Organisers of activities around the July 22 celebration appeared to have been amazed by the handsome cash donations given to victors of competitions.
The country has a domestic debt burden of over 23 billion dalasis. The external debt is more. Over half the population is estimated to be living in abject poverty. Civilised begging is the order of the day. The small size of our population makes the poverty less visible than in other countries. The celebration should have been transformed into stock taking. The Executive should have called a national conference of all stakeholders to look at the burning issues of the country.
One must ask, is the government more active in fanfare than stock taking to remedy the ills confronting the Gambian people? The common should be the primary pre-occupation of the government. Celebration should only be when it is served.
