 |
|
| Author |
 Topic  |
|
kaanibaa
United Kingdom
1169 Posts |
 Posted - 08 Jul 2008 : 20:34:58
|
THE WHITE SANDS OF FAJARA
Free sand for free people
Walking the beach
Only tourists are allowed here!
The white sands of Fajara
There the people welcome the tourists
And the tourists welcome the people
Happy days on the beach
The free are those who walked
The white sands of Fajara
No one stopped them then
They just strolled at will
Now you have Soweto zones
Manned by green men
With batons and cudgels
Daring intrusion is painful
The young ones can now only
Smell the sweet sea breeze
From afar
The white sands of Fajara
Walked on by the chosen
They froze the path
That of freedom
Now we hear of mines
Those that spit out wealth
Rumors on Radio Kankang
Tales of uncovered mines
King Solomon lived here you know!
Watch out for names like Saba
The hidden treasures exposed
So that once again
We attain that ancient glory
Making others jealous of our gain
To celebrate
We meet on the white sands of Fajara
Dancing to the drum's beat
Till dawn
We the blessed
|
|
|
Santanfara
3460 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2008 : 07:58:15
|
| kaani, you seems sad close to end of the poem. but remember the white sand is what the tourism industry is all about. and the fact that the visitors, ie tourist are the market, they need to be protected and made to feel safe. at what cost, i don't know. if bumsters are left to roam the way the like, the toursit may skip the gambia for other cheap destinations. some tourist like the free-mixing with bumsters, but the majority may not like it. it is a case of protecting the much needed customers and the indegeonous folks. gruel, life is some times. |
Surah- Ar-Rum 30-22
"And among His signs is the creation of heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colours. verily, in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge." Qu'ran
www.suntoumana.blogspot.com |
 |
|
|
kaanibaa
United Kingdom
1169 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2008 : 13:32:11
|
| Please read this strain again brother , my concern flows not from excluding usage of the beach side by the youth, it is the pretext that i am worried about. In as much as we protect the tourists legitimate access to the beach by law abiding individuals most not be impeded,only for the very same officers exploit the tourists for their own benefit.Check out for the number security agents turned to 'bumpsters' and you will be surprised. The other factor is sand , a new fancy of the regime , rich sand full of mineral deposits which are now being cast as signs of more discoveries of strategic minerals.It reminds me of Eldorado or Saba the seat of King Solomon and his rich mines. |
|
|
|
kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2008 : 18:21:13
|
Santa
I beg to differ. The Bumpsters are an off shoot of a problem. Unless that is rectified, you will always see them. Job creation, skills and national pride is what is lacking.
I dont think you would walk the beach begging. Lets create the opportunities. Lets craete schools and not classrooms. The two are diffrent. Lets have an education system that prepares our citizens to be participants in the economy, graduating with skills that can be utilised and absorbed by the economy. Until then, green Berets and Bumpsters will be part of the that landscape called "White Sands of Fajara".
Its a matter of survival. But you see, even law abiding nationals are not comfortable on the Beach. Every body is branded as a Bumpster. I was stopped many times in that area. At some point i wanted to throw a punch, because i felt like living in Soweto where i needed a pass to travel in my own country.
Do you know that you have a right to not show your ID in the US and travel without hinderance. All that it will cost you at a check point is be physically searched. This includes Trains, buses, Ferries and even airports.
It had to take a legislative amendment in Congress for exceptions to be aplied. Citizens should not be asked to show IDs to travel locally. That runs counter in the face of a Republican constitution.
Walking the beach is the only pridee left and if that is also not possible, we might as well institute a "Beach Pass Act" providing IDs to citizens who have been screened to not be Bumpsters or have a mark on our foreheads as being screened. May be the "Mark of the Anti-Christ(666)"
Kaaniba
By the way, this topic reminds me of a second world War British song called "White Cliffs of Dover"
|
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
|
|
|
kaanibaa
United Kingdom
1169 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2008 : 20:29:06
|
| I too do remember that song a nice one bro Kondorong. I saw boys made to squat dancing the degrading monkey dance as they were caught on the beach suspecting of being bumsters. Too much trouble my good friend. |
|
|
|
Santanfara
3460 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jul 2008 : 11:20:05
|
kondo and kaani, i guess we misunderstood each other. i will very much like to see Gambains roaming their beach unhindered. but we are not talking about innocent folks but predators who are hunters themslves. what i was aludding to is the fact that, the revenue from tourism needed to be protected. if the bumsters become the problem and their attitudes drive away tourist, the economy may suffer which may leads to more trouble in this hard times.
yes, the security men will be bumsters when the professional bumsters are banned but that is all due to what knodorong stated,lack of skills and creativity. but also the easy way out for some in the bumsing industry made it hard to stop people engaging in the trade. mind you, i love the quite beach and the tanquil atmosphere and even playing football there but at what cost. i guess, there are many complicated issues here. |
Surah- Ar-Rum 30-22
"And among His signs is the creation of heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colours. verily, in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge." Qu'ran
www.suntoumana.blogspot.com |
|
|
|
kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jul 2008 : 17:46:40
|
Santa its more likem the Mandinka saying:
NING TULUNG DIYATA, IKA NYINA TULUNG BONDI LALILA
(Which means the people who work behind the scenes in the initial stages of a concept are quickly forgotten when sucess knocks on the door. In other words, we are not grateful to those who toil hard.
The above mandinka saying is derived from the fact that when there is night drumming in the village, its the children who escort the Musicians to the bantaba, and the drummers fine tune their drums to the dancing of the kids. Once they are warmed up, the older folks join in driving the kids out of the ring. We all see it happened.
The Bumpster were an integral part of the tourist industry in the early 1970s and provided an invaluable link between the industry and field trips and cultural sightseeings.
Remember that by 1965, there were less than 40 taxi cars in the whole of Kombo st Marys including Banjul. On independence day in 1965, private citizens' cars had to be borrowed to pick up guest at the airport. We came a long way. What was missed was to see how Bumpster could function as part of the formal sector.
Somebody provided the field trips and they were the Bumpsters. What we now see is the unwillingness of the industry to be partners, headed by very greedy operators, who have gone to the point of introducing an "all inclusive" tour package.
Tourists in some hotels wear bands around their wrists for all services they requested. They must allow tourists to enter the local economy especially when such a hotel is foreign owned meaning that every butut is repatriated back to Europe.
Some tourist complained about the "all inclusive" and said they will never come back again. We have to be each others keeper and allow local enterpreneurial skills to flourish.
I rememeber a friend complaing once that a tourist called him to bring drinks for them because its assumed that every local is Busser. He was very angry.
You have talked about Bumpsters using it as an "easy way out". But may i ask, out of what? Those reasons are what we need to address and Bumpsters will not be problem. Until then, both the Bumpters and the authorities will all be bruised like heavy weight champions after a ten round boxing match.
|
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
|
|
|
MADIBA
United Kingdom
1275 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jul 2008 : 16:06:41
|
Kaani a great poem by all measures.
Konds i also beg to differ from you and agree with Santa.
I maybe a country boy of origin, but i spent close to 3 decades in the greater banjul area and i fully know the area.
Most of the bumpsters are there becos they want to be there. They have seen people go to babylon and return overnite wit lots of goodies. So for these boys babylon or europe is Utopia, which many on this bantaba know is mere fantasy. The first people to have travelled to europe in my area left in 1978. They both left for scandanavia. One of these boys at the time of his going was not seen as role model for us the younger boys. This was becos they carried the name TOPAKATI TOUBAB (those who follow whites). And the art of TOPATOUBAB at the time was called CHINGS. While his mates were trying hard to get work as agric assistants, teachers or even Sarro tally clerks he would follow these tourists from sunrise to sunset.
The phenomenon reached its height in the mid-80s to 90s. I could vividly remember in high school that some of my classmates decided to drop out becos of NERVES. Some went on visit visas to mostly scandanavia, they overstayed ,they were caught and deported. Closer to home , i have cousin a high school graduate with good results , who has never looked for employment outside the tourism sector. He has been there for the past 2 decades, for the easy money that he used to get by way of tips and safari trips he organised, he has no security.
Now coming to the provision of skill centres , they are galore! Those who want a career have been to these centres. I have said it here before, there is no where in this world where a gov't can provide all its citizens jobs. I have seen cases where a tourist would seek advice as to the best school or skills centre for a young bumpsters friend. BUt you could see in the eyes of the youngman or boy and attimes his parent or guardian that all they want is going.
God help ,if you as a professional advise them to go to so so school and pay directly to the school, YOU ARE PUBLIC ENENMY N01.
The skill jobs taken presently by non-Gambians from sub-region could have gone to Gambians, if THEY WERE WILLING and IF THEY WERE QUALIFIED. I witnessed a situation shortly before i travelled to the UK, a friend of mine was setting up a biz, he got the equipment , some he was able to install with Gambian expertise and the rest had to be installed by Senegalese. When he went into to operations despite his desire to employ as many Gambians as possible, he had no choice but to employ 75% of his staff from non-Gambians. Even his family members could only fill a limited number of posts.
Am not holding brief for anybody. I have seen it all first hand.
Next the issue of security, becos of Gambia's enviable position as a tourist destination, not only Gambians are on our beaches, non-gambians too roam the beaches. Some bumpsters are ill-educated, a 'no' from a tourist is not enough. They go to the extent of hurling abuse at these tourists. When i used to descend on the beach,as its said in the jargon, there was this notorious thief who target old tourist. He used to snatch ad run off with anything, from cameras to handbags. His prime target area used to be between Fajara(wen Fajara was Fajara) and BB. So we need security on the beach. However, this security MUST be disciplined and open.
If only they knew how hard most of these tourist had to work for their money to come down for holidays , they would have slapped themselves. And again, some of these bumpsters lucky to make it to Europe, NO LONGER ACCEPT their old buddies waywardness. Now if they have been able to build houses they make them inaccesible to their former comrades, and the ATTAYA and merry-making is over. Why? becos they know how hard they had to work for their money.
So lets stop holding brief for some of these bumpsters. There are genuine cases. In situations were a toubab befriends you and in her or his own mind wants to bring you over to better urself or be life partner FAIR ENOUGH. |
madiss |
Edited by - MADIBA on 11 Jul 2008 17:34:46 |
|
|
|
toubab1020
12312 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jul 2008 : 17:19:09
|
Madiba,please try and explain your last paragraphs to some of your countrymen who cannot understand,thank you.
"If only they knew how hard most of these tourist had to work for their money to come down for holidays , to would have slapped themselves. And again, some of these bumpsters lucky to make it to Europe, NO LONGER ACCEPT their old buddies waywardness. Now if they have buit houses they make them inaccesible to their former comarades, and the ATTAYA and merry-making is over. Why becos they know how hard they had to work for their money.
So lets stop holding brief for some of these bumpsters. There are genuine cases. In situations were a toubab befriends you and in her or his own mind wants to bring you over to better urself or be life partner FAIR ENOUGH"
|
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
|
|
|
|
kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jul 2008 : 18:28:08
|
Madiba
You have a right to differ. But i still maintain my stance. Bumpster in the 1970s, were not a menace. The system encouraged it while they filled a gap that a newly independent country could not provide. I have said here that less than 40 vehicles(taxis) were on our rodas ffrom kombo st marys to Banjul.
Lets look at these skill centers you talked about. I have paid school fees to the tune of D8000.00 for courses that only manage to produce very glossy diplomas from institutes that you will be hard pressesd to locate in London. A lot of such courses "validated" from a "management institutes" housed in Council Flats in london or Yorkshire, have flooded the streets, raising hopes for a better life that will never come. There is a name for such "colleges" in London. The term is derogatory so i will not used it, but may be you have heard of it.
I was a teacher and the Secondary Technical Schools were meant to fill skill gap. But i can surely tell you many of these schools do not have a working workshop (wood work or Mechanical). Infact High Schools like Armitage have a better workshop than any Secondary Technical School in the whole country. Its a failed educational system starting from the PPP government.
I am not holding brief for Bumpsters, but i will not sit idly by watching someone tearing them apart for reasons beyond their making.
I am ready to donate D100,000.00 if any Gambian for that matter is able to prove to me that Senior Governmenet officials have their children in Public Schools. All their children are in private schools. From thte Minister to a principal Education Officer. Proof it and i will keep my word towards a scholarship fund.
Whilst they create system for the public, they are not confident to send their own children to such shcools. Its much like what happened in Tanzania, where Swahili is the medium of instructions, but quietly, senior Govt. offcialis send their children to Uganda to learn in English.
The last exams in which over 50% of students failed their exams is a testimony to the kind of education system we have. Even teachers who are barely mananging, are beginning to send their childeren to private schools. The number of private schools which sprung up every year is testimony to the lack of confidence and a market for enterpreneurs.
But dont blame the children. If Beach picnics are funded, cattle donated for such occassions, and where children have been dying (drowning), and yet it was a fair game, encouraged by more senior personnel, and parents almost looking "helpless", such a situation can only produce average or mediocre results.
As a teacher, i know too well that an education system is incomplete without parental input. No government can do it alone and certainly not ours based on a peanut economy. I dont believe in big government either. But may be, the only way out is to ensure all policy planners have their children in Public Schools and make it an office otherwise. They should not sell us policies they dont have confidence to put their children through.
I am serious about my challenge.From the Minister to a Principal Education Officer. Some of their children are still taking the GCE O'Level and A'Level, whilst our children are put through mass promotion schemes.
You cant run with hare and hunt with the hounds. |
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
|
|
|
MADIBA
United Kingdom
1275 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jul 2008 : 19:58:52
|
Konds ,
I too went to school in The Gambia, did both o and A levels there and taught across the country and was lucky enough to work as a mid-level civil servant. Which gaps was meant to be filled by the Junior secondary technical schools? The only technical subjects at Junior secondary technical in the old school system were woodwork and metal work. Like all other subjects taught at this level , they were basic. Anyone with four passes then at this level was admitted into high school to further study these subjects and until 1988, only St.Peter's Technical High in Lamin, Armitage High MID and Gambia High which offer any technical subjects such as Metal and Wood Work, Technical Drawing, Auto Mechanics and Applied Electrcity. Those graduates with the technical inclination had further thier eductaion at GTTI, accredied by credible bodies like the City&Guilds of London Institute. Their a few young entrepreneur who followed this route and are enjoying, one such person is Alh.Amadou Gigo MD of Gigos construction. The catholic metal construction company in lamin is manned by past students of st.peters and GTTI . These people make quality metal products.
For you what are public schools? Becos i know former SOS Ndong-Jatta sent her children to mission schools like many poor folks who have been doing that for ages.
Infact that has nothing to do with the bumpsters menace. The issue here is those youths from less endowed homes refusing to take up skills for their own well-being.
There are phony institutes , but those who want guidance can go the National Training Authority(NTA) formerly known as Directorate of Voc and Tech edu. Everybody knows that GTTI, GTMI, MDI, YMCA, Jollof Tutors, Nusrat Commercial, IBC , Hotel school, Chamen just to name a few are credible insitutions. They train people in Accounting, IT, Metl, Constrcution ect.
I explained abt a yr ago in another thread why standards are falling.
|
madiss |
|
|
|
kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jul 2008 : 22:33:42
|
You see, you are just beating about the bush. Give me serious names and i will donate D100,000.00. Its a challenge to you.
Mrs. Ndong's children in a mision school? Which mission school. Give me the answer and i will tell you where that school stands within the context of the Unified Teaching Services Act of 1970.
I will then explain to you the law providing Mission Schools and its relations to the pensionable service within the Public Service Act which amends the Public Service Commission Regulations.
You are threading on dangerous grounds Mr.
You are missing the timeline in the thread. GCE O'Level and A'Levl have since been formally abolished in the current Education Policy but what i am saying is that, that exam is still being sat to by sons and daughters of the very people who abolished it. I too sat to both exams when it was open to every Tom Dick and harry. Dont try to confuse us. Lets follow a logical debate.
I know Mr. Gigo very well, slim light colored with family ties to Brikama. His office used to be in Churchill's Town adjacent to Pastor Forbes Church ( Abiding Word Ministries).
The education system is very much relevant to the problem of the Bumpster issue. If you have studied policy analysis as a field, and more specifically public policy and development studies, you will see the direct correlation bewteen job creation, education, poverty and policy formulation. The Lorenzo Curve is perhaps very much curved to force a Bumpster problem. But the reality is, the beaches should be open to Gambians.
You see this problem is not only Gambian. I will beg you to read Obama's Book " Dreams of My father" and read the chapters covering Kenya and his half sister's encounter at a hotel when they asked to be served. Its the same all over Africa.
The mass promtions and very little assessment only goes to produce half baked uncritical mass that we so deparately not need. May be you want to talk to Camara Laye, the then Metal work teacher at Armitage and also a Drama Teacher. He had a short play on the effects of half education titled "Because of Money". At one point i very much supported Jammeh's call that no nawetans in the rainy season and specifically his back to the land call. The many classrooms built by the Government are great. But the quality of the system is a mismatch. As basic as chalk is becoming a rare stationary in public schools.
There what is called "absorptive Capacity" in development studies.
Well if you are asking "Which gaps was meant to be filled by the Junior secondary technical schools?" as indicated above, then perhaps i should not be wasting my time in this discussion. There was a Term of Reference for Secondary Techical Schools.
May be i need to provide a little bit of history from its early days in Banjul as a lone mechanics workshop with one derelic car.
But answer my challenge. No official at the ministry from Minister to Principal education Officer has a child in the Public School system. Its that simple. They have all gone private. Go to Glory Baptist, Marenah, Mrs. Ndow and you will see what i am talking about. In most private schools, you have to book two years in advance before you can get a place. My son had to be book two years before Kindergarten to get a place.
Like Yousou Ndour said: CHOWLI CHI TENBI, GAYI AMUNGE BAGG LA.(Those making the noise at the well, are those without the means to draw water).
The Bumpster issue is very relevat to our education policy as more and more drop out not ready to be absorded by the economy. Survive they MUST. As to whether that is right or wrong is a moral judgement which is very fluid and takes the shape of the mind of the peron judging. |
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
|
|
|
kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jul 2008 : 22:47:33
|
Post cript
If you could count the successful ones on one hand out of population of 1.6 million, i am not sure if that is any thing to be proud of.
I REST MY CASE. |
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
|
|
|
MADIBA
United Kingdom
1275 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2008 : 00:08:15
|
Konds me beating abt the bush?
Come on. To begin with i hate calling our people's names online for certain reasons. BUt to answer your question and mind you certainly not for £100,000 even abt the children of former minster Ndong-Jatta.
Her first child ( a girl ) started at Marina and later had to swicth over to St. Josephs snr secondary Banjul. Her other sons went to St. peter's sen. sec. in Lamin. She used to live in Lamin, whilst she and her husband both worked outside Lamin. If she had looked low upon the other schools as you are suggesting she and her husband could have sent all their children to the Private schools you were just naming. And for your information, the prestige enjoyed by Ndow's and Marina has now dwindled.
For those private schools still using the GCE system, its their policy. Those who have money and can pay thats fine. Besides those schools had their prestige well before the New Education Policy came into being. So there is nothing new here.
The New Policy was axed on QUALITY, RELEVANCE and ACCESS. In my opinion they have registered remarkable success in terms of ACCESS but have not done very well in the QUALITY and RELEVANCE.
The gov't has failed in terms of QUALITY and RELEVANCE becos basically the teachers(Gambian) are not motivated. When i was writing my common entrance there were only 7 high schools, the cut off mark was high, hence only the cream then made it to high school leaving the second tier to the JSS. Thats why the JSS of those days are much better than most of the present SSS. So its the case of Losing QUALITY when you go for QUANTITY. They have increased ACCESS as recommended by donors yet the QUALITY has gone down. This fall in standards is not only restricted in the public schools but the private as well. The Ndows, Marina of 10yrs ago are different from those of today. St. Theresa's and the like are beating them these days.
If the system is ailing does it mean that everybody should become a bumpster?
What does it take to become a welder, carpenter, masoner? Only numeracy and abit of literacy. Contrary to what you want us to believe, not all bumpsters failed at school and were refused entry into skills centres. Could you be consistent for once? The skills centres are not credible and the next thing is 50% failure, which is which? It shamed me when i used to take my car for repairs in the garage in The Gambia, where amongst nearly 15 fitters, there was only one qualified Gambian, incidentally he was not even the owner of this garage.
There is this gentleman who wilfully drop off at form 3 high school for NERVES(desire to travel). Now that he has been in Europe for over 10yrs he's got assets back home and got legal stay, he's regretting not completing high school. He's planning going back to school before he retires to look after his biz in The Gambia.
Konds you see in as much as we know the failures of this and the previous gov't the onus lies squarely on us to help ourselves.
The beaches are Gambian just like the markets and roads are. But they must never be used to hassle or harrass anyone. Tourism is an important sector , even if it meant no monetray gains. Gambia like many places around world is nice and welcomes people from other lands to visit.
|
madiss |
Edited by - MADIBA on 12 Jul 2008 00:16:39 |
|
|
|
kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2008 : 01:00:54
|
Why should Mrs. Ndong send gher child to Marina whne she was living in Lamin Town and Lamin Primary School was just next door?
Mind you this was before she became a Minister and then teaching but could not have confidence in the very system. So i guess we will not ask what happened when she became minster? Of what use is ACCEES when QUALITY AND RELEVANCE is not achieved. Like i said before, there is a difference between buildings and classrooms.
A resource is only useful when harnessed. The resultant porr quality is what has aggravated the Bumpster problem. You cant divorce the two. |
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
|
|
|
kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2008 : 01:07:00
|
quote:
Originally posted by MADIBA
Konds me beating abt the bush?
Konds you see in as much as we know the failures of this and the previous gov't the onus lies squarely on us to help ourselves.
I agree with the above quote. But dont you think, that, that process must begin with an honest self critiquing of the policy in the first place.
Accepting reality will help us move forward. That should be basis for nation wide onslaught to improve standards. Denial is a recipe of the very quagmire that has gripped us for long. |
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
|
|
|
Topic |
|
|
|
| Bantaba in Cyberspace |
© 2005-2024 Nijii |
|
|
|
Topic Locked
