The
leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP), Ousianou Darboe, has delivered his
New Year message with special focus on reconciliation, as he rhetorically asked
how far Gambians have come as people in healing a politically divided nation.
Below
is the full text of Mr. Darboe’s message:
Dear
Compatriots,
As
we take stock of the year that was, we thank Almighty God for the gift of life
and the countless blessings. Today, the urgent question for all Gambians is how
far have we come as a people in healing the divisions of the past and building
a united nation, three years after the dictatorship that had blighted our
homeland?
As
Gambians we have much to be proud of in our efforts to build a democratic and
inclusive nation. We see it every day, in our music and sports arenas, in our
National Assembly, and on our television screens where programmes reflect the
talent and diversity of our nation and its languages and cultures. We see it in
the work of the CRC and most poignantly we see it in the work of the TRRC.
My
message this year is focused on reconciliation because reconciliation is
impossible as long as corruption continues, some individuals continue to sow
division, the vast majority of our people continue to live in poverty, high
youth unemployment which has led to a pervasive sense of hopelessness that is
responsible for the tragedy off the coast of Mauritania early this month. This
confirms that true reconciliation is not only about conceding civil liberties
of the people. It is also about political and economic transformation.
Since
we accomplished our democracy three years ago, our people have demonstrated
time and again their immense capacity to look beyond superficial differences in
the quest to achieve a better Gambia, and with it, embrace a democratic way of
life.
This
is not to diminish the impact of the past. The Gambia of today still suffers
from the effects of two decades of dictatorship, gross human rights violations
and Government incompetence. As the author William Faulkner famously wrote of
the American South: “The past is not dead and buried. In fact, it isn’t even
past.”
We
must address the unfinished business of our democratic transition. We must
close the festering wound of abject poverty that exists amongst our people. We
must forge ahead with law reform and social development. We must continue to
transform our workplaces and restructure our economy so that it benefits all.
In
this sense, reconciliation is a very practical undertaking. It is about the
work that needs to be done to unlock investment in our economy, to reduce the
cost of doing business and to promote growth. It is about the urgent measures
we need to take to ensure a reliable supply of electricity to homes and
businesses. It is about ensuring that our water resources are preserved and
equally available to all.
Reconciliation
means that we should continue to use the capability of the state to improve the
lives of the people, to have a tax regime that is progressive and public
finances that are responsibly managed. Reconciliation also requires that we
have access to quality health care through, among other things, the
introduction of a National Health Insurance.
We
need to improve the quality of education nationwide and rural schools in
particular and ensure that there is a renewed focus in early childhood development
programmes. We must continue to seek out and forge durable social compacts to
attain our vision of the ‘Other Gambia’ that has been fundamentally
transformed.
We
must all play our part if we are to bequeath to our children a society that has
truly reconciled. “It is time to put aside egos, individual and collective, for
the sake of the youth.”
Let
us make a concerted effort to move forward together, focusing on what unites us
as Gambians instead of what divides us as one nation.
We
shall continue to pray for the soul of our great leader, the first President of
the Republic Alh. Sir Dawda K. Jawara and all the souls of the departed, for
Allah in His infinite mercy to grant their souls eternal peace.
Let
us reach out to each other on this day, and throughout the year build a united
democratic nation. I wish you all well over the festive season and all the best
for the New Year.
Best
wishes,
Ousainou
ANM Darboe.
