Culled from Allafrica: It is interesting how our people continually run from the fox to the wolf to take care of the contineous price rise. They expect to curb inflation by running to the same dude that created the environment that created the inflation in the first place. This administration does not know what they are doing if it were to hit them in the face. Characteristic of our attitudes, we would just plead and plead and do some more pleading. Blackouts rendering their electric appliances useless, they plead to Yaya. Farmers not paid, they plead to Yaya. Teachers not paid, they plead to Yaya. No medicines in the hospitals that Yaya "built", they plead to Yaya. Can't afford basic commodities, they still plead to Yaya. On and on like a broken record. As long as we behave or have this attitude that yaya is the owner of the country a lot of missery is in store for us. Why don't we just have a monachy while we are at it. For we have no use of the other branches of government. As long as we stay at home and complain, we shall forever pay high prices. For seven years and counting folks have advised this lot about the need to boost the productive base of our economy but they still have their head in the sand. In the midst of the chaos they created, the wise fellow says "Free Education for Girls", and everyone thanked him and praise his wisdom. Mean while the prices of the bare basics keep rising and every commodity beyound their means; can't afford the medication in your sick bed, that is if it is even available, etc. Folks, this is called an economic meltdown and ignorance of basic economic principles is not and will not be an excuse to escape the mess we're in. Ramadan will come and go and another one and anoter one and our situation will not change. Same problem (inept leadership), different day. please read on. Chi Jaama Joe Sambou As Ramadan Approaches Price of Basic Commodities Still Hiking The Daily Observer (Banjul) November 5, 2002 Posted to the web November 5, 2002 Sunkary Sanjo Banjul It is a tradition in The Gambia that every year when Ramadan approaches, the price of basic commodity like rice, sugar, oil, etc are reduced to the barest minimum so that every Gambian will be able to afford them. But this year, the circumstances speak differently. According to opinion poll conducted by our reporter the price of basic commodities still remain sky-rocketing as Ramadan approaches. Stergas Herve Artant, a Lebanese businessman in The Gambia told our reporter that they have no desire to trade at the present prices but that because of market forces, they are obliged to do so. "Gambians should realise that the high price of commodities in the country is not caused by the local businessmen but by the weakness of the Dalasi against major international currencies. "The foreign exchange rates have gone up. Our desire is to make all people able to afford what we are selling and not to victimise them." Fatou Drammeh, a resident of Bakau lamented that the government should intervene and help to tackle the problem because the Ramadan starts soon and prices are still sky-rocketing. "We are poor and we do find it extremely difficult to buy a bag of rice which now costs D270. We are indeed appealing to the Jammeh administration to come to our aid," she added. Meanwhile, Gambians from the length and breadth of the country are complaining of the high cost of basic commodities. _________________________________________________________________ Get faster connections -- switch to MSN Internet Access! http://resourcecenter.msn.com/access/plans/default.asp ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~