(JollofNews) – It makes very interesting reading to hear about all the different price increment being mooted by the Gambian regime of Yahya Jammeh.
Clearly, the people are carrying the heaviest burden for the extreme effects of the economic downturn crossing the borders of the Gambia. But surely, this burden of increased prices on the average citizen is unsustainable when the economy is losing traction on jobs and the majority of businesses are finding it difficult to attract customers with any cash.
If the economy is dead on its feet, then whatever incentive remains available must be put into new business creation. To simply apply more taxes on the incomes of the financially challenged will lead to hunger, homelessness and increasing destitution.
The imposition of the fixed exchange rate on the Dalasi tied to the depreciation on the remittances from the Diaspora must be causing grievous hardship and immense worries on families dependant on foreign jobs for their daily survival.
If the net result of failed government policies means that Gambian youths must vacate their homes for jobs in the better-off countries, then what is the point of having any government at all? After 21 years, the AFPRC/APRC government has not built up any “fat” to withstand anymore external shocks. When the farmers have no tools or their produce are not bought and paid for promptly, the next cycle is delayed and the hardship increased to the point of despair.
This is no longer a situation where a few million Euros will cure the failure of business profitability and its decline. To further increase direct and indirect taxation on a business of an individual who is already struggling to meet food, energy bills and housing costs is a tax burden too far. The Gambia is struggling to service its debts and internal obligations towards salaries and rent costs.
For the president to take over the Ministry of Agriculture yet again and lay down the law to his cabinet ministers, gives a serious warning sign that the survival of the Gambia is at great risk.
To simply apply a change in the electoral requirements without consultation with all the relevant stakeholders is a desperate sign that the required amalgamation of intelligent assessment of all the economic and political issues facing the Gambia have been jettisoned to blind leadership.
The Gambia does have the brains and intelligence to set forth a genuine economic recovery path. It is this well of consensus that President Jammeh has ignored. The writing is on the wall in large print. The APRC have allowed the Gambian train to run out of track. The Gambia needs new leadership based upon consensus politics and sound economic regeneration policies. Mr Jammeh has failed and he needs to step down and soon.
