PDOIS renews vow to sacrifice for a better Gambia

By Baba Sillah The secretary general of PDOIS, Halifa Sallah and his deputy, Sidia Jatta have both used the weekend national congress in Njainsanjal to stress that PDOIS is as relevant now as was it 30 years ago when it was formed. “For more than thirty years, PDOIS has been talking to Gambians trying a lot to bring change that can be beneficial to every Gambian. We have played our role as party leaders and now we are old and going near to our graves. So this congress is for the youths to also play their part, sacrifice their time as we have been doing for the past three decades. We are not here to appease anyone as a party; there are political hypocrites who go round spreading false allegation against the party and its leaders. The party leaders have been practicing what they have been advocating for the past three decades,” Sidia Jatta told the delegates. Jatta who chaired the congress said the fundamental question that Gambians should ask is whether the change they have voted for two years ago is what they are witnessing today as many believe that the coalition government only brought regime change and not system change, noting that what we have seen as Gambians in 2017 is still like an “old wine in a new bottle.” He said the congress will bring a new beginning for the party and those who are to steer the affairs of the party should be ready to spread the message to every village, hamlet and every constituency in the country. Halifa Sallah said his aim at the time of the formation of the PDOIS was to liberate the African continent and that is what he continues to propagate in the country. The Serekunda born politician said: “To liberate people is not an easy task; it requires time, sacrifice and even death. But despite that as a party, we still continue with our struggle to salvage Gambian people in order for them to become a sovereign citizen and a nation that can decide for their own destiny. When the Senegambia confederation was formed, we told Gambians that the confederation was wastage of resources and we started by educating the people,” Mr Sallah told the supporters as he gave a rundown of the political struggle of the party under the PPP regime. He continued: “We have to continue the struggle because the current economic state of the country is poor and is sinking. In 1980, the former President Jawara said the economy was sinking and that is what is still existing as the current debt of the country is D56 billion. The government instead of empowering the youths and equipping them to do mining and fishing, the government is partnering with other countries. The economy will continue to sink and poverty will also increase so long the government failed to look into these issues,” Mr Sallah said. Mr Sallah further postulated that no government deserves to serve when it does not derive its policies and programs from the consent of the people, noting that “we must be initiators and not imitators.”]]>