Tuesday 31 October 2017

Open Letter to The Press Secretary, Amie Bojang-Sissoho. (Part.2)


Please be informed that a Press Secretary is a senior government official whose primary responsibility is to act as spokesperson for the executive branch of the government administration, especially with regard to the President, senior executives, and policies. It is in that regard I write to remind you about the untold stories in our country The Gambia.

The question one might asked shall be is that The Gambia Edwards Francis Small fought for? If Small were to arise from the grave yard on see the killings, robbery, theft and rape happening in The Gambia that he dreamt would one day be the heaven of peace. I am quite sure that he will regret the sacrifices he made to see The Gambia where one day her citizens will go to bed at any time and live without fear of being robbed neither rape.


How do you do the above requirement when lawlessness, murdering and especially armed robberies, are on top of mountain Kilimanjaro? You are very much aware of the fact that prevalence of peace and tranquility and safety of the citizenry goes a long way to tell or measure how successful one’s presidency or administration has been. This is in addition to creating jobs for the people to better their standard of living and curtailing or wiping off institutional corruption and other criminal practices from the society.

It is ten months since the new government’s inauguration and Adama Barrow is yet to demonstrate any leadership or clear direction.  This is believed to be an oversight by the presiding President and his advisors, due to a lack of familiarity and understanding of the existing constitution.  To my knowledge the ministerial position for defense also remains unfilled, and has therefore been attached to the office of the President.  Is it to be assumed therefore that Barrow occupies the roles of President; Commander in Chief and defense minister at the same time? To date there is lack of clarity over this situation. Is it that in the whole country there is no Gambian who meet the requirement for Defense Minister?

The last time I checked the government have lost touch with the people of The Gambia and have lost ability to maintain order and command respect for the laws of the land.  This is leading people to take the law into their own hands. With weakened governance, and lack of education and leadership some Gambian people have misinterpreted the notion of democracy as having the freedom and right to act as they please without due regard for others or their environment, as Barrow and his administration look on hopelessly.

If one is not safe inside and outside their home due to the fear of being rape and attacked by thieves and armed robbers, how will they have confidence in the President and his administration for doing a brilliant job? Is it not a popular saying among some Gambians that if you are hungry, starving but feel safe and are peaceful, you are much happier?

Of recent the most madness, psychosis, stupidity, foolhardiness occurred when angry folks register their total dissatisfaction through dumping the collected waste at the Mayor’s office. This attitude is on Gambian, undemocratic mathematically calculated and wrongly executed.

The Mayor’s office is not own by him neither me no you it is owned by all Gambians. Dialogue is very important since it create the room,   space and the opportunity to reach peace. This reminds me of the former American president John F. Kennedy when he said “Never fear to negotiate and never negotiate out of fear”.

I submit to you that the coalition is now divided into fragments and some of the political parties of which it comprises of are now no longer Seeing Eye to eye.  Some key figures who were regarded as the voice and face of the coalition no longer believe or trust in the Barrow’s lead administration. 

This situation must be tackled before it is too late. A multipronged strategy should be developed to check crime in society. The public at large and the students in particular should be educated and told to respect the sanctity of life and individual liberty. The police force need to be educated to handle the situation intelligently and sympathetically. The media should be forced to play a responsible positive role.

Please be reminded that the Gambia tourism has successfully improved and developed but it is still facing some challenges beyond imagination which have greatly affected the safaris tours with in the country. These challenges include; Limited marketing due to insufficient funding as a serious problem facing the tourism industry and it has retarded many people internationally to know Gambia as a tourist destination hence   affecting safari to the smiling coast.

Many Gambians depend on the tourism industry which is referred to as the backbone of the country. The industry contributes over 20% of our GDP, it offers lucrative employment both directly and indirectly, it provides much needed foreign exchange earnings and also contributes towards our yearly balance of payment. This sector has registered impressive growth of over 4.5 percent on average, thus encouraging the construction of more hotels and increase in the number of tourist arrivals.

In another note the patients who are getting their treatment in different hospitals also face many difficulties as far beyond any imagination. Their operations are not happening on time. This increases their diseases. The fans of the hospital are not moving. So patients feel great pain in their body due to the inadequate supply of electricity by the State institution (NAWEC).

The events of theft are also increasing in The Gambia. The thieves get chances of stealing in the darkness of night created because of the breakdown of electricity by NAWEC. So there is a kind of fear among people in The Gambia.

You don't lead by pointing and telling people some place to go. You lead by going to that place and making a case. —Ken Kesey

To be continued……

By: Saidina Alieu Jarjou

Blogger/ Activist

Monday 30 October 2017

Request for Mr. Amat Bah, The Minister of Tourism and Culture to Resign!

Reference is invited from you interview during your visit to Laico Atlantic Hotel formerly Atlantic Hotel in Banjul. “Bumsters”, we know where to keep them until the season is finished.

It is in that regard I stand on top of Mountain Kilimanjaro to register my total dissatisfaction as far beyond Pluto as per you recent unprofessional, irresponsible,   unethical and undemocratic statement you used against the Gambia youth.

I was amazed and surprised beyond all human survival to hear such an utterance from an honorable minster of our dear mother land whom we think will be a motivator to the youth rather than a de motivator.

The last time I checked you were the same minister who said “Let back way boys come back home and marry”. You aforementioned immorality request is wrongly calculated and executed with the intention of putting our sisters at a bad angle of light as if they have no dreams for their future.

Communication is very vital and it is the backbone of any institution. Please be informed that you are misrepresenting us badly as per your communication with the press.

The change of government came as a result of the youth participation in politics as they constitute 60% of the population. Please be reminded that your highest professional qualification was a mere entertainment manager not even in a five star hotel but in an ordinary local hotel.

The role of youth therefore has very different significance in old and new democracies. In the former, young people face the challenge of fitting into an established political system or making changes. However, in new democracies such resignation may turn younger people off politics.

The reason why we have the youth in the beaches is that they are not given opportunities to prove themselves with the excuse that they are not sufficiently experienced to participate actively in the governance of the country. Almost all the major political parties seem to be functioning under the monopoly of old leaders like you who don’t want to give chance to the youth. Old people should realize that they must make way for younger people to take control of the activities.

I wish that the next time we go to vote we find more names of youngsters among the contestants, who could make our country a better place to live in. Since the dream of politicians like you is to lock the youth in jail for 6 months.

I submit to you that your statement can be a threat to the Gambia’s newly born democracy, if mathematically calculated and wrongly executed?

You can send a person to the highest prison as far beyond Jupiter but you cannot imprison his/her mind. Therefore Jail is not the end solution to maintain peace and stability in the smiling coast of Africa. "There is a higher court than courts of justice, and that is the court of conscience. It supersedes all other courts." - Mahatma Gandhi.

Your ministry have pressing issue to solve rather than terrorizing our innocent youth who are working at the beach to earn a living. The reason of high increase rate of “bumsters” show a failure at the side of the government. As it is the duty of the State to provide job opportunities to her citizens.

There should be a retirement age for politicians as well which may be around 60 years. There should also be some educational qualification requisite for politicians. How can we give those illiterates the key to our country to whom we cannot even give the key to our house? People with serious criminal backgrounds should not be allowed to contest elections and they should not be allowed to come near the doors of our national agenda.

The Gambia tourism has successfully improved and developed but it is still facing some challenges beyond imagination which have greatly affected the safaris tours in the country. These challenges include; Limited marketing due to insufficient funding as a serious problem facing the tourism industry and it has retarded many people internationally to know Gambia as a tourist destination hence   affecting safari to the smiling coast.


High competition from neighboring countries like Senegal, Mali and Guinea Bissau. These countries are selling the same products like The Gambia and this has affected Gambia’s tourism sector since it’s considered a land locked country and most tourists go to the neighboring for leisure.

The tourism sector is sinking like the great Titanic. Such an institution should be led by a person who have the experience, knowledge and know how to lead not only with words but with actions towards achieving the mission and vision statement of the noble Ministry. The main hindrance to this is the fact that your limited understanding of the tourism industry is another major obstacle too. It is in that note I write to inform you to kindly submit your resignation letter before ruing our tourism sector which contribute a lot to the GDP.

To be continued………….

By: Saidina Alieu Jarjou
Blogger/ Activist



Wednesday 25 October 2017

My Take On The Kinka Women’s Song!

I read many comments as per the audio some saying that the song said let Yahya Jammeh, Halifa Sallah and Mama Kandeh be killed.

Being a Mandinka Mbaring D’dingo. Upon listening to the song one billion times I notice that there was a miss interpretation (encoding). Though communication is the art of sending information from one person to another in which both parties receive the same understanding as intended by the sender.

In summary the song read as “Turo mba fala woo, Turu jawoh” Turo in Mandinka means offspring. Therefore what the song mean is to kill and eliminate the ideology of the political parties such as APRC, PDOIS and GDC.

I’ll advised the artists, musicians, griots and kanyelengs to restrain from singing songs that might be interpreted differently. Despite of our difference of political ideologies after all we are one big family and all we want to see is a better Gambia.

The last time I checked one of the largest penalties of hate speech is the effect that it can have on a victim’s mental health. Many of those who are victims of hate speech may self-harm, or become suicidal, their confidence and self-esteem may be affected too, as well as many more consequences beyond any human imagination.

The soothing power of music is well-established. It has a unique link to our emotions, so can be an extremely effective stress management tool.

Listening to music can have a tremendously relaxing effect on our minds and bodies, especially slow, quiet classical music. This type of music can have a beneficial effect on our physiological functions, slowing the pulse and heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and decreasing the levels of stress hormones.

There is a LIGHT in this world. A healing spirit more powerful than any darkness we may encounter. We sometime lose sight of this force when there is suffering, and too much pain. Then suddenly, the spirit will emerge through the lives of ordinary people who hear a call and answer in extraordinary ways.

Certain music is appropriate for reflection as it can help the mind slow down and initiate the easing reaction. However, not all muse are peaceful or “New Age” music works for everyone. Music with no structure can be irritating or even lead to violence. Gentle music with a familiar melody more often is comforting. Therefore our Gambian musician should try and come up with tunes that will unite us rather than dividing us beyond Jupiter.

Musicians have to play a significant role in ensuring peace and stability in our dear mother land on the reconciliation processes.

In conclusion it is good to listen to understand rather than to listen to respond to a comment. Peace is very important it is only in the environment of peace we can make The Gambia great once more again.

By: Saidina Alieu Jarjou
Blogger/ Activist


Tuesday 24 October 2017

Open Letter to The Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs. Mr. Amadou Sanneh. (Part.2)

Please be informed that many countries in the world are affected by this tricky disease called corruption as it destroys the quality and standard of the good and services and it also ruins and wrecks the life of the common man. Political parties who vowed to stop and take steps to eradicate corruption have being voted for power are now the architect   of corruption as far beyond any human imagination.

The last time I checked culture allows, and even encourages corruption. The belief in The Gambia is that if you are in government, department, agency or institution, you must make money like Bill Gates. If you don’t use your position to amass wealth, your friends and family members think of you as a fool or worse being to live on the state of nature. They never cease to remind you of this or that fellow who got a big job like yours, and already has two or three Mansions.

I submit to you that those who amass ill-gotten wealth tend to be the ones people worship and respect. The unwritten rule is that the only job worth doing, is the one that puts money in your pocket. If in the process some public good comes out of it, so be it. But that’s not the primary objective. The practice cuts both ways. You’ll find various opposition leaders slamming governments for various acts of corruption, and vowing to clean house if elected. But don’t believe it. It is all posturing. If you look closely, you’ll find that when the opposition were in power, they indulged in similar practice. And you can bet that if they ever get in again, they’ll do the same, or even worse.

Corruption in The Gambia is an obstacle that restricts citizens on a daily basis in their enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms, contributing to the perpetuation of poverty and hindering economic opportunity. The collective recognition of the challenges posed by rampant corruption has led to political turmoil.

The Gambia is an Africa country where corruption is one of the benefactors for a long time. Corruption in this country is experienced in many sectors, both in private and public offices. In politics, corruption is heavy swimming like a canoe in the Atlantic Ocean as average politicians cannot do without indulging in one corrupt practice to another before they win in any election. In fact, the less connected citizens of The Gambia are the one that suffers as wealth which is to be evenly distributed are being utilized by the top politicians alone.

Transparency International have not failed in giving updates on the nations that have stained their hands by indulging in massive corrupt practices. According to the organization, corruption still remains rampant in public sector.

Currently, we can concretely say that corruption in Gambia is not just a mere perception but inherently pervasive in the country as evidenced by the recent expose in the ongoing Janneh commission of enquiry.

Corruption is a manmade thing as it is not a natural phenomenon therefor we can kick it out in the smiling coast of Africa as far beyond Jupiter. As such will make our country the last place of hope on earth.

There is an urgent need for institutional reforms that will focus on improving financial management and strengthening the role of auditing agencies as such will make The Gambia a free zone of corruption. Also strengthening citizen’s demand for anti-corruption and empowering them to hold government accountable is a sustainable approach that will helps to build mutual trust between citizens and government.

The Ministry of Finance need to formulate a strategy for the system to improve and ensure the effective and efficiency collection of taxes from taxpayers, especially from politicians, we have to upgrade our tax system, make registrations, tax declarations, and payments online, and eliminate unnecessary regulations that only make our system more complicated and monotonous.

It is a clear testimony that being a politician or a public official is one of the greatest profession in the world. It requires a lot of leadership skills and knowledge in law, economy, ethics, humanity and others. To make sure our government officials, legislators, mayors, governors, etc. are currently capable in doing their respective job, they should be required to have a minimum credit units of continuing professional education every year. If they can’t comply, then they should be fired out from their positions.

We have public institutions that have board and management teams, which we can hold directly responsible for corrupt practices rather than quickly politicizing every act of corruption even in semi-autonomous public agencies. However, the President must lead the way and show commitment in the fight against corruption in the public institutions. It should not be too difficult to fire and hire at the same time to instill discipline in public service.

To be continued…………

By: Saidina Alieu Jarjou
Blogger/Activist


Friday 20 October 2017

Open Letter to The Press Secretary, Amie Bojang-Sissoho. (Part.1)

Please be informed that a Press Secretary is a senior advisor who provides advice on how to deal with the news media and, using news management techniques, helps his or her employer to maintain a positive public image and avoid negative media attention.

I was very shocked, amazed, bowled over, troubled and disappointed beyond all human patience, when I read the PhD thesis press release from the office of the President as per Hon. Halifa’s stirring London speech.

It is in that regards I stand on top of mountain Kilimanjaro to register my total displeasure as far beyond Pluto. The press release is mathematically calculated and wrongly executed with the intention of portraying Halifa’s speech at a bad angle of light. Are we in the area of character assassination?

Presumption of innocence is under Section 24(3) of the constitution. For your information Mr. Sallah is serving this country of ours with sincerity, honesty, integrity, passion, courage and above all love for his country. We The Gambia youth are really proud of Halifa as he is the only politician who inspire and motivate the youth in politics.

During the time of the impasse they all ran away to Senegal including Barrow himself. While we were here with Halifa on the ground who was mediating between the then Jammeh administration and the citizens. The Gambia would had sink like the Titanic without the timely intervention of Halifa.

The aforesaid immorality press release was a hateful fabrication of intolerable huge falsehoods, extreme dislike, deep-rooted academic and intellectual suicide, calculated and intended to portray Halifa at an immoral light, and to nastily destroy the dignity and impeccable integrity, which he is known for.

Please be reminded that Halifa is clearly exercising his constitutional right of freedom of speech and expression and his right of academic freedom, which are expressly guaranteed by Section 25 (1)(A) and Section 25(1)(B) respectively, of The Gambia’s 1997 Constitution. Halifa is a constitutional Prophet who knows what he is doing.

It is a clear testimony that there was leadership change but no system change. Therefore the next change must be a system change without any reservation. As coalition government is less transparent. Because a party has no real chance of forming a government alone, the manifestos they present to the public become irrelevant and often wildly unrealistic. Real decisions about political programmes are made after the election, in a process of secretive back-room negotiation from which the public is excluded.

I submit to you that the Barrow lead administration have pressing issues to fix as this is not the Gambia we dream neither The Gambia we want to see, where the police are fought as a result of arresting the drug dealers, where teenagers are raped, where crime rate and arm robbery increases, where view of political differences end at conflict, where people go to bed without peaceful mind as a result of thieves.

Another batch of top Gambian army officers have been dismissed. The issue of loyalty to President Adama Barrow and his government might have been responsible for their purging from the army. It has been gathered that over 15 officers believed to be loyal to the former president Jammeh have been shown the exit door.

The affairs of the country are being mismanaged by the new Government under the leadership of Adama Barrow, resulting in the country regressing and there are serious concerns arising over human rights violations consequently taking place.

The Interim APRC Party Leader was summoned to appear before the Criminal Investigations Bureau (CID) branch at Kairaba Police station, on Wednesday 4th October 2017 at 11am. The Police expressed unease with the massive 50,000 people rally planned by the great APRC for the 28th of October 2017 at the Buffer Zone. The rally, a Launchpad for APRC's new National Co-coordinating Committee is a first step towards the party's restructure.

I also want to use this chance to draw to your kind attention to the frequent breakdowns of electricity in our locality and the great inconvenience it causes to the residents. It appears, however, the government is not doing anything to help remedy the situation, and there are failures of electricity several times in a day. Sometimes, the current is switched off for several hours in a stretch.

Kanilai bigot the unusual as a bitter confrontation between the peaceful protesters and Senegalise soldiers at the entrance of the village letting to blood shell. Resident of the rural settlement and the Foni environs demanding the immediate evacuation of both the Gambian and Senegalese soldiers in Kanilai.

What happened to the investigations on Haruna Jatta's death, what happened to Njie Manneh, a UDP supporter who recorded a video confessing that he shot a fellow Gambian at Buffer Zone? What happened to the Think Tank that was lauched? What happened to the Blue Print?

The University of the Gambia is also in the verge of sinking as both lecturers and student find it difficult to access the internet which is a top priority in the world of academia. Since we are in the 21st century where most of the thing are done through internet I see no reason why that priority shouldn’t be provided at the UTG. Similarly, there is no dedicated computer laboratory for UTG students and internet speeds are slow, limiting downloads.

I must admit that Gambia at the moment isn't stable and the daily operations of government are gravely abnormal.  We the people, ask the Barrow administration to effectively work on their investigations instead of detaining suspects. For instance looking at the NIA9, it is imperative to note that at the start of the case there was no substantial evidence. Therefore, the government must take things gradually and cautiously before making any haste decisions, such actions may lead to dichotomy & chaos in the Gambia. Only when there is substantial evidence then one must act and hold those accountable.

The Barrow administration is focusing too much of its attention on bringing down the legacy of Jammeh and his associates.  This energy could be better focused on trying to develop the economy and repair other areas of governance. Further the tendency of hiring based on compensation, political agenda, is an insult to the Gambians both those home and abroad.

We gone those days where citizens watch their leaders to ruin their country. The real trick to good governance is to place the needs of the masses above everything else; to lead not just with words but with action. Actions define priorities. It’s the only way President Barrow can successfully bring us the long sought dividend of democracy.

NB: I'm not a member of PDOIS..

To be continued…..

By: Saidina Alieu Jarjou
Blogger/Activist



Wednesday 18 October 2017

Cassamance The Untold Story (Part.8)


The Cassamance was subject to both French and Portuguese colonial efforts before a border was negotiated in 1888 between the French colony of Senegal and Portuguese Guinea (now Guinea-Bissau) to the south. Portugal lost possession of Cassamance, then the commercial hub of its colony Cassamance, to this day, has preserved the local variant of Upper Guinea Creole known as Ziguinchor Creole, and the members of the deep-rooted Creole community carry Portuguese surnames like Da Silva, Carvalho and Fonseca.

Empirical evidence and theoretical work suggest that conflicts over self-determination are particularly likely to escalate into very violent and protracted civil wars. However, the intensity of the secessionist conflict in Cassamance, Senegal, remained low.

The Movement of Democratic Forces of Cassamance (French: Mouvement des forces démocratiques de Casamance, MFDC) is the main separatist movement in the Cassamance region of Senegal, founded in 1982. It was supported by Guinea-Bissau President João Bernardo Vieira until he was overthrown in 1999.

The MFDC has called for the independence of the Cassamance region, whose population is religiously and ethnically distinct from the rest of Senegal. The bloodiest years of the conflict were during the 1992–2001 period and resulted in over a thousand battle related deaths.

On December 30, 2004 an agreement was reached between the MFDC and the government which promised to provide the voluntary integration of MFDC fighters into the country's paramilitary forces, economic recovery programmes for Cassamance, de-mining and aid to returning refugees. Nevertheless, some hard-line factions of the MFDC soon defected from elements of the MFDC who had signed the agreement and no negotiations took place following the breakdown of talks in Foundiougne on 2 February 2005.

Fighting again emerged in 2010 and 2011 but waned following the April 2012 election of Macky Sall. Peace negotiations under the auspices of Saint Egidio community took place in Rome and on 14 December 2012, President Sall announced that Cassamance would be a test-case for advanced decentralization policy.

A 1998 Caritas census gave a figure of 62,638, out of a total Cassamance population of around 1.1 million. Ziguinchor, the capital of the western region of the Cassamance, has received some 14,000, with a further 6,000 in other Cassamance towns. UNHCR figures indicate that a further 10,000 people are refugees in Guinea-Bissau and The Gambia.

Several ceasefires were agreed during the 1990s, but none lasted, and the conflict hit European headlines when four French tourists disappeared, both sides blaming each other. Father Augustin Diamacoune Senghor had come to lead the MFDC and pursued a policy of talks and reconciliation. However, the Senegalese government refused to consider independence for the region, leading some MFDC members to split and restart the fighting.

Another ceasefire was signed in 1997, but about 500 people were reported dead in battles up until March 2001, when Senghor and Abdoulaye Wade, the President of Senegal, agreed to a peace deal. This allowed for the release of prisoners, the return of refugees and clearance of land mines but did not bring autonomy. Some in the MFDC regarded this as a betrayal, and the movement split with two factions battling each other.

The MFDC's armed wing was established in 1985, and since 1990, the Cassamance conflict, a low-level insurgency led by the MFDC against the government of Senegal that has been characterized by sporadic violence and frequent but unstable ceasefire agreements. An illegal shipment of weapons hailing from Iran was seized in Lagos, Nigeria in October 2010, and the Senegalese government suspected the MFDC of having been the intended recipients of the weapons. Senegal recalled its ambassador to Tehran over the incident.

The Cassamance rebellion is much less well known internationally than other civil conflicts in West Africa, notably in Liberia and Sierra Leone. There are a number of reasons for this. First, it is on a relatively small scale. In Sierra Leone, for example, numbers of combatants, casualties and displaced people have all been an order of magnitude greater. Also, while brutal enough the conflict has not involved the same systematic mutilation of civilians, nor the forced recruitment of child soldiers both attention-grabbers in the reporting of contemporary conflicts.  (Martin Evans, 2002)

There are obstacles to disseminating information about the conflict. This is perhaps surprising, since the conflict is probably less difficult to investigate than most. Senegal has no particular habit of suppressing undesirable information, and the country has a vigorous, largely free press. Senegal also has a strong academic tradition, with good links to Western academia. The Casamance itself has been largely accessible during the conflict. However, the area is a long road journey from Dakar, where most media are based, and the trip involves a troublesome crossing of The Gambia

To be continued…

By: Saidina Alieu Jarjou

Blogger/ Activist

Monday 16 October 2017

Open Letter to The Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs. Mr. Amadou Sanneh. (Part.1)

Dear Minister,

Please be informed that your hands lies in great power. If I may be so bold as to speak truth to that power, I am going to present you with a heartfelt appeal to you to become a minister who will go down in history as a great man.

I write this letter to you, not because I am trying to hunt, introduce an Idea or put my idea against the current ideas, strategies and policies being formulated by the ministry. I am not against anything or for it. I am more worried with only facts and actualities. As far as my slender ability allows I will not concern you with anything less than a matter of great importance in this letter. I wish to emphasize that I intend no disrespect either to the Barrow lead administration, to the ministry, to professionals, or to you personally. All we want to see is a better Gambia that will be the last place of hope on earth.

Personally I believe that corruption is what transforms a leader into a common criminal beyond all human imagination. In The Gambia, we have a large quantity corrupt individuals operating as politicians, and in our government too. Transparency International said that corruption over all was on the rise in The Gambia. The last time I checked The Gambia was ranked 145 out of 175 countries in its perception of corruption index.

You, in your position, hold the keys to our state’s coffers. Those keys are all that stands between the present and the future of the Gambia youth. Therefore those keys should be kept in a safe place where even the air will not touch neither to have access to enter. It is true that corruption fuelled by poverty often occurs when the basic need of the common man has not been met.


Corruption is one of the biggest threat to the well-being of a society. It degrades the quality of the services and also ruins the life of the common man. Many countries in the world are affected by this disease called corruption.

I am fairly certain that you will receive tempting offers and bribes to make it easier to support projects that are not beneficial to the state. I believe that good lies in all of us, and I hope that you are an honorable man. If there comes such a time that you are presenting with a financial reward for your service to your leader and his backers, I hope that you will allow your conscience to speak for you and that you will find the strength and courage to allow it to say no.

Be reminded that your ministry is a pivotal organ that need to lead by example in eradicating corruption in the smiling coast of Africa, Gambia. Our future will depend on our actions of today therefore there is a need to work as per the international standard of ethics and professionalism.

You should not allow neither to watch for the dignitaries to drive our country to ruin it in pursuit of their personal gain and interest, and as the head of the ministry of our national coffers you should not be one of the architects and the engineers of the destruction of The Gambia economy.




I submit to you that The Gambia has no independent detective agency which can investigate with full power and freedom to expose the corrupt individuals beyond mountain Everest. Hence anyone who commits offense on corruption will not be as afraid of the investigation as they can escape from it by taking help of ruling political party.

I do not tender this to give advice or self-aggrandize as one is apt to do or normal in our society, where every “self-respecting” citizen is a know it all. I allow myself to draw your attention to several facts that demand immediate attention, and do not require legislative action or other time-consuming procedures. In my humble opinion, it will not require any special effort in order to transcend this shameful worship of ideas which breeds ignorance, and halt corruption in the true sense of the word

In The Gambia anyone can establish a political party. So there are many political parties in Gambia. If the political party wins, then the members in it will desire to expand the party to all over the country. To do so, they need enough financial reserves. For this, once they come into power, they opt for corrupt means to make the wealth needed to expand the party.

I am quite sure that by implementing a different paradigm in policy making, corruption may be reduced. I also believe that politics is much more complex than any industry, because reason doesn’t always play as big a role as it should, and as it does in other industries.

Therefore by having a startup mentality towards policy making our political leaders can give average citizens the power to propose policies and become involved in the implementation process, something I believe that it will bring more transparency, efficiency, and accountability to the political process.

Prevention and eradication of corruption is an absolute requirement for better public life. This corruption takes an interesting turn in such a way that everyone becomes corrupt in some other sort if situation permits.

 In every ATM there are camera to keep a watch on the public taking their money. Then why not government offices have cameras to have a watch on the employ performance. Even there are many employees who openly take bribe in presence of common men. This public bribery is due to confidence that public wants their work more than the amount they are paying to them as bribes.

Sincerely,

Saidina Alieu Jarjou
Activist/Blogger



Wednesday 11 October 2017

The Gambia Is a Country of All Tribes, Race and Religions!

All of us who are concerned for peace and triumph of reason and justice must be keenly aware how small an influence reason and honest good will exert upon events in the political field. Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future.

Tribalism? This can be defined as “the behavior and attitudes that stem from strong loyalty to one's own tribe or social group”. As a result, the tribalists have disdain for and often disrespect the tribes they think are inferior to theirs. Such people, therefore, discourage association in any form be it marriage, work or friendship with tribes they deem to be inferior.

Tribalists think and preach that the men and women of their tribe or ethnic group are superior to others, and that as a result the others should serve and obey them. They try to impose the hegemony, the predominance of their tribes. Tribalist ideas and feeling are used most often to create a clientele who can help them to satisfy their selfish interests and ambitions.

The reasons for tribalism and tribal discrimination may include the following:

The first is history, as many a tribalist traces the perceived superiority of their tribe to ethnic lineage. They will recount how their forebears defeated the other tribes in a war or a series of wars, or sometimes how their forebears enslaved the other tribes.



Such people take pride in their history and no amount of persuasion can make them to see today’s reality. They believe that since their ancestors were “better” than the other tribes, so also are they now.

Another reason for tribalism is geographical location in relation to national resources and power. By this we mean that tribes which are endowed with abundant resources and opportunities often tend to disrespect people from other tribes who come to seek work on their land. Similarly, tribes which have the seat of power tend to think that they are better than others, and sometimes look down on them.

The above mentioned have been aggravated by politics. It is sad to say that most politicians either publicly or privately try to encourage tribal sentiments for their own selfish interests.



Among the effects of tribalism is that it breeds nepotism. Once people feel that their tribesmen are better than people of other tribes, they tend to surround themselves with their tribesmen when they get into positions of trust.

Often tribalists are willing to hire people from their own tribe who may not otherwise be the best candidates for a given job. Such actions deprive the nation of the right people for the right job.We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, such as the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

It is arguable that the negative effects of tribalism permeate all African countries. Millions have been killed, maimed or displaced in civil wars in sub-Sahara Africa over the past 50 years, mostly because of tribal agitation. Most of us are living witnesses to the carnage that occurred in Rwanda and is still going on in Somalia. These countries have fallen into the abyss mainly because of tribalism. (The Point, 2010).


In the overall sub-Saharan African political ethos, so long as a larger chunk of the negative vestiges of colonialism predominate, ethnicity as a political tool in the long run may, of course, involve several thoughts in the dimensions of social sciences like anthropology or sociology in the academic world, but in practical politics, especially in the contemporary African context of increasing ignorance and backwardness, ethnicity or ethnic politics exist as a blatant, gruesome instruments of accumulating private wealth and an easy accesses to unearned political power. In short, ethnic politics is an excuse to the profession of brigandage. (Yohannes Chane Metiku, 2002).

There is a LIGHT in this world. A healing spirit more powerful than any darkness we may encounter. We sometime lose sight of this force when there is suffering, and too much pain. Then suddenly, the spirit will emerge through the lives of ordinary people who hear a call and answer in extraordinary ways.

Peace comes from being able to contribute the best that we have, and all that we are, toward creating a world that supports everyone. But it is also securing the space for others to contribute the best that they have and all that they are

Let's not allow politics to separate us, let's dialogue as it is the only mean we can reach at a solution. Politicians come and go but the citizens stay.

"People who sow seeds of discord by preaching tribalism, racism and religious misunderstanding should find another place to go." (Mwai Kinaki).

This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community, and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no “brief candle” for me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.

I wish to see all Gambians continuing living as a family, where the joking relationship buried the menace of tribalism, for The Gambia our homeland one people, one hearth, one Tribe, one family, and one Gambia!!

May thunder and lightning split on all tribalists, may evil spirit take away all tribalist to Jupiter, Ameen!!

By: Saidina Alieu Jarjou
Activist/Blogger/Watchdog.



Tuesday 10 October 2017

Let’s Stop Lambasting Our Women’s As per Their Active Participation in Politics!


I feel very staggered, flabbergasted, bowled over, perturbed and provoked beyond all human endurance, when men use the key board to lambaste and attack our own women as far beyond the red sea.

At home they are to do all sorts of household work like cooking, washing, cleaning, harvesting etc. In the early days women were seen as wives who were intended to cook, clean, and take care of the kids. They were not allowed to vote while men took care of having jobs and paying any bills that had to be paid. Soon enough it caught on that women should have a bigger role than what other people thought they should have.

Gender equality is, first and foremost, a human right. A woman is entitled to live in dignity and in freedom from want and from fear. Empowering women is also a vital tool for advancing development and reducing poverty. Empowered women contribute to the health and productivity of whole families and communities and to improve prospects for the next generation.

Today women are playing important role in all spheres of life. They are no longer confined within the four walls of their parents’ or husbands’ house.


They have come out of the kitchens and are working hand in hand with men in all the development programs of the government. By receiving higher education they are becoming pilots, doctors, engineers, hospitality professionals, teachers, administrators etc. They have been able to prove their worth.

They not only do their household work but also work outside of their houses. They are contributing much to the economy of the country.

I discovered my life was 87% positively impacted by women! My full-time parent I learnt most from (Mom), my teachers right from kindergarten to university (8/10 have been female), all my advocacy campaigns were 64% women dominated!

Therefore, we need to amplify women’s voices out there, no matter how small their contribution is to society. The teachers, mothers, cooks, civil servants, employees, employers, leaders and more! Regardless of whom they are married to, background, looks and more! Women are the most vital part of our society and are to be celebrated. Every day, I choose to celebrate the women in my life, past and time to come.

When they’re in parliament, for example, they promote women’s rights legislation. When women are in sufficient numbers in parliaments they also promote children’s rights and they tend to speak up more for the interests of communities, local communities, because of their close involvement in community life,

The evidence shows that female leaders typically have more compassion and empathy, and a more open and inclusive negotiation style. This is not, of course, necessarily true of all women -- there are many different leadership styles. That said, modern ideas of transformative leadership are more in line with qualities women generally share: empathy, inclusiveness and an open negotiation style.

Today's global problems require leaders that have diverse skill sets and innovation that can only come from diverse ideas and players. Women bring the skills, different perspectives and structural and cultural difference to drive effective solutions. In short, female leaders change the way global solutions are forged.

But having more female leaders from politics to the boardroom is important for another reason, too. Simply having female leaders changes the norms about who can lead and what qualities are necessary in leadership. Having women in leadership roles is breaking down cultural and structural barriers improving leadership around the world and showing everyone what women can achieve.

Women face several obstacles to participating in political life. Structural barriers through discriminatory laws and institutions still limit women’s options to run for office. Capacity gaps mean women are less likely than men to have the education, contacts and resources needed to become effective leaders.

Now it has come to the realization that true development of the country is not possible keeping half of population idle at home. So it needs no telling that women are playing a great role in the socioeconomic condition of our country.

Therefore we have to give the women’s the room to so case their talents beyond any imagination. It is the only way we can make The Gambia great once more again.

By: Saidina Alieu Jarjou

Blogger/Activist/ Watchdog.