The Barrow government has registered some commendable achievements over the last 15 months.
Since Jammeh’s ousting, our import cover has increased considerably, economic growth figures have improved, fundamental freedoms are being largely respected and the country has been transformed from an inward looking one to an outward looking almost overnight. That said, the state that Jammeh and his cronies left the country in was so deplorable, that things could not have got any worse after he left.
Now that some semblance of order and sanity has been re-established, most Gambians are demanding much more from their president and government. Better health care and education, wide-ranging institutional reforms, concrete action against corruption, a stable electricity supply, better social services, more employment opportunities, better communication from the government, etc. The list is endless.
In order to meet these mammoth challenges, a clear strategy and competent leadership is required at all levels of government and public service institutions (not just the presidency). Most Gambians would easily agree with this in theory, but we have demonstrated countless times that we are not ready to put this into practice. Far from being a meritocracy, our society has proven itself to be instinctively insular, ageist, tribalist and nepotistic.
We are resistant to change and are mistrustful of people with fresh ideas, often to our detriment. This tendency has to be shaken off if we are to drag our country out of the middle ages. Whether it’s choosing our next president, mayor, secretary of state, school section leader or head hospital nurse, if we disregard or look down on the most capable individual just because they don’t conform to societal norms or are not of the right tribe, origin, age or gender, only to then favour a clearly incompetent individual, we are cutting our noses to spite our faces.
A radio commentator recently opined that the reason PDOIS never get many votes is because Halifa Sallah hardly attends “Gamo”, “Nguenteh”, “Sarahh” and other social gatherings. It is scary to admit it, but he hit the nail on the head there. Are we seriously saying that we would prefer a President who attends social gatherings every week than one who dedicates his presidency to working hard to improve our country? We need to grow up and get serious for once.
The state of our country today is a true reflection of us. Let’s not fool ourselves – it doesn’t matter how many BMW X5s we see speeding down the Senegambia highway. Our country is among the poorest, most corrupt and least well-run you can ever find anywhere on the face of Planet Earth. We are like children in a playground constantly looking up to the West and aid bodies to not only give us aid but to also tell us how to fix our country.
We perpetually wait for the next IMF, EU or Commonwealth report to tell us what’s gone wrong. At risk of stating the obvious, maybe it would be better to choose a leader intellectually curious enough to find out what our problems are, skilled enough to articulate those problems to the world, competent enough to put in place practical ways of solving them and transparent enough to give us regular feedback on progress. Just a thought.
While I don’t agree with ridiculing our President at every turn, it is very clear that he is out of his depth. When he agreed to be the Coalition candidate, his heart was in the right place and he probably took one look at Jammeh and thought, actually if Jammeh can be president then anyone can.
We are resistant to change and are mistrustful of people with fresh ideas, often to our detriment. This tendency has to be shaken off if we are to drag our country out of the middle ages. Whether it’s choosing our next president, mayor, secretary of state, school section leader or head hospital nurse, if we disregard or look down on the most capable individual just because they don’t conform to societal norms or are not of the right tribe, origin, age or gender, only to then favour a clearly incompetent individual, we are cutting our noses to spite our faces.
Jammeh was not a President, but a dictator. He relied on primeval cunning to govern, but Barrow has to govern through democratic means. This is a lot harder to do. Intellectual competence and doggedness are required to set the government agenda, build competent teams, win the big arguments and execute reforms. Running a country is like running a big global corporation and we all know that those aren’t run by individuals without the right education and professional experience.
Would Barrow be capable of running even a small global corporation? During the Jammeh years, we quickly forgot about some of the fundamental qualities a President should have. In choosing Barrow to be their candidate, the UDP and the Coalition ignored common sense to choose a candidate who they deemed to be the most malleable and of the right tribal-mix; not necessarily the one with the most competence.
The pervasive mediocrity in the Gambian leadership class is always best displayed when the circus goes on tour around the world, in front of the world’s press. First it was the Erdoğan-orchestrated pirouette at the Turkish red carpet reception and then more recently the embarrassing spectacle at Chatham House, London, where the President of an English-speaking republic didn’t know the difference between the words “success” and “succession”, proudly bellowed that Gambia is part of the British Empire (something which had Tony Blair rightly wincing) and lazily reinforced the unproven, rightwing diatribe that “Europe is over-loaded” with immigrants.
A more intellectually-sound president would have desisted from simply regurgitating this western media line and would have made up his own mind on such important issues, which may affect the lives of Gambian migrants in Europe. He never had the presence of mind to mention the fact that Gambian migrants have long contributed to the British economy, particularly in the hospitality, care, health and defence sectors. Bowling over at every given opportunity and being nice to everyone will never earn us global respect. We need to be respected and not necessarily liked if we want to get a better foothold in global trade.
The current Ghanaian president, Akufo-Addo, is by all accounts, a very prickly character indeed. He is supremely confident and doesn’t feel the need to kowtow to the West at every given opportunity. This confidence emanates from his education, professional competence and leadership skills. He is prickly, but Ghana is well-respected globally and Ghanaian export levels to the EU have never been higher. He is not there by accident. The Ghanaians would never elect a half-baked president. It’s not in their DNA.
These episodes abroad, while causing us some embarrassment aren’t as dangerous as corruption, which is one issue that this government has refused to tackle, for reasons best known to them. Corruption is deep-rooted and endemic in our society and is affecting our economy in more ways than anyone could ever know. Sir Phillip Bridges, an Englishman who served as Chief Justice of The Gambia from 1968 to 1983 once reminded ex-president Sir Dawda of Latimer’s warning before being burned at the stake: “Corruption bringeth rebellion”. The Jawara and Jammeh governments never listened. I only hope that Barrow does before it’s too late and we’re back at square one.
A more intellectually-sound president would have desisted from simply regurgitating this western media line and would have made up his own mind on such important issues, which may affect the lives of Gambian migrants in Europe. He never had the presence of mind to mention the fact that Gambian migrants have long contributed to the British economy, particularly in the hospitality, care, health and defence sectors. Bowling over at every given opportunity and being nice to everyone will never earn us global respect. We need to be respected and not necessarily liked if we want to get a better foothold in global trade.
That said, the problem is not just with Barrow and his government. We should all ask ourselves the question: since Independence, where has nepotism, tribalism and corruption got us? We need to be honest and accept that maybe the problem lies with us Gambians. Senegal, western countries and aid agencies will support us where required, but we have to set the agenda ourselves. Whichever way you look at it, salvation lies within.
G. Mendy
London, UK
Indeed G Mendy, salvation lies within but only if we could find the leadership to get us there!
Needless to say, you made reference to the bourgeosie/capitalist economic theories from the Adam Smith and Keynesian schools of thought about export/import; production/supply/demand that can be reflected on paper and blueprint policies without real impacts on the lives of the people.
Why not come out with figures that show stimulation in our economy? Are you conscientiously serious that economic growth figures have improved? What real impacts have those economic growth figures got on the lives of our people?
When Barrow, Ousainou Darbo, Amadou Sanneh send their children to universities in the USA, when will there be better education? When youth unemployment is still surging, what impact has your economic figures got on that thorny sector of our society?
Are you serious that fundamental freedoms are being largely respected? Don’t chide with your own conscience and ignore the deplorable rights situations in our country at present.
When I read your posting a bit further, what bamboozled is your deliberate ignorance about that positive contribution that President Jammeh made since he took over in 1994. Would you deny that the excellent infrastructure, university, in all areas of education, TV station, the airport, the bridges, (just to mention a few) do not contribute positively to our economic, social and political development/wellbeing?
Babu, you are always hot,but sometimes very candid because the truth always remains the truth and should be observed. Obviously economic growth should have a positive impact on costs of basic commodities to be felt by the ordinary poor citizens.It seems nothing has yet improved on the cost of basic commodities while the Ramadan fasting month approaches.
Omar Baldeh,
I do get indignant, I may say a bit jittery Omar, over the naivety/subservience of our people. When I say our people, I mean the learned scholars, the knowledgable ones who still demonstrate their naivety and conformity to the VERY bad governance situation in the Gambia. Simply because they take for granted that all that is done by this INEPT and CORRUPT administration is satisfactory since Jammeh is not there. But has President Jammeh flown away with the Gambia and her people? This is what makes me defy and refute all the bunkums that are always given as analogues/excuses for everything compared to the Jammeh period.
I can’t fancy the type of subservient “learned” people we have, especially those in the diaspora. They fought tooth and nail to see Jammeh out but fall asleep and stoop low to condone the outright economic, political and social abuses that are being perpetrated daily by this INEFFICIENT administration.
This people should have been IMPEACHED, brought before the courts for telling LIES to the Gambian people; for taking the Gambian masses to be FOOLS; for perpetrating patronaje, corrupt and corruptible practices on a daily basis;
I’ll make an account of my arguments:
1) How much money was spent in the bogus swearing-in of Adama Barrow in Dakar? Did we know? Why weren’t we told?
2) Where are the accounts/money (over 11 million dalasis) which Mai Fatty alleged were stolen by President Jammeh,
3) How much money was spent on the Hotel/Office at Senegambia Hotel in a period of over one month before the Barrow team moved to Fajara? It is alleged that they used to spend over 1 million dalasis a day.
4) How much money was spent on his USELESS and INAPPROPRIATE second swearing-in ceremony?
5) Why weren’t we informed that over 4 people died at that ceremony during a stampede and what was arranged for the bereaved families?
6) How much money was spent on refurbishing the offices at Fajara and at the Banjul State House?
7) Who were given those contracts and on what basis?
8) Which forces still guard Adama Barrow and the Banjul State House? Do the Gambian people know anything about that? Who pays them?
9) Why was the car-stealing-case at the state house in Banjul just buried under the carpet?
10) Why was Fatumatta Tambajang’s VP post held vacant for so long just to allow the administration to tamper with the constitutional clauses that would include her age. Taking Gambians as FOOLS and government/state business as family matters
11) How much money was spent on Fatumatta Tambajang’s trip to attend a women’s conference in NYork with a delegation of over 27 women?
12) How much money was spent on Adama Barrow’s UN trip in September 2017 with a delegation of over 50 people?
13) How much state money was spent on Adama Barrow’s children at the USA private university, Ousainou Darbo’s children in the USA and Amadou Sanneh’s children as well?
14) How did Badara Joof, the present Minister of Education secure scholarships for his children in just under 8 months?
15) Why are the international telephone tariffs still high? Is it because they are handled by Africell where Fatumatta Tambajang imposed her daughter at an executive position?
16) Why aren’t teachers’ salaries increased when the Central bank officials have all gained over 20% salary increase including per diem and fringe benefits?
17) Why still maintain the office of First Lady/Second lady, a gateway to squander our meagre resources when farmers are still struggling to receive their monies from the groundnut sales, when prices of all commodities are highly unaffordable?
18) How much money was received in the deals signed between the EU/USA-Gambian administrations that allow the deportation of our citizens from those countries? The deportations still continue undercover!
19) When will we know the sources of the 57 vehicles that were dished out at NAMS?
20) How much money was spent on Adama Barrow’s trips to the Republic of Congo, Senegal (to visit his marabouts), Paris, Brussels…
21) How much money was spent on his and government officials/buddies’ trip to the Mecca?
22) We learnt that some members of the entourage to the recent Commonwealth meeting in London didn’t board the same plane, just to distract public attention. How many people went and how much was spent on that futile meeting only to be taught lessons by Theresa May on Homosexuality and Lesbianism?
23) How much money did Hamat Bah and entourage spend on their recent Tourist Fair encounter in Madrid, Spain? Who went with him and how much money did they receive as per diem emoluments?
24) How much did the Adama Barrow mansion at MankamangKunda, the Amadou Sanneh bungalow at Bansang, the Mai fatty state house at Kotu cost the Gambian taxpayer?
25) Why was the disgraced Mai Fatty unceremoniously dismissed? What has he stolen/said?
These and many more cases that I haven’t enumerated are proofs to impeach, indict this INCAPABLE, INEFFICIENT, TRIBALIST, CORRUPT and CORRUPTIBLE Barrow with all his hencemen and get the Gambia on the road to a more sustainable development agenda.
These people have LIED and are bent on maintaining their hegemony in Gambian politics. All other things don’t matter to them!
But do we deserve these akward treatments from these UNDISCIPLINED , UNSCRUPULOUS bunch of INEFFICIENT, CORRUPT and SELFISH people simply because they are at the helm and that we are STUPID, NAIVE and CONFORMIST? Don’t we deserve explanations, scrutiny to ABSOLUTELY all that they do/say? What sort of democratic dispensation are we witnessing today? Just the same modus operandi of very bad governance during the Ex-Presidemt Jawara period when everything belonged to the administrators. The adage was and is LEAVE THEM TO TALK WHILE WE DO WHAT WE WANT!
That’s where my indignation lies, Omar, that flagrant bamboozling into our rights, privileges and intellect!
Babu,corruption is a canker worm in Africa more so in The Gambia and rooting it out needs a robust and an uncompromising National Assembly that could curb it`s menace.Meanwhile we are beginning to witness for the first time declaration of assets by Government ministers and other heads in the civil service. Remember that we are only fifteen months into this coalition Government and obviously a coalition Government is the most difficult administrative career to serve as President. Different Parties with different policies,agenda and characters came together just to oust a well rooted Government. When President Barrow formed his cabinet he was with the conviction that all the technocrats on board shall give all their best for the continuity of infrastructural development as was shown in the first two terms tenure of ex-President Jammeh. I am sure President Barrow is starting to see the loopholes and shall address many if not all before his term ends.
Omar Baldeh, Jollofnews 27th April 2018
I don’t know why you are so convinced about the success of this Adama Barrow. Why are you so convinced about his genuineness. Is it because anybody that succeeds President Yahya Jammeh will be/can be successful? I think we belong to different schools of thought, raised in different political environments. None of your arguments posted here are condonable here in Holland. They are mere excuses which are not allowed in the Dutch political sphere. Here you are immediately thrown out of office once it’s proven you are wrong/mistaken.
Now let me ask you. How many wrongs/mistakes have these people committed since they assumed office? It’s all about our lives. At this era of very speedy technology and advancement, when our children are speedily learning to attain more progress, there is no room to allow UNQUALIFIED people to waste our time, halt our progress and mess around with our future. Our future lies in our hands. Allah The Almighty(SWT) has endowed us all the amenities to progress. It’s up to us to make expeditious use of those anemities to benefit from them here and the hereafter. So anyone who comes across your line(s) to deter that Allah-endowed benefits should be ignored/thrown away/alineated.
It’s just like a teacher telling me that an agric extension worker will be successful in a hospital operating theatre. Doesn’t that sound plausible, if not imposible? It shows the complexity of what is to be QUALIFIED to deliver at any position.
Adama Barrow is below standard to lead the Gambia. He’s an accidental man at the helm. An intellectual and political nonentity! He cannot shape the future of that lovely country. He hasn’t got the know-how.
It reminds me of the Zambian people’s jubilation when Frederic Chuluba took over from long-time President Kenneth Kaunda. They envisaged their salvation in a man who turned out to be the most corrupt, the most inefficient leader ever in Zambia, only to be jailed for corruption and corruptible charges after he was flushed out of power.
If the defunct coalition members had known that Adama Barrow would have won, they wouldn’t have opted for him. HE IS JUST NOT CAPABLE! And there is NO coalition.
I am really optimistic Babu,because President Barrow is the first and only Gambian President to ever admit that he shall listen and learn in order to adjust to the challenges he faces to address.One cannot compare Western standard of Governance to those that we have in Africa. The West is far more advance in terms of whatsoever you think of as far as efficiency, good Governance and the rule of law is concern.Therefore comparing The Gambia with such advanced countries of the West has little significance to say the list. What is right now prudent for an African President to lead is maturity and commitment to serve as long as one is supported by very talented and honest technocrats for operations. We may one day get to where these big powers are as it also took them too long to get to where they are today.
Babu, have you actually read the whole article? It is actually very critical of Barrow.
Omar Baldeh,
“One cannot compare Western standard of Governance to those that we have in Africa. The West is far more advance in terms of whatsoever you think of as far as efficiency, good Governance and the rule of law is concern. Therefore comparing The Gambia with such advanced countries of the West has little significance to say the list”
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This statement is really disappointing. I never thought that you would push us into believing that we should uphold an INEFFICIENT administration until such time………INFINITE. What time? When? You mean until we die or until Allah asks the Angels to descend to help us? That’s really a very ludicrous and disappointing view from a learned fellow. Why are we reading more? Why are calling on QUALIFIED people to take charge of institutions? Why the exception on our Presidency?
Why didn’t give the same benefit of doubt to President Jammeh until such time that……….INFINITE.
This thought and many other patriarch thoughts have long been the cancer, the thorn in Africa’s development pledge. Does it mean the BAD omens, the bad things, the illnesses, the injustices, the overall underdevelopment are African? Come on. Let’s be a little more realistic and perceive the fast trends of the world’s movement to move away from our patriarch and patronage forms of thinking! If you believe in hiring UNQUALIFIED people for any position of responsibility, tell me where you work and why you work there, please.
Barrow and his team are just CORRUPT and INEFFICIENT. If you think they will listen, you are just kidding yourself, Omar. Most of these people are breeds of the old Jawara clan of CORRUPT, INFLUENCE-PEDDLING, PATRONAGE and CORRUPTIBLE people. They NEVER listen.
SK Boys,
Yes, I have. I know it’s a bit critical about Barrow, but has given precepts of economic figures that do not reflect the truth. That’s my point of argument.
There is no economic improvement when more than 50.5% of a nation lives under the poverty line. This is the truth in our case, so basing one’s analysis on the WB and IMF capitalist economic data never reflect the true living conditions of a people.
Quote: “There is no economic improvement when more than 50.5% of a nation lives under the poverty line. This is the truth in our case, so basing one’s analysis on the WB and IMF capitalist economic data never reflect the true living conditions of a people.”
Observer: True, but why do you ignore this fact when you praise Jammeh’s Administration? Isn’t it true that our people had faced the same economic situation under both Jawara and Jammeh, despite the infrastructure development under Jammeh, which relied mostly on loans and thus, aggravated our loan portfolio to unsustainable and senseless levels; the negative effects of which is being felt and dealt with by the Barrow Administration.
You cannot completely absolve the Jammeh administration from the problems we face today, if you are honest to yourself and sincere in your task here.
Bax,
Stop coming up with your disgraced Jammeh arguments which are utterly baseless in the light of ongoing sufferings of our poor people in the hands of these CORRUPT, INEFFICIENT, TRIBALIST, USELESS and VERY SELFISH.
It’s lamentable in our country today. Prices are exobitant, not enough money in circulacion, people’s buying propensity has significantly dropped, businesses are not selling, services are poorly delivered, insecurity is on the rise while your bad administrators are ENJOYING with their familias, buddies, surrogates and errand boys. Stop repeating bunkums and head for the wellbeing of our people. Will the President Jammeh syndome continue to erode your conscience?
Babu..
It’s your continued refusal to accept the truth about Jammeh’s culpability in all that you blame on the Barrow administration that is truly disgraceful. Of course, the government is failing to give us the security that we need, especially against armed robbers, but ask yourself this questions:
1. How come guns are so readily accessible in the country? We don’t have gun shops.
2. Who brought all these guns into the country and failed to properly account for them at the end of his rule?
3. Who created the condition within the Armed Forces that certain members felt insecure and unable to continue serving after the change of government?
Here is the formula to understanding the security problem of The Gambia today: { Deserting soldiers + Easy access to automatic military grade rifles + Desire to earn livelihoods = Security problems} Main culprit: YAYA JAMMEH (it is not a Jammeh syndrome)