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Originally posted by Momodou

NADD TOURS THE COUNTRY

The National Alliance for Democracy and Development (NADD) sent sensitisation teams throughout the country to sensitise the electorate on the 2006 Presidential Election.
Team A which was led by Mr. Lamin Waa Juwara commenced their tour from Kiang West to Upper Fuladu West and from Sami constituency all the way to Lower Badibu.

The electorate received the NADD militants with enthusiasm and joy. The team emphasised throughout the tour why elections are taking place during the rainy season, and explained that they finally accepted the fact that campaign must be done since it is a constitutional requirement to hold elections.
The NADD team explained to the electorate the amount of taxes collected by the Area Councils, how it is collected, how it should be utilised to benefit those who pay the tax; in short, the role of the Area Councils.

The team also explained how people pay monies to the Central Government, the passport fees, the ID card fees, the income tax, as well as the indirect tax. Estimates of the annual Budgets for 12 years (since the Jammeh regime took over) were given. The country’s loan component was also fully explained. It was made clear that the Jawara regime left an amount of D3000 million dalasis debt within a period of 30 years; but that the Jammeh regime feels that the country can only be developed through taking endless loans. This is why, they said, the Jammeh Government took an amount of D19, 000 million dalasis within the short period of 12 years only. So they explained that the total debt of the country which is only due for payment is D22, 000 million dalasis. This, they said, if divided between Gambians can amount to D20, 000 per person, including newly-born babies.

The NADD team explained to the people that the loans are not invested in the productive sectors of the economy; that they are simply utilised to build infrastructure which does not generate income to help repay the debt or help to generate jobs and income for the people. This is why they said the tax base must be expanded to pay debts. The team explained that duty levied on the imported commodities are increased which automatically translates to higher commodity prices and social services costs.

The NADD militants explained to the farmers why their groundnuts are not bought. They told the farmers that it was GGC/Alimenta which used to purchase all the nuts of farmers but, as they said, the Jammeh regime did not care about the agreement between the Jammeh Government and the GGC; instead, they went ahead and seized the company. They said the GGC took the government to an International Tribunal of Arbitration which resulted to The Gambia Government paying an amount of $11.8 million dollars from the tax money of the Gambian people.

According to the militants, this is why big international companies got scared to come and purchase groundnuts in The Gambia. They also said the IMF conditionalties also bar the government from engaging in business, that they are paying huge amounts every year on loans they have taken, and this is why The Gambia is paying D1, 500 million dalasis as debt service this year alone. They stated that this is the same reason why government cannot put medicines in hospitals and health centres and also help the farmers to improve their farming and increase their income.

They asked the farmers whether they have been issued with fertilizers and they answered emphatically: “No”.
The leader of NADD’s Team A, Mr. Lamin Waa Juwara, dwelled on the NADD constitution, Memorandum of Understanding and objectives. He also explained the reasons behind the establishment of NADD. The team explained that NADD emerged because of the change in the law on the second round of voting. They said removing the second round in the Presidential Election and only allowing a simple majority system was what led to the establishment of an umbrella party- NADD. He said Jammeh changed the law because he had discovered a decline in his popularity. He said Jammeh received 56% in 1996 and 52% in 2001and that this is why he feared that in 2006, he would not be able to get 50% in which case there would be a second round; that he knew that he could lose at the second round, as did Abdou Joof of Senegal and many others. He explained that that was why PDOIS, NDAM, NRP, PPP and UDP came together to form NADD. He explained that if they (the various parties) pooled their resources and ideas and combined their efforts in support of a single candidate in the Presidential Election in 2006, they could win. He said everything is put in place and all the parties including the UDP and NRP signed the MoU. But, as he said, they got a little disappointment from the whole arrangement when Lawyer Ousainou Darboe wrote a letter resigning from NADD. Mr. Juwara argued that no one stops Ousainou from becoming a candidate, that he had left NADD before the selection of a flag bearer.

The farmers in turn complained of the hardships. They said their groundnut could not be bought; they said they are experiencing hunger and lack of clean water in some places; they said they have never been in such difficult situations since the Colonial period; and they said they have been forgotten by the Jammeh regime totally. They also said their children cannot get jobs, a situation which is driving them to throw themselves into the Moroccan sea only to perish there because of the compelling force to escape poverty.

The farmers said they are totally disappointed by the Jammeh regime in every sphere of their lives. They pledged their unreserved support to NADD and not UDP because as they said the one who withdraws from the marriage is the one to blame for the break of the marriage. The people were told not to fear anybody and vote for the candidate of their choice; that the era of deception and threat in Gambian politics is over. The tour from the journalist’s observation has been a resounding success. Halifa has been introduced by team A in over 200 “Bantabas” to the people who endorsed his candidature as the NADD flag bearer.

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Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 62/2006, 7-8 August, 2006

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Originally posted by blackerberry2004

NADD should continue to tour the country to explain to the Gambians, particularly those in the provinces, about the party's programs and to expose Ousainou Darboe and co. NADD certainly has the best programs for the average sensible guy in The Gambia. The folks in the provinces, contrary to popular belief, are more politically independent than the folks around the Kombos. The fact that Jammeh is more popular in Banjul than anywhere else (except Kanilai of course) is evident of this.

Darboe should adhere to NADD’s MOU and if he wants (we all know he does) lead the opposition coalition. As for me I am pessimistic about a coalition coming to fruition before the election. I am bracing myself for another 5 years of Yaya Jammeh.

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Originally posted by blackerberry2004

NADD should continue to tour the country to explain to the Gambians, particularly those in the provinces, about the party's programs and to expose Ousainou Darboe and co. NADD certainly has the best programs for the average sensible guy in The Gambia. The folks in the provinces, contrary to popular belief, are more politically independent than the folks around the Kombos. The fact that Jammeh is more popular in Banjul than anywhere else (except Kanilai of course) is evident of this.

Darboe should adhere to NADD’s MOU and if he wants (we all know he does) lead the opposition coalition. As for me I am pessimistic about a coalition coming to fruition before the election. I am bracing myself for another 5 years of Yaya Jammeh.

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Originally posted by blackerberry2004

Better late than never! Once the coalition is formed, say within the next week, I can assure you that there would be an outpouring of support, including financial support. Certainly, not to the same level as it could have been as the opposition‘s momentum has dissipated.

I am not a political pundit, but may be the coming together late in the game might have one positive effect, that is, catching Yaya Jammeh and his APRC flatfooted and thereby limiting (not eliminating) the APRC’s machinations to rig the elections. Sorry guys, I am just desperately trying to find a flicker of hope to this dire political situation we find ourselves in.

May be Kondorong, Fatou Jaw Manneh and other internet political activists should run for presidency in 2011 against Yaya Jammeh. Remember, though there is a five year residency requirement.

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Originally posted by blackerberry2004

I mean your personal "kesi halis". I heard that Kondorongs have "kes" full of money.
As for Gambia's debt burden, it is scary. The next president might never get re-elected as Gambians generally prefer to see tangible developments (roads, useless arches, etc.) to a long term economic development which in its core would have to incorporate fiscal discipline. Job creation and growth, low inflation, human capital development, and so on would not be easily and readily appreciated and this is why most people are pointing out Jammeh’s wonderful development in contrast to Jawara’s lack of tangible developments. So this very well underscores the need for a five year rectification program as enshrined in the NADD’s MOU. The elected president would focus on making the right decisions and not politically induced decisions.

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