No Dollarisation or CFA-isation

The Dalasi has appreciated in value over the major currencies since
President Jammeh's very crucial meeting with SOSs and top government
officials on Wednesday.

On Wednesday evening, the Dalasi was selling for D35.00 to one Pound
sterling, D24.00 to one US Dollar and the CFA 5,000 for D185.00 in the
infamous black market and so on. Eh, by Thursday afternoon, the Pound had
fallen before the Dalasi to D30.00, the US Dollar to D20.00 and the CFA
5,000 was going at D120.00. What a mighty fall!

The rapid stabilisation of the Dalasi following Yahya Jammeh's patriotic
remarks on Wednesday has vindicated this column, which had always
maintained that the plight of the Dalasi was artificial; the nefarious
handiwork of speculators and hoarders.

We agree totally with the Central Bank that the depreciation of the Dalasi
was not due to any sudden adverse nosedive in our macro economy. The
Gambian economy remains bouyant, and is growing, thanks to the free market
thrust of government.

However, the greedy attitude of some get-rich-quick business people and the
uncontrolled forex black market had almost led The Gambia to an early
economic grave. These saboteurs should be caught and punished publicly for
their economic crimes.

If nothing is done against such economic saboteurs now, they may want to
have another try and then woe betide The Gambia. In August 1995, the
horders and speculators caused an artificial shortage of rice and sugar
which caused hunger and suffering. Then no one believed that come August
2002, these saboteurs will strike again. Therefore, from now on, all
patriotic Gambians must be vigilant and expose these terrible economic
vultures before they hi again.

There should be no mercy for horders, profiteers and speculators.

We wish to recommend for the setting up of a special economic crimes
tribunal and police to deal specially with this new, yet insidious and
potentially destructuve threat to our economic well being.

All Gambians must also condemn and resist the incipient Dollarisation or
CFA-isation of our economy.

We have a currency called the Dalasi and it is the symbol of our
sovereignty. Therefore, it must be the legal tender in The Gambia. Anyone
who rejects the Dalasi in The Gambia is questioning our nationhood, and the
legitimacy of the state and the government.

ACCEPT OUR DALASI OR GET OUT!


--
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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