The sooner people stop talking about the "Vision 2020" and concentrate on the primordial challenge of reducing the incidence of poverty in The Gambia, the better it is for the country. To make The Gambia a middle income country by 2020, means that we should achieve a minimum per capita income of $800. The current level of per capita income is around $350. With an average growth rate of 4 percent per annum, it will take a minimum of 18 years for our nation's income to double to $700. (this comes from the rule of 70 in economics). 18 years from now will take us close to 2020. So even the lower end of a middle income country will not be achieved. There is only one middle income country in the whole of West Africa and surprisingly it is Cape Verde, not Senegal or Cote d'Ivoire and these countries have a higher per capita income that Gambia. Vision 2020 was articulated without any empirical work done as to the sustainability of economic policies and the attainability of making The Gambia a middle income country. There is no doubt that the incidence of poverty is on the increase. What we should be concentrating on is how to achieve the development goal of reducing poverty in the Gambia by 50 percent by 2015, achieving universal primary education, reducing infant mortality rates. To do so need at least a growth rate of 7 percent. These are the challenges. For there to be sustainable development in Gambia, accelerated investment is needed in health and education and rural infrastructure. It is only fair to say that the government has made some progress in these sectors. The payoffs, however from such investments are long term. It takes up to the time a student finishes school to contribute productively to the society. There are lessons of experience we could learn from the most financially stable, democratic and pluralistic countries in Africa (Botswana and Mauritius, the two countries that have registered the most impressive growth and development record in Africa). Economic development does not only depend on economic policy. Improving the welfare of Gambians is predicated by improved accountability for public resource management, developing democratic institutions and an unblemished and good governance record and implementing codes of good practice in fiscal transparency The government has intervened in health and education, but still the level of poverty is on the increase. We need to take stock and reappraise the policy interventions. COllective action is need. The challenge is not vision 2020 or to make The Gambia the Singapore of Africa but integrating pro poor macroeconomic policies with social and sectoral objectives to spur growth and reduce poverty. Dr. Basil Jones 26/04/01 >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L >Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >You may also send subscription requests to >[log in to unmask] >if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your >full name and e-mail address. >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask] if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------