This year’s celebrations theme should be ‘National Reconciliation, Promotion of Peace and National Development’.
Gambians should put aside their political differences and work for nation building.
Mr. President, your office should revive the national awards that used to be dedicated to people who contributed immensely towards the development of the nation.
Sports and culture should be given attention whilst music and theatre should be revived to give glory to our nation.
The Ministry of Culture and its departments should be given the necessary support for the promotion of Gambian music which was on top in the 70s in the subregion.
Mr. President, in your development plans, farmers, who are playing a key role in our economy, should be assisted with equipment and products to cultivate rice, groundnuts, millet, cotton etc.
Those practicing vegetable gardening especially the women should be assisted with markets and storage facilities for their products.
Mr. President, the fishing industry, a very important industry, should be revisited and all agreements made with any country or fishing companies should be beneficial to all parties.
Fish, a very important source of nutrient, has become very expensive for the average Gambian to buy, even of ‘bonga’ which was the cheapest in the country.
Mr. President, the police should be more cautious and strict about the issuing of driving licences. The number of accidents caused by careless driving and over speeding, mostly leading to deaths is alarming.
The government should support the police with more transport and communication facilities to help them crack down on criminals.
Mr. President, water and electricity are still your government’s challenge. Your government should seek more assistance from the Arab countries, India and Japan to find an everlasting solution to the problem of electricity and water since we are hosting the OIC Summit later this year.
People are also waiting anxiously for your intervention in the issue of public transport and the rehabilitation of the feeder roads before the rains start.
Mr. President, the problem of teachers and their salary increment and allowances should be
looked into and the problem solved once and for all.
We should always be grateful for their services as well as the health workers.
Mr. President the victims are still waiting for their reparation of 150 million Dalasis. They need it badly to pay school fees, medical bills and rent.
Finally Mr. President, your government should engage the German and Swiss governments to renegotiate the plan of deportation of many Gambians from their countries.
If they have not committed any crime, they should be pardoned to stay there. They should have lawyers to fight for their cases. Their coming can cause security risk.
Good day!