Mr. Editor,
Allow me space to make a very quick summary of what has and hasn’t occurred during this one year of President Adama Barrow’s rule. With intention I would first begin with what has not occurred in the new Gambia during the one year of Barrow´s rule.
HERE IS WHAT HAS NOT OCCURRED UNDER PRESIDENT BARROW´S WATCH:
– No Gambian private citizen, civil servant, or military personnel has been venturing to Mankamang Kunda the president´s home village for farming or festivals. President Barrow would never allow the enslavement of his fellow citizens.
– There has not been a single unlawful festivals at Mankamang Kunda or any other place in the Gambia.
– Unlike Jammeh’s Kanilai, Mankamang Kunda has not been treated any differently from any other village within the Gambia.
– There has not been any extra judicial killings, disappearances or lawful detention of citizens without trial in Barrow´s Gambia.
– No single journalist have disappeared or been killed since President Barrow took
power.
– No dismissal or firing of civil servants without due process.
– There has not been a single radio station or newspaper that has been arbitrarily shut down.
Even the Observer, the one-time mouth piece of the former regime is allowed to operate
freely in the Gambia.
– We have yet to see our president dishing out huge amounts of taxpayers’ money.
– Not a single Gambian has been killed by the president´s convoy.
– There is nothing resembling the cruel and banned (NIA) in today’s Gambia.
– No one fears the state or the leader.
– No existence of hegemony or fear of feeling inferior to one feels inferior in the eyes of President Barrow.
- Gambians have never been insulted, harassed or intimidated by President Barrow.
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President Barrow never meddles into the private lives of Gambians.
- No existing large scale dictatorial images or portrays of President Barrow around the country looking down on to us.
- Gambians don´t have a President who blatantly lied to them.
- Anyone who wishes to travel to the President´s home village can do so without unnecessary restrictions.
- The personal economy and businesses of the President are separated from the
economy of the country. - There is no one man show in the Gambia.
- What has occurred in the Gambia is true democracy as compared to Yaya Jammeh´s undemocratic rule.
- President Barrow doesn’t perceive Gambians as beggars by throwing food on them.
- Criminals are no more welcome in the Gambia with their dubious investments.
- The Gambia is no more a safe haven for criminal money launderers.
The list can go on and on but these are some of the things you don’t hear in the Gambia today.
HERE IS WHAT OCCURRED UNDER PRESIDENT BARROW’S WATCH:
– The Gambia has been accepted again to the international community of civilized
nations.
– Gambians both home and abroad are not scared of mentioning President Barrow´s name either with good or bad intention. They can speak up their mind freely without being arbitrarily arrested, detained or tortured.
– Gambians abroad and at home can be critical to President Barrow and his
government, travel home and sleep well without fear of being punished.
– The people engage in politics and discuss political affairs any time they wish without state machinery threat or interference.
– Political parties are experiencing a friendly political climate they could only dream of a year ago.
– President Barrow respects the Gambian economy and that he doesn’t illegally meddle with our tax money.
– The Gambia has a pluralistic parliament unlike the rubber stamp parliament of Yaya Jammeh.
– President Barrow respects the constitution and had regard for the rule of law and respects democratic principles.
– The Gambia uprooted a one man show in the likes of Yaya Jammeh. President Barrow consults his cabinet, communicates and listens to the Gambian people who elected him.
– More sustainable foreign investments are venturing into the Gambia as compared to dubious investment from foreign criminals or so-called investors.
– President Barrow´s government is in control of the Gambian economy.
– Hope and a sense of dignity has been restored.
– The Gambia today belongs to the Gambian people and President Barrow will never utter the rude utterance that ”THIS COUNTRY BELONGS TO ME.”
– There is an atmosphere of true democracy, rule of law, accountability, freedom of speech, and a sense of human dignity. Human dignity was non-existent during the Jammeh rule.
– Downpouring of Gambian semesters to the country resulting to economic boost.
Remember, Jammeh advised Barrow to be hash on us because we are Africans and there should not be any mercy on us. Otherwise he would not be able to rule us.
To my fellow Gambians, I will quit here until next time but I think now we have a sense of where we came from and where we are heading to. We should be appreciative of our beloved nation and stop for a moment and reflect on what we have achieved collectively for ourselves and beyond. In life we cannot expect to get everything but sometimes one is proud of his neighbor´s progress instead of one’s own progress. We do so knowing someday we might well benefit in our neighbor’s progress. Let us not be angry and disappointed as some are. Instead we can disagree to agree. The road will be bumpy but we will get to the Promised Land. We have a very easy-going, good-hearted President who listens to your frustrations. All what is required of us is to join hands and fix our broken country. We owe it to ourselves and generations yet unborn to fix our man-made problems if we wan to be successful in our development agenda. If you don´t reap the fruit of success in the Gambia today, be rest assured that your son, daughter, brother, sister, nephew might reap success some day in a future Gambia that is in peace and harmony with herself. Let us think and say to ourselves this is not about us but about generations to come after us. If we can do so we will see the wisdom that what combines us together is far greater than what separates us.
Whether we agree or not, we have recorded very good achievements during President Barrow’s one year in office.
Thank you.
God Bless the Gambia and Gambian people.
Alhagi Touray
Sweden-Stockholm
Ends