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Darboe Unveils Ministerial Structure For Unity Gov’t
Friday, 18 November 2011 11:42
(JollofNews) - Ousainou Numukunda Darboe, Presidential Candidate for the 24 November 2011 elections and Secretary
General of the United Democratic, hereby formally presents to citizens of The Gambia, my proposed restructuring of the Ministries of government.The objective of this restructuring is to specifically and purposefully reflect the current needs and priorities of our country, facilitate an integrated policy framework, improve governmental coherence and to ensure greater interdepartmental coordination. The restructuring will also embed and bolster a culture of effective, efficient and result-oriented public and civil services.
The unity government shall comprise the following Ministries and offices:
• President & Minister of Defence
There shall be no change to the structure of this office. The President and Commander-in-Chief shall continue to be the Minister of Defence. The Gambia shall continue to be a peaceful country with no need for a separate, stand-alone Defence Ministry. When elected, I shall restore humility, maturity and dignity to the Office of President of The Republic of The Gambia and end the reckless, perilous and damaging interference and accusations directed at our neighbours. I shall also re-establish enlightened, progressive and effective defence relationships, especially with the sister republics of Senegal and Guinea Bissau.
• Vice President & Minister of National Assembly Relations
Under the current government, ‘National Assembly Affairs’ is under the Ministry of Fisheries, Water Resources & National Assembly Affairs. For a government that is committed to ‘development with dignity’, the Executive must have a serious, genuine and respectful relationship with the Legislature. As such, responsibility for National Assembly relations shall be elevated and incorporated within the Office of the Vice President. This change shall ensure a better democratic reality whilst facilitating a healthier and more effective policy-making and legislative framework.
• Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Food (MAFF)
The Gambia needs coherent strategy – and most importantly – an integrated action plan for food production, rural development and all forms of agriculture (including fisheries). The restructuring will bring together the related departments in one coherent and focussed Ministry.
• Ministry of Communication & Information Technology (CIT)
There shall be no change to the structure of this Ministry.
• Ministry of Business, Employment & Social Security (BESS)
We aim to create an innovative and enterprising culture, based on open but responsible and ethical business practices. The purpose of such an innovative economy is to unleash our untapped potential, to produce national wealth, create good quality and long term jobs, and find a niche for ourselves in the competitive regional and world economy. This new Ministry shall have the role of creating a vibrant economy of mid-level, corporate and social entrepreneurs, whilst optimising job creation and protecting the interests of employees and the citizen-consumers.
• Ministry of Education & Skills (MES)
This Ministry will cover basic, secondary and vocational education. Most importantly, this Ministry will usher in a new approach to education. MES shall move us away from the superficiality of ‘paper qualifications’. Emphasis will be focused on: substantive and sound knowledge of subject disciplines; practical skills relevant to modern professions and trades; and dynamic aptitudes that enable our children and citizens to compete well with people from all over the world. We believe that education is the great equaliser and MES shall ensure that we produce knowledgeable, skilled, innovative and confident citizens.
• Ministry of Energy & Water (MEW)
There can be no serious development, without adequate, reliable and affordable supply of energy and water. This is basic. Unfortunately, Gambia has totally failed in ensuring energy and water security. This new Ministry shall be the fuel that fires and maintains the improvement of Gambian economic and domestic life. (We will close down the pretentious Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources).
• Ministry of Forestry, Environment & Sustainability (FES)
This Ministry will put more emphasis on the sustainability of the country’s natural resources, by preventing degradation as well as promoting the augmentation and efficiency of usage of existing resources. The Ministry will maintain responsibility for specific issues such as coastal erosion, pollution, desertification, biodiversity and climate change.
• Ministry of Finance & Trade (MFT)
Income generated directly and indirectly through internal, regional and international trade is the most important source of finance for our country. As such, our trade policy and practice need to be closely linked to public finances.
• Ministry of Foreign, Regional & Diaspora Relations (FRD)
Within the international arena, The Gambia use to have a reputation as a peaceful haven of human rights. This has been totally destroyed by the current government. The Gambia now aligns itself to pariah nations. Through the reform of this Ministry, we shall reverse the existing negative foreign policy. The new Ministry shall not be pontificating on ‘foreign affairs’, it shall focus on creating, maintaining and improving productive relationships with regional and international partners. FRD shall also adopt an enlightened and forward-looking approach to dealing with the Gambian Diaspora.
• Ministry of Health & Public Sanitation (HPS)
The health of people, is by nature affected by very many other aspects of life. The prevention of illness and disease as well as the provision of remedies and medical interventions involves complex sets of correlations. As such, it is critically important that this Ministry concentrates on the core task of safeguarding the health of the nation. Good public sanitation infrastructure and systems are crucial in preventing disease and illness, yet these facilities are terribly underdeveloped in The Gambia. Consequently, HPS will be tasked with giving appropriate practical focus on both the preventative and remedial aspects of health.
• Ministry of Higher Education, Science & Innovation (HESI)
There shall be no change to the structure of this Ministry, but there will be greater focus on the promotion and facilitation of innovation, especially in the context of creating a vibrant innovative economy.
• Ministry of Housing, Transport & Infrastructure (HTI)
Shelter, like food and water, is a fundamental requirement of human beings. In Gambia today, most of our citizens, in both rural and urban areas, live in sub-standard conditions of housing. The unity government deems housing as a priority within the general infrastructural development of the country. HTI shall ensure that modern days engineering techniques as well as alternative and environmentally-friendly technologies are used to provide housing, transports and other infrastructure solutions. HTI shall also develop a diversified transportation system, with greater use of River Gambia , especially for the transportation of cargo.
• Ministry of Interior & Human Rights (IHR)
Human rights abuses have become common place in Gambia under the current government. The abuse is often gratuitous, cruel and sadistic. Occasionally, human rights abuses have been outrageously justified on the basis of maintenance of national security. Our restructuring will ensure that the same Ministry will be responsible for maintaining the security of the country as well as protecting the human rights of the citizens. Our democracy cannot mature and be embedded within the polity if we continue to see human rights as an extraordinary privilege. Human rights is a basic, ordinary and inalienable part of every human being. Protecting human and citizens’ rights is fundamental to maintaining national order and security. The overall goal of the unity government is to deliver ‘development with dignity’. There shall be zero-tolerance to indiscipline and human rights abuse, NO Ifs or BUTs
• Ministry of Justice & Attorney General (MOJ)
There shall be no change to the structure of this Ministry, however the approach to its work will be totally overhauled. Under the current government, the office of the Ministry of Justice has been devalued and brought into disrepute. High turnover of Ministers and the introduction of a destructive and mercenary approach to judicial appointments and administration have undermined the independence and credibility of the judiciary. Under our unity government, the MOJ shall be tasked with making the Gambian judiciary a beacon of propriety and transforming the country into a haven of justice and fairness.
• Ministry of Planning, Lands & Local Government (PLLG)
Gambia is a small country with relatively high population and increased urbanisation. This puts stresses on physical and natural resources, public services and amenities, and the quality of life of citizens. As such, it is of cardinal importance that the science, art and innovative possibilities of ‘planning’, are rigorous applied to every aspect of urban, rural and municipal management. PLLG shall facilitate strategic coherence in the land management of the country, and ensure adherence to adopted plans and schemes.
• Ministry of Social Welfare, Women & Youths (SWWY)
Women, children and young people suffer disproportionately from the ills of deprivation and disadvantage. This is not only unjust, it also leads to a national loss as their potential to contribute to the development of the country is frustrated or reduced. This new Ministry will combat inequality and work towards attaining a threshold of welfare for every citizen. Most importantly, it will facilitate the opening of opportunities such that every citizen, irrespective of age, gender, disability or socio-economic background is able to reach and fulfil their potential in life.
• Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture & Sports (TACS)
Sports is one of the most important cultural endeavours in society, providing, health, welfare and leisure benefits to people of all ages. The Ministry brings sports within the general cultural arena. This restructured Ministry shall promote Gambian tourism as a form of enlightened cultural and international exchange. Special emphasis will be put on ethical and responsible tourism, educational and artistic exchanges, and attracting new visitors from other parts of Africa and Asia . This approach reduces current dependence of European package tourism, a business model that has many economic and cultural weaknesses. The Ministry shall also diversify and improve the cultural festivals currently undertaken, to produce a comprehensive and representative portfolio of national cultural and artistic heritage.
• Ministry of Cabinet & Policy Affairs & Head of the President’s Office (CPA)
Modern government requires both governance and management skills and aptitudes. The Ministries have overlapping and sometimes competing priorities, within a context of limited financial resources. This new Ministry shall ensure government policy becomes operational reality. CPA shall ensure absolute focus on the appropriate priorities, strategic and operational coordination between Ministries and efficient implementation of adopted policies. The culture of the unity government would be one of effective delivery, practical outputs and worthwhile outcomes; not the current status quo of ostentation, superficial ceremony and bureaucratic haughtiness.
• Secretary-General & Head of the Civil Service (ex officio) (SG)
The Secretary-General & Head of the Civil Service shall attend cabinet meetings in an ex-officio capacity. The office of SG shall work closely with CPA to ensure effective and efficient development, implementation, review and improvement of government policy.
Fellow Gambians,
When elected, I, Ousainu Numukunda Darboe, shall immediately appoint ‘‘a Cabinet of all talents’’ comprising of capable Gambians from diverse background and ensure a smooth and seamless democratic transfer of power from Yahya Jammeh to a UDP led unity government. I and my Cabinet shall initiate a programme of national reflection, reconciliation and restoration, and implement the unity government’s ‘First 100 Days Reform’ which will reflect the economic, social and political priorities of this country.
The task of delivering ‘development with dignity’ will not be easy. The unity government will need help from every Gambian and from friends of The Gambia across the world.
As a country, we should be proud and thankful that we are blessed with talented, able and committed citizens. There are many Gambians ready and willing to provide their professional expertise, practical experience, and operational competence to transform our country into a beacon of socio-economic success and a haven of justice, freedom, discipline and patriotism.
If elected, I shall tap into this resource pool and shall ask knowledgeable Gambians to advice my administration and help identify Gambian experts living both within and outside the country.
Let us all pray that the Almighty Allah helps and guides us towards a peaceful change of government and to help us deliver DEVELOPMENT with DIGNITY to the Gambian people, a destiny we all deserve.
Enough is Enough; It is time for change; It is time for Development with Dignity.
LONG LIVE the UDP Led Alliance!!
And God Bless the Republic of The Gambia!!
THE END
A.N.M Ousainu Darboe
Presidential Candidate
UDP/GMC/PPP Alliance
Banjul, The Gambia.
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Comments
You said the PPP viewed public institutions as personal institutions....Was this due to the tendency to take monies from those institutions for personal use or what...? Isn't it worse under the APRC than PPP? I mean, Jawara has never taken over the operation of any institution during his term of office...Today ,national institutions are simply taken over by Jammeh's company.... The Abbatoire belongs to Kanilai Farms....Sand mining is under them....GPTC is left to die because Jammeh is involved in public transport....So why condem the PPP but excuse the APRC ?
None genuine Gambian or honest person can disagree that under Jammeh a lot of development is registered just as you also have to agree human right abuses are made. But where are most people basing their support? This is because we before had a government that was scrap and only serving personal interests and turning government institutions to private institutions. Do you think if Jammeh had failed to deliver on development like the mafia PPP coupled with his human right abuses we are accusing him of, would he still occupy that seat?
This the very man who used to follow S.M Dibba, and then listening to those vocal words of S.M Dibba while today we are
Then Gambians shouldn't blame anybody if one day seeing themselves in a Hot soup far more than that of Arafang Yahya.
Some might think that, we are here to support this man call Naasirul Deen.
No never, if I've to support him, it would have being the good time of Hon. Baba kajally Jobe, who was close to me by then with his young man call:
Kuru Konjira, But what I want us to believe is to tell the truth for in whatever condition it maybe.
Look ta that Niuminka old Boy with double Surnames, having a Graden between Kanuma & Mayamba, that man and our Jaaranka Boy call Yaya Ceesay, this man too, is so selfish that, he never ever want to see any Jaaranka young man better than his own sons during his Days.
In the service of SeneGamBissau I remain
My brother ML,did I misunderstand you or are you saying that for Gambians 'development' is more important than the respect of their human rights....Please clarify your position for me...
As for the UDP,I am not convinced that they will be any different from the PPP,except that they may undertake more infra-structural development...For any party in government to have credibility today,infra-structural development must be a component of their programs....That's my view.
To answer your question it's a million times big "NO". We can keep on beating different tunes but the dancers knew the tune to dance. The name PPP should cease to exist even if it is inherited by a new breed of politicians the party's reputation is completely demoralized. PPP has received the death style of a frog.
The mess of PPP administration and complete failure in developing the nation today take us to this point that our people value developments above human right abuses despite critics call it “so called development”. We can deny this but can a UDP lead alliance that include PPP stand in a platform to talk of development?
Comment:
Well Said ML, This is where I kept challenging Ousaine Numukunda Darboe (O.N.D) I could remember in one of S.M. Dibba's meeting in Kombo Lameng Opposite the then NTC Shop, S.M said that, Let Gambians be ready to buy houses because there will come a day when there will be commision for the stolen items, and we've all seen after the taken of the Juntas, Numukunda was the first to defend Kairaba's Mafia Boys in court !
Can we trust such a man to lead us as a president followby the then thieves ?
May God forgive them
In the service of the turth I remain
I respect the UDP leadership because he is very law abiding that most consider him a coward but the mistake he is making is having an alliance with a party that has robbed Gambians and back warded it for decades. I know the party should accept anyone who comes to join the party but for me if PPP members are to join they have to join as an individual not as a party. The mess of PPP administration and complete failure in developing the nation today take us to this point that our people value developments above human right abuses despite critics call it “so called development”. We can deny this but can a UDP lead alliance that include PPP stand in a platform to talk of development? Failing to meet these development needs alone is a human right violation. So PPP can join as an individual but not as a party which will give damage to the UDP. This is my view not disrespect for the party.
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