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| THE GAMBIA AT THE SHININING EDGE |
9/30/2008 |
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The commemoration of the 14th year revolutionary change in the Gambia was held in grand style. The occasion witnessed amongst other landmark events, the commissioning of so many development oriented
projects in the country. Since July 1994, the annual Celebration has not only been used to remember the success stories that day has brought for Gambians, but to initiate more development plans . This year the celebration was under heavy rainfall, in many African cultures celebrating under rain fall is said to be signs of peace; moreover, the celebration was alongside with the commissioning of The supreme Islamic Council headquarters that take care of Islamic religious matters in the Gambia, The Dispute Resolution Office that use modernize African traditional methods in settling dispute between two parties which is the first of its kind in Africa, The Gambia Revenue Authority Headquarters that deals with all revenue matters in the country, The state-of-the-art Biometric visa System that prevent forge visas to escape the airport securities, The Green Industries that create training for young Gambians to attain self employment, The Central Statistic Of the Gambia Headquarters and the commissioning of the FIB Bank Branch in President Jammeh
‘s village Kanilai, which is the first Bank to operate in the village and Unique Transport Systems Company (UTSCO) that comes at the right time to ease the transport problems in the Gambia with their new buses. The theme for this year’s celebration theme is “Independence and National pride” President Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh emphasized the complementarities of Independence and National pride as one cannot be achieved in the absence of the other. He emphasized the need for Gambians to look inward and be independent for sustenance and meaningful development, wondering how Taiwan with a small area
of arable land unlike The Gambia, can be self-sufficient in (food) rice production while The Gambia depends mostly on food imports. He noted that 89% of the country’s food consumption is imported,
a phenomenon to which he attributed to unhealthy development that is gradually becoming a trend among the local populace. President Jammeh unfolded plans to establish a state mining company soon.
We are aware of the enormous involvement of such a venture. However, we are determined to have those equipment, mine our natural resources and export them for the benefit of the citizens and our future
generations”. We in Gambia will not permit such situations that are operating in oil producing- developing nations where the oil exploration companies are exploiting the oil producing nations. Thus, when some foreign companies made proposals for resource exploration in The Gambia with exploitative terms/conditions, we rejected their proposals based on these experiences. He decried the unfair treatment
of African nations by the West who been exploiting our resources for their development for centuries ago. He stated that the donor conferences which pledged US$50 billion for the development of only Afghanistan
for a period of 10 years, out of which 10 billion [Dollars] has been delivered while only US$1 billion was pledged to the whole of Africa, notwithstanding the huge revenue accruing to the Western companies in Africa. He added that the US$1 billion pledged to Africa comes with conditionalities, such as the Peer Review Mechanism for Africa, which instigates hostility among neighbours and which he refused to subscribe to.
President Jammeh criticized the International Criminal Court (ICC) focusing on Africa, while heinous crimes are being perpetuated in other parts of the world. He buttressed the it with the incarcerations
and torture of suspected terrorists amongst others. President Jammeh also noted the failed attempt by
the UN Security Council to impose multilateral sanctions on Zimbabwe which would have worsened the condition of the populace as another testimony of the unfair treatment being meted out to Africa
and expressed a relief that the proposal did not scale through. The Gambian leader however emphasized that he is not supporting African leaders who brutalize their compatriots, but was just speaking
the truth that the failure of NEPAD has clearly vindicated him due to fact that he opposed the organization since its inception because of the way it was conceived and what it stood for. He recalled that
some of his colleagues were not happy with his statement and buttressed the fact that he will never support any institution formed to strengthen and deepen the spirit of begging. “I am not against any progressive
African institution. If we, the African leaders, know the right policies and keep to them, we would then be able to withstand criticisms and unfair foreign intervention,” he emphasized. This years’ occasion
like in previous ones was graced by such dignitaries as the Senegalese Prime Minister, Cheikh Hadjibou Soumaré, the Prime Minister of Guinea Conakry, Dr. Ahmed Tijan Suwareh, Members of the
Diplomatic and Consular Corp, Service Chiefs. School children, Local musicians as well as cultural groups from the subregion entertained dignitaries at the celebration.
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