Bravo Mr President!
Dear editor,
Intuition is important in governance. From the onset, let me say that your decision to return Mr Manjang to his position at the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation is commendable. It is understandable that when a section of the staff protested against him, making many allegations against him, people were outraged. Many people at the time – myself included – raised eyebrows due to the copious nature of the claims and counterclaims.
In issues like this, it is necessary for folks to remember that as Karl Max said, man is a selfish animal, and that many – if not most – will have their judgement tainted by self-interest. Thus, when you set up a committee to look into the happenings at SSHFC, that was a judicious move.
Having done that, common sense dictates that whatever that committee finds, and recommends, will be for the best interest of the nation inasmuch as they were people of impeccable character and high moral standing. If, after their report, someone else comes up with a report which is not inline with the findings of that committee, you have to walk a tight line. The odds were always with the committee due to the fact that it was constituted to investigate and come up with recommendations.
Knowing the nature of the previous government and what used to obtain – the Janneh Commission has laid many things bare – it is understandable, likely indeed, that many people at the SSHFC saw Mr Manjang with his reform agenda as the enemy because they would have thought that he was out to get them, as it were.
After having all the information from different sources, it takes intuition and wit to arrive at the right conclusion and take a decision based on all you have learnt from the various sources. Doing that in good faith, you can go to sleep knowing that you conscience is clear.
It is firm decisions like this that will enable you make a mark and leave an indelible print of your footmark even years after you leave office. In other words, your legacy is written with the ink, or blood, of the actions you take.
With this action, you have loudly declared that institutions will reign supreme in this New Gambia. For, we all know that it was the failure of institutions that brought us to the brink of a pit of fire not so long ago.
I therefore say bravo for a great step taken!
Musa ‘Tha Scribbler’ Bah
Bundung
The self-created problems in Gambian politics
Dear editor,
President Barrow is the president of The Gambia. But most Gambians are of the view that he is unsuitable to be the president. Barrow is unsuitable to rule The Gambia but Darboe is adamant that Barrow should not step down next year. And Darboe is embroiled in a power struggle with Barrow when Barrow doesn’t have a single MP in the National Assembly. Talk about cutting your nose to spite your face.
Halifa Sallah and PDOIS do not want to take responsibility in government. Halifa is very good at generating sound bites for talking heads to have a field day. Which politician in his right mind will decline the offer to serve in government and implement his dreams into reality? As far as I’m concerned, Halifa can rant and rave all day but I won’t listen.
Mamma Kandeh and the GDC are the second biggest political party in The Gambia. We already have the problems of a semi-illiterate being in charge of running the country but some Gambians are supporting a political party led by a worse person than Barrow. Can anyone imagine Mamma Kandeh being the president of The Gambia?
A poor soul who doesn’t know his left from his right.
The problems we have in Gambian politics is the lack of leadership and vision from our current bunch of clueless political leaders. Darboe is standing in his own way without realising it. Barrow is a tosser. Halifa doesn’t know what he wants. Mamma Kandeh is a hopeless case. The Gambia is at a crossroad looking for leadership to put the country on a pathway to political stability and economic development.
A leader who will lead from the front of his government in the national interest. The contents of the much-anticipated new constitution will be the catalyst for The Gambia to find its way into the future of political stability and having a much better democratic landscape. The tenure of the president and how the cabinet is composed will be the defining moment for our new democracy and the political stability of The Gambia. Visionary leadership and statesmanship is what The Gambia is crying for.
Our multi-party democracy lacks the presence of capable people in our politics. The new constitution should make the composition of our cabinet chosen from the National Assembly. That’ll force Gambians of some understanding to participate in our politics.
That’ll sanitise our National Assembly and give the president a better choice to choose the cabinet from.
When our politics is led by self-conflicting personalities and our National Assembly is full of scumbags, The Gambia will remain stuck in poverty and political instability for a long time.
Yusupha ‘Major’ Bojang
Brikama
