Mboge
This man "KBJOBE" has gone deep down in my estimation.
Having spent so many years in University, one would
have expected him to be honest with his analysis.
Mr Jobe,
I am going to ask some questions as part of my
contribution to the debate. Please note that I will
ask you some further questions in my next postings.
(1)Are you telling me that the constant killings of
innocent Gambians by APRC Security Forces are
irrelevant in your analysis.
(2) Are you happy with Yahya's system of hiring and
firing Civil and Public Servants? Remember, that Yahya
cares less about mankind and you could be next on his
list. Where is Pap Cheyassin today, Was he not
humiliated by the moron. How about the likes of Dr
Saja Taal, Bishop Johnson, Serign Jobe and many
others. Having highlighted the "achivements" of APRC,
one would have expected you to list the setbacks. It
is only through this system of evaluation that one can
decide whether APRC is a success or not. At present,
the events of November 11 1994(-The summary execution
of Lt Basirou Barrow and Co), January 28 1995( The
Sana Sabally and Saidubou ambush),June 1995- the death
of Koro Sisay April 10/11 2000 are just one of the
many examples which should take note of before
supporting this ruthless regime.
(3) Can you honestly tell us the Gambia's official
exchange rate to the pound? Compare it to the Jawara
era.
(4)Are you happy with the political violence
orchestrated by the APRC youth movement under the
command of Co- President Baba Jobe?
For God's sake lets be honest with the
situation.Although I remain sceptical about your
comments, I respect your position for supporting the
APRC. There are so many people like your type working
as Civil Servants who would like to give a deaf ear to
the political situation in the Gambia. I only hope you
live long to see the effects of supporting a ruthless
regime like APRC.
Best wishes
Sanusi
--- momodou olly-mboge <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
<HR>
<html><DIV>
<P>Jobe You wrote:</P>
<P>To Momodou Olly Mboge and Makavela, I say the RIGHT
TO BE HEARD DOES </P>
<DIV></DIV>
<P>>NOT </P>
<DIV></DIV>
<P>>INCLUDE THE RIGHT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. I treat
self opinionate </P>
<DIV></DIV>
<P>>fools with </P>
<DIV></DIV>
<P>>the contempt they deserve.</P>
<P>The above compliment is returned to
you by my very humble self. I have been a bit kind in
labelling you as the 'Weakest Link'. The reasons you
gave about why you defend the murderous APRC regime
have confirmed to me how ludicrous you are. I will
leave it to my very able brothers KB, Hamjatta, Ebrima
Ceesay and the rest to expose your stupidity.</P>
<P>Goodbye, Mr Engineer, You are indeed worst than
the weakest link.</P>
<P>Regards,</P>
<P>Mboge</P>
<P> <BR><BR></P></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>From: Kebba Jobe <[log in to unmask]>
<DIV></DIV>>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues
mailing list <[log in to unmask]>
<DIV></DIV>>To: [log in to unmask]
<DIV></DIV>>Subject: Why I can support the APRC
Government despite....Pt.1
<DIV></DIV>>Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2001 15:43:51 -0000
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>“ …We pledge our firm allegiance, our
promise we renew, keep us
<DIV></DIV>>great God of
<DIV></DIV>>nations to the Gambia ever true”.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>I start my defense of supporting the APRC
government by, first of
<DIV></DIV>>all,
<DIV></DIV>>quoting the above from our national
anthem. In short my allegiance
<DIV></DIV>>is to
<DIV></DIV>>“The Gambia and its diverse Peoples” and
any party that is in power
<DIV></DIV>>and puts
<DIV></DIV>>the aspirations of our peoples first,
ahead of self or party will
<DIV></DIV>>get my
<DIV></DIV>>support.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>INTRO.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>One of the fundamental principles of
democracy is the right of a
<DIV></DIV>>people to
<DIV></DIV>>be led by those whom they desire to lead
them. This principle
<DIV></DIV>>supports the
<DIV></DIV>>idea that “Good government can never be a
substitute for government
<DIV></DIV>>by the
<DIV></DIV>>people themselves” (Sir Henry
Cambell-Banner). Whatever opinion one
<DIV></DIV>>may have
<DIV></DIV>>about those leading us today, it must be
remembered that the
<DIV></DIV>>majority of the
<DIV></DIV>>Gambian people elected them.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Even though, the government made several
blunders along the way,
<DIV></DIV>>these can
<DIV></DIV>>be excused as the leadership is very young
and their military
<DIV></DIV>>background
<DIV></DIV>>certainly has a tremendous effect on their
lack of tolerance. I am
<DIV></DIV>>not going
<DIV></DIV>>dwell on them as yet, but will do so after
stating my position.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>For now I will try to highlight some of
the achievements of the
<DIV></DIV>>regime that
<DIV></DIV>>has made some of us support it despite
their shortcomings. I will
<DIV></DIV>>also MAKE
<DIV></DIV>>A CASE AS TO WHY THE EXISTING POLITICAL
PARTIES ARE NO ALTERNATIVE
<DIV></DIV>>TO THE
<DIV></DIV>>APRC. Those who believe otherwise, are
entitled to their opinions
<DIV></DIV>>and I’ll
<DIV></DIV>>stick to mine for the time being.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>THE APRC RECORD.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>It is said “If you don’t know where you
are going, any road will
<DIV></DIV>>take you
<DIV></DIV>>there”. As such, my defense of the APRC
government and why it has so
<DIV></DIV>>much
<DIV></DIV>>support despite all that have been said
about it will start with
<DIV></DIV>>“The Gambia
<DIV></DIV>>incorporated…Vision 2020”. The fundamental
objective of vision 2020
<DIV></DIV>>is ‘to
<DIV></DIV>>map out clearly a strategy for
socio-economic development that aims
<DIV></DIV>>at
<DIV></DIV>>raising the standard of living of the
Gambian population by
<DIV></DIV>>transforming The
<DIV></DIV>>Gambia into a dynamic middle-income
country by the year 2020’.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>VISION 2020.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Vision 2020 is the result of an in depth
study of The Gambian
<DIV></DIV>>situation as
<DIV></DIV>>it was in 1995 and was produced by a group
of Gambians, who
<DIV></DIV>>constituted the
<DIV></DIV>>National Think Tank (NATT). The NATT
consulted with all sectors of
<DIV></DIV>>civic
<DIV></DIV>>society throughout the country and held
several workshops to come up
<DIV></DIV>>with
<DIV></DIV>>this national strategic document. Their
hard work culminated in the
<DIV></DIV>>production of the vision 2020 document in
May 1996. Now 5 years
<DIV></DIV>>down the
<DIV></DIV>>line what has been achieved?
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>1. HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMEN.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>A nation can hardly develop unless its
development strategy is
<DIV></DIV>>supported by
<DIV></DIV>>a deliberate policy focused the
development of its human resources.
<DIV></DIV>>In the
<DIV></DIV>>recent past, our traditional extended
family system that served us
<DIV></DIV>>so well
<DIV></DIV>>over centuries have changed dramatically
due to outside influences.
<DIV></DIV>>People
<DIV></DIV>>no longer take for granted what their
relatives have. People have
<DIV></DIV>>begun to
<DIV></DIV>>determine their own destinies regardless
of family connections.
<DIV></DIV>>Those, who
<DIV></DIV>>traditionally, would have been smiths,
cobblers, praise singing
<DIV></DIV>>griots,
<DIV></DIV>>farmers etc, no longer follow those
traditions as used to be the
<DIV></DIV>>case. For
<DIV></DIV>>many, this has been helped by education
and for some through the
<DIV></DIV>>learning of
<DIV></DIV>>other skills.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>a) EDUCATION.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Education has given many Gambians what
their folks never dreamt of.
<DIV></DIV>>Better
<DIV></DIV>>enlightenment, more informed choices, more
logic, and more
<DIV></DIV>>self-fulfillment.
<DIV></DIV>>Prior to the coupe, there were less than
10 senior secondary schools
<DIV></DIV>>and
<DIV></DIV>>less than twenty-five junior secondary
schools for a potential
<DIV></DIV>>school going
<DIV></DIV>>population of over 300,000 boys and girls.
The former PPP regime was
<DIV></DIV>>content
<DIV></DIV>>with the single senior secondary school
that was built in 1927 by
<DIV></DIV>>the
<DIV></DIV>>British colonialists. The number of
primary schools was less 200.
<DIV></DIV>>Government
<DIV></DIV>>vocational training centres that existed
numbered only three, 1 in
<DIV></DIV>>Kanifing,
<DIV></DIV>>1 in Farafeni and 1 in Mansa Konko. With 1
library located in
<DIV></DIV>>Banjul, rural
<DIV></DIV>>students relied on the mobile library that
made very infrequent
<DIV></DIV>>visits to
<DIV></DIV>>the provinces. Children were required to
provide and care for their
<DIV></DIV>>chairs
<DIV></DIV>>and tables. In 1985 access to secondary
school education was 35% and
<DIV></DIV>>this
<DIV></DIV>>rose to almost 60% in 1995 and now stands
at about 68%. This figure
<DIV></DIV>>is
<DIV></DIV>>expected to reach 90% by 2020.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Under the APRC government there are now
more than 20 senior
<DIV></DIV>>secondary
<DIV></DIV>>schools, more than 50 junior secondary
schools and a university have
<DIV></DIV>>been
<DIV></DIV>>built, staffed, equipped and operational.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>In 1995, The Gambia became one the first
African countries to have
<DIV></DIV>>an
<DIV></DIV>>Internet Gateway. This was a joint
undertaking between the UNDP and
<DIV></DIV>>The
<DIV></DIV>>government of the Gambia. This has
resulted in the mushrooming of
<DIV></DIV>>computer
<DIV></DIV>>training schools as well the teaching of
computing skills and IT in
<DIV></DIV>>our
<DIV></DIV>>schools. At present, almost all high
schools are equipped with
<DIV></DIV>>computers
<DIV></DIV>>powered by solar panels were there is no
electricity. Cyber cafés
<DIV></DIV>>are
<DIV></DIV>>abounding throughout the Greater Banjul
Area (GBA) and the trend is
<DIV></DIV>>expected
<DIV></DIV>>to spill over to the provinces. Many
Gambian students now
<DIV></DIV>>communicate via
<DIV></DIV>>e-mail and some are even designing their
own web sites. You may
<DIV></DIV>>visit these
<DIV></DIV>>2 websites designed by two 15yr old boys,
Lamin Jaiteh of Methodist
<DIV></DIV>>Academy
<DIV></DIV>>(www.lamisco.homestead.com) and Serigne
Jobe of Gambia senior
<DIV></DIV>>secondary
<DIV></DIV>>school (www.geocities.com/serign15jobe).
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>b) HEALTH.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Prior to the coupe d’etat of 1994, there
were only 2 referral
<DIV></DIV>>hospitals
<DIV></DIV>>throughout the country 1 in Bansang and 1
in Banjul; all built by
<DIV></DIV>>the
<DIV></DIV>>British colonialists. There were 7 major
health centres, 11 minor
<DIV></DIV>>health
<DIV></DIV>>centres, 17 dispensaries, 145 outreach
stations, 381 health posts
<DIV></DIV>>complimented by 12 private clinics. The
population of The Gambia in
<DIV></DIV>>1993 was
<DIV></DIV>>1.1 million people having increased during
the previous decade at an
<DIV></DIV>>average
<DIV></DIV>>rate of 4.1%. For this population, there
were less than 40 doctors.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>The AFPRC hospital constructed by the
AFPRC/APRC is fully
<DIV></DIV>>operational. The
<DIV></DIV>>Bwiam hospital is nearing completion and
the construction of the
<DIV></DIV>>Sere Kunda
<DIV></DIV>>Hospital is soon to start. Both and RVH
Bansang hospitals have been
<DIV></DIV>>significantly extended and equipped with
very modern equipment.
<DIV></DIV>>Almost all
<DIV></DIV>>the big towns in the country have been
upgraded to major health
<DIV></DIV>>centres with
<DIV></DIV>>resident doctors. Most of the dispensaries
have also been upgraded
<DIV></DIV>>to major
<DIV></DIV>>health centres while more outreach
stations are being built. This is
<DIV></DIV>>complimented by over 25 private clinics
with referral facilities.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>In recognition of the need to have access
to save drinking as a
<DIV></DIV>>prerequisite
<DIV></DIV>>for healthy living, the government has
been building dozens of
<DIV></DIV>>concrete line
<DIV></DIV>>wells with hand pumps or solar powered
throughout the country.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>c) POPULATION.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>In less than 20 years our population has
more than doubled from
<DIV></DIV>>about
<DIV></DIV>>650,000 in 1983 to more than 1.3 million
today. Our population has
<DIV></DIV>>been
<DIV></DIV>>growing at about 4.2 % for most that
period. Conflicts in our
<DIV></DIV>>sub-region and
<DIV></DIV>>the economic hardships in our neighboring
countries have brought
<DIV></DIV>>about an
<DIV></DIV>>unprecedented level of immigration to the
Gambia. This has put
<DIV></DIV>>tremendous
<DIV></DIV>>pressure on all sectors of our lives.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>In its pursuit to stem this negative
trend, the APRC government has
<DIV></DIV>>been
<DIV></DIV>>very active in the resolution of conflicts
in the entire sub-region
<DIV></DIV>>while
<DIV></DIV>>stability and security in the country. It
has also taken concerted
<DIV></DIV>>action to
<DIV></DIV>>promote family planning by organizing
seminars and on the need to
<DIV></DIV>>discourage
<DIV></DIV>>people from having big families. In
schools and by use of the public
<DIV></DIV>>media,
<DIV></DIV>>the youths are encouraged to lead
responsible lives by discouraging
<DIV></DIV>>early or
<DIV></DIV>>unsafe sex. The use of condoms, especially
in the light of the Aids
<DIV></DIV>>epidemic
<DIV></DIV>>in Africa is widely promoted.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>d) HOUSING.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Increasing population and rural-urban
migration has made housing
<DIV></DIV>>especially
<DIV></DIV>>in the GBA to be very expensive. In
recognition of this, government
<DIV></DIV>>in
<DIV></DIV>>collaboration with Shelter Afrique,
allocated 800 plots of land at
<DIV></DIV>>the
<DIV></DIV>>Brusubi Estate mainly for low income
people with the ability to
<DIV></DIV>>develop the,
<DIV></DIV>>commercial plots, public utilities, and
recreational areas. Another
<DIV></DIV>>100
<DIV></DIV>>plots are to be allocated in the Nemasu
area soon as well as another
<DIV></DIV>>800 at
<DIV></DIV>>Brusubi.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>e) THE ENVIRONMENT.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>The Gambia’s environmental Action plan
(GEAP) is being continuously
<DIV></DIV>>implemented. Over the pass few years the
import of pesticides and
<DIV></DIV>>other
<DIV></DIV>>chemicals are being closely monitored.
Concerted effort is being
<DIV></DIV>>into
<DIV></DIV>>arresting sea erosion especially in Banjul
and the Tourism
<DIV></DIV>>Development Area
<DIV></DIV>>(TDA). Deforestation is being fought
vigorously especially with the
<DIV></DIV>>collaboration of the German government and
the European Union.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>2. COMMUNICATIONS.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>One of the most sustainable modes of
transportation for the Gambia,
<DIV></DIV>>river
<DIV></DIV>>transport inherited from colonial times
was neglected and all the
<DIV></DIV>>investments made in that sector allowed to
go to waste. Those who
<DIV></DIV>>were
<DIV></DIV>>around in the 1950s, 60s and 70s can
recall the likes of steamers
<DIV></DIV>>like
<DIV></DIV>>Apapa, Lady Wright, Lady Denham and tug
boats such as Wasp, Amberi,
<DIV></DIV>>Kaba,
<DIV></DIV>>Kaba II, Masina, Kuntaur etc, etc. Rather
than maintaining these
<DIV></DIV>>considering
<DIV></DIV>>our lack of resources to construct an
extensive network of good
<DIV></DIV>>roads, these
<DIV></DIV>>boats were simply allowed to rust and
sink. What is most
<DIV></DIV>>disheartening about
<DIV></DIV>>this is the fact that most of these tug
boats were driven under
<DIV></DIV>>their own
<DIV></DIV>>power to Saro (Denton bridge) and just
allowed to sink one by one.
<DIV></DIV>>The 15 or
<DIV></DIV>>so concrete wharfs that were built from
loans and grants were just
<DIV></DIV>>left to
<DIV></DIV>>crumble. Towns that thrived on trade,
facilitated by river
<DIV></DIV>>transportation
<DIV></DIV>>all died very slow agonizing deaths. These
include Albreda, Njawara,
<DIV></DIV>>Kani
<DIV></DIV>>Kunda, Kudang Tenda, Kuntaur, Carol’s
wharf, Kosemar etc, etc.
<DIV></DIV>>Streets in
<DIV></DIV>>the urban area did not fare any better.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>The only national radio’s broadcasts, for
the best part of the 6
<DIV></DIV>>years
<DIV></DIV>>preceding the 1994 coupe was only limited
to the Kombos. There was
<DIV></DIV>>no TV
<DIV></DIV>>station either.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>The correlation between good
communications facilities and
<DIV></DIV>>development have
<DIV></DIV>>been amply proven and the government’s
efforts in that is there for
<DIV></DIV>>every to
<DIV></DIV>>see. Under the APRC, not only does the
national radio broadcast
<DIV></DIV>>throughout
<DIV></DIV>>the country, TV coverage is also
nationwide and operates everyday.
<DIV></DIV>>The APRC
<DIV></DIV>>transformed the warehouse that used to
serve as our airport into one
<DIV></DIV>>of the
<DIV></DIV>>best in Africa, fully equipped to
international standards. The cargo
<DIV></DIV>>handling facilities have been greatly
developed and are continuing
<DIV></DIV>>to be
<DIV></DIV>>developed. Direct flights to the US only
became possible this year
<DIV></DIV>>after
<DIV></DIV>>massive investment in infrastructure and
safety.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Under the APRC first class roads are being
built linking strategic
<DIV></DIV>>towns for
<DIV></DIV>>the ease of transportation. These towns
have the potential of
<DIV></DIV>>enhancing
<DIV></DIV>>trade between our communities and beyond.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Gamtel’s soon to be commissioned new GSM
mobile system will be
<DIV></DIV>>operational
<DIV></DIV>>throughout the country. Access to
telephone facilities is available
<DIV></DIV>>within
<DIV></DIV>>15 Km of anywhere you may be in the
country.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Mr. Alpha Kuan, thanks your caution. It is
very well appreciated.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>"Politics is not the art of the possible.
It concists of CHOOSING
<DIV></DIV>>BETWEEN
<DIV></DIV>>THE DISASTROUS AND THE UNPALATABLE" - J.
K. Galbrath.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Bye 4Now, KB Jobe.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>_________________________________________________________________________
<DIV></DIV>>Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN
Hotmail at
<DIV></DIV>>http://www.hotmail.com.
<DIV></DIV>>
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