Fellow Gambians,
As we mark the end of the Holy month of Ramadan, we join millions of Muslims around the world to celebrate the glorious feast of Eid-ul-Fitr.
Eid is an opportunity for us to reaffirm our values of gratitude, compassion, and generosity and to give thanks for the spiritual renewal and many blessings received throughout the holy month.
As we celebrate the day, it is important to reflect on the teachings and significance of this auspicious day.
Eid-ul-Fitr is not only about remembering Allah and offering gratitude to him but it is also a day we are reminded of our religious duty of sharing and caring for one another. It is evidently clear that Islam has set a very high standard for the spirit of brotherhood, unity, love and support for one another.
Fellow Gambians
Moral and ethical values prescribed by our great religion, Islam, must be brought to bear on our attitudes and efforts as we collectively seek to build the new Gambia based on rule of law, tolerance, and devotion to nation building.
With these values, we will be able to achieve the much needed change of attitude to restore this country to its former glory – a Gambia with a vibrant economy which works for everyone and leaves no one behind especially our youths and women. We may not be endowed with natural resources but our Human Resource is our strength. We cannot therefore afford to be divided, not according to religion or tribe.
Unity is our strength and this must be embraced and cherished by all Gambians.
My government is firmly committed to that unity which is the bedrock of our collective national security and identity.
To venerable religious leaders, let us continue to pray for sustainable peace in The Gambia and for Muslims and humanity at large, who are suffering either from maltreatment, hardship or warfare.
To families and friends, as you come together this Eid to share food and presents, let’s think about and pray for a better Gambia, a Gambia we deserve and The Gambia we must build together.
Finally, I call on all Gambians to maintain the tolerance, discipline, integrity and hard work cultivated during this holy month.
I once again, wish you all a happy and peaceful.
Eid Mubarak.
Your Excellency this shows / manifest your competence and care you have for humanity in general. Am most grateful, this is what is expected from good leaders. I pray Almighty Allah to guide and protect you and shower his blessings on the entire Muslim ummah
Very many thanks. Proud of you
Mr president I beg to differ. We may not have gold diamond, or oil. But we have the most sought after natural resources in the whole planet, if only we could bring our collective selves to appreciate out 375 km of ocean and beyond, our deep-water port, our river, amongst other heritage. After all we can only play the cards we have been dealt with, and no one, but no one thinks these a bad set of cards. It comes down to how we play it, that is all. But that takes imagination and, dare I say it, leadership.
Take the China $150 million investment in a “conference complex” – for the rich, the knowledgeable, the popular and the famous – none of which plays into our natural strengths. And now , and imagine if that same amount was invested in, say a technology hub, complete with technical training colleges for ocean research, agricultural, aquaculture, animal & soil health, Bush fire management & forestry research facilities, and the list goes on – the benefits would be much higher in the long run because it would play into our strengths, our real needs and aspirations.
In short we should really begin to care more, and be grateful for the set of cards/our natural endownments we have been dealt with, and then we can begin to exercise a choice over how they are used, who uses them, and for what purposes. – waste not, want not!, and for-the many-and not- for-the-few comes to mind
Thank you Jara. My plea to Mr. President is for a Detour from a Conference Center to the Technology and Research Center Kara Proposed. However, Even a Research does not guarantee Horizontal Beneficiation and Added Value. Unless it is Delibrately, Nationally and Regionally Integrated to Mitigate what I call “Ghetto Development” Enclaves that are common in Industrialized and Emerging Nations. To reduce Rural to Urban migration for jobs as well as for the perceived “good life” in the Urban areas, Initiatives or Projects such as this need to be De-Centralized not just for Decentralization in itself. It should be De-Centralized in a Studied, Analysed and Tested in Small Scale and then Scaled up larger Scale. Regional Education levels, Agricultural Out put, the different Crops or Small industries a given Region or Sub-Region excels in need to be a Unit of analysis and refined for the purpose of enhansing Differential Needs Assessment and Sustainability. My Modest Plea to the Authorities in the Gambia is for all Future Development Projects to have a built in Intentional and Informed Target of Producing Employment in the Sector (s) with a Rural In Migration Pull as opposed to an Urban In Migration Pull. The employee Compensation Structure need to be adjusted in favor of those willing to be Posted to the Rural areas. May be it can be pegged to the Per Mile Distance from Banjul. Yet, another Incentive the Authorities may consider is the distance between Regional Cities and the Postings of for example, Teachers, Nurse Practioners who now perform most duties Doctors used to. Agriculture Extension
Work needs to be Revamped and Funding increased to help Stimulate that Sector again. Aguaculture, Honey and Animal husbandry also needs revamping and integrated into Research and Development Centers that are an essential ingredient to any Countries’ or Emerging Nations Development, Industrialization or Modernity. Let’s start small, for Small is Beautiful and then Scale it up as we begin to make Progress. Let’s avoid the tendency of Building Clossals or Glittering Edifices for Show without the Required and Needed Roots, Stem and Leaves to provide Sustenance to Project or Enterprise. Durability, Low Maintenance, Exchangeability of Parts and Employees in a Seem less and Uniterrupted Manner Should be Central and made an Objective in every Endeavor. Utility and Functionality of the Buildings, Furniture, Equipment and Machines ought to be Mitigated to meet the Environmental, Climatic, Social and Cultural Conditions prevailing within a Specific Industry, Project or Initiative. Why all these some might ask? The answer is, unless the people who are employed at a given Industry, Enterprise and or Project “Connect” with and identify with these Industries, Enterprise and or Project, their Long Term Success would be little to none. Employees Beed to be proud of what they do, where they do it and why they do it, besides the fact that they derive an income from their employment. There is such thing as Industrial Psychology and Sociology and it is more than receiving a an Advanced degree in the two Disciplines. It is more a fact of Understanding Human and Organizational Behavior and then bring able to Creat and Replicate the Atmosphere that Produces Productivity and Satisfaction for both the Employees and Employers. A Satisfied employee is a Productive employee. The reverse is usually True too. This inturn reduces Alienating tendencies that Industrialization and Modern Work Comes with. However, that would be taken up in another time.
kara,
Only an imaginative, creative, techy, tactful revolutionary and selfless leadership can read the lines of your ingenous proposals. Not a fat-bellied, conference-sleepy-snoring Humpty Dumpty British Argos watchman in presidential clothing surrounded by a bunch of dependent-groomed incompetent, tribalistic, nepotic and corrupt fellows would ever think of initiating such sustainable ventures for the common welfare of our citizenry.
You see, kara, any time an opposition to this incompetent government comes on line, the enablers start to snarl at her/his proposal without reminescing on what they themselves claim to have fought for, against President Jammeh.
To discard the seeds and roots of global socio-economic marginalization we have to earmark/focus on/envisage the most important areas for SUSTAINABLE development without going into grandiose/fungible projects that would only cater for a marginal sector of our population. But this needs firm/courageous decision taking, fruitful/respectable partnership and of course incorruptible implementation.
This bitty government is not on that course. It’s busy entrenching power grips and amassing personal wealth. They are CORRUPT! Kara, we still have a long way to crawl/walk/run before we play the right cards to harness our natural human and material resources for a lasting SUSTAINABLE development. Not with this VERY BAD administration, anyway.