
>
> Chi Jaama
>
> Joe
>
>
> >From: Ginny Quick <[log in to unmask]>
> >Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: Re: Majority leader urges Commonwealth to reconsider Diaspora
>
> >         voting
> >Date: Wed, 14 Sep 2005 11:45:13 -0500
> >
> >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.
> > >
> > >  $B$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ (B
> > > To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the
> >Gambia-L
> > > Web interface
> > > at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
> > >
> > > To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to:
> > > http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l
> > > To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
> > > [log in to unmask]
> > >  $B$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ (B
> > >
> >
> >
> >--
> >Visit my blog at: http://GinnysThoughts.blogspot.com/
> >
> > $B$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ (B
> >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
> >Web interface
> >at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
> >
> >To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to:
> >http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l
> >To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
> >[log in to unmask]
> > $B$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ (B
>
>
>


--
Visit my blog at: http://GinnysThoughts.blogspot.com/

¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface
at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html

To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l
To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
[log in to unmask]
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤