We have been highlighting the seemingly common time unconsciousness problem among many Gambians in this and other pages of this paper.

In The Gambia, it is now becoming a norm that many people do not have much regard for time, regardless of their work or appointment in public office.

The truth is that many people, including some in high authority, are in the habits of turning up to functions very late. The common name for this lazy attitude towards time is "African time."

We are very much concerned about this, because the country has set herself certain development frameworks that are time bound. These include the PAGE, Vision 2010 and the MDGs.

This leisurely, relaxed and less rigorously scheduled lifestyle found in people, especially as opposed to the more clock-bound pace of daily life in the US, Europe and elsewhere in the world, should be a national concern.

The reality is that the few who are always time-conscious, and the guests who are not used to the African time system, are often being kept waiting so long.

We must respect time because this is very important in our development path as a country.

Going to work on time and closing on time should be a topmost agenda.