(JollofNews)- I hereby to call on the Speaker Mariam Denton and her deputy Momodou K Sanneh together with the Majority Leader Kebba K Barrow and the Minority Leader Samba Jallow and indeed all National Assembly members to pull down the picture of President Adama Barrow from the main chamber of the National Assembly, now.
The presence of the picture of the sitting president in the National Assembly is a direct affront to the separation of powers principle and the threat to our democracy. It is a practice that is monarchical and dictatorial.
The National Assembly does not belong to the president, rather it is the house of the Gambian Nation. No president’s picture deserves to be there. There is absolutely no justification for the president’s picture to continue to hang in that house. Remove it now.
In the past the APRC Tyranny persistently and illegally displayed Yaya Jammeh’s picture in the National Assembly as if he owns the house. This is a backward, feudalistic, monarchical and tyrannical attitude. We are not a 13th century chiefdom. We are a modern democratic state in which the three arms of the state, the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary are separate. They serve each other through a clear checks and balances system to ensure the good governance and sustainable development of the Gambia. Hence no arm is to be glorified by another arm.
Displaying the picture of the president therefore inside the premises of the Legislature or in the Judiciary is nothing other than a sycophantic over-glorification of one person above and beyond our sovereignty. It is an attempt to place a human being above the Gambian nation as a lord. It undermines the independence, professionalism and effective performance of that parliament. This is not what the Gambia has decided for. The president is nothing other than a paid servant to do a job. He must not be worshipped! The job of the parliament is to hold the president to account.
I hereby demand that Speaker Mariam Denton and the National Assembly authorities remove all pictures of the president from the National Assembly. We expect Mariam Denton and the National Assembly to consolidate the democratic foundations of the Gambia and not to perpetuate dictatorial tendencies especially from so early a time.
Secondly, the National Assembly must summon Pres. Barrow to report on his visit to the Republic of Congo where he is reported to claim that the Despot Denis Sassou Ngeusso is ‘an excellent advisor’. The Gambia people need to know the rationale for this visit and what results were obtained. It is indeed a great cause for concern to have our newly democratically elected president visit and applaud a certified corrupt and brutal tyrant who continues to perpetuate himself in power for decades now.
But since the Constitution under Section 77 subsection 3 requires that it is the Vice President who answers questions on behalf of the president in the National Assembly, one wonders how this will be possible now. For that matter I call on Speaker Mariam Denton and the National Assembly to demand that Pres. Barrow appoint a vice president immediately for the effective and efficient running of the state to ensure transparency and accountability.
God Bless The Gambia
I totally disagree with Madi’s opinion of bringing down President Barrow. This as he claimed resembles Dictatorship, we have seen in Democratic states where the incumbent President’s image is hung in almost all government buildings. That should be a contention.
Lamin Jadama, the operational word you used is, “all government buildings”. Have Barrow’s picture in government buildings’ Corridors, Hallways and Lobbies. To colloquially put it, No Sweat. I don’t think Madi Jobarteh is in anyway Objecting to that. It is the Creepy and Undemocratic mixing up of “Personality Cult Worship” and Imagery of the FACIST and NAZI Propaganda that is “Big Brother Watching” LIKE, that both Offensive and Undemocratic. It is “1984” and “Animal Farm” Like. It was Offensive and Undemocratically Despotic when former President Yaya Jammeh indulged in it, as it Now when President Adama Barrow is indulging in the same Personality Cult Worship and Display of Imagery of himself. What is next, if it not there already, President Adama Barrow’s pictures in Bathrooms or Toilets? Some might want to see that as a Statement of Protest. I am not sure of you, but I surely would not. No offense intended, however, Let us endeavor to restrain ourselves from Kneejerk reaction to Matters of National Concern as if it is Personal. Mr. Madi Jobarteh Deserves Our Collective Attention on this and many other issues he raised and would probably continue to.
Madi, you are right to advice the speaker and other Parliamentarian to ensure that President Barrie’s pictures be removed from the National Assembly with immediate effect. Furthermore, the NA should immediately sermon President Barrow on his visit to Congo. Since he blatantly refused to appointment a vice president, he himself a should appear before the Parliament to answer the questions.
It very sad…
When President Barrow starts dyeing his hair and bleaching his skin, then it will be clear to you Madi why this trip to Congo is of national interest. Dennis Sassou Nguesso is an expert in male beautification. Good luck on the picture, it will be up for 5 years at least, get used to it.
What’s your opinion on the picture though, our good sister, if you don’t mind?
I believe that only our national seal should adorn buildings. If you like looking at yourself put your picture in you fathers house.
Great, I like that. With enlightened citizens, we shall get there, God willing.
My good Dr, don’t be seduced by my in-law’s honeyed tongue! We have the Queen’s picture everywhere in UK – not in her role as Head of Govt (which is the Prime Minister) but in her role as Head of State. Barrow happens to be not just Head of Govt, but he is also the Head of State and it is in his formal role as Head of State that his picture will be both on the coins and notes – and on the walls of offices: that is perfectly normal in almost every country I know (whether a domocracy or a dictatorship). I see nothing wrong with it, so Dr, as you said before you were seduced by Bax: “Get used to the pictures Madi, they will be there for the next five years … at least!”
Dida, I never like the pictures of individual on buildings or notes, especially in African countries with weak institutions where such can easily and quickly degenerate to self love, self importance and ultimately self elevation and dictatorship . In UK it’s a bit different . The self perpetuation exercise is difficult if not impossible . My point is let’s not give evil a chance , lesson learned. I am a Bax fan though.
The Queen owns the whole place. That’s why she doesn’t need our votes to be there. She’s the SOVEREIGN, the MASTER. We are all, technically, at her service. She can have her photos wherever she wants.
Elected Leaders own nothing. They are our SERVANTS. We don’t need their pictures adorning our National Institutions, except the galleries and museums; never the national currency, except when they are long gone to meet the ancestors, if they left a good legacy behind. That’s what “Gambia have decided” or have we ?
Just LECTURED my daughter to sleep Dr: The product of an Ethiopian Prince and a Fulani Princess had the effrontery to begin a sentence like this: “Dad, as black people in London we …”! She never finished the sentence and had forgotten what she was saying by the time I had finished my History Rant about the Great Fulani Empire and the Solomonic Ethiopian Empire of 1,000-Year Civilisations while the British wer living in caves!
You know she is going to repeat that lecture in the school and you my brother will get a earful at the next PTA meeting .
Oh, she just replied: “Dad, we live in a DIVERSE society”!! Bloody cheek!
” History Rant about the Great Fulani Empire and the Solomonic Ethiopian Empire of 1,000-Year Civilisations” That is the history that should be on the school curriculum rather than transatlantic crossings of black slaves which I’m told is thought in Gambian schools today, I suppose this is one of the things I have Yahya up for as a Pan Africanist.
Dr. Sarr, Unfortunately, True and to the point. A Collective National Embarasment and Shame. Allah/God help us. Men have lost their Senses. Gambian women should be given the opportunity to Head the State of Affairs in the GAMBIA. May be, they would not Metamorph into Queens instead of The “Madame President” they were Elected to be. Our men folk have proven in the Past and Present to be not Humble nor Sensible once in Office. Can I get an Amen.
Amen!!! Sidi has seen the light.
Money Laundering is big in that part of the world, but so is oil, timber and with that lucrative concessions and licenses
Madi,
You are increasingly getting childish. I have on numerous occasions told you to TALK TO PEOPLE WHO’D LISTEN TO YOU.
I bet, all your on-line rantings are brushed aside as foolish and childish. Give a glimpse at the composition of the bad Barrow administration and gauge for yourself the calibre of elements they are.
Pompous, verbous, ill-fated, vengeful, villanous, bossy, nepotic, corrupt and woefully tribalistic, regionalistic and influence-peddlers.
What good can you give to such elements and recieve an acceptable gesture? They will learn their evil-doings when the Gambian people, much more the secondary/university students start to take the streets at the collapse of their expectations.
Babu Soli
That is the difference between you and the honest patriotic citizens of the Gambia like Madi Jobarteh. They put forward ideas and suggestions to help our nation prosper and criticize when our elected leaders deviate from the true principles of good leadership, but praise when its merited, rather than you Babu who is only interested in seeing our beloved country implode into flames. In your small mindset,only Yahya Jammeh and his clique of killers,rapists,torturers,human right abusers, thieves and cowards are worth praising. Calling members of Barrow’s administration ill conceived names and insults show your narrow mindedness and insidious self defeating hatred that we should all as Gambians abandoned for the sake of peace and brotherhood. I wonder sometimes what love of country means to you.As Kennedy said ”Ask what you can do for your country,not what your country can do for you” With your education,why not contribute positively rather than insults not merited, innuendos not proven, assertions twisted and false and predictions that will eventually proof false.
Babu, please get used to the new, post Jammeh reality and be fair in your criticism of the Barrow led Coalition Government. And, if by any chance you have influence over any number of secondary/university students, and can motivate them to take to the streets, remember to tell them to do it responsibly and maturely.
And don’t forget to assure them that they won’t be gunned down. The butcher, your godfather, is not in charge anymore. We have a civilized president, with a warm human heart; not the cold blooded killer that you still glorify here.
Bax, that is what i call a slam dunk bro. A rebuttal delivered with crisp surgical precision.
Grim Reaper, I arrived at a Gambian School 20 years ago to teach History with my copies of “East Africa Through A Thousand Years”, “West Africa Through A Thousand Years” and “Southern Africa Through A Thousand Years”, all by Gideon S Were. The Gambian Headteacher smiled at me sympathetically and said “Mr. Halake, we are following the British GCSE Syllabus”. My heart sank.
Mind control, suppress the mind with negative history rather than positive history to uplift and empower, it’s like they will never tell the truth, that the reason why slavery was abolished is that slavery become uneconomical, but no they tell us about this guy Wilberforce.
Grim Reaper: “That the reason why slavery was abolished is that slavery become uneconomical, but no they tell us about this guy Wilberforce”.
I “embarrassed” my daughter at school by challenging her History teacher, the Deputy Head no less on that – challenged with a smile of course. He said to my daughter: “Write whatever you think in the exam, but give evidence”. She wrote what grim Reaper says above – but gave two pages of evidence. Marks? 85%.
Teacher holding back, score should have been 95% at least, that answer showed that your daughter done some deep research, but I suppose it’s like doing a degree, you have to write down what they teach you, even if what they teach you is not factual or else they will fail you.
I’ve just being informed that’s a Distinction plus, tell your daughter well done. The reward/treat is on you!
Yep, it’s the (designed for the colonies) British GCSE Syllabus all over the former colonies. That’s why we are great when it comes to “Eloquence”, but very poor in “Creativity”. We need a complete overhaul, and we are capable, if the political will is there. How I wish the Minister of Education, Hon. Badara Joof, was serving in a President Sallah led Government. Oh, how I wish that was….!
Dreams my-in-law, just dreams, but it would have been “revolutionary” in the smiling coast. Don’t give up on that history syllabus yet. Just give your support to Presidential Candidate Sallah next time.
Bax, i have told you before that you will make a brilliant leader for PDOIS. I will volunteer to canvass votes for you. Lets make that dream a reality.
As long as His Excellency is not wearing a military uniform and chest full of unearned medals/ Then why not /
Madi, you always demonstrate a good sense of reasoning and foresight. Is it a fact that Barrow’s portray is on the National Assembly Building? This article has just caught my attention. Gambia is a small country but amazingly still, proves to be home to some of the most sinister of mindsets. How could someone even argue that Barrow’s picture should be on the National Assembly walls. It is something very very wrong and alarming. Why wouldn’t Gambians understand what a way forward means. Ahah, we will reap the good together or reap the wrath together. There is no going easy about such attitude. Citizens have fought against it’s kinds for more than two decades.
Bourne;
The mindset has been altered from a Leader of The Coalition of political parties for The years to A President of The Republic to serve 5 years.
Not bad for a former “bouncer” employed at Argos.
Lets judge not the current rhetoric in his wish list for Government>>> But any unlikely improvement for the Gambian people and any increase in Gross Domestic Product allied to the increase in the debt for the average citizen from his governance.
The Gambia continues to be haunted by the same old ‘For The Years’. That’s what’s alarming. I suspected it all in the many many yards of textiles sewn into one big flowing three piece gowns. They will fire back to say, ‘it is part of our culture’
Mike Scales, thank you for telling it as it is. I was skeptical and still skeptical of Barrow following the Betrayal of the MOU, and the Coalition Alliance. I thought that Barrow would be a Transformative President given the Manner in which he came to Power as well as old and recent past events the Gambia has been through. Now, I am of the opinion that he is on a trajectory that unless redirected and turned around, would be terrible at best or destructive to Gambians and Gambia. Nothing seems to be Said or Done with any Sense of Rational assumptions and Clearity. Most disappointing is the lack of Transparency and Accountability by way of Communicating to the Electorate and Working to Co-Opt the General Consensus or at least the Input of the Opposition, the Diaspora and the Cadre of the Business Community of all Political affiliation. Community Leaders of all Parties and least we forget the Farmers and Market Women and Men’s Associations of again, all Party affiliation Shouldbe Encouraged, and ENGAGED by way of a “Meeting of the Minds” or Stakeholders to Solicit their Input for an Inclusive and a Progressive Self-Sustaining GAMBIA and Gambians. Time, I am afraid is not on Barrow’s side, and may not be on the GAMBIA’s side either. Let’s hope for the best, but keep advocating for a Broard Based and Meaningful Change and Development for All and the Periferral Strata of Gambian Citizens.
” For Three years! TYpo.
The current make up of the cabinet of Lawyers/ hotel managers/ and former Ministers/accountants does not appear to inspire much confidence when it comes to wealth creation. Someone like Halifa with a socialist policy agenda would have had at least an outside chance of change for Gambia’s hard pressed citizens to enjoy benefits.
One may change the Constitution to perform better but that time wasted will not generate a powerful economic engine. If you see what I mean ?
Mike, Halifa and PDOIS refused to join the cabinet which I still struggle to understand. Because for over three decades they have been telling Gambians what brilliant ideas they have and when offered the opportunity to share their ideas they refuse. I have had lengthy discussions with Bax about this and his position was that Halifa and PDOIS will serve the country better in the National Assembly which didn’t convince me as a smart move. And the outcome of the National Assembly elections has proven me right. The other reason Bax gave was that Halifa won’t be able to implement his socialist ideas within a Barrow government which I find baffling. The UK is one the biggest capitalist countries in the world but yet has the two biggest socialist systems in the world, NHS and universal child benefit and a social care safety network. PDOIS had a golden opportunity to prove their critics wrong that they are not all about rhetoric and little action but they duck responsibility. PDOIS slightly lost the moral high ground to criticize others for not doing the job right when they PDOIS has refused to do that same job. PDOIS knew that their coalition partners are neo-liberals so they should have thought about how to implement their socialist ideas in a mainly neo-liberal government. Mike, for a party deeply committed to socialism and the principle of shared leadership the only name one hears from PDOIS is Halifa. Where are the others? It seems like Halifa is the leader and the spokesman. So much for socialism.
Buba, one official speaking on behalf of an organisation does not negate the principle of shared leadership. It is just a sensible way to avoid confusion and contradictions.
Hon. Sallah is the only one we hear from for PDOIS, because he is the Secretary General and probably, the Spokesman too. Others have their roles and responsibilities and I’m sure they are performing. That’s the same thing I see in other parties, such as Darboe for UDP (Aji Yam Secka when he was absent), Bah for NRP, OJ for PPP or Mai Fatty for GMC. So, this is nothing unique to PDOIS and it certainly shouldn’t have any negation of their shared leadership principles or commitment to Socialism.
I think you need to view the executive branch of the government from the perspective of the constitution, and perhaps, you would understand why PDOIS will not be able to implement its policies in government. The person elected President is the one mandated to implement his/her policies and ideas in government. Cabinet Ministers are only appointed to assist the President to implement his/her policies. They can be dismissed by the President for not doing what he/she wants.
Think about the Independence and Swearing-in ceremony for example. There are allegations that over 30 Million Dalasis was spent to mark the double occasion. Do you think a PDOIS Government would spend that much money under current circumstances, or the monies spent to maintain President Barrow, whilst the State House is being readied? Do you think President Halifa Sallah will live in a hotel or even the State House, when he has his own home ?
Obviously, President Barrow comes from a political background that is not averse to spending huge sums of monies to mark official occasions or the president living a privileged life in a palatial home. Halifa comes from a completely different background who shun privileged leadership or misspending on public events. So, its going to be difficult, if not impossible, for these two groups to work in the same cabinet.
The Barrow administration has also announced the signing of fisheries agreement with Senegal, but we are yet to know the details of this agreement. If it is an agreement that expands the granting of fishing licences to Senegalese fishermen, as it most probably is, then we might see a contradiction with PDOIS Policy in that area, because PDOIS intends to use public monies to establish a cooperative bank that will provide finance to develop local industries, such as the fishing industry, as opposed to granting licences to foreign vessels and relying only on revenue from such licenses.
However, this problem will be averted in the National Assembly, where only supervision will be exercised on how the executive is doing what it set out to do, as well as carrying out reforms, as agreed.
You’re right that a Capitalist state like the UK, has a Social Welfare System that is more associated with the Socialist state, but what you need to remember is that the Welfare State, including the NHS, was established by a Labour Government, which is a party built on the principles of social justice. A junior labour coalition partner in a Conservative led Government would never have been able to establish a welfare state because the Conservatives would have rejected the bill, as it is opposed to their political ideology. And today, there are suspicions that the Conservatives are using the global economic troubles to slowly dismantle the welfare state.
Similarly, a Socialist Party like PDOIS will not be able to implement its Socialist policies within a Neoliberal led government. All it may achieve are little, insignificant concessions that do not threaten or go against the beliefs of the Neoliberals, and there are very few of those. But their presence in the cabinet may prove to be disruptive as it will certainly create issues of incompatibility, and that’s the last thing you want in a country that is trying to vindicate itself for the choices it made.
So, I hope you are convinced that the best place where the marriage between our “ideologically” opposed parties can work, is the National Assembly, because that’s where their interests of reforms converge.
Buba Sanyang and Max, you keep amazing me with your lack of Political insight and Understanding. If Halifa Sallah accepts a Cabinet or Ministerial Position in the UDP REGIME of One Ousainou Darbo, Mai Fatty, and Adama Barrow, he Serves at the Pleasure of the President, Not the Voters who Elected him as a NAM. Adama Barrow is the guy who Supposedly RESIGNED FROM THE UDP PARTY TO RUN as an Independent Coalition Alliance Candidate. Only To Abandon the Voters during the Political impasse and Abscond to Senegal Via Mali with Ousainou Darbo Mai Fatty and Cohorts, leaving the Capable, Credible, Honest, and Reliable Hon. Halifa Sallah in Charge of the Coalition Alliance in the GAMBIA. They were Chaperoned like Kids back to the Gambia by the Senegalese President Macky Sall. I must admit, that is not the finest moment in Gambia’s “Independence” as a Nation State. I heard so many Unwarranted jokes about it from many Non Gambian friends. Speaking of Ministers Serving at the Whim or Pleasure of the President, Hon. Halifa Sallah has a Rational and Reasonable reason to Decide or Vote with an Informed Consent Decision to Avoid another Potential Agreement to have a “Cabinet of Equals” by accepting a Cabinet or Ministerial Position, which in Reality and Practice is UDP Regime Led Government Camouflaged in a False Narrative of Narrative of a Coalition Alliance Government, which the UDP Leadership and One Mai Fatty Conspired with all Practical purposes to Terminate. And Terminate they did Under the False Narrative and Color of Tactical Alliance. Given Multiple PRESIDENTS having a go at it in the GAMBIA at the moment under UDP REGIME, Hon. Halifa Sallah would be Derelict and Negligent of his Duty and Responsibilities to his Constituancies, the Gambians. Given the animosity towards Hon. Halifa Sallah by UDP Regime Leadership and Militants alike, his Acceptance of a Cabinet Ministerial Position under Adama Barrow, Ousainou Darbo, and Mai Fatty Cohorts would be Suicide. He would Marginalized, Degraded and as a Coup de grace, Dismissed for one Cooked up Petty reason or another. Hon. Halifa Sallah does not suffer from a fools Paradise. Accept it or Not, these are the same Personalities and Characters who Agreed on a Coalition Alliance to remove former President Yaya Jammeh, a Three year Transition Government under the Coalition Alliance, an MOU Signed, Sealed and Delivered to the Electorate, Stipulating to all of these. Only to have UDP’S LEADERSHIP, One Mai Fatty and Adama Barrow Betray, Canive, and Undermine their own Collective Creation at WILL. FOR WHAT, YOU ASK?NOTHING, BUT NAKED POWER aka in their Case, “MANSAYA” AT ANY COST, EVEN AT THE COST OF THEIR CREDIBILITY, HONOR, AND RESPECT Not only to the Non UDP Gambians but Potentially Internationally. In the Long Term, the Price for such mercurial behavior can be too high a burden for Gambians to Pay. No, Buba Sanyang, you and your Cohorts’ lack of Understanding and appreciation for Hon. Halifa Sallah’s Rational, Existential, DECISION, Not to be Trapped by a Clique who would STOP at Nothing but Total Hegemony of One Ethnic Group, Demonstrates intelligence, and insight on Hon. Halifa Sallah’s Part. He has Witnessed the “Ways of the Vulture like behavior” in the Past and Present Present Regimes and Saw Signs of it within UDP’S LEADERSHIP, Adama Barrow and One Mai Fatty. Hon. Halifa Sallah Shall Be The Voice of the Gambians and Marginalized Citizens of All Gambians. GAMBIA is More than the Sum Total of One Individual, One Ethnic Group and Region. One Gambia, One People, One Destiny.
Sidi, this discourse is way above your comprehension. Bax shares none of your warped values so stop pretending like he does. Me and Bax have been having this discussion for a while and it is based on each putting intelligent arguments and counter arguments forward. Not your stupid bigotry and psychotic convoluted ramblings. I know you want to be considered significant but hanging onto the coat tails of others won’t give it to you. Try and be original. Take a good look at yourself and you will understand why you are a lone voice that no one listens to. You are the devil personified.
Buba Sanyang, touched a nerve eh! This is a forum for all and not those with thin skinned and simple minded Intolerant dispositions. What Bax has to do with my comments, only your functional illiteratrate state knows. Be that as it may, try to Simmer Down. You may hurt yourself trying to sound worthy of attention. Did you look at yourself in the mirror as suggested? A humbling experience…Young man. Did you go for the refund of the funds from your 419 produced Credentials? When you do, let me know. I have better Higher Institutes of Learning I can recommend you to. Simmer Down young man.
Myself/ I would have liked to have seen Amadou Samba as Trade Minister/ But Mr Samba is not Donald Trump. Mores the pity.
Please My Brothers and sisters don’t abuse your right of democracy, In Sierra Leone, Nigeria or other democratic countries its normal to past a present Head of state Images in allover the Government buildings. Nothing wrong with that Plz leave President Barrow image on that wall.
Ahmad, in your rationalization, it would be acceptable to implement Despotic, Unconstitutional, and Undemocratic Policies and Governance, just because they exist in other Countries. This is partly why for about Sixty years after the first African Country gained its “Independence”, we are still bedevil by and with Bad Political Leadership and Governance. We need to change our attitude and perception of what Constitutes Leadership. It is Not Royalty. He is an elected Servant of the people. Period.
Do you know that the national Assembly is where the lawmakers come together to get to work?
Can you name one democratically moderate country in West Africa who hangs the picture of an incumbent president on the walls of their parliament?
What a silly gesture you made here; ” please my brothers and sisters don’t abuse your right of democracy” I have never met anyone an Ahmad as dumb as you. Who won’t believe we have a few Gambians on four legs. Look you four legged being! The lawmakers don’t need to be looking at the cool heart smiley face picture of a president during debates or passing of bills. OK?
I spend my life backing horses; Its my retirement game of profit and loss; I would say Halifa is a 3 miler in for the long game. Darboe is horse for the grand National where falling off his horse seems to make him stronger.
Barrow is just a 5 furlong horse? A sprinter/outsider at
50 to 1
But hey sometimes they come from behind to create a shock victory.
AS for Bax…he screams socialism then promotes privatisation.
But hey we all love to talk rubbish on occasion.
The wise gambler always try to make money on a days betting and assemble a winning mindset.
I am £643 up over the last 7 days. My plan is ahead of the game .
Hey Mike, you must have confused me with my in-law. He’s the Socialist that backs privatisation gurus, Darboe & Co. I’m a diehard anti-privatisation “student”.
Interesting. Good Imagery to capture and compare the Environments and Events at issue.
The same old (for the year) persistently keeps haunting the Gambia.
I note it this time in flowing 20 yards three piece gown. It’s part of our culture; that how they’ll prove unequivocal-culture, culture, culture. What the heck this kind of it and president’s picture on NA walls all means?
Man, we’re dumb.
I mean; Same old (for the years)
Bax; I was just tickling your fancy; You know in my book you’re the Bee’s Knees.
Dida has his merits;
Mike Scales, May be we will be Blessed with a Thacher like Gambian Female Political Leader. I pray one would emerge.
Bourne; Gambians are not dumb;
Its your leaders who are without ambition. They can fart through the eye of a needle and still maintain a healthy unearned Bank Balance whatever ?
That’s what I mean Mike; the leaders always think we are. The picture on the wall is testimony that Barrow never benefitted from debates Gambians are engaged in.
Sidi; I like your arguments; You are growing into your kaften well My friend;
and Naaaa You don’t need a Tory Government.
We want an economic revolution.
This government is just a democratic nonsense away
from Jammeh’s lame duck self ambitious rubbish.
I thin in 10 years time the Gambian people will show how far they have come to put in power the “right stuff”
Be It Halifa/ Kandeh/ Or you !!!
I still want an answer as what happens if Darboe needs to be replaced ? Is he sackable or has he a job whatever he does?
To sack Darboe would you have to sack Barrow?
…and how is that possible ?
Mike, nothing will happen if Barrow sacks Darboe. Barrow got his mandate directly from the people so Darboe will have to go back to the people to get Barrow sacked. The constitutional requirements to impeach a president his high. Darboe will need a two third majority to pass it through parliament and then take it to the people for a referendum and would need 65% of the votes to achieve an impeachment. He can attempt it but he would not succeed. I think both men are aware of what is at stake. Mike, the presidency can transform people and I think people are underating Barrow. Which is a big mistake. Lets not forget that it is Ousainou who is riding on the popularity of Barrow and not the other way round.
Mike…
Technically, the President can sack any minister, without giving any explanations to anyone. So yes, he can replace Hon. Minister Darboe, if he wants to, but there’s a little problem.
Usually, the President is also the leader of the party in government and the majority in the National Assembly. Unfortunately for President Barrow, the leadership position of the UDP remained with Hon. Darboe, even when he (Barrow) was selected as their presidential candidate.
So, we have the unusual situation where the leader of the party with the majority in the National Assembly, and in government (except in name), is serving as a Minister, under the Presidency of a (former) member of his party’s executive committee. Very unusual and probably, unhealthy situation.
Nevertheless, it is very unlikely that the President will have a problem with Hon. Darboe, but in the unlikely event that he does, I have no doubt where the loyalty of the UDP membership will lie. Of course, that loyalty alone will not be sufficient to remove President Barrow, if they so decided, but it will make his job very, very difficult.
And God forbid, Hon. Halifa Sallah will be the scapegoat.
Buba Good answer ; But ?
Mike, a president is like a dangerous pet. They are cute and cuddly as a baby but very difficult to handle once they reach maturity. And i think Barrow is starting to show signs of growing up. Remember his statement that no one dictates to him what to do? Well that is not an attempt to dispel the rumors and misconceptions that Darboe is the de facto leader, but a warning to anyone who think they can dictate to him what to do. All i can say is watch this space Mike.
I thought it was the coalition that was popular ?
So should the members of the coalition feel they have been betrayed? I mean why wasn’t it not a leader of a Party that was nominated to lead the coalition. Has Barrow gained the Presidency by default.
There are too many questions. It is all looking a bit shabby especially since Halifa withdrew.
Bourne seems to think the Gambian people have been taken advantage of;>>>>again/
Mike, it’s absolutely so. Thinking of the picture on the NA wall. It looks to me as if there is no calm to come soon of the ‘storm’. A citizen has referred us to some kind of a secret society activity of Sassu Ngessu of Congo Brazzaville. Watching it is disheartening.
Sidi, it is very nice to see that you are changing your style of argument. It has put a smile on my face seeing that you are trying to mirror my argument style. You must have been printing my postings and studying them to improve yourself. All i can say is good on your bro. and welcome to the modern world. Keep this up and you will get more enlightenment from this forum. This forum can be a good source for you to top up your “world best college and university” education. You seem to know a lot about 419 colleges and certificates for someone who claims to be educated at top institutions. I can understand now why your grammar and sentence syntax is so appallingly bad. You have let the cat out of the bag. I will try and go easy on you, now that i know you got your certificates through night school. Stay on this trajectory “Anifaanaw” you will eventually get close to my level.
Buba Sanyang, Good try at humour making. Hold on to whatever work you have. Comedy is not a Career for you, young man. Simmer Down. All the same and coming from you, I take all said as a Compliment. Farewell young man…I know it is still a learning curve for you, but you are being dragged into a more Broader and Inclusive Disposition of a more Tolerant and Introspective Attitude and Behavior. Keep it up. England is an excellent Environment for Higher Education and Competing Ideas. Imbibe as much as you can, while you can. You need it. Gambia Needs it. Welcome Buba Sanyang.
Teresa May calls a snap General Election for June;
OMG !!!
She must be confident BUT !!! it will be interesting.
Will there be Tory gains in Scotland ? Expect Lib/Dems to do well under Tim Farron.
UKIP down the drain. Labour to spring surprise ? and make gains???
Mike Scales, I just read her reasoning for the Snap Elections. The more I examined it, the more I saw how “Boxed in” between the Far Right and Labor Party she is in. “A roll of the Dice” as you put it is right on. She should have been Counseled against such a move. I am not sure if the Italian Prime Minister who took a similar Step in the recent past and he was Voted out by the Electorate. My other question is what, if any her Snap Elections Call would have on the Markets and the Economy? My modest analysis is that Uncertainty may set in and adversely affect them. She may be down the same Avenue or Piazza the Ex-Italian Prime Minister went. I will be following up on the developments.
Natty Dread,
I’m back at work after the Easter break I’ll be on line at your disposal.
Look, Natty, this man Madi(the praise singer) lines up innocuous issues with specific undemocratic attacks on the APRC and on baseless/irrelevant issues like the “pull down campaign” of an insignificant Barrow portrait at the parliament building. It’s insignificant, non-contributive and irrelevant to the imminent issues/problems that face our populace. What has Madi’s childish claim got to do with the livelihood of our people? When the portrait stays hung or is pulled down, what does the common man in the street gain from that? Who cares if Barrow’s ugly portraits line the streets of our country?
This Madi posting is a farcical show bit on an irrelevant issue with the sole intention of showing you, specially you Natty and the bulk of diasporan blind-folded Barrow enablers that he, Madi, is on course. Bunkums!
When did Madi Jobarteh (the praise singer) request clarification/justification on the following crucial/fundamental issues?
1) The hundreds of thousands of dalasis spent during Barrow and comity’s hiding in Dakar before returning to the Gambia
2) The millions of dalasis spent at the hotel/office on SeneGambia highway before moving to the Fajara residence
3) The millions of dalasis squandered at the 52nd independence anniversary and the death of over 4 innocent civilians on that day
4) The thousands of dalasis spent by his wife and entourage at a Dakar wedding
5) The D3,000,000 contract awarded to Ramzia Diab’s in-law to refurbish Barrow’s Fajara residence
6) The millions of dalasis being spent at the current and interminable refurbishing project at the Banjul State House
7) The millions of dalasis being spent at the boarding and upkeep of the invading Senegalese forces
8) The thousands of dalasis dished out to the Senegalese SERIGNS during his useless “state visit” to that country
9) The thousands of dalasis spent at his useless”state visit” to Congo Brazzaville to shake hands with one of African’s most cruel and brutal leaders
10) The thousands of dalasis he spent illegally in campaigning for his UDP
11) The hundreds of thousands of dalasis to be spent on the futile missions of his numerous Ambassadors-at-large
12) Without mentioning the numerous illegal appointments of thieves, families and buddies in responsible public offices
13) The complete neglect of our electricity problem
These are the crucial issues to be addressed, not the silly “pull the portrait” issue.
Of course, Natty, we want genuine ideas, ideas that are objective, constructive, viable, executable and resourceful. Not Madi’s nonsensical idiosyncratic analyses/analogues!
President Jammeh was pragmatic. He delivered to the Gambian populace and left an indelible legacy that your incompetent government will find very hard to supersede/overcome.
Your cohorts of incompetent, pompous, bossy and corrupt elements can and will never deliver to the expectations of our people. They are inefficient!
Do you think those Americans calling for the downfall of the Trump government are unpatriotic? You must be naive to believe that those who call for the downfall of an inept and incompetent government are unpatriot. They are more patriotic than their enablers. Because ineptitude and incompetency provide chaos and eventual turmoil. I want you incompetent government out!
Natty,
You don’t conscientiously follow my postings. Or you are just abjectly absent-minded.
I will search among my postings when I highlighted the little efforts I am contributing in our national development tasks. I wrote this about a year ago. Nonetheless, I’ll repeat the same.
I have singlehandedly started a micro-finance initiative 5 years ago that is flaring well in my region. I initially started by giving just D2,500/D3,000 to 2 women to start a road-side retail business and a gardening project in my region. On return home the following year, during my annual July/August holidays, these women made a financial base with that meagre sum, returned what I gave them (without a butut in extra charges) and continued to work on their own initiatives. I recycled that amount, added an extra 120 euros and gave it out to 4 more people. The project continued and still continues.
The amount I usually gave out was affordable to me, just 120 euros, which I could bear to lose. However these HONEST women never faltered in thier promises. To date, there are about 15 people involved. As soon as I arrive in July, we usually assemble at my family compound in my village and recount our experiences. Those who owe, immediately return the D2,500/D3,000 and give recommendations of interested and trusted people.
This year I hope to include 7-10 people on the bases of the money I expect to receive from the debtors and the additional 120 Euros from me. My nephew oversees the project, which is very easy to administer. He sends me forthnightly or monthly information. That’s all. My quota at the regional level. That’s what I can do for my country, at least by now! And you Natty, Bax, Madi, Bourne, Buba Sanyang, Dr Isatou Sarr……? Let me hear from you.
Babu, well done!! it is very touching that you are helping women from your region to earn a living for themselves. I applaud you for for that. I will not list the assistance that i gave to people here because it is a private matter between me and them. However i have asked you before and will ask you again to read my open letter to President Barrow, read it and decide for yourself what my contribution is. It was published on this site on the 19th March 2017 in the opinion column.
You are keeping the so-called BUGINKA rubbish alive. Food for votes. Loyalty to the president.
Ha ha ha ha! That’s all you deserve to hear from Bourne
Mike, I said Barrow is more popular than Ousainou in response to the question you asked about whether Barrow will be sacked if he tries to sack Ousainou. And yes, Barrow is more popular than any member of the coalition right now. And no, the coalition members are not betrayed and should not feel betrayed. There’s been a lot of talk about the coalition falling apart but very little talk about how it came into being in the first place. Mike, we are made to believe and I think we want to believe, that our political leaders came together and formed the coalition to safe Gambia from Jammeh’s tyranny but that is not the whole truth. For 20yrs Jammeh has been terrorizing and wreaking havoc on Gambians and for 20yrs the Gambian electorates have been urging the same political leaders to put their political differences aside and work together to get rid of Jammeh but they refuse. And it is a distortion of facts to blame all the differences on Ousainou. The first attempt to form a coalition was in 2001. UDP, having lost to APRC in 1996 approached the other parties to form a coalition. As the largest party, they wanted to lead the coalition and the small parties feared that if they join a UDP lead coalition their parties will be swallowed which is what happens any time a small party joins a large party to form a coalition. Mike, that is not unique to the Gambia. The same thing happened here in the UK when Lib Dems joined the Conservatives. Remember the Lib Dem promise of no tuition fees and how that turned into £9000?? And it is the same across Europe, the junior partners always get a raw deal in coalition governments. The question is why did it take 20yrs for a coalition to materialize and for the Gambian electorates to see their dream come true? After all we still have the same political leaders calling the shots. To answer that question, one must examine the prevailing circumstances in 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016. After the massacre of students in 2000, it was obvious to most Gambians that Jammeh should go, so why was that not enough for the political leaders to form a coalition? Because they are now all hailing the students as heroes. The explanations given by most commentators for the reason it happens now is because Ousainou was in prison. But that is a very simplistic way of putting it because we all know that Ousainou was still pulling the strings even when he was in prison. Therefore, this reasoning is put forward because it fits the narrative of those commentators or they were not au fait with Gambian politics around 2001. Mike, in 2001 the electoral law requires a candidate to get over 50% of the votes cast to be returned as president. When UDP approached the other parties to form a coalition, it was Halifa and PDOIS who argued that since the electoral law allows for a second round of voting if no one reach the 50% threshold then forming a coalition before the elections is not a good idea because it will deny the electorates the chance to hear and know what each political party must offer. They argue that parties should only talk about a coalition if there is a need for a second round of voting, otherwise it was premature to talk about forming a coalition and that PDOIS will only join such a coalition if the others agree to go back to the polls after 1yr.
Continued….
Halifa even offer to lead such a coalition if others are not willing to serve just 1yr. Mike, I can recall having many heated argument with family members and friends who were oppose to PDOIS’s position. I was totally in agreement with PDOIS that it is premature to call for a coalition even before the elections and agreed with the examples of how coalitions were formed around the world and the example of how it was done in neighbouring Senegal. Yahya won that elections with 52.84% Ousainou 32.59% Hamat Bah 7.78% SM Dibba 3.77% and Sidia Jatta 3.02%. Having narrowly escape going to a second-round voting, Jammeh changed the laws to a simple majority. Mike this is where and when the Darboe/Sallah and UDP/PDOIS feud began. Ousainou and UDP blamed PDOIS and Halifa for their defeat and for giving Jammeh the opportunity to change the rules to favour him. It is that feud we are still living. That feud seeps into the 2006 and 2011 coalition negotiations and was the main reason why no agreements were reached between the parties. The other reason being there was no incentive for the parties to come together. Mike, the main reason why our political leaders put their differences aside this time was not because Ousainou was in prison or because they had suddenly epiphany that Gambians were right to ask for a union of opposition parties, it was because Yahya threw them a political curve ball when he changed the electoral rules once again. If Jammeh had not changed the rules I doubt it if this coalition would have formed irrespective Ousainou’s fate. When Yahya changed the rules he inadvertently unites this feuding parties against a single adversary, him, Jammeh. Yahya thought it was a clear move when he changed the rules and required the opposition parties to pay 1 million Dalasi for a presidential nominee and D50,000 for NAMs and to have 1000 registered members in each administrative area or be disqualified. Faced with the choice of joining their resources together and survive or trying to go alone and possibly end up in political oblivion, the political leaders did what Jammeh thought impossible, they form a coalition. The only party that didn’t join the coalition was the new kid on the block GDC. But there refusal not to join the coalition has come with a cost because they were immediately label as a proxy for Jammeh and I think they are still struggling to shed that label. Mike, take a good look at the coalition partners and you will understand why the only option for them is to join others. The coalition is realistically made up of only three parties, UDP, NRP and PDOIS. The others are more or less one person parties. Of the three main parties only UDP was likely to have met the requirements set by the 2015 electoral laws. The first law that the coalition change was the electoral law. One could argue that if that law was not changed perhaps the coalition would have been forced to field independent candidates. But that may also lead to a two-party state because a weaken APRC and a not too strong GDC might only be able to field candidates in few constituencies unless if they form their own coalition. Mike, the main reason the coalition was formed was because the parties realized that they cannot compete Jammeh as single entities under the 2015 electoral laws. So, it is no surprise to see them fall apart once their common adversary and the 2015 inhibitory electoral is removed.
Buba; Thank you for reminding us of what we have all witnessed;
All I am saying is that this coalition has a very shaky foundation with defined associations of great difficulty.
For sure they like all governments will say the right things in public/ But where are the policies and the economic brains to achieve what the aspire to produce.
Meanwhile, they are basking in foreign trips of no use and residing in posh hotels at the people’s expense. Its all a bit of a useless exercise with no risk to there bank balance; Whiles the people starve/ struggle/ and wither.
Has anything changed or likely to change for the people ?
3 years 5 years 10 years/ Loans more loans and debts to large to imagine.
That’s why they never give up to become a government in Africa. Its the pot of gold at the end of a Rainbow.
Sad really…/