Mr. Nyang,
 
I appreciate your follow up response. Again, I did not invite Halifa to a debate with me. I invited Halifa in my capacity as a member of a media platform to discuss his position on issues of Gambian politics which in many quarters is equated to his party's position as "the SG of PDOIS". Thus your statement " I am saying that Halifa will not debate with you, he will only debate people at his level and not you" is misconstrued. 
 
I am also not sure what you mean "by people at his level". As a citizen, a member of the press and an editor of an online paper which published so many of Halifa's Press statements, shouldn't I be able to invite Halifa to a conversation on national issues? What level is Halifa at that is above citizen levels who want to engage in conversation even if I were to want to engage him as a citizen? When I invited Mr. Darboe or Hamat Bah, or Pa Samba, Karamba, Dr. Saine, Dr. Jallow etc.. etc.. I am inviting them as a member of the media.
 
This is the capacity I am inviting Halifa and I believe you are also wanting to discuss with me in that capacity not as an individual. I have no political afiliation, or position of authority to engage anybody. I am talking to people as a member of the press and if I want to discuss issues at a personal level, I will engage privately as I did with Halifa and with you on so many occasions.
 
I would therefore, hope that Halifa is actually at the citizen level where he can come to platforms and discuss national issues. He doesn't have to do this but it is in line with democratic and open society norms.
 
To honor your counter offer on behalf of Halifa and or PDOIS, I would like to set up and appointment with you for Next Saturday at 12:00pm Pacific for a discussion on our citizen conversation at SenegambiaRadio/Gainako or at any other time convenient for you.
 
Again please do not take this personal. This is about our national issues and hope I can have a civil discussion with you so the audience can understand the positions. I will be there as a neutral presenter or a double's advocate.  I hope you understand.

Kind regards

Demba 
On Sun, Jan 1, 2012 at 6:40 PM, Modou Nyang <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
 
Demba, thank you for the response. Let me assure you that i am not one that is bothered with defending someone like Halifa Sallah. The man is more than capable of ding it for himself. My business is politics and the national issues that goes with it. I am not going to take your this response to mean the same when you wrote on Bantaba that you want to "debate" with Halifa. Engaging Halifa whether publicly or privately is not of concern to me. He has been called all sorts of names during this past election and i was not bothered a bit.
My point is that you want to debate Halifa on Gambian political matters, i am saying that Halifa will not debate with you, he will only debate people at his level and not you. Halifa is the SG of PDOIS. That is why i am offerring you an avenue to take me on at your covenience anytime, just let me know. I will be speaking officially in the name of the party. This is not me "speaking for Halifa and his position on matters Gambian politics", but speaking on behalf of DPOIS against Demba Baldeh.
 
The offfer is still open.
 
Nyang


From: "[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]>
To: Modou Nyang <[log in to unmask]>; [log in to unmask]
Sent: Sunday, January 1, 2012 12:41 PM
Subject: Re: [G_L] For the Attention of Demba Baldeh

Mr. Nyang, wishing you and GL family a happy and blessed New Year 2012. I got your message on my way out last night and could not reply at the time!

Thank you for wanting to speak for Halifa and his position on matters of Gambian politics. My efforts to engage Halifa during the election campaign was not personal but rather on national issues as a political leader.
Like many concern citizens, I reached out to him privately to express my feelings about his position on opposition unity and we exchanged several emails. I invited him to my show on Senegambia/Gainako to discuss the issues which he promised several times but could not make it. Am still hoping he will find time to discuss issues of national concern with us.

Now I understand through Seedy Ceesay of freedom that he would rather discuss issues with me on a neutral platform due may be to the disagreements we had privately am not sure. So fyi, that arrangement is in the works.

If you want to discuss issues I raised with Halifa and I believed had also discussed with you privately several times, I will be honored to make arrangements at your earliest convenience to appear on the show!

Pls note, I have nothing for or against the person of Halifa but respect for his personal sacrifice and my past records online speak for themselves. This is not about him or PDOIS but his position on the issues of national politics.

I hope you don't take this personal but rather national and we can have a healthy and respectable discussion.

Kind regards

Demba
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
From: Modou Nyang <[log in to unmask]>
Sender: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Sun, 1 Jan 2012 05:34:13 +0000
ReplyTo: Modou Nyang <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: [G_L] For the Attention of Demba Baldeh

My Friend Demba,
I came across the following statement of yours posted in Bantaba in Cyber space: "...I have engage Halifa personally and have invited him to a debate. He is yet to honor my invitation... I promise to engage him with the utmost respect and on the issues exclusively..."
Demba, since i am only a reader of Bantaba and not a contributor i decided to bring this matter up here where both of us are present. I want to take up your challenge on a debate on an official capacity. I am a member of PDOIS and a member of it's USA branch and also a member of the Media and publicity committee of the branch.
The ball is in your court, you can determine the agenda, place, time and all other related issues. The choice is yours. Just let me know all the details on a few days notice and i will oblige you.
 
Happy 2012
Thank you,
Modou Nyang
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