 |
|
| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
dbaldeh
USA
934 Posts |
 Posted - 09 Jun 2006 : 19:40:33
|
NEW Proposal for A United Opposition: From Seattle Washington
By Baba Darboe & Demba S. Baldeh
This winning formula is being put together by some concerned members of the Gambian community in Seattle Washington. Our assumption is that the opposition parties in the Gambia need a balance of power proposal for them to overcome the recent stalemate between members of NADD and the UDP/NRP Alliance.
It is our believe that this proposal as well as many others put forward by concerned Gambians will give the opposition the opportunity to look at many different perspectives and not only choose a winning formula, but also one that will overcome recent adversity.
Key Assumptions:
WINNING 2006 ELECTION = FACTION A + FACTION B
UDP/ NRP alliance as Faction A
NADD as Faction B
Probability of selection for President and vice President (A or B) are mutually exclusive
14 ministerial positions in the cabinet (10 of which are coming from the rival faction)
Secretary General (SG)—head of the civil service (from the President’s Camp)
Speaker of house of Representative (from the camp not selected for President)
Diagram Summarizing key assumptions
Position In order Ranks Political Faction
President P A
Vice President VP A
Minster of xxxxxxx 1 B
Minster of xxxxxxx 2 B
Minster of xxxxxxx 3 B
Minster of xxxxxxx 4 B
Minster of xxxxxxx 5 B
Minster of xxxxxxx 6 B
Minster of xxxxxxx 7 B
Minster of xxxxxxx 8 B
Minster of xxxxxxx 9 B
Minster of xxxxxxx 10 B
Minister of xxxx 11 A
Minister of xxxx 12 A
Minister of xxxx 13 A
Minister of xxxx 14 A
Secretary General A
Speaker B
Other Duties:
President can only nominate Ambassadors, Commissioners, and other high level appointments
The 14 ministerial cabinet must be the sole body to confirm any presidential appointments
Only one faction (A or B) could become the presidential and vice presidential candidates.
In other words, Faction A and B are mutual exclusive when it comes to the selection of a flag bearer as well as the running mate. For instance, if faction (A) is chosen, they will put forth a presidential and vice presidential candidates from their alliance only. The other faction (B in this scenario) will not contest for presidency or vice presidency, but will be guaranteed the first 10 key-ministerial positions upon victory. The position of the Secretary General based on this example will go the faction (A). This is necessary to ensure that the president can rely and sometimes seeks the best the best possible advice from someone (SG) he / she trusts. The remaining (4) ministerial posts will also go to faction A
But under this scenario, the role of the president is going to be very limited. For instance, the only person the president can appointment without any cabinet approval will be the secretary general. The same may be true for the vice president to appointment his secretary without the cabinet approval. But apart from that any other political appointments made by the president most be approved by 2/3 of the 14 member-cabinet, of which the rival faction has the majority. They can withhold through their majority certain appointments that they think will not serve the best interest of the country. However, they cannot just arbitrary withhold appointments without explanations. An in an event of any disagreement between the president and the cabinet over certain appointments, a jury panel of certain number of electorates could be convened with the help of independence electoral commission to determine if that person is fit or not. And their arbitration is going to be final.
On the other hand, Faction (B) will be entitled to the 10 out of 14 ministerial positions available, and this 14 member cabinet will have the sole authority to confirm / not confirm any other appointments made by the president and were not address in the above. In essence, the cabinet will serve as an upper body of parliament, until there is parliamentary election when these roles will now transfer to various committees within the house of representative for overseeing, hearings and confirmations. The faction B must also be given the right of appointing (not confirm) the speaker of the House.
Reverse Assumption: The assumptions made in the diagram could also be reversed; Faction B becomes President and VP, whereas Faction A will be given 10 of 14 key positions.
Term of Office: the term of office of this transitional government is going to only 5 years. No one from the government will be bar from contesting the next presidential or other political elections.
However, anyone from the transitional government that intends to participate in presidential or vice presidential election must resign from his or her position 6 months from the Election Day. And any senior member of this transitional government running for presidency must identify his or her running mate 6 months before Election Day. All these are important to avoid conflict of interest in the transitional government few months running into elections. It will also ensure that some remnant of one faction within the government would not be using their influence in exchange of compensation from the leaders running for presidential elections.
Comments, concerns, and critics are highly welcome!!
|
Baldeh,
"Be the change you want to see in the world" Ghandi
Visit http://www.gainako.com for your daily news and politics |
|
|
OB1
84 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jun 2006 : 20:59:10
|
[quote]Originally posted by dbaldeh
NEW Proposal for A United Opposition: From Seattle Washington
My brother,
I have seen the proposal, it is interesting. Well done for the effort. However, it is naive, simply put unrealistic, IF the President chooses the ministers, then in turn has to ask for approval for further appointments, it defeats the whole purpose. What this does is give the president more powers, and not less. And it may add to a lot of gridlock. My proposal is the NATIONAL Assembly Committees, should have a final say over the confirmation of such high offices PROPOSED by the President. That way these officials will be subjected to PUBLIC scrutiny, and their credntials and abilites will be heard and seen by ALL Gambians. This will ensure that we get the right people in the right places at the right time.
Peace!
|
BN |
 |
|
|
Biraago
Gambia
173 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jun 2006 : 23:18:50
|
Baldeh,
Very intresting indeed.
I would like you people should a deep breath and start with point:
1: which is a program based Alliance and not a power sharing (Aliiance) among the elit.
You should have presented an alternative program proposal if NADD's program which all these parties subscribed to is not sufficent for you people.
2. You should state very clearly,if you subscribe to NADD's equal representation principle or the UDP's party-led Alliance.
3. The rectification program which is time based should be adressed.
Don't allow yourselves to be driven into the power-based politics that we are witnessing in this debate. It will only destroy our nation.
We must trust in our own selves and no elits.
If the people are intrested in self-emencipation then they must be the deciding factor in the end. If they want to maintain or replace one dictatorship with another then it's our common fate.
The strugglle will continueno matter what.
Good endeavour
Take care. |
|
|
|
kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jun 2006 : 23:33:13
|
| I haven't seen winning formula in that complex analysis as no strategies to deal with the electorate and influence voter market share are available from them. However thanks for making us learn your approach to deal with the leadership or flag bearer position and an executive government. To complement you its really a good exercise and analytical approach to a solution. |
|
|
|
dbaldeh
USA
934 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jun 2006 : 00:59:03
|
Thanks guys for the comments and suggestions. I think OB did not understand what he read in that proposal. The ministers are not chosen by the President according to the proposal. The 10 cabinet ministers are to be selected by the party regarded as B and the other 4 should come from the party that has the bearing for the Presidency.
The President on the other hand will nominate Perm secs, commissioners, etc and the cabinet will confirm or deny those nominees. This is the explanation given in the text.
What I think we are dealing with here is a power struggle and not policy difference atleast not according to what we have seen and heard from both parties. This proposal is specifically directed to address that leadership struggle. Once the parties are able to address the leadership issue and contest against Jammeh under one ticket, then the probabilities of dislodging him are extremely high.
Another thing we need to understand here is that the problem is not lack of support for the opposition from voters stand point. There is overwhelming support for the opposition to win as demonstrated by the last by elections. The problem therefore, is unity among the opposition parties. It is absolutely clear that Gambians are ready to vote for any other option but Jammeh. That is the option the opposition is suppose to present to the people under a united umbrella. That is the option we are proposing here.
As for brother Biraago, we are technically in support of the NADD solution because that is the one presenting equal representation. Our proposal actually spells out a balance of power (Equal representation). UPD/NRP on the other hand did not present to us any new proposal that we can evaluate. They seems to be centered around the leadership and as a result we are presenting them with an option to lead or take the other option. This proposal is also a way to get the parties back to the table just like the one Brother Kobo presents.
Finally, you will all agree with me that we are faced with a complex situation and until we are willing to compromise there will not be short term solution. Our common enemy right now is the oppressing regime. Once they are flushed out, we stand a better chance of correcting the system. Until that is achieve, we are doom for good.
What say you all?
|
Baldeh,
"Be the change you want to see in the world" Ghandi
Visit http://www.gainako.com for your daily news and politics |
|
|
|
Janyanfara
Tanzania
1350 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jun 2006 : 13:25:07
|
Hi Dbaldeh and co,
We thank you so much for that piece.I think its very educative but may I humbly ask..
(Q)Who controls the Army, Police with the N.I.A?
Secondly I do also think the divisional commisioners should be voted in by the people rather than chosen by any head of state.This is to reduce a further political tool being implimented since Jawara days continued and worsened in Jammeh era.
In any power sharing or coalition government, the people must not be forgotten there by the speaker of the house must not be chosen by the president or even if chosen by him/her,she/he should be independant of executive influence and should have some sort of imunity from dismissal by any single person.The speaker can only be removed in an abuse of office by a two third majority of members.
Think odf the independance of our Judiciary...VERY IMPORTANT
Gambia needs a very viable and compitent government that can be a sample mordel of democracy in the subregion.Due to the size of the country,I think we can succeed in anything we set our minds and hearts on.
Peace
Janyanfara |
|
|
|
Biraago
Gambia
173 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jun 2006 : 14:22:23
|
Mr Baldeh,
I do understand and respect your viewpoint but I don't want you people to fall into the power seeking net of politicians.
The first contradiction is that, if you people agree with Nadd's equal status formular and never gotany alternative fromthe contending parties to this formular, do you think that it would be serious to have any form of negotiation based solely on power sharing, particularly the struggle for the Presidency and the vice presidency as we have all read in the UDP/NRP statement.
Have you asked yourselves why this intrest for the control of poweris all about, before throwing proposals that would just fall into deaf ears?
Have you asked the UDP/NRP if they still agree to the NADD formular of general, rectification and if not why? and with what alternative?
I think this where you should begin.
Your only alternative that could guarantee national redemption in a sustainable way is for all of us to trust in NADD and the MOU and strive with all our might to make it understood and succeed.
You should stop seeing things in a defeatist manner and trust in the truth and ourselves and not others. Those others would always present new huddles which would be beyond our capacity tooverturn and then we shall be starting from zero again.
This is the same attitude that the intelectuals and many voters are having regarding the propgressive who have sacrifised their lives for ages. We never give the truth a chance but always try to negotiate our way around it. In this way, people like Jammeh sahll be ruling us parmanently.
How about you people concentrating 90% of your time trying to educate and clarify the NADD proposal tothe electorate?
I want you to realise that the time youare taking to involve yourselves in this idea of re-unification, the UDP/NRP is consolidating itself in trying to convince the people that you have no base and need them to succeed. If you people are also trying to coroborate their claims,then it is best to just join them and tell the voters to vote for them, period.
You must realise that this was the same tactic used in the past two years to three years. If you don't see the truth by now then you shall never see it again.
Thanks for the effort anyway.
|
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
| Bantaba in Cyberspace |
© 2005-2024 Nijii |
|
|
|
Topic Locked
