Below, we counter key statements of Adama Barrow’s 56th Independence anniversary speech. The whole speech smells of the same filth as in many of his remarks. So, we can’t waste our time on the entire fecal matter. Gambians, by now, know the kind of leader they have. And they know he will do anything to sell our country to Senegal just to stay in power. Psychologically, his subconscious forced him or whoever wrote the speech to try to address the sovereignty we have now clearly lost—a key reason why Senegalese drivers now inveterately hit with vehicles our Gambian police at checkpoints inside Gambian territory.
“Our sovereignty should be measured, therefore, by the extent of our security as a nation and as individuals. This depends on how civil liberties and freedoms are guaranteed to fulfil the people’s aspirations and realization of their potential individually as members of a nation, family and society. This realization guides my government’s policies …”
Please stop lying, Mr. President! Even the E.U drummed into your senses time and time again that the security sector reform was key. They gave you money and more money while you signed agreements you had very limited knowledge of.
Still, no security sector reform as there has been no new constitution. Our GNA has been marginalized. You don’t even trust Gambians to be your body guards. You, as an individual aren’t sovereign, Mr. dumb President! Your State House isn’t sovereign when both you and the House are in Senegalese hands!
“…freedoms are guaranteed to fulfil the people’s aspirations and realization of their potential individually…”
The sixteen-year-old Gambian captured and detained in Senegal for allegedly fishing wasn’t guaranteed his freedom, let alone a fulfillment of his aspirations and realization of his potential as an individual! If this had happened to another country’s citizen, all Senegalese fishing activities would have halted on Gambian soil immediately!
To add insult to injury, Senegalese drivers are attacking our police and servicemen and women in uniform inside Gambia while those Gambians are doing their jobs! You put them to harms way when no action or policy is ever guaranteed or taken to address Senegal! And you speak of sovereignty—a word you couldn’t even spell few years ago?
Here’s a correct interpretation of your words on sovereignty for Gambia today: I, selfish Adama Barrow want to stay in power longer than promised. But since Gambians don’t agree, I have to depend on Senegal and filthy Macky Sall. But Macky wants me to handover Gambia’s sovereignty.
As long as I stay in power, I’ll surrender Gambia to Senegal and Macky Sall because either I don’t care about sovereignty or lack the understanding of its meaning. This is why a Senegalese diplomat could rape an underaged Gambian girl and I won’t say or do anything!
This is why Senegalese drivers habitually hit our police officers with vehicles in The Gambia as those Gambians try to do their birthright jobs but nothing would happen to the cruel and spiteful Senegalese drivers!
“We must look inward as a nation to tap our resources and comparative advantages…”
No, we can’t! Why? Because the Chinese and Senegalese are stealing our fish as we publish this. They bribe your ministers and permanent secretaries who conspire to burn down a whole ministry. Still, nothing comes out of such crimes.
Even the logs of wood harvested on Gambian soil are seized by Senegalese occupying forces that have been historically hostile to Gambians! And you have the guts to talk about tapping our resources as a nation? Do you listen to yourself, Mr. President even though you didn’t write that speech?
“Let me reassure you all that my government is steadfast and confident of delivering on our promises…”
What promise is bigger than “staying for three years and leaving thereafter”? You campaigned on this key promise and many Gambians believed you. You later made a filthy u-turn with filthy remarks, “When campaigning, you can make all kinds of promises. But when you win, you do otherwise.”
No wonder all other promises are broken! You’ve been there almost five years and Gambians have been shot and killed in cold blood. Others arrested and put in jail due to political opinion. Even the draft constitution’s curse shall be on you forever after wasting our solid D116 million on it while Gambians struggle with monthly rent and daily bread.
“Reject drugs, crime, ethnic rivalry and all vices that are harmful…”
Who is helping the Banta Keitas and Lebanese Tajudeen bring containers of cocaine into our small country? You still refuse to address the supplier, but seek to advice the purported consumer, albeit knowing fully that such huge shipments of such heavy-duty drug weren’t meant for Gambia! You never came out to address the nation about these drug lords even though the crime persists!