Friends,
Even I only have the transcripts brought to this gambia-l , I will "help"
the President to get "his message" out, not only to a selected group of
young supporters from APRC, but out to those, who the message was also meant
for - the "whites", the governments out here, the EU, and all of us ordinary
"whites", who are very concerned of the situation.
I donīt think , it was the best lecture of constitutional principles, he
made on how judges are to "serve the state for their salaries". Itīs
fundamental in a legal state, that the courts, the judges are totally
independent from the government, the presidency, the parliament. Even they
(the judges) are appointed and paid by the state, the state can only set up
rules how to employ, engage, terms on the job, but can not interfere. Those
appointed to serve the state in court-rooms are only appointed because they
suppose to be the most excellent learned in the law, have great knowledge of
the society they are going to function into and serve, and because they have
excellent reputation of being impartial and with high personal integrity.
They own nobody nothing.
I do hope that Foroyaa (as always) will try to explain that for the young
gambians to understand and learn from.
Else itīs interesting with that "racial" point of the presidents speech. I
take is a sign of his frustration of the EU-comments, EU-critics, more that
a general "non-white-campaign". But I will let as many of my "whites"
friends and contacts as possible get the message from The President, so they
know under which condition they in the future are travelling to The Gambia.
In the days of his taking over, when the tourist-companies here in
Scandinavia cancelled the tours for the season, because of his coup dīetat,
I still travelled. I even blamed the tourist companies up here for taken a
totally wrong decision by boycotting.
Within short we will celebrate the 25 years of "danish-gambian friendship
organisation" here in Denmark. Over the years the organisation has given
some thousands of gambian school -children sponsorships, which has also lead
to many friendships for life. Not everything from our tourism invasion has
been to the benefit and good for the Gambia or itīs people, but many
"toubabs" have over the years come to like the people and the country. I
think that the friendship organisation also need to be informed of the
presidential speech, because they are involved with the authorities from
both the social welfare and the ministry of education.
Over the years many of my friends and many danes have heard me recommending
The Gambia. I have given many travelling-advises and many said they spend a
very nice holiday in The Gambia, due to my advises. I recommend that they
try to meet ordinary gambians, take a tour "into the bush" and enjoy, what
they see. If they are open minded it will become the best part of their
holiday. Still I will recommend people to go, but I will also advise them
to be very careful, when they walk out of the hotels and join the gambians,
not to ask too much or say too much, because of the situation. Without
knowing they can cause problems for the gambian, who invite them to get this
cultural come together. Iīm sorry that things develop this way around. But
we as tourists can not go through a country totally blinded for the
situation in a country. We got to be very conscious what country we visit,
in what way. Do we support our own tourist-companies only, can we influent
positive with our money, where we are going. Or are we just adding more to a
bad development, give "fuel" to the wrong companies or states ? do we
legitimate the regime in the country, etc.? Who are the" victims" of our
tourism ? So when the President in The gambia in a public speech is not more
specific criticizing f.in. the EU-government, but he generalize using
"whites", than we "toubabs" got to know. Just like when we here in Denmark
use the words "them blacks" or "africans", when we mean those african
leaders, we want to blame.
Comment from Asbjørn Nordam
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