Your
Excellency, President Adama Barrow, allow me the honour and privilege of
addressing you through this open medium, perhaps the only means I may have of
getting over to you.
I
will begin by congratulating you on your stunning and historic victory in the
landmark elections of December 1, 2016. Your triumph is perhaps the most
universally acclaimed electoral success anywhere in the world in recent times.
One
gets the impression that there is no news network on earth that has not at one
point or the other mentioned your name with reference to your assumption of the
grand position of President of our dear country, The Gambia.
Your
Excellency, it is easy to guess that you already have very qualified persons to
advise you on all matters relating to the Economy, Security, Education, Health,
Agriculture, Freedom, Justice and Peace, and on all other areas that advance
national development.
However,
recent experience has shown that, because of their mundanity, certain aspects
of the management of the personality and comportment of the Head of State are
not given the expert attention and consideration they deserve.
Consequently,
the protocol around the person of the Head of State is allowed to comprise an
awkward and ludicrous paraphernalia.
Anything
now that goes to remind us of, or resembles, the negative things of the past
should be avoided during your entire tenure.
Your
Excellency, I plead that you consider:
1.
Maintaining the short and beautiful name that the entire world already knows:
His Excellency Adama Barrow. Do not allow anyone to add any titles to it. The
dignity and effectiveness of the President do not depend on the number of titles
appended to his name. These are mere distractions and do not in any way enhance
the efficient performance of state duties. Some are even awarded with sinister
motives.
2.
Giving due regard for officially stipulated time. If a function is fixed by
your office to start at a given time, please endeavour to be there at that
time. Do not listen to your protocol officer who wants you to wait until
everyone else is seated before you arrive. If the President makes it a policy
to be at functions on the appointed time, everyone else will ensure that they
are there before him or risk being locked out of the function, no matter who
they may be.
Arriving
at functions late even for minutes, not to talk of hours, is a sham
demonstration of importance and a blatant show of disregard for those waiting.
Accepting
‘African Time’ or ‘Gambia Mean Time’ as normal is one of the more serious and
shameful aspects of indiscipline in our society. One hopes your Excellency will
reset our psyche to make us greater respecters of time.
3.
De-militarizing your personal security. Gambians have become averse to seeing
hordes of armed soldiers surrounding the President during official functions.
It would be a very welcomed act if the security around you is certainly strong
but much less visible.
4. Listening to the counsel of competent and
sincere advisers. You most certainly will not know it all. But in most cases,
you will have the last say on matters of governance. Please endeavour to hear
out all sides in a case before you act.
Be a President of a few but wise words. So that you will not be a
flip-flopping President who frequently revokes his own decisions and pronouncements.
5.
Opening up the promenade in front of State House to the public. It would be a
wonderful confirmation of the openness of the new democratic dispensation if
the fortress facade of State House is removed and citizens are given the
freedom of getting as close to the seat of government as securely possible. One
is convinced that citizens and tourists will not mind going through discrete
security checks so as to be able to walk in front of the Presidential Palace
and perhaps take photo shots, during specified periods of the day or week.
Older folks would recall how as young people in Banjul, they had the pleasure
of strolling in front of ‘Government House’ on weekends especially.
Your
Excellency, this piece is written as a goodwill message to you. It is also our
humble attempt to help in a process that can add a bit more shine to the name
of His Excellency Adama Barrow, which will be embossed for posterity in Gambian
history.
May
the Almighty protect, guide and inspire you during your tenure as President of
the Republic of The Gambia.
M.
P. Ndure
Retired
