By Momodou Camara
Dear President Barrow,
The drowning of 60 Gambians on their way to escaping poverty, disease, hunger, unemployment, failure and wasted lives is yet the latest reminder that you have failed us all. The trust and faith we vested in you that you will be everything better and positive that Jammeh is more elusive today than ever before. The common whisper in every nine (9) out of ten (10) Gambians is that you not up to the job and have taken Jammeh’s formula to stay in power come what may? I am of the opinion that this single most significant tragedy to befall our nation warrants you to resign and park the bus for a befitting driver. If not you are to be blamed. Whose responsibility is it, now that you are in charge?
If you relate the shrewd questioning of Essa Faal and see the narratives about where responsibility lies, then Mr. Barrow you will be in deep soup in future Commissions. If the same line of questioning is replicated in future commissions then President Barrow, you will be held responsible for what happened to Gambians off the Coast of Mauritania.
They needed jobs which you cannot offer; they needed development that you cannot give; they needed assurance that things will be better which never came; they needed money and the Gambian economy is drier today than ever before in a decade. They needed respect which you didn’t give them. So they set sail and now look at the result.
I know it is a big loss to their parents and loved ones but a bigger loss to the Gambia and Africa. They were all just looking for one thing- better life, free from threats of hunger and disease! They are gone but we are here with the same fears that drove them into the jaws of the Atlantic Ocean. Excuse me, even slaves were driven safe to the Americas to work although for masters and not for themselves. When will our children feel that they can make it here on home turf with daily results of youths climbing out of their circumstances and become Mr. Big here? It is a dream and it is possible! However, the only sad aspect of that dream is the man on top of affairs being the President, Mr. Adama Barrow is not even thinking about solutions, agendas, dreams rather is preoccupied with 3YRS JOTNA and forming a new Party in the Jammeh style and grandeur! I know the pain of our UDP brothers and sisters hurling insults on anything that looks like BYM! The dance is over and the lead singer and band are fast asleep when they used to chant “BARROW IS OUR BARROW”! He will be held culpable as it is under his watch that the Big Boat Tragedy off the Coast of Mauritania happened! Human trafficking, lack of intelligence gathering about our youths embarking on these journeys, lack of job opportunities, lack of care and the rest of it?
Your Excellency, Sir, I wish to draw your attention to the above mentioned caption once again and I will appreciate if your enablers can forward this piece of mine to you to digest and make sense of it. You came to North Bank and at a Barra/Essau 2016 Rally between October and November 2016 with the fully dominated UDP bandwagon and told us that, “if you are elected through the coalition ticket, you will stem/stop the back-way that most Barra and Gambian youths are embarking upon at maximum peril to their lives and their loved ones. You also promised that you will end it”.
It is indeed very sad when barely three years into your reign 60 Gambian youths notably from North Bank and particularly Barra perished in Mauritania. This is very sad and insincere on your part to even continue in office. It is a case of drumming sweet music into voters’ ears and ‘just-do’ them and forgets about their plights as soon as you get to State House. Why can’t we learn for once to be honourable men and women of creation? Why can’t we try and teach our children that lies are bad and no nation can be built on it?
Why can’t we for once respect the rule of law and act like human beings with decent values and culture? Why can’t you try not to go down the lane trekked by Jammeh Musa before you? Why can’t you resign and give way to a Gambian of astute educational and academic standing to lead this country? For me you are the biggest threat to this nation for one reason and it is you’re clueless about state matters, governance and the politics of government and administration. Look at The Gambia today, everything is falling apart and corruption is the order of the day. Government services and service is at all time low and we are not making any gains or registering growth in any sector. Mr. President and enablers could you kindly look at your crystal ball and make sense of the following threats and risks facing The Gambia currently under your command if you have some risks analysis mechanism of some sorts?
Look at the highly coded and painted tribal politics that is bedeviling The Gambia; The politics of insults; The politics of politicising the civil service; The politics of politicising the judiciary; The frown meted upon our armed forces; The uncontrolled travelling of ministers for per diem grabbing; The increasing budget allocations to the office of the President at the detriment of Youths and Sports and Women Affairs, no increases in incomes or revenues; The recycling of Jammeh’s chief financial enablers and deal makers; The politics of breaking up of the Coalition; The lack of any meaningful job creation moves and cash flow inlets in to our economy; The constant noises of THREE YEARS JOTNA; The many rumoured strikes; The recreation of a club of enablers around a low erudite President.
The Gambia is facing some difficult times and approaching some very difficult junctions to cross. This is indeed very daunting and we are all in the dark as there is no consolidation of any form of power since you came to power. President Barrow should keep his election promises made to us and the NBR but here we have a President who today cannot and will not keep anything, not even a promise. Look at what is happening all over the space and place with Barrow increasingly preoccupied with position and power consolidation.
Gambians are yet again watching another dictatorship of another form in the making. We are again watching our country slide into chaos and mal administration. We are yet again about to blame our educated people as we are about to see all our democratic gains cancelled. We are once again going round and round in circles with yet another experiment with a President who needs lots of training, mentoring, schooling and guidance when there is just no time especially with a man in his mid fifties. We are not lucky yet again and to add salt to injury our elites and Gambian elitism is a big disgrace. We are faced with difficult decisions and a very shaky future with Barrow forcing his way by all means within and outside his reach; with a disintegrating UDP that cannot be trusted, GDC needs more technocrats in its ranks, the PDOIS is not selling well its brand nor its strategy to sell the party; The PPP is struggling with a new leader who is being questioned by some factions of the party; Citizen Alliance is the New Kit on the Block and needs to go full throttle from the word go; the GFA is also endowed with technocrats but needs to go full force from the word go like CA; the NRPs, GMCs, Henry Parties are all cum Barrow and BYMs of some sorts. The APRC is a constant like the Northern Star but Jammeh’s negative deeds will punish them at the polls. For the parties I did not mention, they need to visit the drawing board and present themselves better to the Gambian electorate.
In conclusion, President Barrow has not added value to anything Gambian, he has reneged on his promise to stem the back way journeys to Europe, he has equally refused to honour the Coalition Agreement, he is unable to make gains or translate the New Gambia euphoria into more jobs, more FDIs, more remittances, more development, more roads, more markets for our crops and the rest of It. Barrow is still a big setback as a person and as a leader who got to the helm of affairs unprepared. However, we are neither day dreaming nor are we stupid as it is a cemented notion and understanding that President Barrow was given to the nation by the UDP.
I wish to join all Gambians and in solidarity with the People of North Bank as in Barra, Amdalai, Medina Serign Mass, Fass Charko and environs where most of the dead hail from. We pray for Allah to make good all your pains and sufferings brought about by this tragic accident. We are remorseful and prayerful with the Nuimis and Jokadou in this time of sadness and sorrow. President Barrow has just turned out to be the latest African Greedy President to never keep their words and a danger to democracy and good governance that has placed the continent at the mercy of aids, grants, peace-keeping forces, Ebola, malaria and migrating youths. Look at the losts of the African child as he continues to be an article of ridicule and laughter around the world due to leaders like President Barrow. We always reached such abyss against the backdrop of a fake and pseudo elitism that is ready and willing to be intellectual prostitutes to propagate Barrow into power. Barrow is now trying and has just announced that he is going to form a political party.
What do you think the civilized West will think about Barrow? What do you think our development partners will think about Barrow and his government? What do you think genuine Gambians and upright people around the globe will think about President Barrow? Sad, Sad and Sad! Indeed very sad! Another African Leader in Barrow, in 2020 and almost 60 years after Independence from White Colonial rule is yet again turning out just as bad as those who took over from the White Masters. Africa is not moving and Africans are not ticking the developmental milestones in any meaningful way to redeem the masses. We are the land of stagnation and education continues not to be an instrument of change but self interest. I am watching the show from a distance and already knew where Barrow will end up but I will keep my cards close to my chest. Interesting times Gambia and the elites must be god fearing and honest to deliver the country to the masses and messes!
