Dear editor,
It appears that relations between the government of the Gambia and the new regime in Senegal are not as rosy as both sides would want us to believe This is in view of recent events along the border and other problems, resulting in Vice President Mohammed Jallow and other ministers and senior officials rushing to Dakar to meet their Senegalese counterparts.
Of course, in view of the special relationship that exists between our two countries, it is always welcome for the two governments to constantly consult each other about all issues directly or indirectly affecting both nations. However, it is hard to understand why it is always Gambian officials that have to travel to Senegal whenever there is an issue to be discussed. Does it mean that the Gambia has a much higher stake in all those issues than Senegal, or is it yet another indication of the inferiority complex that our people always seem to manifest in virtually all their dealings with the Senegalese authorities?
Of course, we were all witnesses to the condescending attitude often displayed by the Barrow administration in its relations with the government of former President Macky Sall, apparently because of the part that he (Macky) played in helping to pave the way for his (Barrow’s) accession to power. A good case in point was the last-minute decision by President Barrow to name the Yellitenda/Bambatenda Bridge as Senegambia Bridge instead of the name that was initially proposed and accepted by virtually all Gambians; the Trans-Gambia Bridge. It is even alleged that the initial signboard unveiled during the inauguration ceremony contained that name instead of Senegambia Bridge. Apparently therefore, the decision to change the name at that very instant, may have been as a result of a suggestion by Macky Sall which President Barrow endorsed, apparently without any further consultations with members of his administration.
It is a well-known fact that many Senegalese have the erroneous belief that the Senegambia Bridge was funded by Senegal and as such, they expect unrestricted access to it, despite the fact that it is in Gambian territory. Therefore, some of them are of the view that the Gambia does not have the power or authority to deny Senegalese vehicles access to the bridge.
While I agree with the suggestion that the Gambia and Senegal have so many things in common, and it is therefore in the interest of both countries to cooperate and do everything in tandem. However, we expect mutual respect from the governments and peoples of both countries, which does not seem to be the case in the present circumstances. There seems to be an element of arrogance on the part of the Senegalese government in their dealings with our authorities. It also appears that our leaders are ready and willing to play second fiddle to their Senegalese counterparts, and as long as such a situation persists, they would not likely to treat us as their equals.
While some people may exonerate the Senegalese government from some of the actions of their transport unions frequently directed towards the Gambia, but there appears to be either official connivance or unwillingness on the part of the Senegalese authorities to promptly deal with the issues at hand. It is also alleged that the Vice President’s recent trip to Senegal had something to do with the contract between NAWEC and SENELEC to supply electricity to the Gambia, which is said to have run into problems because NAWEC is owing SENELEC a huge amount of money which led to the current frequent power cuts in this country. Whatever the case, we expect the authorities to tell us exactly what is going on between the two countries.
The Gambia may be smaller and economically weaker than Senegal, but it is still a sovereign nation that deserves to be treated with respect by all other nations, including Senegal. Therefore, we expect our leaders to always demand such respect from their counterparts in other countries.
DA Jawo Ā
