By Burama Jammeh

The Secretary covers his government’s efforts in Information, Communication and Technology in Section 57 - 60. What this meant is what and how they intend to support the government with information technology. This has nothing to do with Gamtel except the fact that the services of Gamtel will be the supporting base for some of those installments. Needless to spend our time, every country, organization and individuals need to improve their ability to communicate and conduct of business with telecommunication in order to stay competitive. This is a support service needed to better facilitate the conduct of business at government. Notwithstanding, government has the primary role to regulate the proliferation of telecommunication products and services, the use of such services and products, the investment of such services and products.

Mr. Gaye reported to Deputies his government’s recognition of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to economic development and poverty reduction hence the need for a policy framework to encourage development of ICT and application into the economic sector. Mr. Gaye should not make this statement to our deputies or they should throw it back on his face. He is increasing the length of the already long noisy document. The point is, The Gambia already has an ICT policy framework on which Gamtel and other ICTs businesses, applications and uses are based on. It cannot be a justifiable matter for 2008 budget to report on ICT policy as progress of the previous budget. Additions and subtractions to such policy based on the needs of the ever changing technology and economic environment during the period under review can be reported. There impact on the overall state of that sector can as well be reported. Those are what matters and relevant to the nation during this reporting period.

I don’t think any one want to hear your formulation of National Information and Communication (NICI) Policy and E-Government Strategy. Said above the policy has already being there for use and review for improvements. E-government, E-business, maybe E-Gaye, etc is nothing more than the conduct of business through information technology. Maybe you want to tell us the number of computers and software’s purchased. Information technology should help the conduct of business to become efficient and effective. None of such are known by your government. It is six years government books are not audited. Bunch of secretaries are littered in each office to type a two line memo/letter for a boss that has another magnificent computer right on his/her face. That is gross inefficient use of resources. Probably you will help your government by asking them a simple change of attitudes as the start. I sometime wonder that the use of Information Technology in the government of Gambia is limited letter writing and data inputting (no analytical skills) into a systems installed by some expert. Also notice that editing of such letter go on multiple times with the obvious waste of paper. On the other hand, my best guess is that government telephone, fax and photocopying bills are over 90% and/or every close private use. As long as these continue the farm family in the village will remain poor.

Equally, I will not dwell on the African Union E-network – no matter the name (called E-Gaye) is a net of linked countries, organization, people, etc at/through the WorldWide Web (WWW). The fundamental purpose is effectiveness and efficiency both of which are yet to be known to the government of The Gambia. I don’t know how this will help RVTH and Basang Hospital by linking to Medical Centers in India. One thing for sure, it will be an additional source of information. Whether that will be of any practical benefit is a matter for the administrators and doctors at those hospitals. The point I will drive home is this - what is the benefit of about half a century of research on Tropical Diseases in The Gambia by the Medical Research Council (MRC) at Bakau. Maybe and maybe only, tell your friends at the African Union E-Net meetings to stop wasting tax monies on useless ventures. The researches in Gambia are more relevant to their problems. Tell them to direct their efforts in enhancing that and install the E-GAYE around it. Anyway, no hard feeling against India! Linking the University of The Gambia with India and/or other developing nations with good educational system is a good initiative. Bravo. Again the actual benefit will sit on how the resources at our end can make any practical use of what is coming from the other end. Till then you have the benefit of the doubt.

Section 61 – 63 is a stand alone on government’s population management undertakings. Basically all Mr. Gaye said is his government’s recognition of the link between our numbers to poverty. He blamed these numbers on what he called “an unfavorable demographic factor, like high fertility that exacerbate poverty in our country”. This is probably the most unfortunate statement in this document. Is low numbers good or bad? Is high numbers good or bad? Is the number of people in the Gambia the cause of poverty? Is each woman having 6.01 children the cause of poverty? MAYBE YOU SHOULD TELL YAHYA TO STOP THE CLAIMED CURE OF INFERTILITY - that is contrary to your notion of population management. There is no right/wrong answer to those questions. It all depend on where you are and where you want to go plus all the in between (remember the planner’s toolkit at the start of this analysis). United States of America has less amount of land area but more people than the whole of African continent. In Bangladesh and parts of China people permanently live in water that is not the case in The Gambia. Records had it that we are about 130 people per square kilometer yet there are open areas in the countryside without human activity and others such as Kombos it is increasingly hard to find an empty spot. Can you see real issues management should be concern with? Unless you are Yahya or boy-Gaye! This stupid notion of stop birth or reduce birth by our policy makers was partly responsible of the hostility received by Family Planning Association in some of our conservative communities.

Population management deals with numbers, where they are, where they are needed, when they are needed, in what quality, etc. Please stop insulting the nation that our fertility is high and you are happy it dropped from 6.01 to 5.54 children per woman. I hope someday you don’t tell Gambians no medical treatment for the old and sick – die and give way to the young and strong. I QUOTE! Femi Peter’s wonder if someday Yahya will not claim to be the husband of every woman in that country, because …….

According to Mr. Gaye, annual growth rate has dropped to 2.8% from 4.2%. Unfortunately, he failed to tell us why or what has his government done to achieve such a significant drop. However, he stated that UNFPA has increased its assistant to his government from US$2.75 million to US$4 million. The funds, he said, are used on maternal health, reproductive health information and services with a focus on young people and HIV prevention and the collection and utilization of gender-disaggregated data for planning. I cannot see how any of such interventions can reduce growth rate by 1.4% in less than 12 months. I honestly think Mr. Gaye is somehow insane and/or a pathological liar ever known to that country. Oh, no Sadibou Hydara is the all time number one during his brief tenure. Surprising, he did not give our population figure but said we are estimated to increase by 400,000 per annum

The report on Women in Development is just like the concern expressed about the physically challenged members of our society and education. The governments of the Gambia where never committed in changing any status quo except that of individuals serving in those governments and maybe immediate family members. All he said was UNESCO-NATCOM project that intend to develop capacity among Lady Councilors in their mandate to advise government on all matters affecting the development and welfare of women. Another insult from Mr. Gaye! First, their job and women’s affair are completely different. It is not the matter that your sex is female so you will speak for women. It is about putting in place a policy that put women at par with men in national matters, apply and enforces such a policy. In fact the Lady Councilor’s are usually the most abused in our country. They are largely illiterate, ignorant of governance and mouth piece of government political propaganda. The rest of it is your take! The second matter reported by Mr. Gaye, is a Self-Help Cooperative established in 2006. Again, that is not the point. What else can I say to drive this point home? It was said above. Even if you adopt that line, remember the vegetables gardens at Mile 7 – Bakau, the Sukuta Women’s Garden, Kafuta Village Women’s Garden – they have all failed because the returns are less than the investment. The governments of the Gambia over 40 years of self rule cannot help with value added preservation and/or processing. IBAS and other Micro-Finance Associations focusing on developing the entrepreneurial capacity of women came and gone without governmental support (policy and regulation, enforcement). In fact in most of those initiatives, government officials sent in their girl friends or the likes to contract loans without meeting the minimum credit and skills requirements. Another Self-Help will be calling them to endless meetings (wasting their time) while others trying to sleep with some of them. Sorry for my language, that is how men-in-government-positions in that country think of any nice looking woman.

Sorry that is all said about women – UNESCO and SHC. If I were Mr. Gaye I would link the noisy girl education program with this broader goal.

Trade is the next agenda of Mr. Gaye. He said both PRSP II and Vision 2020 recognize the pivotal role of trade in our economy and his government continues to formulate policies that create a conducive environment for private sector led development. Trade is an important component of the economy that should be place in the broader context as opposed to treating it in isolation. Trade is based on the Economic Theory of Comparative Advantage. It is directly connected to real sector of the economy, banking and overall financial market development. Also our trade policy has to address our economic development needs while taking into account trade agreements of World Trade Organization (WTO) and as well regional/sub regional trade agreements/protocols. Hiring external consultant to inform the government potential export and growth sectors and outlined constraints is a total waste of tax dalasi. All along this document you claimed to know our problems, what else do you need a consultant to tell you about trade. In fact besides the regulatory instruments what else you need – maintain security in Gambia, put up a good tax code, work out acceptable import tariffs, determine desired domestic market protection levels, ensure transparent expedition of trade transactions, create strong/stable financial market, facilitate communication (road, river, air and telecommunication), verifiable product certification and allow all basic democratic principles including the rule of law. It is no indication of progress that trade is recognized important and policies are been formulated. The world has talk on trade since immediately after World War II culminating into General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in 1947 to the most recent one of WTO – Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) in 1994 at the Uruguay Round of Trade Negotiations. Along sides there are many regional and sub regional agreements as well. Hence, reporting trade policy formulation in 2006/07 is only inefficiency of your government or totally lacking the knowledge of purposes of being occupants of our national offices.

Mr. Gaye trade is a strategic matter. Have you or any member of your government noticed that rice (you failed to mention it under agriculture and it is the staple food in that country ….you claimed to wanting to reduce poverty?) imported from Taiwan is cheaper than rice milled at Kuntaur, anywhere in The Gambia? Why? Research trade to find the answers! The chicken legs defrosting at the Albert market and other market s in the Greater Banjul Area imported from Belgium are cheaper than chicken reared in The Gambia, at the same markets. Why? Research on trade for the answer! Visionary leaders and educated technocrats ask the question – do we produce, buy and/or sell. Take it from here….

Sections 69 – 70 was devoted to Economic Partnership Agreements – these are agreements and/or negotiations to enter into some economic related joint efforts. They have established a committee to negotiate on such as and when one come their way. There is not much here other than it is part of our bigger economic development package including trade. That goal will serve as informant of what trade types and forms are acceptable to us.

Mr. Gaye reported on tourism from sections 71 – 77. Again he cited his government’s recognition of the output from tourism to our economic development - employment creation and source of much needed foreign exchange. He reports tourists spending on food, beverages and transportation at D1.12 billions in 2006/07 season. He said many new hotels have been built (no figure – I guess is not hard to say 1 or 100). There is no actual number reported on tourist visiting The Gambia. The only figures given are estimates. The arrivals in 2006/07 are estimated at 140,554 which represent a growth of 19.5%. The problem is the base figure is not given and the later is an estimate. The 2007/08 is projected at 148,678, a growth of 5.8% over the previous year. There is neither word on the amount of jobs created nor information on the foreign exchange contribution to the GDP.

According to Mr. Gaye good marketing is to be credited for this growth. It is a diminishing growth of 13.7% (what a lost in less than 12 months), therefore the marketers has lot more to do to keep up. The marketing is based on the good name of Gambia and our few natural heritages. Tell your boss that his heavy handedness on democracy, human rights and rule of law has almost totally wiped away our good image beyond our borders. Tell your government crime rates are on the increase when our investment in security is on the increase. The natural relation of that two should be inverse. Besides tourists spending at the local markets we are also interested to know how the hotels are own and report earnings for tax purposes. The natural heritages like Katchically at Bakau, Coconut (whatever name it is) Pond at Kartong, the Stone Circles at Niani and elsewhere and the Juffureh Slave Connection, the archeological remains at James Island are all abused by lack of help from government and/or government-led-hotels support. Furthermore, the Juffureh Festival is hijacked to Kanilai that has no historical significance in our history. The National Council for Arts and Culture’s Banjul Museum has been left to decade over the years. I wonder how many of the recent school graduates know the existence of that facility much more uses it for any academic purpose. What a pity a supposedly governments of, by and for the people denying us to know our for past presumably out of fear that we may know too much to accept further abuse.

Mr. Gaye one problem is your government’s failure to realize that government is largely a facilitator and enabler and NOT A DOER. Until this distinction is made you will remain confused as to what to do and report. Thank about!!!!!!

To be continued on the public enterprises