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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
 Posted - 14 Feb 2011 : 20:17:28
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PDOIS POSITION AND STATEMENTS FROM NEW YEAR MESSAGE OF SECRETARY GENERAL;
On The Inter-Party Committee
- PDOIS wishes to alert all Gambians that democratic change is only possible if the people have the aspiration and exercise the will power to make it possible.
- This brings to the fore the need to create an environment conducive to the holding of free and fair elections. All political parties should be interested in the establishment of a free and fair voting system. The Inter-party committee was established in 2006 to create the environment for genuine inter-party cohabitation to shape the political will of the people and facilitate genuine elections.
- PDOIS calls on all parties to breathe new life into the inter-party Committee and transform it into an oversight institution that would foster genuine elections in the country. A meeting of the committee is desirable to look at its governance structure with a view to introducing rotational chairpersonship and prepare its mandate for the registration process. The Committee could play a major role in guiding the International Community on how to finance and enhance the holding of genuine elections in the Gambia.
The Boundaries Commission
- PDOIS wishes to express its disquiet that registration of voters is to take place without the enactment of an Act establishing a Constituency Boundaries Commission. We will exert all the advocacy measures we could, including consultation with the opposition members of the national assembly with a view to influencing them to introduce a private members bill to establish the Commission. It is ridiculous for a constituency with 30,000 (thirty thousand) voters and one with less than 5,000 (five thousand) voters to have the same number of National Assembly members. The practice that is in line with International standards is to demarcate or delineate boundaries after every census and then conduct general registration of voters. In our case, registration of voters is just around the corner but no delineation of boundaries has taken place because of the absence of an enabling statute. This constitutes gross negligence on the part of those who have the majority in the National Assembly.
- We consider the appointment of nominated members to the National Assembly and their removal by the executive as alien to the principle of the separation of powers and an affront to the Independence expected of oversight institutions. PDOIS will intensify its campaign for the elimination of this monarchical tradition of appointing what amounts to ex-officio members of parliament and replace the practice with proportional representation.
- Furthermore, PDOIS would work for the enactment of a proviso which would make it impossible for National Assembly members to lose their seats by being dismissed by their political parties. They would only lose their seats if they join other political parties to provide a basis for a by election. Those driven by their parties would automatically become Independent members until they are recalled by their constituencies.
- PDOIS is quiet concerned with the registration of voters. Since the first Republic our Pan Africanist policies have compelled us to raise the alarm for something to be done about the stateless persons in our midst who are growing in their tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousand. There are still people born and bred in the Gambia who are still considered aliens by statutes and constitutional provisions.
- The Constitution and the statutes on Nationality have created four criteria for citizenship. There is Citizenship by birth, citizenship by descent, citizenship by naturalization and citizenship by registration. A review of the situation on the ground reveals that there are many stateless people in the Gambia. Some have realised their statelessness while others have closed their eyes to it. Few have done what is necessary to put it to an end. This has engendered a crisis of citizenship in the country which PDOIS has committed itself to address to ensure that there is free and fair elections. It will also try to influence any coalition to address this problem of statelessness of a growing number of people who are either born in the Gambia but have lived here all their adult life. How then is this to be addressed especially when we are faced with registration of voters in 2011?
- The Constitution of the First and Second Republic divided citizenship into two chronological phases, that is, those born in The Gambia before 1965 and those born in the Gambia after 1965. The Constitution and the Acts dealing with Nationality state that, those born in the Gambia before 1965 could only be considered citizens if at least one parent or grand parent was born in The Gambia or has naturalized to be a citizen of the Gambia . Those who were born in the Gambia before 1965 without any of the parents or grandparents being born in the Gambia were required to be registered as citizens up to 1967. Those who did not register became stateless citizens. Hence the 1965 Independence Constitution provided room for those who were born in the Gambia but had parents and grand parents who were neither born in the Gambia nor naturalized as Gambian citizens, to be registered as citizens before the end of 1967. The state did not do any campaign to enable those affected to be registered as citizens. Hence many people were deprived of citizenship just because of ignorance. Such people were born in the Gambia without being citizen. If a person who is born in the Gambia before 1965 or after 1965 and is disqualified from being a citizen marries another person who is disqualified from being a citizen, their children would also not be qualified to be citizens of the Gambia.
- As we face a registration year we must alert all those parents and grandparents who could have naturalized decades ago to be able to get their national documents lawfully that, as Pan Africanists, who strongly hold that lawful means should be created for Africans, at home or in the Diaspora, to assume the citizenship of their choice in any African Country.We must say that our hearts feel their sense of insecurity as well as the statelessness of their children. They should see those who help them to get National documents without showing them the way to become Gambian citizens as fraudsters who are against their welfare and the welfare of their children.
- The authorities in the First Republic and Second Republic should have studied and formulated policies and instruments to address this major problem of statelessness once and for all and save those who register voters from being bombarded by attestations as means to get a document to be registered as a voter. The political parties and the national and international monitors should ask the IEC to keep a record of the number of people who are registered by relying on attestations. This will reflect the level of statelessness which prevails in the country today and which could undermine the freeness and the fairness of our voting system. In short, anyone who holds himself and herself as a stateless person could easily be intimidated to vote in a certain way by those who assist them to get voters’ cards.
- Let all those who are stateless be informed that with a PDOIS leadership the citizenship crisis will be addressed and the problem of statelessness will be a thing of the past. The instruments shall be put on their correct footing and every mistake of the past shall be rectified and within a year every citizen of the Gambia shall have a birth certificate, a National Identity document and certificates of Naturalization or registration as required by law. The acquisition of three documents shall be the responsibility of the State without any charge, that is, a birth certificate, a National Identity card and a voter’s card. These documents shall be acquired as a right which shall be enshrined in the law.
- PDOIS will also try to influence any coalition that it becomes a part of to adopt similar policies to address the problem of statelessness.
- In this registration year, the PDOIS leadership would like to tell those who are stateless that they should not see those who monitor the registration exercise with a view to ensuring that those who are entitled to be registered do so without favour as their obstacle to getting a voter’s card. The obstacle is the very instrument and opaque administrative procedures which have not made it evident how they could go about to naturalize to become citizens of The Gambia . All those affected should in fact form an association to highlight their plight and call for political leaders to embrace their cause in their political platforms. This is the way forward to campaign to end statelessness.
4 Ps: "To vote on the basis of Principles, Policies and Programmes and Practices!" Courtesy of Turk
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Edited by - kobo on 14 Feb 2011 20:48:15 |
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toubab1020
12312 Posts |
Posted - 14 Feb 2011 : 23:02:33
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Kobo,
Turk does write sensible non conflict words sometimes. |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 14 Feb 2011 23:02:55 |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 15 Feb 2011 : 00:50:21
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| well, let me Halifa Sallah responds.. Read it below... |
diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 15 Feb 2011 : 01:10:58
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Kobo
Can you enlighten me about the following:
quote:
The overall literacy rate for the adult population 15 years and above is estimated at 42.5%; 30.6% among women and 55.1% among men.
OK 30.6 percent of women are literate. What percentage of women can understand your initial post? What percentage of women read newspaper, or internet?
What percentage of overall population can understand PDOIS statement? What percentage of overall population read newspaper, internet?
You are putting too much value of ‘democracy’ political processes. Gambia has fundamental social, economic problems.
source
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diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
Edited by - turk on 15 Feb 2011 01:12:06 |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 15 Feb 2011 : 14:21:40
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TURK! YES THERE ARE LOTS OF INFRASTRUCTURES AND POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY 
OTHER CONCERNS ARE THE HOSTILE POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT, STATE TERROR, LACK OF FREEDOM, WEAKENING OF OUR DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS, THE PRESIDENT'S IRON FISTS RULE; WHOLE STATE RESOURCES, PEOPLE, COUNTRY EXPLOITED, SUBMISSIVE OR SUBSERVIENT TO ONE PERSON ONLY
PDOIS CAN ONLY EXECUTE ITS CIVIC DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITY TO SENSITIZE AND INFORM ITS CITIZEN! YES THE MASSES ARE BEING TARGETED AND THEY USE VARIOUS FORUMS FOR THE MESSAGES TO REACH THEM! WHAT'S COMING OUT OF FOROYAA AND FORWARDED IN CYBER-SPACE ARE PUBLIC INFORMATION FOR THOSE CITIZENS WHO CAN ACCESS IT; IN ORDER TO BENEFIT FROM THEM
THE NATION IS NOT SHORT OF BRILLIANT CITIZENS! VIRTUALLY THE WHOLE OF OUR COUNTRY/REGIONS/TOWNS/VILLAGES ARE ENDOWED OR BLESSED WITH HIGHLY EDUCATED AND BRILLIANT SONS/DAUGHTERS; FROM BANJUL TO KOINA!
I MUST ADMIT THAT I CANNOT DEPICT ANY STATISTICAL INFORMATION OR RELATE MY POINTS TO INTERPRET THOSE STATISTICS |
Edited by - kobo on 15 Feb 2011 19:28:21 |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 15 Feb 2011 : 14:59:33
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Kobo
Thanks for your rhetoric. The nation is not short of brilliant citizens with highly educated!!!!....Let me repeat, we are talking about 30 % literacy rate for women and what percentage of this 30 % is 'highly educated'... Gambia's problem is NOT political. It is social, cultural and economic. |
diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
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toubab1020
12312 Posts |
Posted - 15 Feb 2011 : 15:36:38
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quote:
Originally posted by turk
Kobo
Thanks for your rhetoric. The nation is not short of brilliant citizens with highly educated!!!!....Let me repeat, we are talking about 30 % literacy rate for women and what percentage of this 30 % is 'highly educated'... Gambia's problem is NOT political. It is social, cultural and economic.
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 15 Feb 2011 : 19:45:05
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quote:
Originally posted by turk
Kobo
Thanks for your rhetoric. The nation is not short of brilliant citizens with highly educated!!!!....Let me repeat, we are talking about 30 % literacy rate for women and what percentage of this 30 % is 'highly educated'... Gambia's problem is NOT political. It is social, cultural and economic.
Turk! I TEND TO DIS-AGREE! VERY SERIOUS NATIONAL ISSUES ARE COVERED IN ALL SECTORS. UNDER JAMMEH/APRC THE POLITICAL (AND RULE OF LAW) ISSUES PRIMARILY OUTWEIGHED (HIGHLY) SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC ISSUES; IN MY OWN OPINION SOUND GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES ARE VITAL FOR A NATION'S DEVELOPMENT! |
Edited by - kobo on 15 Feb 2011 20:00:35 |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 15 Feb 2011 : 20:05:18
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| I agree on disagreement. There is fundamental differences between my approaches and your approach when it comes to state-building. |
diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 15 Feb 2011 : 21:28:43
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TURK. THANKS FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING!
IN MY OPINION STATE-BUILDING IS SECONDARY AND A CHALLENGE FOR ANY FUTURE GOVERNMENT! |
Edited by - kobo on 15 Feb 2011 21:51:31 |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 16 Feb 2011 : 00:06:26
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Kobo
State building must be priority for any country like Gambia. Actually, state building is the biggest priority. Your thinking, approach is the fundamental reason for African nations for failure. It is just daily political blah blah. No vision, no long term thinking, no realism, no consideration to social and economic problems. It is just patching here and there, quick fixes, short term-ism. Give me example in the world history where democracy/political process alone generates development and wealth for its citizens and better governance.
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diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
Edited by - turk on 16 Feb 2011 02:06:41 |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 16 Feb 2011 : 10:34:48
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Turk. I AM NOT CONVINCE WITH YOUR ARGUMENT. THE POLITICAL PARTIES AND LEADERS HAVE VISIONS, POLICIES, PROGRAMMES AND SOUND MANIFESTOS FOR ANY FUTURE GOVERNMENT.
TOP PRIORITY IN GAMBIA FOR OPPONENTS OF JAMMEH/APRC IS TO STRATEGICALLY OR TACTICALLY FIGHT AND RESTORE DEMOCRACY, ACCOUNTABILITY, ABUSE OF AUTHORITY AND SQUANDERING OF STATE RESOURCES BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE. THE ALTERNATIVE GOVERNMENT WILL DEAL WITH LONG- TERM PLANS FOR DEVELOPMENT, PEACE AND STABILITY.
THERE ARE LOTS OF OPTIONS OPEN FOR STATE-BUILDING; FOR EXAMPLE GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL UNITY CAN BE INSTITUTED FOR THAT CHALLENGE.
DICTATORS ARE THE MAIN CAUSE OF FAILURE OF AFRICAN NATIONS YOU THINK EVERYBODY IS HAPPY IN GAMBIA WITH OUR LEADER AND WEAK GOVERNMENT |
Edited by - kobo on 16 Feb 2011 10:38:02 |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 16 Feb 2011 : 11:50:37
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| OK |
diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
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