Chairman Yankuba Darboe is making Chairman Sheriffo Sonko a scapegoat in his inefficient management of Brikama Area Council. He said in a recent statement that the council does not have a database of properties in West Coast Region, shifting blame to Chairman Sonko by stating, “All those who were at BAC before us did nothing for us, they left it for us, so we have our work cut out for us. This year, we are dedicating efforts to acquiring trucks because that will help us address the issue of trash, which is a very big problem in the region, and this is the reality.” For Chairman Darboe to say that those before them (his team) in WCR did nothing is, of course, totally wrong, baseless, and misleading. It is not my objective here to open up a debate or a comparison of the performances of Darboe and Sonko but one thing that is glaring for everyone to see is that the building (seat) of BAC that Chairman Darboe is occupying today was built by Chairman Sonko. Darboe is in control of his words, but not our thoughts. Government is a continuous process of change and development. The fact that the former administration did not establish a database does not mean that they did nothing in their time in the council. If Sonko were there up to now, he probably would have had the intention to focus attention on the issue of a database by now. BAC is evolving, and the absence of a property database in the council is, of course, a serious matter that needs the urgent attention of Darboe and his team. A database of properties in a local authority is fundamental for efficient revenue collection and management and overall organisation of the tax administration system of the council. Without a proper database, the council may face several challenges that can significantly undermine its operations and efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of its mandate in the region.
Furthermore, the absence of a robust database in the council can potentially create opportunities for foul play in the manipulation of financial records, unauthorised access to sensitive information, or loss of critical records. Without good supervision and commitment to honesty, this can compromise the integrity and reputation of the institution and erode trust among stakeholders, as it is the case there now.
To remedy this, the council should by now prioritise the establishment of a good database. This may involve investing in appropriate technology and software, training staff on data management best practices, and developing clear policies and procedures for data collection, storage, and access. For a council, the size and complexity of BAC, it is essential for them to allocate resources and give support to the establishment of a database that meets the region’s needs and complies with existing data protection regulations of the country.
Chairman Darboe should adhere to these points and not take them personal or political, and I think he should stop the two years of blame game and focus on the job now. We are tired of hearing lousy political statements. Shifting blames on his predecessor instead of taking responsibility. Tell us your achievements. Not statements like when you sent me to jail, when I come out, I will be a president.
Lamin J Jawara
NPP Deputy Sectary Diaspora
