The Daily Observer (Banjul)
5 January 2009
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Fellow Gambians,
Tomorrow heralds the beginning of a new year-a year that we look forward to with optimism in spite of the indication, as expressed globally, that it will see the continuation of a depression and economic crisis that has already gripped many parts of the world.
It has now dawned on all of us that this international economic crisis is a global phenomenon that has threatened national economies, paralysed financial institutions with the result that food has become scarcer and more expensive. Thus, 2008 will go down in history as the precursor of this much lamented depression.
On hindsight, we, in The Gambia, should be gratified and encouraged by the steady progress and remarkable achievements registered during the course of the year. This is particularly manifested in the growth of our economy in 2008 despite all the odds. We have also been able to successfully cushion the impact of the food crisis, the financial crisis and the fuel crisis.
Indeed, this trend is quite characteristic of the political history of this nation since 1994. Therefore, as we celebrate the New Year, we thank the Almighty Allah for granting us the will, resolve and means to register such successes. It is thus with much joy and strong optimism that I, once again, deliver this customary New Year message to you in a bid to further reflect on our aspirations, achievements and challenges, and to brace ourselves for the ever-pressing tasks of realising our national development objectives.
Fellow Gambians,
That my government has made tremendous achievements in various spheres of development over the past thirteen years has not blinded us or deterred us from spurring on to address the uphill task of transforming the Gambian nation into the enviable state we wish to craft, as reflected in the visionary and revolutionary path we have trodden from the onset. This national goal has been outlined in the policies and programmes cogently formulated and steadfastly being implemented.
A brief recapitulation of some of the outcomes of these policies suffices to illustrate the host of very significant achievements in various spheres of life registered in 2008. It was on account of the realisation that our survival as a species depends to a considerable degree on our productive capacity and ability to provide the basic essentials of life, which implies food security for all and emancipation from poverty, that I pioneered a major onslaught to eradicate hunger as encapsulated in the back-to-the-land philosophy.
It is, therefore, not by chance that the agricultural sector has turned into a vibrant one that has attracted farmers of varied backgrounds. The rationale for the provision of seeds and farm implements and machinery aimed at increasing food productivity in the country is unmistakably well-received. Thus, a recognisable result of the upsurge of such inputs is the bumper harvest of rice and other food crops as well as an increase in livestock breeding. It is hoped that strengthening these innovative endeavours will continue to prevent the food shortages that are prevalent in other parts of the world as a consequence of the current unfortunate economic crisis and other calamities. Agriculture will, therefore, continue to be given the high priority it deserves as an axis for the enhancement of a decent quality of life for all Gambians.
Correspondingly, the requisite infrastructural development will be carried out in tandem with new innovative interventions, to provide outlets and processing opportunities for our produce. The infrastructural services provided in the areas of telecommunications, the provision of safe drinking water and power generation are meant to improve the standards of living of our people as well as engender private sector participation in national development through investments in industry and other areas.
The completion of road networks linking Barra to Farafenni and Laminkoto, and the works in progress on the South Bank road, epitomise government's unfaltering desire to ensure that our vision of a highly developed Gambia comes to fruition.
The expansion of these services in 2008 to various parts of the country has been steady but significant; the first phase of the rural electrification project has been completed and phase ll of the project covering the Western Region is soon to start in earnest in the new year.
The regulatory frameworks operationalised by the Public Utility Regulatory Authority (PURA) have begun to pay dividends. Given the open market policies in operation, telecommunication service providers have increased and have structured interconnection facilities among themselves.
Fellow Gambians,
You would agree with me that the business of developing a nation does not rest with the government alone, but is the responsibility of all citizens. Government will continue to create the enabling environment for all citizens and foreign investors to take up the challenge and the opportunities that abound for investment.
Reflecting on the other social sectors, we are proud to note the numerous achievements made in health and education. As most, if not all of you, have realised, health is accorded a top priority on my government's agenda for sustainable economic and social development. The medical school, under the ambit of the University of The Gambia, and the significant increases in health facilities and medical personnel, respectively, substantiate this claim.
Today, the Cuban doctors in the country and the medical technical assistants from such countries as Egypt and the Federal Republic of Nigeria have considerably improved the health sector and its delivery system countrywide. In shot, 2008, has been another very good year for this sector. This is evidenced by the 30% drop in the incidences of Malaria and related deaths.
In the area of education, I am happy to observe that achievements in this sector are so prominent that The Gambia now provides examples of best practices for emulation elsewhere. It is for this reason that The Gambia is the first country to implement the Basic Education in Africa Programme (BEAP), to be followed by Ethiopia and Ivory Coast, among others.
The progress made in early childhood education and the annexation of early childhood development centres to lower basic schools is another model that has earned us commendation. In like manner, the unprecedented enrolment figures of girls at various levels of the education system and the strategies employed in this regard have been acclaimed internationally.
To the dismay of sceptics, the well-established University of The Gambia has now trained a good number of personnel for the much needed human resources capital for development. In addition to this, various scholarship packages have been awarded in 2008 for university education overseas. These include the sending of 25 students to Taipei to study civil engineering, about 74 students in Venezuela to study various science related fields, and just yesterday, 18 science students left for Malaysia.
The support schemes, scholarship packages and career opportunities created through the tertiary institutions will be further strengthened during the coming years, as a follow-up on interventions implemented during the course of the year that is ending. Whilst in 2008 the Basic and Secondary Education sub-sector had to do without funding under the education for all/fast track initiative (FTI), approval has been secured for increased FTI support for the next three years- i.e, 2009 to 2011.
Consequently, it is expected that very significant strides will be made from 2009 onwards through the implementation of the new medium term plan. Importantly, though, at the higher education level, mathematics, the sciences and medicine will be accorded preferential treatment by my government.
Fellow Gambians,
Generally, 2008 has been a very good year for The Gambia, and considerable success has been registered by all the sectors. For the tourism industry, the number of tourists visiting the country is appreciable despite the international credit crunch and its anticipated negative impact on tourism.
There is every reason to believe that this season will eventually turn out to be a good one.
In the area of sports, the performance of our footballers in the current year has, indeed, resulted in making every patriotic Gambian proud; hence, The Gambia is no longer the underdog it was perceived to be in the past. Support will continue to be provided to ascertain that a balanced approach is maintained in the development of sports.
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