Mr President, things are rapidly changing around the world, and The Gambia is not insulated against the heat or left out in the web of the economic tornado gripping nations across the world.
The politico-economic crisis faced by the world due to the US-Israel war with Iran is shooting cost of living into the stratosphere, making life difficult, particularly for the common man. And The Gambia is getting its own share of the heat. The bottleneck supply of fuel to the world due to the Strait of Hormuz blockade has created serious scarcity of the political commodity. Oil and gas today are mainstay in oiling our economies – powering our electricity supply, manufacturing and production capability, food production, transportation, and virtually everything we depend on to make a living in this day and age. For instance, transportation cost has gone up in The Gambia just recently in the wake of the West Asia war on February 28 of this year. A main source of fuel and other essential commodities to the world, such as gas, is virtually blocked by the world powers that be. Thus nations are directly and indirectly affected leading to many now resorting to cutting down on functions and activities that consume a lot of fuel so as to manage their economy and ameliorate the rising cost of living affecting the world.
Mr President, your government, likewise, should introduce some mechanisms and strategies to adjust work, programmes and activities to meet or mitigate the challenges. Since April this year, fuel prices have increased drastically, giving rise to the increase in prices of many goods and services, if not all. This situation is making life difficult for people in the country, especially the average and poor people, who cannot afford the runaway inflation or high prices of essential goods and services for the survival of man.
The increment of fuel prices has led to a high cost of living, emanating from the increased fares or cost of transportation, made more difficult with the double charges strategy created by taxi or other commercial vehicle drivers doubling charges for passengers.
Mr President, there is also a need to reduce customs charges and NRA taxes on fuel. Some countries have started reducing the number of days for work, or working hours.
If the trend of the shortfall in the fuel supply continues, The Gambia should follow suit by working four days in the week - Fridays are off till the end of the West Asia war.
The Gambia should also consider reducing the use of government vehicles, and fuel supply. Civil servants should be encouraged to minimise the use of individual vehicles, and to start collectively using vehicles to work.
Mr President, there is the challenge of price control in the country, and since it is more of a market-led pricing - a strategic approach setting product prices based on external market factors - vendors would like to seize the opportunity to increase prices whenever external or world crises like the one we are experiencing in the Middle East erupt.
Tobaski consideration
Mr President, Tobaski is scheduled for May 27 depending on the sighting of the moon, according to the calendars. As usual, the Minister for Trade should set up a committee to monitor the sales of livestock. Because of the high exchange rate of the CFA to Dalasi and the insurgency in Mali, the prices of rams, for instance, would be made exorbitant and unaffordable by the people.
As a quick and essential step, the Minister should reach out for proper arrangements with the (livestock) trade authorities in Mauritania for the supply of rams to The Gambia to tackle any shortage of rams or other livestock.
As usual, livestock vendors should have facilities to showcase and sell their livestock with the support of the Immigration, the Gambia Ports Authority, the Gambia Revenue Authority, and the Municipal Police and Area Councils to aid the process of procuring ram and other livestock.
Good day!