It Is Now Time To Deliver

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It is now time for those who are entrusted with the power to run our central and local governments to deliver up to expectation.

The 2016 to 2018 electoral cycle is complete. When the next electoral cycle is to begin entirely depends on whether President Barrow decides to stay for three years or five years. Notwithstanding this, Gambians expect the central government and the regional ones to provide them with the services that will reduce their poverty and hardship and propel the country towards sustainable development.

At the moment out of the 19.7 billion dalasis national budget, 10.2 billion dalasis must come from the outside to support the development activities. At the moment the President and entourage are in Brussels to seek donor support for the government’s national development plan. The government has given promises of constitutional reform, civil service reform, security reform, electoral reform and reform in the administration of justice. Public servants are expecting salary increases. The public is expecting higher income, affordable commodities, utilities and other consumer items.

These are the expectations. Now the government should work day and night to meet these expectations.

This paper will assume its traditional role of holding the government accountable to the public as dictated by the constitution.