The euphoria and enthusiasm is high amongst the people of #GM220. Well I will not fault them for such a state of mind as their personal and collective development have been arrested for 20 odd years. We all have a mental blueprint of a #NewGAMBIA but this Gambia has to be nurtured. It will be conceived with our will and resolve for a new national identity and it will have phases and passage to maturity.
The new Gambia has to learn from past events to build a model Gambia that we all will be proud of. Reading passages on social media has highlighted a troubling phenomenon amongst the people of this beautiful nation and it is my humble view that the social inequalities that existed post Independent Gambia have not been adequately addressed and most of our social/political issues are anchored on this divide that breeds anger, contempt and and disdain. Growing up opportunities were far and few for many out of privileged social circles and this perpetuated the upward mobiility of a particular segment of society relative to others. This was not a deliberate ploy by the first republic but an inadvertent design. The botched revolution of J22 1994 used this anomaly as a pretext to upset the status quo. Most of what we heard from the mouth piece of the J22 enterprise was rampant corruption that needed to be checked and corrected with accountability and probity. We now have ample evidence that that was a pretext and not a genuine justification for the usurpation of power by a rag tag group whose nationalistic credentials are now confirmed to be non-existent. Nonetheless the entrenched social inequalities of the day gave them broad appeal amongst a group of Gambians who wanted a slice of the Gambian pie. Other than the opportunistic lot amongst our lot, the J22 enterprise derived it support from the the down trodden who believed the nation short changed them as it relates to opportunities.
Going forward, adressing our social inequalities will be the cornerstone that must underwrite the #NewGAMBIA. The J22 made an attempt to adress the anomaly but their approach was underpinned by emotional decisions that negated merit and consequently they have destroyed our public institutions and professional merit. I wholeheartedly implore on the incoming administration to narrow the genie coefficient that created a divide between a group of people who should have all seen themselves as one. Once this anomally is addressed effectively, the road to the new Gambia will be paved with energised citizens who believe in the going Concern called Gambia incorporated. I am hopeful that the new Gambia will be anchored on a sound social canvas that will highlight our tribal and cultural diversities on a tapestry that even Picasso would have been pleased to to view. Keep hope alive whilst we build the new Gambia one brick at a time.
Wednesday, 28 December 2016
Wednesday, 21 December 2016
Professional Misconduct Perpetrated By Charlatan Lawyers Masquerading As Emissaries Of Peace
The proof of the pudding is in the eating. For now, I have retired my suit and tie until I see light at the end of the tunnel. If Gambian journalists are outsourcing their societal duties to inform, investigate and enlighten the masses then we the average citizens will duly engage in citizen journalism to enlighten our esteemed populace. On that note, I want to delve into the story of the day regarding the so called African Bar Association. This body and its purpurted membership is highly questionable because for a continental body to be deemed effective and legitimate it needs local chapters and regional groupings. I am yet to see a practicing Gambian lawyer who claimed to be a paid member if this rag tag merchant of fortune organisation.
Secondly, I want to know who that idiot of a solicitor Ozuma represents. Surely he is not representing the Gambian Bar nor the interest of the Gambian people. For anyone to speak on behalf of a constituent (Gambian Bar) you need a mandate and legitimacy. Mr. Ozuma lackls both as he is a person of questionable character by virtue of his legal tussles and conduct. I am currently compiling infomation about this shady organisation and its membership but I can safely say that they neither have locus nor nexus in the outcome of our political quagmire. Their SOLE interest is that of their narrowly defined personal economic interest which we the people of our noble country will neither condone nor watch helplessly. Shame on them and anybody who one way or another facilitated their welcome in our beautiful nation.
#GambiaHasDecided
#AfBA
#NigerianMerchantsOfFortune
Secondly, I want to know who that idiot of a solicitor Ozuma represents. Surely he is not representing the Gambian Bar nor the interest of the Gambian people. For anyone to speak on behalf of a constituent (Gambian Bar) you need a mandate and legitimacy. Mr. Ozuma lackls both as he is a person of questionable character by virtue of his legal tussles and conduct. I am currently compiling infomation about this shady organisation and its membership but I can safely say that they neither have locus nor nexus in the outcome of our political quagmire. Their SOLE interest is that of their narrowly defined personal economic interest which we the people of our noble country will neither condone nor watch helplessly. Shame on them and anybody who one way or another facilitated their welcome in our beautiful nation.
#GambiaHasDecided
#AfBA
#NigerianMerchantsOfFortune
Friday, 9 December 2016
My Vision For The New Gambia
My conspicuous absence on social media especially Facebook in recent days have been a deliberate effort to reassure well meaning family members and friends about my safety. Nonetheless, our country is at a crossroads albeit that we have dismantled the clutches of tyranny and we now manifest our national destiny in a manner consistent with our collective national aspirations. It is therefore in this regard that I want to contribute in the ongoing discourse by counseling the transition team as per the way forward.
The outcome of the recently concluded elections can be interpreted differently and I am of the view that President Elect Barrow is the winner but his mandate is not cross cutting and would therefore have to not only extend an olive branch but work with well meaning people from the loosing end to build a broad consensus governance apparatus that will usher in a new Gambia that is socially and economically inclusive.
The first order of business for the president elect is to appoint a chief of staff who wiĺl be the designate interlocutor between him, the transition team and the out going administration. This chief of staff will handle the transition process as a project with set goals, objectives and milestones that are time bound with quantifiable monitoring and evaluation capabilities. Once this is in place, a seamless transfer of power can be assured. The first order of business is the maintenance of peace and security which is the bedrock upon which the new Gambia will be built on. Next order of business is the taming and rationalisation of the beast I refer to as our "FISCAL DISPENSATION" essentially our budget. For the longest time, the Gambia has been operating a fiscally dominant system that over shadowed monetary policy hence the structural anomalies inherent in our macroeconomic environment (inflation, forex prices, Balance of Payment and Domestic debt sustainability etc). The taming of this beast can ONLY happen if the exchequer (Ministry of Finance) apply severe austerity policies to bailout the economy. The tools available at the disposal of the finance minister ranges from debt restructuring, cash budget management system, freeze on domestic debt, streamline payroll, retrenchment etc. Gambians have to be realistic and the realignment of our economy will undoubtedly not be an easy task and therefore would require us all to swallow the bitter pill of structural adjustment IMMEDIATELY. Finally, the transition team MUST meet immediately with the Minister of Finance to ascertain all major payables to suppliers and contractors now against 31st December 2016 to ascertain if these payments were within the budget and provisioned for. Furthermore they must NOT be paid through deficit financing.
Once the afore mentioned prescriptions are hitherto looked into, then the incoming government can shift into a medium term mode to prepare the nation for the slow reversal of our fortunes by working on sectoral reforms especially the productive sectors (fisheries, tourism, agriculture, financial services etc). In addition to this, we can organise a serious DONOR ROUND TABLE INITIATIVE to mobilise the much needed resources to build the a new Gambia and also have a programme with the IMF. Streamlining the existing government payroll especially the bloated security sector is of paramount interest. Generally our security manpower requirements are a function of the ratio between the general population and human resource needed to execute a function. For example for every 1000 inhabitants of the Gambia, we require 50 police officers, 10 paramilitary and 5 army officers. This rationale should be the basis of numbers of our security personel. I will in subsequent posts delve further in the issue. We all love our country and for once we have a unique opportunity to redeem our nation and help build a better nation considering the arrested development we suffered. Any Gambian who was above the age of 18 in 1994 have been short changed especially my generation. Lastly, we need a packed legislative agenda for judicial reforms and key amongst these reforms are a Freedom of Information Act where government must inform the citizenry of the contents of contracts signed on our behalf especially that of our natural resources petroleum included. We cannot and MUST NOT do business with the former economic cronies. The emergence and tolerance of a strong civil society must be fostered to curb the excesses of government and also act in safe guarding the public interest by being the publics watch dog.
The outcome of the recently concluded elections can be interpreted differently and I am of the view that President Elect Barrow is the winner but his mandate is not cross cutting and would therefore have to not only extend an olive branch but work with well meaning people from the loosing end to build a broad consensus governance apparatus that will usher in a new Gambia that is socially and economically inclusive.
The first order of business for the president elect is to appoint a chief of staff who wiĺl be the designate interlocutor between him, the transition team and the out going administration. This chief of staff will handle the transition process as a project with set goals, objectives and milestones that are time bound with quantifiable monitoring and evaluation capabilities. Once this is in place, a seamless transfer of power can be assured. The first order of business is the maintenance of peace and security which is the bedrock upon which the new Gambia will be built on. Next order of business is the taming and rationalisation of the beast I refer to as our "FISCAL DISPENSATION" essentially our budget. For the longest time, the Gambia has been operating a fiscally dominant system that over shadowed monetary policy hence the structural anomalies inherent in our macroeconomic environment (inflation, forex prices, Balance of Payment and Domestic debt sustainability etc). The taming of this beast can ONLY happen if the exchequer (Ministry of Finance) apply severe austerity policies to bailout the economy. The tools available at the disposal of the finance minister ranges from debt restructuring, cash budget management system, freeze on domestic debt, streamline payroll, retrenchment etc. Gambians have to be realistic and the realignment of our economy will undoubtedly not be an easy task and therefore would require us all to swallow the bitter pill of structural adjustment IMMEDIATELY. Finally, the transition team MUST meet immediately with the Minister of Finance to ascertain all major payables to suppliers and contractors now against 31st December 2016 to ascertain if these payments were within the budget and provisioned for. Furthermore they must NOT be paid through deficit financing.
Once the afore mentioned prescriptions are hitherto looked into, then the incoming government can shift into a medium term mode to prepare the nation for the slow reversal of our fortunes by working on sectoral reforms especially the productive sectors (fisheries, tourism, agriculture, financial services etc). In addition to this, we can organise a serious DONOR ROUND TABLE INITIATIVE to mobilise the much needed resources to build the a new Gambia and also have a programme with the IMF. Streamlining the existing government payroll especially the bloated security sector is of paramount interest. Generally our security manpower requirements are a function of the ratio between the general population and human resource needed to execute a function. For example for every 1000 inhabitants of the Gambia, we require 50 police officers, 10 paramilitary and 5 army officers. This rationale should be the basis of numbers of our security personel. I will in subsequent posts delve further in the issue. We all love our country and for once we have a unique opportunity to redeem our nation and help build a better nation considering the arrested development we suffered. Any Gambian who was above the age of 18 in 1994 have been short changed especially my generation. Lastly, we need a packed legislative agenda for judicial reforms and key amongst these reforms are a Freedom of Information Act where government must inform the citizenry of the contents of contracts signed on our behalf especially that of our natural resources petroleum included. We cannot and MUST NOT do business with the former economic cronies. The emergence and tolerance of a strong civil society must be fostered to curb the excesses of government and also act in safe guarding the public interest by being the publics watch dog.
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