Dear editor,
“While the government fully endorses section 100 on the term of Office of the President, it is the government’s considered view that section 5 of Schedule 3 is retroactively discriminatory in its effect because it only affects and is intended to only affect the incumbent President,” Cabinet observed (The Standard).
Is it really the position of the Cabinet that the Draft Constitution discriminates against President Barrow and they want such discrimination reversed? Ok that was a rhetorical question but I think it is such a wonderful idea and since I hate discrimination, I will also highlight other discriminations that I pray are reversed:
1. All the thieves (including those in government) should get together and ask that laws against stealing be reversed because it discriminates against them. No one should be denied the ability to steal from people if that is where their salvation lies. And this law affects a lot more people!
2. All the people who cannot be president because they are not considered educated enough should get together and demand that every Gambian be given a chance to be president regardless of education level. Ditto those deemed too young!
3. All the corrupt people must form a union of the corrupt, and demand that corruption be included in the constitution because corruption is ingrained in so many people of this world and it should be a right to be corrupt.
4. All would be murderers should demand the right to kill….
Ok, enough, I guess you get a bit of my drift. I hope the rapists don’t get any ideas of forming their own organization to demand that they too should be allowed to rape because even Satan does not like rapists (I don’t talk to him deh; he told a friend who confided in me). So if you are a rapist, don’t even think about demanding that you too should not be discriminated against.
My point is this: The reason we decided to have a constitution or laws in the first place is to discriminate against certain acts or behaviors that are inimical to who we are or desire to be. Who we are or desire to be, abhors greed, hates thieves, hates rapists and hates killers. Who we are or desire to be equally hates self-perpetuating rule and any form of dictatorship! We don’t change who we are or desire to be simply because it affects ONE INDIVIDUAL out of almost two million. This one individual works for those two million people! I mean who insists on working for people diya kuya or neh nahari?
That Barrow cannot be in power for fifteen years only “discriminates” against Barrow. Do you know how many people the laws against stealing “discriminate” against? Do you know how many people in the diaspora certain laws discriminate against? Do you know how many people the laws against corruption “discriminate” against? What about those that cannot be president because of education, or age or because they are differently abled (even if there is no law against it, their reality is)? What about the victims of Yahya Jammeh whose chances at education were ruined by the government?
And guess what? President Barrow works for those that are not educated enough to be president, he works for Yahya’s victims and he works for our people that love their corruption; he works for our folks in the diaspora. They pay him, feed him and ensure he has a place to stay and enjoy a life that they can only dream of. Apparently, the most serious discriminating injury to Cabinet is the one against Barrow. My body dies for them.
My point is, the Draft Constitution is full of discrimination. It is unfortunate that the only discrimination our elegant cabinet is able to see is the one that stops ONE MAN and his cronies from perpetuating themselves in power! Did anyone tell Cabinet that we desire self-perpetuating rule? My heart goes out to Barrow and his cronies. No one should be discriminated against. I hope the thieves object to the draft too for they too do not deserve to be discriminated against!
Alagie Saidy-Barrow
USA
