They have to be taught as fundamental core values. This clearly explains the severity and extent to which corruption ruptures the fabric of any society.
It’s been reported in our yesterday’s edition of The Point that scores of people distributing rice in the area are being arrested and detained at Ndungo Kebbeh in the North Bank Region in connection with rice theft saga. The same paper also reported about the arrest of two serving members of The Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) for reportedly selling 27 bags of covid-19 food aid to a Mauritanian businessman.
For the two serving member of GAF, it is sad that they have been involved in such a misfortune out of sheer greed and dishonesty.
It is sad that during these trying moments as government tries to reduce the sufferings of people in their neighborhoods amid covid-19 lockdown that some unscrupulous ones are bent on disrupting the whole process.
When people talk about patriotism and what it entails, so many things or issues comes to mind. For some it is just a mere flag-waiving! Patriotism is more difficult. It is not merely waving a flag or reciting a pledge. It requires earnest attention, reflection and action. And patriotism inspires service to the country.
And it is high time people start embracing the core values of patriotism. Because patriotism requires good-faith debate about how our ideals should be practiced. At the same time, it is solidarity in building a better nation. It doesn’t allow minor differences to separate the greater unity and progress.
The Covid-19 has bought global economies on their knees, disrupting businesses and even movement. So any little effort to help and ameliorate the living condition of the citizenry for God’s sake should not be tampered with.
We hope that those arrested would be brought to justice. It is only by punishing those who have been apprehended that we can make head way in stemming the surge of this kind of negative misconduct in the country.
“A lack of transparency results in distrust and a deep sense of insecurity.”
Dalai Lama