(JollofNews) – Franklin D. Roosevelt 32 nd President of the United States once said, “In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way.”
This is the case of the Gambian legislators receiving a car gift to them by President Adama Barrow and one mysterious philanthropist. According to the Director of Press at the Office of the President. It is a “charitable” gesture from the point of view of a noble mind. Not every charitable gesture arises from the desire for nobility. This gesture is loaded with deep political under tones. Rarely does the President or a mysterious philanthropist donate cars to individuals for private use and that includes a sitting member of the National Assembly. In any case, our members of the National Assembly are some of the best paid in the Gambia.
After taking the oath office, a member of the National Assembly can acquire their own cars, given the salary and the perks that come with the office. Given the goodwill that our National Assembly members has earned so far, they can easily walk into any car yard in Greater Banjul Area and drive off with a used Toyota Prado and pay later.
There is a serious ethical question that arises from our legislators public acceptable of this gift. If indeed they were desirous of a car, they would have insisted on receiving the gift in private. Maybe, they novice in the art of political behavior or loves the publicity that comes with receiving gifts from “important” people in society, who have since opened their wallets to help a “poor” member of parliament.
I believe that our National Assembly members are not poor. They are rich in character and that is what matters. They already assassinated or disparaged that character now. The Gambian people elected them to the National Assembly for their character not their poverty. They elected them with no car and they can wait and serve with dignity. The public, including our law makers have overplayed the poverty card. In the UK, members of parliament take public transport frequently. Mahatma Ghandi galvanized India wearing nothing but hand-woven cotton and flip flops! There are two kinds of poverty in the world – lack of character and lack of material wealth. A foundation of good leadership is built on character not material wealth.
What our law makers must know is that everyone donating “things” to them are seeking favors sometime in future.
From this day onward, our legislators have voluntarily created a political debt in the books of President Adam Barrow and the mysterious philanthropist. Their incentive to go against President Barrow or the mysterious philanthropist, irrespective of what their conscience are, during important debates in parliament, has been taken away by the gift of a car. Both President Barrow and this mysterious philanthropist has ensured that that debt has been captured and written in public records for all and sundry to remember.
Gambia’s legislators have aborted the luxury of exercising their conscience at the altar of a gift from a mysterious philanthropist. A gift from a person no less than the president and the leader of the majority political party in parliament. The journey to court our MPs towards creating corruption and patronage has begun.
Correct me if I am wrong>>> But President Barrow is not the leader of the Majority Party in the N/A….is He @@@
The rest of this piece leaves me confused and full of dread. I have read it several times and I still can’t figure out what the gravity and implications of the allegations are ;
I see nothing wrong in “company cars ” provided they are approved through the proper channels, and are tax deductible as a Benefit through the wage slip. No different to a mobile phone and paid for business calls. In this case it’s servicing. repairs and fuel.
Car tax and insurance [
Mike, you are not the only one confused by this article. Sometimes I think our Gambian intellectuals just like to out do each other with writing so they just end up coming up with rubbish. Mr. Jallow said ” In the UK, members of parliament take public transport frequently”. Yes Mr Jallow they do, but in First Class, paid for by taxpayers. They fleece the taxpayers because taxpayers pay everything for them in London, from buying them a house to packets of crisps. Read about the UK MPs’ expenses scandal before portraying to them as a paragon of virtue. They all have offices in their constituencies as well, and guess what Mr. Jallow, it is the taxpayers who pay for the running cost of those offices. This is despite the fact that taxpayers give the opposition Parties money call “Short Money” to assist with Parliamentary business. Also Mr Jallow, being an MP in the UK is a part time Job not full time as in the Gambia hence the reason why most UK MPs have non executive director jobs in different companies. In both UK and USA there are groups and individuals who lobbies politicians on various subjects. As long as there are proper checks and balances, lobbying shouldn’t be an issue. Mr Jallow, I suggest you watch debates and question and answer sessions of the Gambia National Assembly to see if there are any changes in how the members interactive with the executive since they receive the vehicles. Mr. Jallow you also said “Given the goodwill that our National Assembly members has earned so far, they can easily walk into any car yard in Greater Banjul Area and drive off with a used Toyota Prado and pay later” Seriously Mr Jallow??? That is your suggestion for an alternative to receiving the vehicles from the executive and the running cost paid for by the very taxpayers they are accountable to?? You do not see how that can create a potential abuse of power and corruption??
Buba; I commend your support for President Barrow and your commitment to The New Gambia. But both Alagi and Madi seem to be “banging the same drum” President Barrow does seem to to enjoy controversy over gifts, though he does go someway to making such benefactors public. Same as the pre-emptive appointment of the Vice President and modifying the age limit. If the Constitution is clear on this, then they may have a point. But I would not go so far with the method of complaint and allegations pertained therein. I find this extraordinary as Mr Barrow;s party leader is a lawyer and a constitutional expert. Some advice would seem to be in order in procedure. Though I would not say transparency is yet to be in question.
But one must conclude that the coalition does make a habit of scoring “own goals”
Mike, President Barrow is not a member of any political party, therefore saying that his party leader is a lawyer is nothing but a desperate attempt on your part to smear Ousainou Darboe and the UDP. You should try objectivity in your writings instead of twisting things at every opportunity. President Barrow’s legal adviser on state matters is the Justice Minister no one else. If President Barrow should start seeking legal advice from Ousainou, it will be you and your fellow fork tongue critiques who will be the first to shout about that. You will claim that Ousainou is undermining the Justice minister. Nothing that you have mentioned above has anything to do with Ousainou directly yet you pathetically tried to drag his name into it.
Buba Sanyang, my Bro,
At this point I can’t agree with you. Your “president” Barrow is 100% UDP. He was selected among the contesting partners at the Coalition on the UDP ticket. He ran around the country to campaign for the UDP at the parliamentary elections. He has appointed more UDP sympathizers/stalwarts at key official positions in and outside the Gambia than any other coalition party member. That explicitly indicates he is UDP, a party where he held a key position before being selected “independent coalition” presidential flag-bearer. A man is where his heart belongs, overtly or covertly:
Koto Babu, can you show me any proof that President Barrow is still a UDP member??? He may still have love for the Party but that does not make him a member.
Can anybody tell me where Ousainou Darbo, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, is after attending the UN General Assembly in September?