All HAIL THE KING!!! Louis Reviews News for the week ending November 7, 2007

This week’s review starts with the National Assembly.

http://www.gambianow.com/news/Open-Forum/Analysis/Gambia-News-Another-Death-Knell-for-Democracy.html

Another Death Knell for Democracy

Sad news for Gambians here. Our ELECTED National Assembly members have passed a bill which empowers the president to take charge of the affairs of all area councils and municipalities in the country. Yes, it sounds bizarre but it IS what you think, the president is authorized to fire elected local government officials!!!

In her analysis of the president’s koriteh message, Amie Cham warns of a President who now “…rules with a sly hand, like a mouse nibbling at the edges of a cake it believes leads to a trap, getting to the chocolate-filled centre slowly, slowly.” I saw the president’s hijacking of the local governments as a stronger, more direct and more dangerous move in that he uses the country’s legislative to grapple more power from the people. What is to say that after taking charge of area councils and municipalities, the next step wouldn’t be to take charge of the affairs of the National Assembly and eventually becoming Abdul Aziz Jemus JunKING JAMMEH!!!

Do we fault the president? YES indeed. But at even greater fault are our elected officials of the National Assembly. During the debate in parliament, the Foni Kansala parliamentarian tried to justify the bill by stating that “mandating the president to remove a mayor or mayoress is still giving power to the people because the amendment of the act is being done by members of the National Assembly who are representing their peoples.” No Sir, au contraire. What you people are doing is MISREPRESENTING the people who trusted and elected you to look after their welfare.

I normally advocate for people to “respect the office” regardless of the occupant but this is becoming increasingly difficult to do in present day Gambia. “If you want respect, you’ve got to earn it” and I couldn’t think of a more fitting definition of “bone-headed” than the above reasoning. With all due respect Sir, your reasoning is as “sensible” as the one in the story on The Point where a man tries to convince the court that he only raped a girl because he was sex-starved after being imprisoned (http://www.thepoint.gm/Courts841.htm); doesn’t hold water. (Yea, I found that story interesting and just had to put it somewhere).

These National Assembly members make me feel like Gambians are living in a “DUMMY-CRACY”. Spine, integrity, ethics, honor and intelligence…are all foreign words to majority of our “representatives”.

Anyway, I’m sure the King, is doing his best to control his Pawns to protect and strengthen the kingdom. Remember though, that, “every pawn is a potential queen” and who knows when the tables might turn…

http://www.observer.gm/africa/gambia/bakau/article/2007/11/7/staff-changes-at-the-daily-observer

Staff Changes at the Observer

Surprise, Surprise! (rolling my eyes and tilting my head as I say that), Saja Taal has been fired as Managing Director of the Daily Observer. This story, like all other hiring and firing going on in Gambia bores me to death. Saja was fired less than a month ago, hired barely a day later, and now re-fried. Wake up tomorrow and find him made vice president or head janitor at state house will not surprise me one bit. Hey, here’s a very revolutionary idea for whoever is doing the hiring and firing…ready? Brace yourselves people…this is a Eureka moment!!! How about you THINK AND EVALUATE CANDIDATES BEFORE YOU HIRE THEM??? Huh? Isn’t that a great idea? It’s not so hard. You just have to put your mind to it and you can do it!!!

I would also like to plead with our online journalists to stop celebrating every time someone is fired. Don’t you find it embarrassing every time you celebrate and pour insults on a fired individual only to find out the person has been rehired in another capacity shortly after?

In the same story, the “new broom” at Observer, Mr. Dida Halake, is sweeping clean. He has promoted some, fired some and…get this…promised some changes in the next 6months to a year!!! Haha, what an optimist! Mr. Halake must hate the person who invented the seatbelt. Car Accidents? No Way! This man is courageous enough to foresee 6months of employment under the given conditions. Good luck Sir but I must remind you that the last time you were made Managing Director it lasted less than 2 days before Saja Taal was rehired.

“Foos Mbalah Fooset”

http://www.thegambiaecho.com/Homepage/tabid/36/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/874/Default.aspx

Senegalo-Gambian Ministerial Meeting Ends in Fiasco

http://www.senegambianews.com/article.cfm?articleID=1988

Senegal and Gambia issue Joint Communiqué as Ministerial meeting ends in Banjul

Now normally, The Gambia Echo and Senegambia News have been pretty much in sync with the stories they report. They’ve even had similar pictures on some stories. I was therefore surprised to see completely contradicting takes on the Senegalo Gambian Ministerial Meetings.

In the first story, The Echo claims that the meeting ended in FIASCO with Senegalese ministers boycotting the event and Jammeh calling it off.

In the second link, Senegambia News reports that the meeting did in fact go on and a joint communiqué was issued.

My question is who is lying because unless I’m missing something, they can’t both be true. Personally, I’m leaning more towards Senegambia News. Not only is their story corroborated by other news sources, they even go further to give the names of those who attended as well as the topics discussed. I’d say that The Echo’s Kissy Kissy Mansa needs to Kissy Kissy some more next time.

That aside, thumbs up to whoever is behind such a meeting between the two countries. We are one people with Senegal and no one can change that. Both governments must realize this and work together to serve the interests and best wishes of their people. Any smart government in Gambia will also realize that we are geographically flanked on 3 sides by a much more powerful Senegal and being friends with them would be a much better idea than being at odds with them. Be steadfast, maintain your sovereignty, but be sensible.

http://www.thepoint.gm/headlines2457.htm

Lamin Waa Juwara Appointed Interim Chairman of Brikama Area Council

Another surprise? NO. Anyone who read Waa Juwara’s interview with Freedom Newspaper could see that it wasn’t the same strong, outspoken opposition who had earned the name “mbarodi”. From being one of the strongest critics of the AFPRC/APRC to being appointed as chairman (or committee member) of not only the government but in a capacity that has just robbed the people of their voice (bill giving president authority over local governments discussed above), Waa is like a “reverse Mandela”. Anyway, whatever your reasons Waa, best of luck to you.

http://www.allgambian.net/NewsDetails.aspx?id=123

The Final Story this week is the Interview PK Jarju had with Sheriff Bojang. I’m glad someone “forced” me to read this story after I initially declined. I only remember Mr. Bojang from his essays on the Observer. This interview, however, gave me a bit more insight into the brilliance of the man. His answers had it all, witty, articulate, direct, humor, meanness and even a bit of cockiness. I will try and refrain from giving details just so you can go read it in its entirety yourself. As can be expected, I thought there were a few areas with “shady/incomplete” answers, I don’t think Kenneth Best did such a good job in keeping him “humble” as he claims but I must attest to the brilliance of the man.

I’ll quote a few lines from my favorite parts of the interview as an appetizer for you to go read it yourself…

PK’s Question: “What do you think of the state of Gambian journalism?”

Sheriff’s Answer - “…I have no respect for those journalists who fill their pages with pornography of insults and speculative editorialising just like I have no respect for journalists who turn their newspapers into mediums of deceitful sycophancy.

How can two former RVH security guards Mr. XXX and MR. YYY be headlining Gambian journalism today? Nerds and anoraks of the worst kind. Metaphors and useful proxies for the state of Gambian journalism? Isn't that sick?”

I must point out that I really don’t know anything about Sherrif Bojang’s journalistic professionalism, ethics or principles so don’t quote me as endorsing him as “a good journalist”. I can only hope that he is as professional and ethical as he is smart. That would make a great journalist Gambians everywhere can be proud of.

www.thegambiaecho.com

That’s Greek to me

Can someone please tell The Gambia Echo’s Dr. Fox that no one speaks Latin anymore (or is that German)? We know Dr. Fox took humanities in college where he learnt Descarte’s “Cogito Ergo Sum” but not all of us went to college so a translation would be appropriate. “I think, therefore I am” sounds way better. If you claim you’re trying to be original, I’m sure you also know that Descartes spoke French so the original would be “Je pense, donc je suis”.

I now leave you with an interesting quote unrelated to any of the above stories.

" I never said I cure AIDS; all what I said is I treat AIDS & get rid of the virus, " President Yahya Jammeh (according to Gainako)