In a recent press release signed by the secretary general of the group, Calestine Kujabie and obtained by The Point, they said that the pronouncements made by the President took a good number of Gambians by surprise as it was unexpected at a time when there's speculation about the failure of democratic values in the country.
“Calling a group of people or party, individuals or media houses as a threat to national security is a manifestation of his government's failure to address the security threats that could have been avoided if a proper and genuine security reform blueprint was critically defined and implemented.”
“The general political misconduct and disorder has been instigated by the government's lack of focus and concentration on the implementation of expected reforms and recommendations. If the President is really focused on accelerated growth and development as he claims, then Gambians should have realised better and critics silenced.” the release added.
“The issues expected to be of concern should be the 2020 draft constitution, the high cost of living, unending corruption, the deteriorating health sector, the gloomy economy, security reforms , recommendations of the costly commissions and task forces, audit reports and recommendations amongst many other pressing issues and concerns.”
The group also noted that this is not the time for Gambians to hear such utterances from a President, who was elected by the people for the purposes far different from what he represents.
“It's unfortunate that a President who was elected by Gambians who valued good democratic dispensation, supported by the diaspora and made popular by the media, could make a U turn with the support of a cohort of opportunist, self centered and greedy enablers of the former regime, to utter such an ill advised speech to the people who elected him.” the release dilated.
They call on the President to get back on the track that convinced the Gambians to vote for him, the diaspora to finance his campaigns and the media to promote him and his agenda.
“We the Coalition of Progressive Gambians express our disappointment and call on the International community and goodwill partners to support and stand in solidarity with goodwill Gambians to dismiss this pronouncement.”
