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Lily
United Kingdom
422 Posts |
 Posted - 20 Jan 2010 : 09:00:21
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I don' t think it is necessary for anyone who is helping to have to shout about it or to advertise it. Humility is also a positive trait.
Though I do have a question - I fully support Gambians (and others) in the diaspora helping their families back home, paying for school fees, food, transport, medical costs etc - but why should it be anyone but the governments responsibility to build hospitals and schools? |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2010 : 09:07:18
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Lily. Gambia is one of the poorest countries in the world. 168th out of 194. They don't have enought resources. See the GDP per capita below.
168 The Gambia 1,300 2008 est.
168 Haiti 1,300 2008 est.
168 São Tomé and Príncipe 1,300 2008 est.
168 Uganda 1,300 2008 est.
172 Burkina Faso 1,200 2008 est.
172 Burma 1,200 2008 est.
174 Mali 1,100 2008 est.
174 Guinea 1,100 2008 est.
176 Nepal 1,100 2008 est.
177 Comoros 1,000 2008 est.
177 Madagascar 1,000 2008 est.
— Tokelau 1,000 1993 est.
179 Mozambique 900 2008 est.
179 Rwanda 900 2008 est.
179 Togo 900 2008 est.
179 Ethiopia 900 2008 est.
179 Sierra Leone 900 2008 est.
184 Malawi 800 2008 est.
184 Afghanistan 800 2008 est.
186 Central African Republic 700 2008 est.
186 Eritrea 700 2008 est.
186 Niger 700 2008 est.
189 Guinea-Bissau 600 2008 est.
189 Somalia 600 2008 est.
191 Liberia 500 2008 est.
192 Burundi 300 2008 est.
192 Democratic Republic of the Congo 300 2008 est.
194 Zimbabwe 200 2008 est
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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. |
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Momodou
Denmark
11735 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2010 : 09:32:46
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| Turk, visit the oldest Gambian mailing list at http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html and you will find many concrete projects the diaspora have been initiating during the years. Search for example, for: Bokaloho, Dumo Saho, book drive, GambiaHELP, GESO, Gamsem (Gambians for self-employment) etc..... |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Lily
United Kingdom
422 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2010 : 09:57:03
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Turk - I know that the Gambia is one of the poorest countries. My point is that the little wealth it has could/should be distributed more evenly and that governments - not people - are responsibile for capital projects.
We all know that doesn't happen and that huge numbers of Gambians - and others - fund capital projects. I very much respect the fact that they do it and that so many people keep silent about what they do. |
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Momodou
Denmark
11735 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2010 : 10:35:02
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Some members can be involved in projects but would not blow their whistle because they are using pseudonyms here. As I stated above, people are not obliged to tell Turk how/what they are doing for their country. Turk has blamed some people for not understanding Gambians but I believe he looks at things with similar spectacles like the ones he blames. |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2010 : 12:41:08
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| momodou, thanks for website. I will review them and i will let you know my score-card for diaspora. :) |
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 - 20 Jan 2010 : 12:51:03
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TURK you ! 
quote:
Originally posted by turk
momodou, thanks for website. I will review them and i will let you know my score-card for diaspora. :)
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Momodou
Denmark
11735 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2010 : 13:09:50
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The following is from Gambia-l Archives - 1999. This is one example started by diaspora.
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Subject: GAMSEM looks for overseas market outlets!
From: Gamsem <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thu, 27 May 1999 18:58:39 +0200
Content-Type: text/plain
Parts/Attachments: text/plain (41 lines)
Dear listers
Gamsem , Gambians for self-employment, a local Gambian apex organisation for grass-root cooperatives has some fish products for export to the none market. This product is a very high quality type of smoked cat-fish (kunkulengo or kong) prepared at the organisation´s fish-processing center in Tanji, where a month long training is being held for fisher-women groups affiliated to Gamsem. Equipped with solar dryers and other simple appropriate tech methods, the center´s products far surpasses ordinarily smoked fish in taste-appeal, food quality, and above all, hygiene and longevity. Gutted and cleaned thoroughly before being put on the oven racks, the fish are firmly preserved from exposure to dust, flies and other insects. The idea is to steadily out.-compete traditional methods of fish-smoking. But to keep this project viable our marketing assessment has surveyed that we need to export about 20% inorder to be able to make it viable at the same time accessible to rural folk especially during the coming season of toil and hunger. We therefore are appealing to G-lers in none countries who may want to import small quantities just for trial resale to the Gambian and other African communities in USA, Norway, Switzerland, Middle Eastern countries, Nigeria etc. Please contact us directly for further information.
Box 996, Banjul, Gambia, tel/fax 220 373080 and email address as in above.
Regards
Amie Sabally
Marketing assistant
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Janko
Gambia
1267 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2010 : 20:50:11
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Thanks, turk
You are the chief of chiefs.
We met on Bantaba in Cyberspace, all I know about you is from this forum,and yet you want us to believe that you are more realistic or practical.
I like your comedy hence you expect to be taken seriously. You mean, another website, not this one is or would be more realistic, more practical or more trustworthy.
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Clean your house before pointing a finger ... Never be moved by delirious Well-wishers in their ecstasy |
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Lily
United Kingdom
422 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2010 : 20:57:02
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| Don't you find this website trustworthy Janko? I believe that people on it generally are ...... |
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Janko
Gambia
1267 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2010 : 21:05:47
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I do, Lily
It seems as turk thinks one website is more practical or realistic than the other and forgeting that is cyberspace and not a face-to-face |
Clean your house before pointing a finger ... Never be moved by delirious Well-wishers in their ecstasy |
Edited by - Janko on 20 Jan 2010 21:06:27 |
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Dalton1
3485 Posts |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2010 : 22:16:55
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| The chief likes to talk and get personal, while indians provide information on how diaspora helps. |
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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kayjatta
2978 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2010 : 19:58:37
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quote:
Originally posted by kayjatta
Turk, most people who join this forum do so mainly to contribute ideas towards the discussion of how to move the Gambia forward. Their contribution to national development, even if only at the level of ideas, should be appreciated not ridiculed and trivialized. Every action must start as an idea afterall. This platform and others like it give Gambians at home and abroad the opportunity of free speech that they lack at home.
There are other organizations and (political action)groups that are more tailored for development assistance in infrastructure and finance. For example, PDOISDIASPORA, AGERA, STGDP, 'Saint's Alumni'and the 'Basse organization' (don't remember the actual official name) to name a few, are involved in financial assistance and project planning and implementations in the Gambia. Other individuals have annually shipped tons of material aid (clothes, books and medicine) to the Gambia.
Last but not the least, Gambians in the diaspora have supported the economy of the Gambia through remittances in perhaps millions of dollars annually, without which the Gambian economy would have crashed long since.
The Gambian diaspora is a force to reckon with in every aspect of Gambian life, including politics and the economy. Thank you.
I think what Lily has said earlier that "government, not people (Diaspora) are responsible for capital projects" obviously make a lot sense. I don't know about any country where it is the duty of the citizens, at home or abroad, to provide capital projects. As far as I know the Gambian Diaspora does not collect taxes from the Gambian people. It is the Gambian government that collect taxes from the Gambian people, and therefore bears the responsibility to provide services and other amenities for the people. The government could also create a conducive environment for private investment in these areas. But today those who collect the taxes are only lining their own pockets with public money while harassing and torturing the same people who pay the taxes. These concerns in the Gambia needs public discussion, not silence as Turk would want.
Thanks Dalton and Momodou for adding the details about groups and organizations that support development projects in the Gambia. |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2010 : 20:48:38
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| If Gambia is one of 25 poorest countries in the world yes it is a duty for Diaspora to provide help. Gambia is no Qatar or Spain. If Diaspora has a duty to provide critism to Government daily from their comfortable homes in western world while they are not paying tax and they are not living in Gambia and their skills are utilized in west instead of Gambia, while they are the product of Gambian nation (brain drain) yes it is a duty. This is my motivation for this discussion. There needs to be balance. I never wanted silence about discussion. That is why I am discussing here. However, there are so much emphasis on political opposition and most energy spent on rhetoric. Personaly, I am not satisfied with Diaspora's priorities and obsession with the politics and lack of desire to help Gambia where needed while there are other priorities. There are projects and support, but I do not think it is enough. |
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 21 Jan 2010 21:35:26 |
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