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Momodou
Denmark
11804 Posts |
 Posted - 17 Feb 2010 : 13:56:23
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Halifa Challenges APRC Leadership
By Lamin Njie & Saikou Ceesay
 Coordinator of the opposition National Alliance for Democracy and Development Halifa Sallah has thrown a challenge to the leadership of the ruling Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction in a "national debate on all issues of national importance" if they would accept his challenge – from the President across the board.
Halifa’s challenge is in reaction to remarks made by Mayor Yankuba Colley, National Mobilizer of the ruling APRC that Gambian opposition leaders are fake, and therefore not genuine. To this, Halifa Sallah has accused Colley of sinking into politics of insult and character assassination, arguing that 2011 elections require a mature debate on issues affecting the lives of the people.
"In fact we are already late in commencing such an important debate. I hope Mayor Colley Knows that whatever he says as National Mobiliser of the APRC is being recorded by history for posterity and would be used as a yardstick to determine whether the reaction of the ruling party in the Gambia to any important concern, is characterized by integrity or mediocrity", said Halifa, noting that time will be the judge.
Halifa said that is the way to prove the worth or worthlessness of a political leader, and that is the type of mature politics Gambia needs for 2011. According to him, politics is about principles, policies, programmes and practices, stressing that there is no need to oppose a government if one shares the same principles, policies, programmes and practices. "Opposition to a government becomes necessary if one holds contrary vision on how to promote liberty and prosperity. Personally, my duty is to expose the wrong principles, policies, programmes and practices of governance of the APRC and provide alternatives", said Halifa.
He said he does not only show what is wrong but also, shows what should be done to correct the shortcomings. This is what is expected of a mature opposition leader, he said. Sallah further cited that Vision 2020 promised to make Gambia an export-oriented economy. But in 2008 Gambia’s export was valued at 300 Million dalasis while import stood at 7100 Million Dalasis. This leaves a trade deficit of 6800 Million dalasis. Where is the export-oriented economy, he quizzed.
He said the APRC’s vision also talks about making Gambia a middle-income country. The fact remains that those living below the poverty line numbers between 59 to 69 percent of the population, depending on the period being assessed. Instead of a middle income country, Gambia is a heavily indebted poor country which cannot finance its social programmes without debt relief.
He said that people often commend the Government for infrastructural development but he maintains that the government does not have a holistic approach to infrastructural development. "Any Government with foresight should have started its infrastructural development by building a North Bank stretch starting from Barra to Fatoto. This would have required the building of a bridge over the river at Passamas to link it to Fatoto. The South bank would have linked Banjul to Fatoto. In that way, there would have been a road link between the North Bank and the South Bank. A National bus service could have been set into motion to ply both banks, thus giving rise to easy movement of people, goods and services. Enterprises could have emerged on both banks along the route to provide employment and self-employment. The transport and other related services would have also enhanced employment," he stated.
According to Sallah, over 30,000 youths come out of the education system every twelve years and there is unemployment among the youths when over 1.3 billion dollars to 1.6 billion dollars or more than 45000 Million dalasi is being exchanged in the country’s foreign currency market on an annual basis. Sallah charged that the government has no plan to guide the public and private sector to invest in the productive base of the economy in order to generate meaningful employment. "This is why there is massive youth unemployment. I could go on and on to point out lapses in the protection of the liberties of the people by ignoring the 72 hours maximum time for detention without trial or other factors which undermine prosperity", he argued.
Halifa said he have been showing how fair prices of groundnuts and other agricultural produce could be determined by a team comprising the farmers’ cooperative and the marketing agency in a transparent manner by looking at the world market prices which go up to D36, 000 per ton and all other expenditures before determining the local producer price which go down to D8, 000 per ton without any transparent explanation. "Expose what is wrong and provide genuine alternatives. This is what a genuine opposition leader should do. I hope that is what I am doing. I stand to be corrected by the people," he said.
The outspoken opposition leader further argued that the lesson to learn is that Gambia is yet to have a genuine multi party system where there is total separation between party and state. This is why the APRC could rely on Governors, Chiefs, Village Heads, Women’s Bureau and Council, public servants and the national media to carry on its political campaign. "I can assure you that even though we do not control state power, our grassroots base is more solid in 2010 than ever before. All Gambians should ask themselves the question why the political temperature is rising so early and even the ruling party is being jolted to take politics seriously. There can be no smoke without fire. 2011 is going to be different. If people fail to see any difference they should not take me seriously in matters of politics anymore", he said.
Accordingly, he said this is the time that all genuine sovereign Gambians have been waiting for. It is here that Mayor Colley should not allow his party to be taken by surprise for lack of preparedness. According to the Independent Electoral Commission, 670, 336 (six hundred and seventy thousand, three hundred and thirty six) voters were registered prior to the presidential elections and results of the 2006 Presidential Elections reveal that the APRC candidate, who was also supported by the NCP, had 264, 404 votes. If this is subtracted from the total number of voters it would mean that 405, 932 (four hundred and five thousand, nine hundred and thirty two) voters did not vote for the APRC candidate and 542,055 (five hundred and forty two thousand and fifty five) voters did not vote for the opposition, he said.
He said the results of the elections confirm that voter apathy is the greatest threat to democratic change. "How to overcome it is the fundamental question we are to confront and address for the 2011 elections. This is why a new strategy and tactic is needed to be able to mobilize a majority that could ensure change. To change a country is a collective responsibility. One must be able to convince the absolute majority. There can be no democratic change without national unity. The majority which matters is the one which can bring about change. Agenda 2011 introduces a national debate on the way forward. It calls for the mobilization of more than 300, 000 voters to back the agenda. Each mobilizer should mobilize 50 people", Halifa explains.
Those who endorse the agenda according to Halifa, will vote at a primary for a consensus candidate. The candidate shall form a consensus cabinet through consultation with the Bar Association to appoint a Minister of Justice, the women groups to select a Minister of Women Affairs, with the youth and sports organisations to select a Minister of Youth and sports, with the Chamber of Commerce to select a Minister of Trade, etc. The President will serve from 2 to 5 years and hand over to a democratically elected president after presiding over a free and fair election," Sallah said.
Finally, he said the year 2010 should be adopted by each Gambian as the year of the sovereignty of the people. Each Gambian, he said should acknowledge that the street is his or her concern and must take part in managing it if the home is to be stable enough to guarantee his or her peace and security. "There are no politicians who should take politics as a career. Each Gambian is a political being who owns the country and has authority to give his or her consent for some to manage it to promote their liberty and prosperity. Hence each should listen to all proposed solutions to our national problems and endorse credible options without fear or favor, prejudice or malice. Each Gambian should own him or herself and be involved in shaping the destiny of the country for the good of all," he stressed.
Source: DailyNews
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 17 Feb 2010 : 15:48:34
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| They always address weaknesses and exposed new development programmes. I think APRC normally takes them very seriously and benefited from their ideas. |
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Dalton1
3485 Posts |
Posted - 17 Feb 2010 : 16:43:08
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Mawdo Kobo,
The opposite is also true. i.e. to say Honorable Sallah takes some of them too serious. Being the respectful person he is, Hon. Sallah will never stop engaging them as people who matter in Gambia's politics, even though he knows their mindset to his fingertip. I do not know if that gives the APRC too much importance but it was a genuine counter to put the wet towel back on the APRC's naked body. This is the perfect 'check & balance' for a rotten system like the one we have.
Great job 'Daily News' & thanks for sharing Mawdo Momodou.
Regards,
yj |
"There is no god but Allah (SWT); and Muhammad (SAW)is His last messenger." shahadah. Fear & Worship Allah (SWT) Alone! (:
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Edited by - Dalton1 on 17 Feb 2010 16:49:23 |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 17 Feb 2010 : 18:07:03
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Mature politics is about addressing issues, policies, programmes, transparency, accountability & proposals rather than focusing on smearing campaign and arrogant personal attacks 
"Each Gambian should own him or herself and be involved in shaping the destiny of the country for the good of all," he stressed. Halifa Sallah
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Edited by - kobo on 17 Feb 2010 18:10:38 |
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Dalton1
3485 Posts |
Posted - 17 Feb 2010 : 18:15:01
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That is pefectly said. Unfortunately, ours is like the 'struggle of the crabs'. See with the crabs, none will surface to the top of the waters ever, because it is more about 'bringing down' than 'lifting up'. Isn't that unfortunate? Personally, that part of it makes me loose appetite sometimes.
Unless and until people with a common enemy (the oppressed) come together wholly (in person, heart & spirit) as one solid block and fight the oppressor, there is a serious defeat. How, when and where we will do this is left on all of us. The truth though time is moving and will never wait for us.
yj |
"There is no god but Allah (SWT); and Muhammad (SAW)is His last messenger." shahadah. Fear & Worship Allah (SWT) Alone! (:
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Edited by - Dalton1 on 17 Feb 2010 18:27:42 |
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