It is essential for we the Gambians especially Diasporans in the US, to identify our priorities and determine the means for building the capacity and capability to implement that could bring development and impact the lives of our people, taking into account their social, environmental and economic needs. There is a lot we could talk about on how we could contribute in the overall effort to develop Gambia. America is a land full of opportunities and time is against us. Instead of wasting our times and energy on personal attacks and insult as evidenced by recent exchange of fowl language between Joe Sambou and some other folks, we could devote our times and efforts acquiring skills, knowledge and technical know-how at the individual and institutional levels necessary for nation-building. By doing so we will create the foundation for the next generation of Gambians in the US to maintain. Policy analysis and development management, including the assessment of alternative courses of action with a view to enhancing access to and transfer of technology and promoting economic development are areas we could debate on and exchange ideas. My fellow Gambians lets look into the possibilities of creating a Technical cooperation, including that related to technology transfer and know-how between Gambia and the west, that would encompass the whole range of activities to develop or strengthen our individual and group capacities and capabilities necessary to bring development to the Gambia. Our forum on Gambia-L would be regarded by many as fruitful and effective only when it is derived from and related to Gambia’s important issues, strategies and priorities on environment and development. It is important that we remember for a fact that, we have a system of government in the Gambia that is for the people, by the people and of the people. The decision-makers in Banjul including the president are our own brothers, sisters, schoolmates and neighbors. Lets not fear them if our course is clear and positive, we could contribute and help create an avenue for the Government to define improved and consistent policies and procedures to support the developmental process. We have many smart and educated Gambians among us and by giving greater attention to capacity- and capability-building as an integral part of creating sustainable development strategies for environment and development programs both in country-related coordination processes, such as consultative groups and round tables, and in sectoral coordination mechanisms to enable Gambians to participate actively in obtaining assistance from different sources. As a Gambian I have a responsibility and duty to God and my Country. It is not my responsibility to judge other people but myself. At this age in my life, I ask not what my country could do for me or what some one does for his people and for his country, but what I could do for my country, how I could contribute to building a Gambia I could have my kids call home and be proud of. If some Gambians for some reasons could not settle their personal differences privately instead prefer to go at each other in public, that is their decision to make however such individuals will go down in the history of this great forum as a disgrace to the Gambian course. I urge every Gambian on the –L to login Seneweb.com and see for your self issues the Senegalese are talking about and make a comparison. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~