The Cup Is Half Empty For Many Gambians

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.

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

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 Ugly Face of Gambian Politics

For a work of art to be termed a master piece it has to have distinct characteristics that are unique, timeless and above all, self expressive. Over the years, the loom has woven an intricate fabric with a wide array of colors and patterns on the Gambian tapestry otherwise called our social fabric.

The semblance of social order and harmony prevails when there is an extended lull of harmonious existence. The ugly beast called tribalism has been given a new lease on life to roam about freely in the nooks and crannies of our beloved homeland. Poverty and injustice do not have tribal sensitivities and therefore they are equal opportunity employers who look beyond tribe to unleash their wrath. The million dollar quesion that consumes my thought process begs to inquire who the proponents of tribalism are? Well my limited understanding of our social setup and dynamics convinced me to conclude that our politicians are not only the architects but the sponsors of this ugly beast called tribalism. Naturally politicians are opportunistic beings who exploit the weaknesses and divisions amongst us to create a base. This base feeds on sentiments that drive their quest to acheive their stated political objectives.
Not much has changed from the colonial master/colonised relationship to the new found power structure of politician/supporter relationship whereby the politician build a bridge to nowhere with marching supporters galloping towards self destruction.

Gambians at home and abroad have been consumed with the political events unfolding at the home front and to my utter dismay, the armchair pundits have stolen the essence of the narrative by drawing a wedge against a group of people who should share a common objective. There is no Fula, Jola or Mandinka hegemony in this beautiful country of ours. What we have is a cartel of vested parties (politicians) who prostitute a group of people for their personal gains and objectives. I say no to divisive politics and politics of personal interest. Progressive Gambians are converging to chart a way forward for a new Gambia whereby tribe is not a destructive nomenclature but rather a covetted treasure to celebrate our diversity. Our political philosophy should be centred around economic and social empowerment. The Gambian cannot endure a life of double jeopardy where the colonial master railroaded us and now only to fall in the hands of our kin and kindred once again in mental servitude.

The progressives amongst us must not only speak out against tribalism and all its guises but also any ploy to disintegrate our social fabric. Gambians are drifting away in ways never seen before and this must be halted by the conscientious objectors who hate divisive politics and marginalisation of the polity. Politics must be a civic engagement that furthers the discourse in accumulating socioeconomic dividends not the "say gaal ma warr la" syndrome reminiscent of politics of divide and rule. Thats not what I bargained for and thats not what being Gambian means to me. My sociopolitical  contract with the politicians is to lower my taxes, protect me from external aggression and safeguard my fundamental rights to liberty and self expression. Once these are not safeguarded, my contract becomes violated making it null and void. I own the electrical broom called voter's card and am at liberty to hire and fire through the ballot. I am the boss of the political class therefore I will not bend in servitude to none. My fellow compatriots lets understand our might and dictate the pace, style and form of our governance structure. They behave in a manner consistent with our stated desires or we kick them out of office. We own the Gambia and it is neither a fiefdom nor an oligarchy so lets do the right thing as children of the soil that gave birth to great men of courage, conviction, honor and dignity. Sait Matty, Maba Jahou, Tamba Jammeh, JC Faye, PS Njie and many others of yester years would have added their voice in the burning issues of the day.

What's In It For The Electorate? What Should We Demand from the political class?

The color palette and the canvas are an artist tool kit for a breath taking marvel that galleries and museums fight to exhibit. The inspiration of the artist is translated in a luminescent display of color and graphics. Equally, the tool kit of a politician is displayed in the coherence of his/her socioeconomic programmes and judicial interventions for the fostering of a harmonious society.

Unfortunately in the Gambia, the pundits and electorate have been consumed with the personalities of the candidates rather than the content of their programmes. Hope is a lifeline to no where and in recent times, Gambians have been banking their hopes on a new Gambia but this hope is not underpinned by any tactical or strategic planning that can yield the desired outcome. Therefore our hope has culminated into a mirage in a desolate desert. This brings me to the limited political sophistication of the Gambian and our narrowly defined interest that blurs our vision to see the bigger picture. An alliance of convenience will be short lived as it lacks conviction and a genuine reason d'etre for its formation. The more I peruse through the pages of Gambian social media, the more I longed for a New Gambian whose political horizon transcends tribe and region. I yearn for a new Gambian who has a score card to judge the efficacy of a political aspirant. Personally, I am in search of a candidate that can galvanize our resolve to weave a new Gambia that is socially cohesive and at peace with itself. Yes I mean peace because peace is just not the absence of war but a thriving environment that promotes the human ideal of progress, equality and dignity. My score card will focus on education, health, agriculture and sustainable economic and infrastructural development.

My vote may be trivial in the grand scheme of things but I will only discharge my civic duty if I see a candidate befitting to my espoused ideals. Lets stop talking about the candidates and worry about what they can deliver for us. That's what the Gambia needs not political jockeying for relevance. Come on lets not allow ourselves to pimped by our politicians. We are not prostitutes but we surely behave like them as we bicker over issues of no significance to our bottom line as Gambian electorates. Good evening from the Gambia to all and we are now at T minus 29 days so lets realign our national priorities to show the politicians where power lies.

In a way Gambians have hinted their desires to the politicians but they refused to take heed as they see us as tools of their trade. This fallacy has to change. We are the masters of the political class so we must not be allowed to be hoodwinked by none of them. The broad consensus for the new Gambian is to usher a new political dispensation that will efface fear and ill will amongst us. We are one family that harbor ecades old ano.osity borne out of our social construct of years past. Reprisal and hatred will not take us far so lets get our house in other and behave like one people under God.

Team Isatou - A Squandered Opportunity

A lesson not learned in the past, will surely be repeated in the future. Gambians hardly indulge in case studies to assess and diagnose the what and why of many things that plague us be it business, politics or otherwise.

Dr Touray's emergence in the political fray has been met with enthusiasm and exuberance and rightly so as Gambians of diverse origins and social standing were looking for that messiah to usher in a dawn of a new day in our political dispensation. Timing and strategy often meet at the confluence of opportunity to usher in success. The stars were aligned in favor of the good old Dr as the oracles of Katchikally, Sani Mentering and Alay Henni Bolong had all given the go ahead for her bid to make history not only as the first woman candidate but the leader of the third Republic. This golden opportunity handed to Dr. Touray is not only a missed opportunity for her but a squandered opportunity. Yes I said squandered because her bid was neither strategic nor tactical from the onset as it relates to the courtship of the political operatives and parties who are essentially the king makers in her bid to become the heir apparent.

Dr. Touray must have recognized from the onset that she lacked a political base/home to use as a launch pad for her campaign. Therefore she had to leverage her goodwill to the existing parties to show her support and for all intent and purpose, she meant well but team composition is key to a successful bid. Once again, my utterances are devoid of prejudice and ill will towards the good old Dr but I was not comfortable with the team that was visible to the general public. She might have had a behind the scene dream team but the public team did not tactically and strategically win the hearts and minds of the political operatives who should have accorded her a platform to operate on. The reason for this in my humble opinion was the gender bias that was evident in her team and the political orientation of her primary surrogates. Dr Touray wore different hats within the community (Professional, Activist and Political) and she should have adopted a team headed by a political prodigy not a novice in the business of politics and negotiations. No party has a monopoly on voters but voters generally have an affinity with political parties and her going directly on the trail to court voters put her on a collision course with the existing parties as they viewed her as a potential competitor. This made it virtually impossible for the parties to surrender their political bases to her gratis.

Listening to Dr. Touray's press conference yesterday was disturbing to say the least as it was evident that she lacked good counsel as they would have advised her to stay clear of such unwarranted controversies that will not only erode brand Isatou but put her at logger heads with Gambians yearning for change. My expectations were not met as I expected her to take the high road in the interest of the Gambia by being a bridge builder inspite of her alleged experiences with the political parties. Being an interested candidate who signed off on the convention process, she was duty bound to get adequate information about the process in terms of cost and procedure. Therefore she has no excuse to blame the organizers as she was fully vested in the process. Secondly, if her team was attending the deliberations that led to the convention the so called breakdown in communication she experienced would not have occurred. With all due respect, I CANNOT subscribe to that premise as her reason for not participating. Great leadership calls for taking responsibility and this process is not owned by GOFER but the aspirants and their political base.

The good old Dr. has a vital role to play in the new Gambia but her botched campaign is self inflicted as team composition was not diligently pursued. We need her to be part of a new dispensation but not finger pointing. Political jockeying and maneuvering can be sleazy but her entry strategy needed a further rethink and I hope she has learned a thing or two about participatory politics. We at #TEAMGAMBIA want a unified front. Great leaders unite people and solidify a common purpose when the going gets tough not apportion blame to others. Gambians are looking for problem solvers not problem identifiers. 

SET THE CAPTIVES FREE

This post may ignite sentiments that may not sit well with the political establishment especially those in the opposition. Political parties are formed to champion the political ideology and aspirations of members who subscribe to it.  Political change in democratic dispensations are ONLY guaranteed through suffrage  (the ballot). This is not an easy task especially in a simple majority sytem where winner takes all prevails. A political mandate in my view is the unanimous decision of the electorate conferred to a candidate to spearhead the affairs of the state. Under a robust system this mandate will be put under a tacit scrutiny to solidify the will of the people by imposing an absolute majority. An absolute majority is confirmed through a second round of voting to assure a 50 plus 1.

Unfortunately that doesn't obtain in the Gambia and the irresponsible attitude of the party Czars are becoming a disservice to the people. Basically the will of the electorate can ONLY be manifested meaningfully under a broad based coalition ideally led by a party but if these political operatives don't comply to the logic of the day, then they have effectively kidnapped our wishes thereby making us captives of our aspirations. Inorder to set the captives free, the captors must be admonished by bringing in an outsider to bridge the gap/divide they find hard to address amongst themselves. The ransom is the provision of an independent candidate. Gambians who want change have been at the mercy of the parties who cannot identify with the aspirations of their members. That said, we the electorate have paid our ransom and want to be set free by the political establishment that looks out for their ill conceived personal interest. We need to sort ourselves out because the political class cant solve our problems. We want them to free us from the stalemate they have lured us in to. Our interest is a New Gambia and their interest is the personalisation of our political process. We deserve better and we will ask for a better arrangement or we will create an alternative that suits our aspirations. Wake up and sense the pulse of the Gambian electorate who want change.