Comrades:

I must admit after reading excerpts reported by
The Observer, I concur with PDOIS's stance in
making a proclamation of boycotting future
elections following the shacking of Bishop
Johnson and Fatty.  The opposition must come to
the realization that the illegal government of
the day will steal the elections and deny us
the right to political democracy.

As a realist, why endanger the rights of the
people when the agents of political manipulation
are bent on lies and deceit?  Please read the
following excepts on PDOIS's position:

The APRC government has again come under the attack of the People's Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS) again. This time, it is about its divestiture programme, which, according to Halifa Sallah, a member of PDOIS' central working committee, is retarding the development of the country. Mr Sallah was speaking at Tabokoto Saturday during a PDOIS ward meeting. It should be recalled that the party recently made public its decision to boycott future elections unless appropriate measures were taken in respect of the unjustified sacking of Bishop Tilewa Johnson and Saja Fatty as chairman and member of the Independent Electoral Commission, respectively.

Halifa Sallah pointed out that the APRC administration's economic policies have been detrimental to the development of the country, noting that the high rate of unemployment confronting Gambians was provoked by the regime's privatisation policy and failure to invest in income generating ventures which would have created employment opportunities for Gambians and brought funds into the nation's coffers. He said at the moment, less than forty thousand people are employed by the public and private sectors, and that government should invest in agriculture and fisheries in a bid to alleviate poverty. Mr Sallah argued that the APRC government has been taking huge loans to build schools and hospitals without investing in income generating ventures.

"The government is banking on taxation to service its debts. This exercise will only yield hardship in the country, because no country can develop on loans," he said. According to him, The Gambia's debt before the military took over in 1994 was US$390 million but that the figures have now risen to US$566 million. Last year, he said, the country's budget was over D1 billion out of which D390 million was spent on debt servicing. D414 million, he added, would be spent this year on debt servicing out of a budget of over D1.2 billion, contending that it would be impossible for the Gambian economy to be on a sound footing if huge amounts of money were spent every year on debt servicing.

"In 1996, 132,000 children were in the primary school system and all these children will complete their schooling in ten years time and would be without jobs," he stated. Sallah posited that people should be politically conscious to be able to vote for competent leaders who will address the problems of the country accordingly. He urged people to desist from voting for candidates on tribal and regional sentiments, instead of their party programmes. On the alleged vote buying in the recent by-elections in Kiang East and Central Baddibu, Sallah said it is detrimental to an individual, because it's like selling one's right."

Comrades, our struggle should not be captured
by self assertion of political indifference.  I
hope during our unity conference we can table
PDOIS's important strategy in boycotting future
elections.

Naphiyo,

Comrade ML Jassey-Conteh

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