Gov’t Ends Retreat With Calls for More Belt Tightening

The Daily Observer (Banjul)

Hatab Fadera

13 June 2011

The government of The Gambia Saturday evening ended a three-day official retreat in Kanilai with an emphatic call on the policymakers and Gambians in general for more belt tightening as the nation seeks to attain its socio-economic development targets.

The closing ceremony of the retreat was presided over by the president of the Republic, His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh. The interface brought together the cream of the government, including the vice president, Cabinet ministers, the secretary general and head of the Civil Service, permanent secretaries as well as other technocrats in the state machinery.

The retreat, which was a follow-up to two previous retreats, was convened at a time when the country has just nine years to achieve its long-term development blueprint, the Vision 2020, and with just four years to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It provided the platform for the decision-makers to build on the synergies, focus on the gains registered by the various sectors of the government, address the challenges and map out the way forward.

More importantly, the retreat provided the opportunity for the officials to present and deliberate on the Programme for Accelerated Growth and Employment [PAGE], a forthcoming development blueprint that will lead the country towards the Vision 2020. In his closing statement, President Jammeh described the gathering as a family forum, reiterating that the development of this country will be dependent on how united, focused and patriotic this family is.

The Gambian leader stressed that for them to be able to optimise their outputs, they must work together based on trust and mutual respect irrespective of their status. The government, President Jammeh continued, has learnt lessons and observed that these past retreats have shown that there have been a lot of improvements. However, he again discouraged complacency because as he puts it “there is still a long way to go”.

The Gambian leader observed that one of the critical constraints highlighted throughout the retreat was the lack of resources. While noting that it doesn’t mean that there are no resources, but inadequate [resources], the president also reiterated the need for them to curtail their development priorities and look at what is critical, fix it and then move forward from there.

He said: “Yes it is an ambitious vision, achieve what we want in nine years, or four years from now; but it is always better to aim high and do your best than to aim low and achieve small things. Success is not measured by the easier achievements you have but is measured and qualified by the difficult task and objectives that you are able to achieve.”

While reiterating that the government is and must be seen as a family, the president stressed that in this country it is only a united and concerted patriotic effort that will bring about the type of development they are talking about – that will bring the country to the level they want it to be in 2020. “But to sustain it also it is only when we work as a family coming from diverse compounds but with the same objective so that that development we are talking about will be meaningful and beneficial to the Gambian people and to all those that live in this country,” the Gambian leader asserted.

He opined that if tribalism and regionalism is discarded in the national development stride and the actors see themselves purely as Gambians, and work together for the common good, The Gambia can be a better example to the rest of humanity. He continued: “So I think what we should really argue about [is] how best we can contribute to national development. Change of attitude is there, but the most important and fundamental principle is the love and respect for one another; and off course patriotism. If we are as patriotic as other countries, this country as I said can be a superpower of economic prosperity, peace, and can be a source of inspiration to the rest of mankind.”

President Jammeh enjoined the need for personal and selfless sacrifice to the course of national development, saying, “no development comes about without personal sacrifice”. “If you are not ready to sacrifice, then you cannot give your optimum best to your country, which will be very unfortunate. There is always a price to pay for anything that is good that includes development. Let me make it very clear, as long as we continue to see each other in the context of tribe, where we come from, development will be an illusive dream,” the Gambian leader concluded.

Speaking earlier, the vice president and minister of Women’s Affairs, Her Excellency Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy harped on the strides made by the Jammeh Administration, asserting that since 1994 to date, the magnitude of developments have been unprecedented and is there for everyone to see. However, she stressed the need for all Gambians to tighten their belts, work hard, and redouble efforts so that the country can move forward. With the PRSP II ending this year, and with just nine and fours years to the Vision 2020 and the MDGs respectively, the vice president underscored the need for proper planning, implementation and prioritisation of development projects, especially those that will have multiplying effects.

“We have to have all hands on deck – not only one sector of the society can build this country. Teamwork has been shown during this retreat; we hope the teamwork continues when we leave this place. The synergy should not only stop here and on paper but it must work in practice,” the vice president urged.

Also speaking at the occasion, the secretary general and head of the Civil Service, Ousman Jammeh said the retreat availed them the opportunity to share their experiences, while expressing his conviction that the officials will leave with a renewed high sense of commitment, motivation and patriotism by redoubling their efforts both collectively and individually in the discharge of their duties and responsibilities.

He said: “I am glad that since the last Cabinet retreat, progress has been registered as evident in all the presentations. I therefore wish to take this opportunity to commend all of you including your support staff for the efforts that have been made. However there still remain serious challenges and also time is not on our side.” SG Jammeh concluded by stressing that the rate at which they are moving towards the attainment of the set visions must be faster with a view of getting to the finishing line on time.

Both the vice president and the secretary general commended the president for the facilities placed at their disposal during the retreat, as well as his foresight in initiating the retreat. They also hailed participants for their inputs.

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