Freedom Newspaper Mail Bag:What our readers say today!!!
Freedom Newspaper Mail Bag:What our readers say today!!!
By A Concerned Gambian

Let me tell you how peace keeper from the gambia are suffering now in the hands of the igp and the interior minister babucarr jatta.
 
IGP and Baboucarr Jatta have instructed all the contingent commanders to collect 10% of their MSA to be paid to IGP. Infact the instructions have make Ousman Jatta the contingent commander of the Darfur team to collect from the team $100 plus during the July 22nd celebrations whether you attend the party or not. Those who opposed to that were reported as opposition to the igp and the minister.
 
In liberia, Jammeh Conta is forced to collect the money when asked why, Abdoulie Sanyang insisted they are for the uniforms used in the mission.
 
Can you imagine how many gambians are suffering in this missions. More are coming.
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One More Final and Desperate Appeal To The Opposition for Unity
By Blackerberry
 
It is disheartening, to say the least, to see the opposition so fragmented.  As a concerned Gambian, it is incumbent upon me to make this final appeal to NADD and UDP/NRP.  Gambia, our beloved country, is weeping for her people to rescue her.  She has given us so much and we need to rescue her from the strangling grip of President Yaya A.J.J. Jammeh.
 
A solution to this impasse is desirous and I am making a few suggestions which I believe would be amenable to all reasonable stakeholders.  My starting premise is to put forward Mr. Ousainou Darboe as the flag bearer.  However, this should be based on some agreed-upon conditions such as those that I am suggesting below.  The parties making up the coalition need not be re-registered.  
 
·        Term Limit - This seems to be a very contentious issue.  I suggest that the flag bearer, if elected, should stay in power for one five-year term.  Upon six months before the end of the president’s term, there should be a nationwide referendum to allow the people to decide if they want the president to stand election for another five-year and final term.  If the people reject this additional term, then the president should step down and neither seek re-election nor endorse anyone’s candidature.   Upon the people’s approval, then the president can run for his final five-year term.
 
·        Parliamentary Elections - All parties, including the APRC, can participate in parliamentary elections under their own party ticket 30 days after the president-elect assumes the presidency.  The parliament should be mandated to set up technical committees made up of non-parliamentarians to overhaul the constitution, and revive the judiciary and other vital institutions.  The quick turn around for the parliamentary elections would help to limit the president’s consolidation of power.
 
·        Executive Committee – There should be an executive committee of 12 people set up where each of the five parties (PPP, UDP, NRP, NDAM and PDOIS) would nominate two members, and the president can nominate two additional members (in addition to his party’s two nominations).  This Executive Committee would be charged with identifying and selecting the technical committees’ members, confirming/rejecting the president’s nominees for cabinet posts (excluding the vice president) and working closely with the president-elect and the parliament.  This Executive Committee’s decisions should be based on a majority of at least 7 votes.  The president-elect can have a veto power of all decisions made by the Executive Committee, unless the vote is at least 8 of 12 or two-thirds of the votes cast by this committee.     
 
These suggestions are in no way an exhaustive list of conditions, and can certainly be refined.  However, the points noted here seem to be the most contentious issues that led to the demise (or soon-to be demise, for hopeful souls like me) of the opposition coalition.  Please, for those who have contacts to these leaders, get them back to the negotiating table.  We have few days!  God Bless Gambia and all her people!!
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By Lamin Camara

Dear Editor,
 
I would like your paper to accord me space in conveying my observation on the present opposition stalemate on unity to contest the coming election.
 
I have been observing all developments within the opposition with commentaries from all sides concerned since they parted. All this time, I was trying to analyse the situation as they unfold and hopeful that all will be resolved amicably if they’re serious of salvaging the Gambian People. So far, some of the comments were not constructive and not the objective.
 
Unfortunately, I was appalled and disappointed after reading the statement of the NADD flag bearer. The insistence of the UDP/NRP coalition on occupying both the Presidency and Vice-Presidency, only demonstrates their unwillingness to enter into any possible unifying negotiation. But I would like to remind the opposition that, whichever thinks about winning the elections without the other, is living in fantasy.
 
The UDP/NRP coalition are boasting that, they have 46% of votes between them from last elections forgetting that APRC had 52% and analysing from their 4%    fall from the 2001, they can still get 48%. If the allegations of having 30,000 foreigners voting for them, which is almost 5% of voters, it can still maintain 52% of votes to win.
 
Similarly, any decline from APRC would be shared between the opposition. We all know that NADD can obtain at least 10% of the total votes, most of which will come from opposition sympathisers. In the worst case scenario, if NADD gets 5%, APRC drops to 48%, UDP/NRP 47%, as you can see, the opposition can’t still win. As a reminder, we know that part of UDP support are to go to NADD hence OJ, WAA have supporters that were part of the 39% of UDP votes. PDOIS being the most consistent in increasing there votes undermines the ability of any coalition to win.
 
I think all observers and analysts can concur that NADD is always open and honest to any plans forging unity on a balanced and forward looking manner rather than a short sighted and arrogant approach. The excuses given by UDP/NRP for abandoning the coalition is irrelevant as they have the veto power to thwart any decision they felt was not in there interest provided is done reasonably with objectivity. If they had exhausted all avenues with no outcome then everyone would be on their side.
 
Recently, the conditions put forward by UDP/NRP coalition for unity were inadequate and unreasonable. I believe it is absurd to invite someone to join you and discuss their concerns later. This should be foremost. Arguably, I think the proposal of Presidency and Prime Minister, which was pondering in mine, by NADD was another gesture of dedication to resolve the deadlock. This is the kind of pragmatic ideas I would like UDP/NRP to start putting forward on the negotiation table in order to bridge their differences. Equally, I suggest NADD to also reconsider the spirit of the MOU and adapt some of the clauses that are contested.
 
As a concerned citizen, who dreads about the future of our Dear Motherland in another 5 years of APRC, I put forward the following proposals for consideration:
 
v     UDP/NRP should rejoin NADD as this is not an individual party but an Umbrella of parties, which includes UDP/NRP from the onset.
 
v     NADD should remove the term limit for the Presidency but this has to be entrenched in our Constitution and the first term of any one selected should count towards this.
 
v     Any eventual Flag bearer should be left to contest at the end of his term hence at this juncture; we believe the necessary awareness of the citizenry would be achieved for them to make an informed choice.
 
v     The Parties should have a proportionate representation in the Cabinet but none should have membership that reaches a quorum or majority to direct the Cabinet by/through Partisan tendencies.
 
v     The UDP leader to be selected as Flagbearer and that of NADD as a Vice-President.
 
Finally, I implore UDP/NRP and NADD leaders to redefine their position and be flexible in any negotiation that promotes the unity of the opposition and both parties to bury their differences for the sake of the nation and its people. Let them not forget that history will judge them and I believe they all want to be remembered for salvaging our beloved country from the menace of tyranny, ignorance and under-development. I also call on sympathisers of both sides to refrain from their smears and instead put forward pragmatic and robust ideas to resolve the stalemate. They have to know that both sides have to adjust their positions to reach a compromise if they’re bona fide in their endeavours.
 
Yours in the interest of the nation,
 
Lamino.
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Editor

Please allow me space in your widely read and respectable newspaper to congratulate sister Fatou  jaw manneh for hr wonderful piece of opinion she wrote recently.Sister Fatou is right Jammeh is coward,imagine Jammeh running in to bush because of plane flew past over his house  his guards found him panting in nearby bush. oh jammeh why are so bluff? saying you are not scare any thing. sister keep it up

samusa
sere kunda


Posted on Wednesday, August 23, 2006 (Archive on Tuesday, August 29, 2006)
Posted by PNMBAI  Contributed by PNMBAI
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