Alongside Senegal, Togo and Mauritania, The Gambia has been added on the list of countries for the Corporation's MCC Directors in Washington to be partnering with, within the region. Although a good deal it is not yet a DONE DEAL.
MCC is a process therefore there are different stages each of these countries has to go through before accessing those funds. The very reason why words being used by the authorities in Washington are balanced within a given context. Here it is not only about pure financial language or interpretation of what is monetary in our mindset or simply put in the package. It is beyond that! It is a combination of financial cum economic language, diplomatic language, political language, project analysis, the expertise of grant writers, economic intelligence and ultimately putting on the table internationally convincing grants and or projects .
We may have so many projects in store as we speak but are all projects acceptable at the level of the Corporate MCC Directors level in Washington DC?
Mark you Washington DC or the Washington belt way is an active hub of global activities whose radars are never "dormant"! They remain active in space and on earth and can remotely access anything be it digital or human intelligence. What we must avoid is deriving things from existing data or plagiarised grants. Let's begin from scratch associate all the variables within a genuine mindset that must be guided by honesty and sincerity. Let enhancing the lives of our citizens or the common good remain center stage in any grant or project we forward to Washington DC.
Know it or not, believe it or not, Washington gathers everything and anything needed or necessary beyond what we can all imagine. Their target is always for citizens of those nations they are partnering with in the region, to access the resources without hurdles like corruption or any other hindrance. Authorities in Washington have to because they are also answerable to checks and balances. What do they use to get accurate or near accurate details while monitoring those projects? Direct, indirect, remote and close feeders on every aspect however minute it is or maybe. Washington pays attention to details where it is about funding projects especially where the partnership is in one way or the other linked to protecting America's interest abroad. Make no mistake about it enhancing the lives of the beneficiaries in this case being the Gambian citizens is the number one target.
One word that does turn the "light off" though, particularly in the minds of those who would be monitoring these projects ( were they are approved) is CORRUPTION! In the other hand or at this stage, my advise is for this news not to be interpreted in the wrong way. The funds are yet to be released! Let no one create Euphoria out of this for now. Lest we want to forget how the EU pledges were amplified and misconstrued! We should be sensitising our people to understand things when it is about funding, grants, loans and so forth. Where are we at as far the MCC?
In a nut shell it is like an interview. We have been shortlisted, next is for Gambia to face the panelists with a convincing cv or resume with achievements. Latter will be embedded in what we will present as convincing grant programs if you wish, projects. A Gambian son was assigned to handle the MCC in a nearby country, he is the son of the former and first President of the Republic of The Gambia Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara. He retired 2 to 3 months ago per my sources. He has a wealth of experience in that regard. Another Gambian who is familiar with the MCC is Ambassador Bai Mass Taal. Of course there are others around like former Ambassador and foreign minister Babacarr Blaise Jagne with men like Dr Ebrima Sall former head of Codesria in Dakar. MCC is a package for finance gurus, economists and diplomats which no one can debunk! A man like Abdoulie Baks Touray and former minister of finance Balla Gaye are all familiar with these dossiers. So is brother Abdou Kolley former minister of finance under President Jammeh. Our sons and daughters are being hired by other nations to handle such complex and complicated dossiers so why not
we reach out to them, form a strong team, get the funds and the work within our nation done? We should all come together within organizational skills and discipline in this and other similar tasks. One sparrow cannot make spring. Combined efforts is what any government needs to succeed. Honesty urges us to bear in mind that not all countries that are listed at the first stage do quality at the end. What causes that ultimate disqualification? It is where grants are not convincing or properly presented. We must avoid that. At this stage we as a nation must tred carefully by doing a good job. We can definitely end up getting these funds but that cannot be in the absence of expertise and experience. Cape Verde is one county that has always been benefiting from the MCC so has Senegal been benefitting from it. We must remain adamant in sovereignty as a nation! Thus supersede the performance of the latter. We can do it! We can cross the bridge as it pleases Allah. We have those who can do it within. Let's not cross borders searching for other experts. Washington respects our Gambian experts and would be more than willing to coordinate matters with them until we get every dime posted into our accounts with guide lines and criteria to follow.
We as a nation should set up a strong team that can diagnose every aspect.
Developing new MCC grant programs is the last lap! Cape Verde and others have been benefiting from the MCC because they present convincing grant programs. Its a slippery slope so let's work hard. If Gambia can get the MCC grants and then add it to our quota on AGOA, we would earn a lot of respect within Washington by extension the US Market and beyond. At this stage we need economic growth with opportunities more than ever before. Certain things we all should collectively fight against now not later are; the way our officials are depleting travel votes without benefits coming home, lethargy, indifference and reckless expenditures when it comes to running projects and or awarding contracts. We should try very very hard to minimise corruption or totally eradicate it. These are Principal when it comes to the Washington belt way! Ambassador Essa Bokarr Sey Gambia Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara. He retired 2 to 3 months ago per my sources. He has a wealth of experience in that regard. Another Gambian who is familiar with the MCC is Ambassador Bai Mass Taal. Of course there are others around like former Ambassador and foreign minister Babacarr Blaise Jagne with men like Dr Ebrima Sall former head of Codesria in Dakar. MCC is a package for finance gurus, economists and diplomats which no one can debunk! A man like Abdoulie Baks Touray and former minister of finance Balla Gaye are all familiar with these dossiers. So is brother Abdou Kolley former minister of finance under President Jammeh. Our sons and daughters are being hired by other nations to handle such complex and complicated dossiers so why not
we reach out to them, form a strong team, get the funds and the work within our nation done? We should all come together within organizational skills and discipline in this and other similar tasks. One sparrow cannot make spring. Combined efforts is what any government needs to succeed. Honesty urges us to bear in mind that not all countries that are listed at the first stage do quality at the end. What causes that ultimate disqualification? It is where grants are not convincing or properly presented. We must avoid that. At this stage we as a nation must tred carefully by doing a good job. We can definitely end up getting these funds but that cannot be in the absence of expertise and experience. Cape Verde is one county that has always been benefiting from the MCC so has Senegal been benefitting from it. We must remain adamant in sovereignty as a nation! Thus supersede the performance of the latter. We can do it! We can cross the bridge as it pleases Allah. We have those who can do it within. Let's not cross borders searching for other experts. Washington respects our Gambian experts and would be more than willing to coordinate matters with them until we get every dime posted into our accounts with guide lines and criteria to follow.
We as a nation should set up a strong team that can diagnose every aspect.
Developing new MCC grant programs is the last lap! Cape Verde and others have been benefiting from the MCC because they present convincing grant programs. Its a slippery slope so let's work hard. If Gambia can get the MCC grants and then add it to our quota on AGOA, we would earn a lot of respect within Washington by extension the US Market and beyond. At this stage we need economic growth with opportunities more than ever before. Certain things we all should collectively fight against now not later are; the way our officials are depleting travel votes without benefits coming home, lethargy, indifference and reckless expenditures when it comes to running projects and or awarding contracts. We should try very very hard to minimise corruption or totally eradicate it. These are Principal when it comes to the Washington belt way! Ambassador Essa Bokarr Sey
