Gambians urged to do away with fanfare and face reality

Halifa Sallah

The Secretary General of the People for Democratic Independence and Socialism (PDOIS) has stressed the need for Gambians to move away from fanfare and face the reality.

This is because the economic-base of this country can no longer take the burden of the young people and therefore the young people who neglected the change should be more concerned because change is their future, according to Mr. Sallah.

“In the Gambia every 12 years, 300, 000 young people will be produce by the school system and they will enter into the labour market and if these young people did not have employment, how are they going to support their mothers or even get married and it is the concern of the mothers for their sons and daughters to be married,” he explained.

During a press conference held recently at the People’s Centre, Churchill’s Town in Serekunda and organized by PDOIS; Mr. Sallah said mothers should also support this change, because it will free them from the poverty they are facing.

The press conference was aimed spreading to Gambians the PDOIS initiative of preparing the electorate for the forthcoming electoral cycle, and Mr. Sallah believes that this is the time that Gambians should listen concretely to the proposals been made by the opposition for change with regards to raising the economy.

He added that the mother also should support this change, because it will free them from poverty they are in now, adding that Gambian should listen to concretely to the proposals been made by the oppositions for change regarding how the economic can be raised.

“One party does not go to another party and say to them do this and that, no party should sit and fold their hands without developing a tactic for change, when you are doing so you first have to consult those who agree with you, to see whether it is a right or wrong tactic and from there you consult the others,” he said.

According to him, it was the intention of the PDOIS to lunched Agenda 2011 which started as a concept paper, distributed to people and PDOIS party militants sees it as a tool for change and at the Congress it was agreed that the party should promote it.

He said people should know that they are going to vote and they should take the power into their own hands, Agenda 2011 is put in place to tell the people that they should take charge of their own destiny.

He reiterated that if a coalition is reached by oppositions, Agenda 2011 will be their guiding instrument for five years and the people will then choose a candidate in an election after the five year transition programme.

He admitted that the Agenda may not be welcomed by all parties; however, his party has endorsed it and is ready to put resources and energy into it, an initiative that has already begun.

According to him, it is PDOIS’s desire to empower the people of The Gambia and that they are not having any problems with the supporters of the other political parties at the grass-root.

“We told the people that we are not here to condemn any political party, this is our Agenda, so if any political party come let them also tell you their agenda, but we see that people are really committed to genuine change,” he said.

Mr. Sallah added that they are convinced that some thing is shaking the APRC Government; however, he said he did not know what is shaking the ruling party. “What I know is that they are shaking, looking at the President’s statement at the National Assembly opening,” he said.

“Those who are managing the affairs of this country are no longer certain that they have everything under their control, but we (PDOIS) are not going to say it is because of Agenda 2011. Let the people see it for themselves, but what we know is that they are shaking.”

In the recent past, it has been difficult for opposition parties to agree on one thing, however, Mr. Sallah argues that for political parties to sit and come to terms is “very easy”, saying that once people are ready for change, the political leaders will come to terms. 

He also said some political parties are promoting Agenda 2011 underground, and even non-political supporters are in for it, and the grass-root are really in for it. Source – The Voice