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Momodou
Denmark
11833 Posts |
 Posted - 27 Oct 2006 : 21:17:47
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Foroyaa Editorial
ETI NDANAAN VS FOROYAA
THE BEAUTY OF RESPECT FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
Truth is foundation for peace, justice and development. Where there is no truth there is no justice. Where there is no justice there is no peace. Where there is no peace there can be no development. This is why all programmes on radio and TV should be geared towards promoting the dissemination of truth. Such truth will bring the Gambian people together so that they can coexist in peace. Such coexistence in peace irrespective of political, tribal, religious and other diversity will enable us to guide our collective destiny towards our collective liberty and prosperity.
The sad thing about Eti Ndanaan is that they started to promote for the establishment of a one party state by calling on Gambians to create an opposition free National Assembly. This is a tragedy for any nation in this era when the whole world is moving towards the creation of parliaments that can serve as effective oversight to check the wrong doings and excesses of government. There is nothing wrong with Eti Ndanaan using airtime to educate Gambians on their rights to select their leaders at all levels under a climate of peace and respect.
However, they were entirely wrong to use airtime to promote the election of the candidates of a single party. This is what Foroyaa objected to and will continue to object to.
However, the Eti Ndanaan team preferred to ignore this simple issue and went to Ocean Bay Hotel to hold a programme to insinuate that some people were trying to discourage them from showing the development projects in the country.
It is very important for the people to be shown the development projects in the country. In fact there is a project monitoring committee at the National Assembly led by the APRC Majority Leader. If Eti Ndanaan wants to help the Gambian people to monitor projects they will appreciate it. This is what is called social auditing. In fact, Eti Ndanaan did not go very far in helping the people to understand the true nature of the investment in Ocean Bay Hotel. We hope that they will start talking to the stakeholders. For example, they should have spoken to the Managing Director of Social Security to see how they get money and how much they have invested to purchase and refurbish Ocean Bay. They should have spoken to the contractors and go room after room for them to show how they spent 300 million dalasis to refurbish Ocean Bay and what was done with the materials they found there before refurbishing it. They should then talk to the management to find out how much Ocean Bay gets annually as profit and how much they pay back to Social Security as dividend. They should show how the hotel intends to pay back the pension money of the workers that has been used to purchase and refurbish it. Foroyaa hope that Eti Ndanaan group will understand the issues involved before engaging in a one sided debate. The issue is that money has been taken from the fund of the workers deposited with Social Security to buy and refurbish Ocean Bay Hotel. If the 345 million dalasis is not paid back with speed some workers will one day go for their claims and will not get their money. Hence while it is good to own a hotel one must ask whether that was the most efficient way of investing the workers money. The arrangement is that if one is given the choice to invest 345 million dalasis to purchase groundnuts and receive the sum back in a year to invest it to purchase a hotel which may take a decade to get back the investment, what would you do?
Development is about priorities. The debate is not whether ownership of a hotel is good or not. On the contrary, what is of concern is the wisdom of investing the workers’ money in areas, which takes a long time to get returns. Where is Senegambia Beach Hotel? It was partly owned by government. Now all the shares are sold.
Finally, we wish to call on the team to bear in mind that Eti Ndanaan is listened to by our neighbours. It should not be a hostage to backbiting, bickering and mediocrity. One of the participants went as far as to narrate the history of the creation of dogs. He spoke a language that only dogs can comprehend. I hope the GRTS management would advice such people to know that they are talking to Imams and priests as well as their children.
Notwithstanding, the viewers of Eti Ndanaan should also bear in mind that people who speak over the media are brought up in different ways. Some have learnt the language of the beach and others the street. There are also languages of saints, philosophers and sages. Each is entitled to his or her language. None should be offended when some really show the type of environment they were brought up in by their language.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No.92/2006, 27-29 October, 2006
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 27 Oct 2006 : 22:02:14
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If i remember well Eti Ndanan is wollof meaning the "Bantaba of the professional". Kind of gathering of the skilled. I think Mr. "Everybody" used to participate in the meetings. Its an almost equivalent of TAARIKO by Lalo Samateh on RadioGambia. May be i am wrong.
ETI is from the wolof word ETA which means the open yard in a compound. The possesive noun becomes ETI. Well the call for one party has been there since 1996. I hope we dont become another "BOY NARR". |
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MADIBA
United Kingdom
1275 Posts |
Posted - 27 Oct 2006 : 22:09:53
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quote:
Originally posted by kondorong
If i remember well Eti Ndanan is wollof meaning the "Bantaba of the professional". Kind of gathering of the skilled. I think Mr. "Everybody" used to participate in the meetings. Its an almost equivalent of TAARIKO by Lalo Samateh on RadioGambia. May be i am wrong.
ETI is from the wolof word ETA which means the open yard in a compound. The possesive noun becomes ETI. Well the call for one party has been there since 1996. I hope we dont become another "BOY NARR".
ONE PARTY SYSTEM IS A RECIPE FOR IMPUNITY and TOTAL CHAOS! Mr. Everybody Mbye should know the limits of his praise singing. Using state media and resources to propagate such rubbish is very dishonest to say the least. |
madiss |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 27 Oct 2006 : 22:12:40
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Madiba.
I think he is exercising his democratic right. Its up to Gambians to vote in one party. |
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njucks
Gambia
1131 Posts |
Posted - 27 Oct 2006 : 23:03:50
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quote:
Originally posted by Momodou
...... One of the participants went as far as to narrate the history of the creation of dogs. He spoke a language that only dogs can comprehend. I hope the GRTS management would advice such people to know that they are talking to Imams and priests as well as their children.
Notwithstanding, the viewers of Eti Ndanaan should also bear in mind that people who speak over the media are brought up in different ways. Some have learnt the language of the beach and others the street. There are also languages of saints, philosophers and sages. Each is entitled to his or her language. None should be offended when some really show the type of environment they were brought up in by their language.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No.92/2006, 27-29 October, 2006
well. we must also bear in mind that this is a political paper not an Independent Newspaper, and hence not to fall for their 'spin'. in a country with a small parliament , say 40 MPs it is possible for one party to win in a free election, the publishers of this article could possibly find themselves in such a scenario. its a possible option.
however i do admire their sense of Humor. history of Dogs?? St. sages , philosophers |
Edited by - njucks on 27 Oct 2006 23:04:27 |
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MADIBA
United Kingdom
1275 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2006 : 00:15:13
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quote:
Originally posted by kondorong
Madiba.
I think he is exercising his democratic right. Its up to Gambians to vote in one party.
KONDS,
IN EXERCISING HIS RIGHTS , HE SHOULD BE MINDFUL OF THE NATIONAL INTERESTS . THE MOUTHPIECE(GRTS) IS NOT HIS NEITHER THAT OF THE APRC. JAMMEH HIMSELF AM SURE DOESN'T DESIRE SUCH A COUNTRY WHERE THERE IS NO-ONE TO ASSESS HIS PERFORMANCE. THE OPPOSITION MUST ALSO BE CREDIBLE ALBEIT. |
madiss |
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Janyanfara
Tanzania
1350 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2006 : 21:57:45
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| Let God guide our actions towards the common good! |
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Seeno
7 Posts |
Posted - 30 Oct 2006 : 16:28:31
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| I cannot believe that Kondorong thinks eti ndanaan presenters are exercising their democratic rights by calling people to endorse a one party system. this is ridiculous and an insult to democracy. the word one party system does not fit in with democracy. for God's sake stop misleading people. |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 30 Oct 2006 : 16:45:27
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These are realities, giving good image at all times or suffer the consequences (political victimisation amongst other things!). Under Gambian politics, opposing both current government and ruling party policies is detrimental and a dangerous CHOICE. The opposition are unpatriotic and do not deserve any respect or anything in the eyes of society. There are divide and rule policies and lots more for conscription of justice and denial of liberty!
Therefore one must realised the challenges under Gambian democracy and rule of law. Both in principle and practise the trends are towards a "YES MEN" ONE PARTY POLITICAL STATE! The opposition is totally dis-integrated and ineffective to turn radical things (whether favourable or unfavourable) happening under present era. Coming towards parlimentary elections its not only that ETI NDAADAN group or drama are the guilty ones for formally promoting and launching TOTAL ABSOLUTE POWER OF THE PRESIDENT AND APRC. Am of the opinion that the opposition parties have also compromised their credibility, integrity with their egoes to allow this inbalance and dis-equilibrium to be gain momentum. Its late to stop a formal blessing of ONE PARTY DOMINATION OF BOTH EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE ARMS OF GOVERNMENT for our Dear motherland!
Having realised those challenges and tasks that lie ahead what are the best options, strategies and resolutions to SAVE GAMBIAN DEMOCRACY UNDER RULE OF LAW! |
Edited by - kobo on 30 Oct 2006 17:02:14 |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 30 Oct 2006 : 17:51:45
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quote:
Originally posted by Seeno
I cannot believe that Kondorong thinks eti ndanaan presenters are exercising their democratic rights by calling people to endorse a one party system. this is ridiculous and an insult to democracy. the word one party system does not fit in with democracy. for God's sake stop misleading people.
Well may be Eti Ndanan has changed. They were a cultural group. If they are calling for one party so be it so long as that is subjected to a vote. If majority thinks one party is ok, then that is the will of the people. In a democracy, the majority is always right.
Democracy is about dissenting views and if we cannot have that then forget about democracy. No matter how crazy the ideas, in a democracy they should be entertained and subject to the will of the people through a ballot. Remember democracy gave us Hitler. He was democratically elected by a huge majority. Every system has its own problems. |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 30 Oct 2006 : 19:09:02
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Good points Kondorong but some of us prefer a better democratic structure than envisaged by Eti Ndaanan's drama and expressions of our political wills.
A proper democracy existed within its limitations but improvements under rule of law, freedom of choice, association, expressions and liberty should be nortured for the way forward. There are many political victims and victims of circumstances under present political climate and the new era!
Hopefully a good vibrant opposition and patriots can bailed them out or provide FREEDOM AND LIBERTY and of course "BREAD AND BUTTER!" or "MONOR" AND "RUI" |
Edited by - kobo on 30 Oct 2006 19:21:39 |
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