Sorry that I couldn't reply to you much sooner 'course I was a bit tied up.
You see I have never denied that voter buying did take place. All I wanted
to do was to caution the opposition and to draw their attention to the
possibility that there may be other more important contributory factors to
the UDP defeat. My political leaning might be different from many on the
list, but I hope people will understand that I am also a Gambian who may
have something to contribute. As far as I am concerned, Gambia comes first.

You wrote:
"Finally, i agree with you that there is a need for tolerance, decency and
respect in our exchanges/discourse. Since these virtues are mutual and
earned, and your declaration of respect for me, i will strive to return the
said compliments in any exchange  - so long as it is mutual and earned." I
appreciate this and we should expect nothing less.

You also wrote:
"To the "dubious character" label i pinned on you earlier, i will gladly
retract it and apologise for such characterisation if you can tell me what
position you hold in the civil service and where you live [not home address
but area/region in the Gambia]. The reason for this is simple: You claim you
are a civil sevant, but the checks i have done on you so far have proven
negative. We need to ascertain the facts so we can engage in constructive
exchanges. I'm beginning to suspect you are more than one individual. All
these factors will, however, not impinge upon what i have declared above -
that i will from henceforth treat your contributions with respect and
seriousness even if we disagree - provided you remain honest and return the
compliments. Mean time, i look forward to the daunting task of changing your
heart about our pea-brained "president"."

Your appology is accepted and I thank you for your humility. As for my
identity, well I will try to give you a some insight into who I am. No, I am
not more than ONE person. My name is Kebba but I am using my namesake's
surname to be anonymous. The reason is that if I were to disclose my
identity I will not be able to participate in these debates. You see,
today's opposition could very well be tomorrow's government and some
seemingly good politicians of today could become tomorrow's nightmare. You
just have look at Chiluba of Zambia or even the record of Africa's man of
the millenium, Dr. Osagefoe Kwami Nkrumah. He inacted one of most represive
legislations Ghana has ever known namely the Preventative Detention Act
(PDA). This wrecked havoc on the lives of many innocent people. The little
information I wish to divulge about myself, which I hope will be sufficient
for now is as follows.

I am a senior civil servant in my mid 40's who was born and bred in the
Niani District of the CRD, attended Armitage school, studied Mathematics and
engineering at the universities of Canterbury(kent), Plymouth (Devon) and
the National university of Singapore (NUS. I am also a grauate of the
Thunderbird, American graduate school of international management in
Glendale, Arizona. I am married with 4 children. The first time I ever voted
was in England when I once voted for Dr. David Owen, now Lord Owen when I
lived in Devonport. In Gambia the only time I ever bothered to vote was in
the referendum, presidential and national assembly elections.

Happy Tamharit, KB Jobe.

     ==========================================================
"There is a time in the life of every problem when it is big enough to see,
yet small enough to solve"

                  (MIKE LEAVITT)
     ===========================================================



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