Confirming what most people already know, Gambia is showing signs of inability to service its debts. This was confirmed by a senior economist at a seminar at the MDI not long ago. The economist had indicated to the audience that the IMF had written a stern letter of warning to the government after they were a month overdue in arrears. This is significant because at a time when the government is showing off flying fighter planes it is finding it difficult to meet its financial obligations. This truly is ironic, for in any planning programme I assume that the theory of the three concentric circles apply, that is meeting the needs of the essentials, the necessities and then the nice to haves. But it appears that those responsible for designing policies have got their priorities wrong. Instead of focusing on the provision of the essentials they are focused on the nice to haves. One would have thought that the government with all its rhetorics will focus on providing basic necessities, but at a time when things have become deserate our priorities should not be geared towards war preparations, this is absolutely misleading. I hope the call for so-called foreigners to regularise their stay is not designed to be a penchant diplomatic response against certainly nationalities. If this happens to be the case it would be serious diplomatic blunder for instead of enhancing commonality it would be very divisive. In this day and age Africans should not be experiencing certain types of treatment within the continent, I do appreciate the fact that we must protect our geo-political integrity but not at the expense of humilliating and treating our fellow Africans in a humilliating fashion. The Gambia can only benefit as a haven in the sub-region, those that come there in the hope of economic bettement should be encouraged, after all they contribute towards the labour market cosequently adding value to the economy. I hope the way the police go about this is will not invoke sentiments of revenge from other countries. Afterall Gambians are scattered all over the world contributing in their own way towards the economy. Imagine how the government will cope if all those Gambians were to be sent back home, obviously they will not be able to cope considering that the Gambia is already experincing economic hardships of unprecedented magnitude. The rhetoric about Pan-Africanism must be matched by positive concrete action. One would have been gullible to believe that Africans will never experience any form of harassment under Jammeh considering his rhetoric, but the facts do not tally with the experience. Africans do sign treaties in defence of their citizens but this means nothing to non law abiding presidents, at then whiff of their arms they can consign all those hitherto protocols or agrrements into oblivion. I hope the Gambians will not scapegoat their African brothers and sisters as responsible for the woes of the economy. Instead of being myopic or looking for scapegoats the leadership should confer to the people the reality. The economic mess we are in is maily due to the loans that were taken under Jawara as well as under Jammeh. The leadership should have the audacity to tell the people that they are building roads and hospitals with loans that have high rates of intrests which would be paid by the sweat of the hard working ordinary people. It must be made clear that the state operates only as debt collector to money lending organisations that do sometimes impose unbearable conditions. They must inform the people catergorically that the country is living above it's means and that is why some people oppose taking more debts. If the leadership had been honest to the people and the proceed to impose stringent economic policies especially state wastage they could go a long way in helping the country. But no instead what charactersie the nation is wastage and propagander, wherever the presidents goes he showers the youths and the village with enormous amounts of money that he may not be able to account for from his wages, that is precisely why I feel that the money given to Gambians in the USA should have been refused out of conscience. In what country can you find a president dishing out money as Jammeh does it is absolutely ridiculous, the reality of it is catching up with the people and all those who shared in accepting such a money should take part of the blame. A country that cannot fulfil its international financial obligations as well as pay its farmers should not be able to give charity, it is abosolute madness to say the least. I hope Gambians especially those in the diaspora will avoid such cheap way of giving their allegiance. pan- africanism _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.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 To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~