FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)
Suwaibou Touray
9 November 2009
column
"Some NCC Members Are Corrupt, Gambian Intellectuals Dishonest And Pressmen Unpatriotic"-Capt. S. Hydara
"Why know that some people are corrupt and give them such a job?" Marveled Lenrie Peters
We have been focusing on politics in this column with the objective to document the contemporary history of the Gambia and to help our readers appraise themselves with the happenings of the past. We are now covering issues that culminated during the coup period of 1994. This we hope will go a long way in helping us have a better understanding of the evolution of politics in the Gambia as well as help forge a future genuine democratic dispensation for our homeland.
In the last edition, we have started reporting on the consultations of the NCC in Basse and CRD. In this edition we will bring you the opinions expressed by citizens at Brikama and reaction of a junta member. Let us continue from where we stopped.
Brikama Youth Leader Calls for Short Timetable
The NCC Sub Committee for Western Division also commenced their work and a total of 34 persons got the opportunity to air their views in a very free and fair atmosphere. Out of the number that spoke 20 persons concluded that 1-2 years of military rule is enough for the Gambia. Eleven people supported the 4-year timetable for a return to civilian democracy and constitutionality. The last speaker who, incidentally, was an old-time politician and-one time chief under Jawara, the famous Pa Sanjally Bojang of Kembuje, said three years, would be enough.
A youth leader Mr. Buba Ayi Sanneh, recommended to the NCC that one and half years is enough time for the programme of rectification and transition to democratic civilian rule.
According to the Point observation, Mr. Sanneh, amid thunderous applause, further told the NCC that even though the youths of Brikama supported the AFPRC's 22nd July takeover, it is important that the AFPRC goes along with the views of the Gambian people. He opined that people are not in support of a long period of military rule. Mr. Sanneh also noted that the Gambia could not afford to be indifferent to the opinion of the international community, which he opined does not favour anything other than democratically and freely elected governments.
Some NCC Members Are Corrupt, Gambian Intellectuals Dishonest And Pressmen Unpatriotic-Capt. S. Hydara
The paper covered a meeting at a jam-packed auditorium at The Gambia College, Brikama Campus during the period and a junta member, Captain Sadibou Hydara, the then Minister of Interior and Council's spokesman, told his audience mainly composed of students and academics that nobody should be of the view that the National Consultative Committee (NCC) consisted of only clean people.
"The NCC is a broad based and we believed they will be sincere and loyal and not selfish to get the opinion of the people," he said. "We hope they will not take this as a chance because we know all of them, we have their profiles," he argued. The NCC he went on, represents all views of life, the corrupt and incorruptible, nobody should be of the view that the NCC consists of only clean people, no. Among them you have corrupt people and clean people.
Yes! This is the fact! You have people who are loyal to the country; you have people who are not loyal to the country. You have others with good intentions for the country and others with selfish intention for themselves. So we have chosen from all aspects of life for them to meet the people, but the NCC should not take it as a chance to perpetuate their popular influence, so we have respect for them.
The Point newspaper decided to contact NCC Chairman who they described as Gambia's eminent surgeon with a phenomenal reputation Dr. Lenrie Peters, to get his reaction on the above allegation of corruption. This is what he said: "I have to see the secretary general soon, because this public statement will really undermine the veracity of the committee and in any case this doesn't help anybody at a time of national reconciliation". "After all, why know that some people are corrupt and give them such a job," he marveled.
The Point observed that Committee had done barely two days of its stipulated 21-day country wide assignment when its members were abruptly recalled to Banjul for what an official statements break". A number of things have surfaced to make it clear that the sudden unscheduled interruption of the consultations had little to do with Christmas. In the Upper River Division, the Divisional Commissioner Capt. Musa Baldeh amazed everybody when, he not only stopped the meeting but ordered all tape recordings of the Basse consultations to be instantly confiscated by the police. It is now understood that the final report of the NCC which was originally scheduled for January 2nd has now been put of for January 21st in the New Year.
According to the records, Hydara in his two hour long speech did not only stop at the NCC but also strongly lambasted the Gambian press and Gambian intellectuals for what he called their lack of objectivity, professional honesty and patriotism. He specifically cited the case of the Observer's Ebrima Ceesay in a BBC interview following the recent promotion of army officers. According to Capt. Hydara, all that Ceesay said was false, unprofessional and unpatriotic. In anything you do, count your country first and your profession, he told the capacity crowd auditorium, that Gambian intellectuals have betrayed this nation for their active involvement in the institutionalization of rampant corruption, widespread mismanagement, greed and indiscipline. He admonished the students that as youths they should forge their energies together for a better Gambia that would be an Oasis of hope, peace and all its attendant merits.
On the PPP's Singaporean dream, Captain Hydara told the students that it was all empty rhetoric without any programmes to help it take off. The Gambian economy was so fragile that such a dream was unrealizable, he said.
Earlier on, the vice chairman Captain S.B Sabally explained to the students the reason behind the July 22nd coup. He called on the students to bear with the AFPRC to help cleanse the mess. Captain Sabally also urged the college to provide relevant education towards the fulfillment of the new education policy.
POINT'S COMMENT
The editorial of the Point commented that the National Consultative Committee came under attack during the offensive of charm towards the students of Gambia College. This they described as an unfortunate thing that happened; that if the members or some of the NCC members as alleged to be corrupt, they asked why select them in the first place? They also asked the motive of advancing such allegations and whether it was meant to intimidate or to influence or a provocation meant to get some or all the members discouraged? That if it is so, then they implore the NCC members not to fall in that trap.
The paper called on members to hang on to the noble job of helping this nation to grapple with the problems related to her very survival. They also said insinuations or insults and much more mere allegations should not deter anyone from accomplishing such a noble cause in the quest of safeguarding the supreme interest of the Gambian nation, the paper posited.
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