GAMBIANS ENJOY TO BE MISTREATED BY THEIR LEADERS
Oftentimes when I come across some Gambians living in misery defend their dishonest leaders, normalize corruption and accept bad leadership I wonder if the current miserable state of the Gambia touches their hearts. What our Senegalese neighbours will protest against and are prepared to die for we accept and celebrate in the Gambia. If after 60 years of self-governance, this is the Gambia we want, then something does not sit well with us. If our political leadership can afford luxury cars and pay themselves exorbitant salaries, they should be able to transform poor tiny Gambia into a developed nation. Let us genuinely ask ourselves, does the Barrow leadership care about our wellbeing? Do they feel ashamed when they visit countries like Rwanda, for instance?
I am a frustrated, I am angry, I am a job seeker and President Barrow refused to appoint me as IGP they will try to silence me. But truth be told, when did it become a crime to seek employment particularly in one’s country? Oh, I get it. That is just a matter of pure indifference to the plight of the vulnerable Gambians by those who enjoy to be mistreated by our dishonest and corrupt leaders. Do we ever pause to ask why the Barrow leadership appears unconcerned about bad leadership, corruption, rising criminality and high cost of living? The other day I discussed the irrationality of paying President Barrow D400 thousand a month while a teacher, police officer and nurse is only paid D7 thousand. It was Gambians who came out to justify that President deserves to be paid even more. The disparity is not only sickening but inhumane. A president who does not pay tax, rent, transportation, medical bills, his food and clothing as opposed to the police officer, nurse and teacher yet we think it is OK to pay him that much and allow our nurses to live in abject poverty.
Imagine if President Barrow’s salary is halved and the other half reinvested in agriculture, for example. Or bitter still establish a development bank that will finance the mechanization of agriculture. URR and CRR are two regions that were known for their rice and cotton production. We had the GPMB and Cotton Ginnery in Basse, Kaur and Sarro. The Barrow leadership can revised can cut down the salaries of ministers, MPs and Commissioners and invest in for us to not only attain food security but food sovereignty. Suffice it to say food sovereignty will reduce unemployment rate, increase our health condition and economic and financial independence. But we will not ensure we hold them accountable to make these changes because they we will lose our addiction and love of being mistreated by them.
I am a voice, not an echo.
Sulayman Jeng