Dear Foroyaa:
Please note that Jawara's visit to Miami University was from November
6th to the 9th and not the 15th. Dr. Janneh reported on the Atlanta
Meeting and not Miami's. Thanks.
Abdoulaye Saine
foroyaa wrote:
>
> HOW DO GAMBIANS SEE JAWARA'S OFFER TO FINISH ANOTHER TERM IN OFFICE?
>
> The news dispatched by Dr Amadou Janneh on former President Jawara's visit
> to Miami on Sunday, 14 November 1999 is quite interesting.
>
> According to Dr janneh's report, 150 people attended a reception organised
> for Jawara. Mr Abdou Sara Janha, former Secretary general and head of the
> civil service+ADs- Mr Mbemba Jatta, former Minister of Trade, Industry and
> Employment were said to be present. Mr Kebba Jallow, former Chairman of the
> Kanifing Municipal Council is said to have chaired the meeting.
>
> According to the report by Dr Janneh the format of the programme did not
> provide a question and answer session.
>
> According to Dr Janneh, ex-President Jawara underscored his regime's record
> on human rights adding that only one execution was carried out during his
> tenure despite crimes associated with the 1981 attempted coup+ADs- that the
> current government is a military government in civilian clothes+ADs- that it has
> become more repressive since its attempted civilianization.
>
> On the question of development projects, Dr Janneh indicated that Jawara
> claimed that many of the projects associated with the APRC as success
> stories were actually initiated by his administration. He is said to have
> commented on the construction of schools by the APRC by asserting that there
> is more to educational development than simply putting up buildings
> everywhere+ADs- that he claimed that the audience are quite informed of the
> achievements of his government.
>
> On corruption, Jawara is said to have denied categorically that his
> administration has been corrupt+ADs- that the APRC has long forgotten the
> concept of accountability, transparency and probity+ADs- that he is surprised
> that journalists and academics believed in Jammeh's propaganda+ADs- that his
> government stole millions of dalasi worth of the country's resources+ADs- that
> he made counter claims of the siphoning of loans by the APRC and added that
> after rewarding themselves for dangers faced to carry out the coup, the
> leaders were able to find wives.
>
> On the question of tribalism, Jawara is aid to have expressed dismay that
> tribalism is on the rise+ADs- that this phenomenon was unheard of during his
> tenure+ADs- that he blamed the APRC for the surge.
>
> On establishing limits to the number of terms a President could serve in
> office, Jawara is said to have criticised the APRC for failing to include
> term limits in the constitution despite overwhelming popular support for the
> inclusion of such a provision.
>
> On the question of unity, Jawara is said to have praised those in attendance
> at the Atlanta reception for exhibiting unity and added that unity was a key
> to success in dealing with the country's many challenges including what he
> termed as the struggle against the military regime in The Gambia.
>
> On his attitude to the APRC. Dr Janneh indicated that according to Jawara if
> Jammeh steps down he would be given some form of amnesty+ADs- that he ruled out
> any negotiation with the APRC+ADs- that this would only be used by them to stay
> in power+ADs- that he cautioned that the type of amnesty he would give would not
> be as extensive as the one APRC gave themselves under what he referred to as
> the so-called constitution.
>
> On what should be the attitude of the people towards the APRC, Dr Janneh
> said that Jawara called on the people especially civil servants to engage in
> civil disobedience and show their opposition to the policies of the APRC+ADs-
> that the Gambian community in Atlanta should engage in mass demonstrations
> and lobby influential figures such as former U.S. President, Jimmy Carter
> for support+ADs- that he said that if they do this they would be able to get the
> spotlight in the media.
>
> FOROYAA'S COMMENT
> Gambians who spend their time comparing Jawara's regime with Jammeh's will
> not be helping the nation to carve a new future.
>
> In short, those who praise the past are simply giving Jammeh the impression
> that Gambians are buffoons who will accept any ruler to live at their
> expense and be welcomed for decades. Those who praise the present are simply
> telling those who lived extravagantly at the expense of the people in the
> past that they could have continued doing so for many more decades without
> public disapproval.
>
> If Gambians are to be faithful to common sense, maturity, truth and justice,
> they should expose the rottenness of both the past and the present and show
> that they are not anybody's sheep or donkey.
>
> In this regard, FOROYAA will publish a special review on Thursday on
> Jawara's legacy and Jammeh's foot path to the future.
>
> We will compare the Auditor General's Report during Jawara's regime and the
> one under Jammeh's regime. We will calculate the revenue accumulated over
> the years, show how the people pay taxes, argue that it is the height of
> deceit for any leader to claim to do anything for the people, examine the
> human rights situation, the electoral system, the media and so on and so
> forth.
>
> Our object is to justify why Gambia should look towards a better future than
> look towards the past or be content with the present. It would be the height
> of naivety to take another posture.
>
> In short, the fact that a President who was in power for decades and is
> still interested in power rather than supporting a party of his choice in
> The Gambia while arguing about limit in term of office of the President
> clearly confirms that he sees the people to be very naive and ignorant.
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> THE TAX BURDEN
>
> 52+ACU- Tax On Fuel
>
> Scraping The Back Of The People Just Like Before
>
> FOROYAA has long cautioned the APRC regime, as it did when its predecessor,
> the PPP regime was in office, that without a productive base the state must
> scrape the back of the people through taxation in order to meet the
> disproportionate incomes of its political elites and provide diminishing
> social services.
>
> After three decades of managing the affairs of this country, the PPP regime
> left a country without a viable private or public sector. After five years
> of managing the affairs of this country, the APRC regime finds it impossible
> to build a viable private and public sector.
>
> For example, in 1991/1992 financial year, Company tax yielded only D50.7
> million out of a total revenue of D638.8 million. In 1993/94, Company Tax
> yielded just D73.4 million out of a total revenue amounting to D766.7
> million.
>
> This clearly shows a very insignificant growth of the private sector.
> In 1994/95, Company Tax yielded D88.2 million as compared to a total revenue
> of D728.3 million. In 1995/96, Company Tax contributed D65 million as
> compared to a total income of D698.4 million. In 1996/97, Company Tax
> contributed D93 million to the revenue as compared to a total revenue
> amounting to D762.6 million. In 1997, Company Tax contributed D84.4 million
> to the national revenue as compared to a total revenue amounting to D770.1
> million. In 1998, Company tax contributed D90.7 million to the national
> income as compared to a total income amounting to D786.3 million. In 1999,
> it is estimated that Company tax will contribute D93 million to the national
> income.
>
> Hence, it is clear that this country cannot rely on its tiny private sector
> to earn income to provide services. In fact, the private sector is
> complaining of too much taxation already. Where then is the government to
> get funds to provide services?
>
> Well, it could do so by maintaining a productive base which could generate
> income. However, nothing much has been done to build and maintain such a
> productive base.
>
> In fact, the PPP before and the APRC now are doing everything to dispose of
> the productive base of the government. Readers would recall that Jawara
> inherited a viable oil producing factory at Denton Bridge. Instead of
> investing and modernising the facility out of its deposits which stood at
> D101 million in 1978, it allowed the profitability of the company to
> deteriorate to the point of being completely bankrupt.
>
> In 1993, the Jawara regime sold GPMB for D20 million. It gave the impression
> that the Cooperative Union was a shareholder and agreed for payment to be
> done by Alimenta by instalment. D6 million was paid in 1993+ADs- D7 million was
> to be paid in 1994 and another D7 million in 1995. Today, the GPMB oil mill
> is gathering dust. This is the legacy of the PPP.
>
> Needless to say, the Gambia Commercial and Development bank with a total
> assets of D192 million in 1982 was driven to total bankruptcy and disposed
> for D20 million.
>
> The Cooperative Union was driven to total bankruptcy and the PPP regime
> ended up by constituting a commission of enquiry after they found nothing
> more than D40 in its account.
>
> The PPP Government sold the NTC, Dockyard, Nyambai Forest Saw Mill and so on
> and so forth.
>
> The APRC regime started by giving the impression that it is going to restore
> the health of the productive base of the economy. It claims that the Assets
> Management and Recovery Corporation has collected over D133 million.
> However, nothing is done to invest the sum in the productive base of the
> economy.
>
> Government could have developed partnership with local entrepreneurs to make
> Pal Grove Hotel productive instead of disposing it of. They could have
> bought shares in Air Dabia instead of selling the assets. Today, government
> assets are being put up for sale. Cooperative Union has been liquidated
> after incurring liability of D209 million.
>
> Like its predecessor, the government, therefore, relies entirely on direct
> and indirect taxes to pay its debts and maintain services.
>
> This is why the Secretary of State for Finance and economic Affairs has
> exercised his powers under Section 5, subsection (3) of the Customs Tariff
> Act to prescribe the following rates for duty on petroleum products and
> other items:
>
> Petrol which costs D7.75 per litre incurs a tax amounting to D4.10 per
> litre. Gas oil which costs D5.50 per litre incurs a duty amounting to D2.35
> per litre.
>
> New vehicles incur 20+ACU- duty. Used vehicles with values under D25,000 incur
> duty of D10,000 flat which means that the duty cannot be less than 40+ACU-.
> Soap, wheel barrows, sugar, confectioneries, nails incur 20+ACU- duty.
>
> Import duty constitute the basis of the national income and this duty is
> passed on to the consumers by importers. Tax on goods and services and tax
> on international trade provides for 80+ACU- of the total government revenue.
>
> The people need to consider whether this is the type of economy they wish to
> have. If not, they should ask each political party for an alternative policy
> to a tax based source of government revenue.
> Those who have no answer to this issue can never stop scraping the backs of
> the people to maintain salaries and services.
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ---
>
> HOW PREPARED IS THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE TRADE SEASON?
>
> December is fast approaching. The groundnut price has been put at D2700 per
> tonne. December 15 is declared to be the beginning of the trade season. Who
> is going to purchase the groundnuts from the Cooperative Societies? Who will
> finance the whole trade? These are yet to be clear.
>
> The Secretary of State has stated that their negotiation with the Gambia
> Ground Corporation is still on. It is not at all clear whether GGC will be a
> purchaser of the nuts of the Cooperative Societies.
>
> Readers would recall that many farmers sold their nuts to Senegal. Other
> stored their nuts and started to sell them at the weekly markets or lumoos.
> Our investigation revealed that lumoos were so saturated with nuts that the
> price fell. Companies outside the country took advantage of this and started
> to buy and transport nuts to Senegal.
>
> We hope this will not happen in the next trade season. We need transparency
> to avoid yesterday's crisis. There is need for diversification of buyers of
> the nuts. The Secretary of State for Agriculture needs to coordinate with
> the Secretary of State for Trade to seek marketing outlets for nuts. Even
> Russia can be an outlet for marketing nuts. Ways and means should be sought
> to find out the sources for marketing the crop.
>
> It would be unpardonable for farmers to take their crops for sale to
> Cooperative societies only to b given pieces of paper promising future
> payment instead of receiving money for their nuts. The role of the
> government is not to misrepresent the people.
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
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