Supplementary Appropriate Act 2007

 Dear Editor: 

The Supplementary Appropriation Act 2007 is yet another attempt by Yahya Jammeh and his Secretary of State for Finance to continue their policy of deceit and lack of transparency in the management of our country’s meager resources.  Yahya Jammeh and his cronies, including the APRC members of the National Assembly, continue to test the resolve of the Gambian people by their continuous and sustained act of fiscal indiscipline contrary to the persistent advice of the IMF and the World Bank and at the expense of the welfare of ordinary citizens. 

I will not look at the entire request because most of it does not deserve my comment.  The state of the finances of our diplomatic missions deserves attention but has been effective addressed by Hon. Sidia Jatta.  To reiterate his point, we simply cannot afford Missions in Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Morocco, Mauritania - the list goes on.  However, I’d like to select one aspect of the proposed Bill to illustrate the persistent lack of transparency of this Government and the ineptitude of the National Assembly.  

Of the total amount of the additional resources being authorized by the National Assembly is approximately GMD 85,000,000.  Of this amount, over half i.e. GMD 44.5 million is allocated to the Department of Finance for the rehabilitation of Customs and Income Tax provincial quarters and printing of receipt books.  It gets interesting when the SOS Finance proceeded to say that in addition to the rehabilitation works, the 44.5million is to go towards facilitating the maintenance of vehicles, purchase of additional government vehicles, development of national sports, as well as additional funds for overseas travel allowances and the payment of 2007 equity contribution to CENSAD Bank.   

Why allocate supplementary resources to the Department of State for Finance for vehicle maintenance and vehicle purchase when this sub-head was centralized in the Office of the President since 1998/99 fiscal year?  This is a deliberate misclassification of expenditure to conceal the fact that all these resources are being requested on behalf of the Office of the President.  Misclassification of expenditure to conceal real intent has been a persistent problem of the Jammeh regime.  IMF reports including the most current one raise this issue as a problem and yet the APRC government continues to flout the fundamental rules of decency by deceiving not only the development partners but the Gambians.  

To add insult to injury, the Secretary of State for Finance continues his presentation by saying that part of the 44.5 million will be going towards sports development.  As if our mismanaged resources are not enough challenge of the Finance Department to address, now we are being told that Finance will be in the Sports development business as well.  If this is not what is meant then why not indicate clearly under the Department of Youth, Sports and Religious Affairs sub-head and the amount.  What is the amount involved in the travel allowance and who is it meant for?  Is this not meant instead for the reimbursement of Yahya Jammeh for chartering the aircraft that ferry our boys to Canada after giving the impression he paid it out of his own pocket. 

I have to admit that I had to Google CENSAD Bank to learn that such a Bank does indeed exist.  It is the development finance entity of the Community of Sahelo-Saharan States established in 1998.  I bet that I was not the only one who has not heard of this Bank.  It will be of interest to know the level of our equity participation and benefits accrued to The Gambia in the form of project finance etc. from membership in this obscure organization.  Until we are given an account of our membership and benefits accrued there from, I will consider this expenditure item as another ghost item created to siphon monies from the budget into the pockets of Jammeh and his cronies. 

I say that the entire GMD 44.5 million will go to the Office of the President and to Yahya Jammeh as reimbursement for expense incurred during fiscal 2007 toward the AU, July 22, U17 triumphal return from Canada, International Roots Festival, Miss. Black America and the countless number of festivities organized by Jammeh in Kanilai.   His addiction to feasting has already impacted negatively our public finances as illustrated by the Supplementary Appropriation Act of 2007.    

Finally, the opposition members of the National Assembly have demonstrated their determination to oppose Bills of this nature that are not in the best interest of the country.  Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the APRC members who have continued to show their lack of understanding of the fundamentals of public finance.  Otherwise, how can you explain the incomprehensible and totally embarrassing statements uttered by Hons. Momodou Sallou Bah and Fabakary Tombong Jatta.  

Mr. Editor, I will be …for a couple of weeks and therefore will be unable to contribute.  Meanwhile, keep Jammeh and his cronies honest by informing the public of developments in The Gambia. 

Sincerely,

A Concerned Economist, The Quadrangle, Banjul.