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Momodou
Denmark
11823 Posts |
 Posted - 21 Jan 2010 : 17:50:40
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A good advice.
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The Point Editorial: Extended family vs corruption
Thursday, 21 January 2010
The other day we were chatting during break time, when someone narrated that he was having a conversation with an elderly woman, when the issue of corruption cropped up.
He said he had explained to the old woman that many find themselves engaged in corrupt practices, mainly because of their family size, culminating from extended family relations, most of whom demand more than the earning capacity of a particular son or daughter, niece or nephew.
Simply put, in terms of simple economics theory "the demand is higher than the supply."
The 7th edition of the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, describes corruption as "dishonest or illegal behaviour, especially of people in authority." It further states that "corruption is the act or effect of making someone change from moral to immoral standards of behaviour."
On several occasions, we have carried articles condemning that corruption in whatever form is not, and must never be accepted in society.
However, taking a closer look at what the young man told the old woman, one may concur to some extent that the extended family system also contributed in some way to the prevalence of corrupt practices in society today.
Do not get us wrong; we are not in anyway against extended family relations as this is a social norm, which our forefathers had lived with for generations.
However, what is incomprehensible is total dependence on someone simply because he or she is a cousin, nephew, uncle or aunt. Especially when the person on whom others depend has a wife(ves) and children to feed house and cloth.
At a time of global recession, it is high time that people take a good look at the dependency syndrome, which is a contributing factor to the never-ending practice of corruption.
"All happy families resemble one another, but every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way"
Leo Tolstoy
Source: The Point Online
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Karamba
United Kingdom
3820 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jan 2010 : 16:22:49
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"The 7th edition of the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, describes corruption as "dishonest or illegal behaviour, especially of people in authority." It further states that "corruption is the act or effect of making someone change from moral to immoral standards of behaviour."
Connecting extended family relations to corruption is a faded perception of reality. In present day Gambia the monster of corruption is the person of Yaya Jammeh. The highest corrupted public position is that of Gambian presidency in the magnetic hands of this same man Yaya. The Point on this occasion failed abysmally in conveying the right message to the right point. They know where corruption is properly housed and just playing the wrong tune.
This amounts to injustice by decent journalistic standards. Though they have right to opinon which can be defended with last string of muscle. Corruption in Gambia is the property of Yaya Jammeh just as he takes everything to be personal possession.
The Point has missed the point |
Karamba |
Edited by - Karamba on 23 Jan 2010 16:26:38 |
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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jan 2010 : 19:51:50
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THE POINT hit THE POINT. It's totally unsustainable for extended family members to expect particular family members to support their every needs just because they're blood relations. Therefore like all traditions this practice will be modified to increasingly match contemporary Society's needs. It's also important for individual's to foster responsibilism finding someone else to blame for one's misfortune is often a sign of laziness especially when you've made no attempts to help yourself in the first place.
Karamba your quip about Jammeh illustrates only goes to illustrate the point of the mentality of people who take no responsibility for their own predicument but always have to have someone to blame. By the way where is it said karamba that Yaya is Our Creator, after all remember that Our Creator helps those who help themselves.
Peace
Sister Omega
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Peace
Sister Omega |
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Karamba
United Kingdom
3820 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jan 2010 : 20:07:39
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| "Joy to the world" that our good Sister Omega is back on trail. Just for purpose of better understanding there are many instances of corruption prevailing in Gambia that any responsible media outlet has big chance to mention. Blaming extended family for corruption in Gambia is by itslef corrupted opinion. |
Karamba |
Edited by - Karamba on 23 Jan 2010 20:14:46 |
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monday
43 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jan 2010 : 01:52:56
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quote:
Originally posted by Momodou
A good advice.
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The Point Editorial: Extended family vs corruption
Thursday, 21 January 2010
The other day we were chatting during break time, when someone narrated that he was having a conversation with an elderly woman, when the issue of corruption cropped up.
He said he had explained to the old woman that many find themselves engaged in corrupt practices, mainly because of their family size, culminating from extended family relations, most of whom demand more than the earning capacity of a particular son or daughter, niece or nephew.
Source: The Point Online
Corruption is an integral part of our society and unless the society is educated about the issue we will probably continue to see the trend going on and on and on. Corruption begins from homes and we take it for a "ride" or simply think it is normal. What we think is NORMAL isn't NORMAL.
I was in Gambia on holiday, I sent my sister to a shop, when she returned, I asked her my change and she said "oh, that's for me!!!". She does not realised that what she was doing isn't right on the contrary she thought it is perfectly ok to kept quite about my change. Similar things happens at the streets up to government levels. People carry on with such habits thinking it is normal. When a government official or office executes a project, the balance of money just disappears and the officials think it is ok (NORMAL); alocating projects to incompetent people or companies, unnecessary trek/traveling, siminars, conferences, Treasury Bills, u name them. There are lots of things that goes on daily basis that we think it is ok cos for some of these things, you do not immediately see the damage. Now one might argue that that means INCOMPETENCE; something worthing considering. Abuse of office but that's something else but on the other hand falls within the umbrella of corruption.
So the bottom line is, the society needs to be educated about "CORRUPTION and its implications?". Remedy to rampant corruption is rampant education.. Belief me or not, there are a lot our society needs to learn. Taking money or dishing out money to your relatives is just one thing. Let's look at a wider picture of the issue. thanks |
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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jan 2010 : 19:33:14
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Monday, I couldn't agree with you more that the "Remedy to rampant corruption is rampant education."Until Gambian society is educated about the adverse effects of corruption within society from pocketing your brother change to emblezzing public funds then Gambia's economy will continue to go down in decreasing circles.
Therefore public information through the media could go some way to expressing this message in the form of Drama and Documentaries etc; to illustrate the impacts of selfishness on society. When hardworking people are explioted whilst others sit back on their laurels and do nothing but expect something as a reward for their worklessness.
A motivatonal drive is necessary for the youth to empower themselves by taking up the opportunities that are currently available in the country. An attitudual change is necessary for this present generation to adopt an I can do attitude then transfer that attitude into making the necessary changes needed to empower the youth to transform society and build a progressive productive Nation.
Peace
Sister Omega |
Peace
Sister Omega |
Edited by - Sister Omega on 27 Jan 2010 19:36:49 |
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toubab1020
12314 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jan 2010 : 19:59:57
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Bravo 
quote:
Originally posted by Sister Omega
Monday, I couldn't agree with you more that the "Remedy to rampant corruption is rampant education."Until Gambian society is educated about the adverse effects of corruption within society from pocketing your brother change to emblezzing public funds then Gambia's economy will continue to go down in decreasing circles.
Therefore public information through the media could go some way to expressing this message in the form of Drama and Documentaries etc; to illustrate the impacts of selfishness on society. When hardworking people are explioted whilst others sit back on their laurels and do nothing but expect something as a reward for their worklessness.
A motivatonal drive is necessary for the youth to empower themselves by taking up the opportunities that are currently available in the country. An attitudual change is necessary for this present generation to adopt an I can do attitude then transfer that attitude into making the necessary changes needed to empower the youth to transform society and build a progressive productive Nation.
Peace
Sister Omega
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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kayjatta
2978 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jan 2010 : 22:40:10
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quote:
Originally posted by Karamba
"The 7th edition of the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, describes corruption as "dishonest or illegal behaviour, especially of people in authority." It further states that "corruption is the act or effect of making someone change from moral to immoral standards of behaviour."
Connecting extended family relations to corruption is a faded perception of reality. In present day Gambia the monster of corruption is the person of Yaya Jammeh. The highest corrupted public position is that of Gambian presidency in the magnetic hands of this same man Yaya. The Point on this occasion failed abysmally in conveying the right message to the right point. They know where corruption is properly housed and just playing the wrong tune.
This amounts to injustice by decent journalistic standards. Though they have right to opinon which can be defended with last string of muscle. Corruption in Gambia is the property of Yaya Jammeh just as he takes everything to be personal possession.
The Point has missed the point
I concur with you Karamba. The vicious corruption that is holding our nations back is largely practiced by people who do not use the ill-gotten money to feed extended family, but rather stash it away in far away 'Swiss banks' and the like. They use those ill-gotten money to 'rampage' in luxury and further exploit and marginalize the ordinary citizens. Corruption is not the "little guy's" business; and the extended family is just a tiny negligible part of it...
The 'POINT' newpaper needs to do its story all over again ... |
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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jan 2010 : 00:32:57
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Thanks Toubab I'm glad someone else gets THE POINT!
Kayjatta When we multiply the little Guy's business to say conservatively guestimate of 250 million people pocketing GMD100 each per month then we would have missing revenue of GMD 300 Billion revenue. To take this example to its logical conclusion corruption is everyone's business because it ruining everyone's lives in the long run.
Peace
Sister Omega |
Peace
Sister Omega |
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Karamba
United Kingdom
3820 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jan 2010 : 01:18:56
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To account for the corruption of a compact bunch of little fingers and leaving out one with large set of fingers hanging on a long arm is near discrimination. Let us agree that each of those little fingers are capable of lifting bits of Dalasi coins daily, is that anything close to what one big finger is capable of lifting in a day?
H E talks lot of sense with operation no compromise.
I stand by him on that one. |
Karamba |
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