We are very much concerned about the way and manner, in which certain key public positions are being occupied in The Gambia.
While we are with the conviction that certain positions in public institutions should be advertised in the media to look for a right candidate, we urge that those with the requite competence should be invited to fill the vacuum.
By so doing, we believe that we can have competent and skilful candidates to occupy such key positions.
We have said it on many occasions that appointments and promotions in the public service should not be based on political affiliation or loyalty to the ruling party, but the competence of the individual.
People must be appointed, based on what they can deliver and not because they know someone in the government circle who can fix them to such positions.
We must make it very clear that while we have nothing against any such appointees, it’s our responsibility to ensure that those employed by the government live up to expectations.
After 48 years of independence, The Gambia needs more vibrant public service that would perform their mandates without any interference from any quarter.
While it is a common knowledge that the executive has some powers to make certain appointments indoors, it is also our firm belief that such appointments should be based on merits.
Here, what we are stressing is that when we keep on appointing people with limited skills and knowledge, we would hardly achieve our development aspirations, such as MDGs, PAGE and Vision 2020.
Finally, ‘whom you know syndrome,’ as well as one’s loyalty to a party should be totally discouraged when it comes to appointments and promotions.
