The 5th Government Retreat wrapped-up yesterday in Kanilai with the vice president and minister of Women's Affairs leading Cabinet ministers' to promise that they will never contradict the aspirations of the Gambian leader. They also stated their commitment to serve the nation.

The manifest declaration is of course not new. However, it is important that we advise our public staff to at all times remember their pledges and choose the people first before anything else.

We have always stated herein that our public staff should form the basis of the Gambian personality, which President Jammeh has been calling for -a dedicated people, a people that abhor greed and detest vanity.

Of course, the commitment and determination to the cause of national development by government officials under the leadership of President Jammeh cannot be questioned. The populace is certainly behind them and they are also obligated to at all times be with and for the people.

After all, the sustainability of any national development endeavour largely depends on the efficiency of the state machinery. The more effective and efficient the state machinery is, the more the public staff submerge self in the service of the nation and ensure that state resources are maximally utilised.

The president is not relenting in his efforts to transform this country into modern state. And nowthat the country is running against time to meet its targets,everyone should come on board with equal commitment, dedication and hard work to ensure that we achieve in the shortest possible time what it took other nations generations to achieve.