By Omar Bah
Modou Lamin Faye, a US-based Gambian criminologist specialising on law enforcement and national security crisis, has advised President Adama Barrow to listen to constructive criticism against his government.
The Seattle-based said the Gambian leader should understand that constructive criticism may sound like a personal attack but at the same time its impact depends on how one reacts.
“Those who understand the importance of criticism usually choose to listen. By listening to the person being critical, you may end up establishing solutions to your problems,” Faye told The Standard.
Security
He said based on his security analysis and risk assessment for the Gambia’s security situation, there are reasons to believe that President Barrow is somehow compromised by Senegalese president Macky Sall and former president Jammeh’s continued presence in the country’s political discourse.
“This might sound like a huge accusation but everyone should be subject to account. A good example would be when former US president Donald Trump was suspected of being compromised by the Russian government during their 2016 presidential election, former Director of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), James Corey Comey and US department of defense put the country’s national security’s best interest at heart and opened an investigation into this allegation. This is just to show that even at the international level, nobody is above the law and under any circumstance national security is not to be put at risk,” he added.
He said President Macky Sall providing security for Barrow and his family might be a debt to be repaid in the long run.
“President Barrow also allows people who have been accused and even confessed to the crimes that they have committed under Jammeh’s regime during the TRRC hearing to still work in the government and not be held accountable for their actions just to be re-elected into office,” he added.
“This is why Jammeh has the audacity to even think that he can come back and rule the Gambia again without facing the consequences for his past crimes. This is an insult to the Gambia’s justice system, rule of law and the victims of Jammeh’s regime,” he added.
He advised the government to revisit its protocols on security access control at all government offices that carry sensitive information.
“Mr President, I want you to understand that we will support you to accomplish whatever dream you have so long as it’s in the interest of the Gambia and its people, but we also wouldn’t allow a compromised leader to lead the Gambian people,” he noted.
He also advised the interior minister and SIS DG to protect the interest of the Gambia just like the former United States FBI Director, James Comey, who got fired for protecting the interest of the United States.
“That’s the manner in which somebody who puts a country’s interest at heart would be expected to behave, especially a security personnel,” he concluded.
