By Eden Sharp
In June, 2017, we were feted to the launching of the much-hyped Think Tank of the Barrow government, replete with the usual pomp and pageantry that we are known for. Some incessantly monitored news sites preoccupied with the list of names on the Think Tank. When the list finally arrived, most commended the so-called diversity (read tribe) of the group while a few remained cautiously optimistic. Never mind that some of the names on the list blatantly ignored the evil that permeated every sphere of Gambian society for 22 years or that some of them actually helped craft terrible laws that Yaya and his lawyers used to abuse Gambians. We expect all the members who were previously morally oblivious to receive a dose of conscience enough to come up with a “research agenda to influence public policy that impacts positively on all Gambians” (whatever that means).
The team includes many distinguished persons with broad expertise and experience who have been given the mandate to produce “a more people-centered plan to national development.
Such a plan encompasses a national strategy to strengthen the country’s democratic reputation and good governance.” It’s unclear what “democratic reputation” or “good governance” they talk about strengthening but last I checked, those were not phrases used to describe Gambia (over the last two decades) unless of course one lives in Kanilai.
The Think Tank is given an Olympian task to formulate policy; from agriculture to civic engagement, sports to tourism, gender issues to foreign affairs, medical challenges to hopeful petroleum, the youths to national defense and strategy, there’s not an area that this mighty Think Tank will not address. This effort, they tell us “will culminate in a people-centered three year (2017-2019) national policy reform agenda which is aimed at promoting democracy, good governance, rule of law, economic revival, national reconciliation and capacity building driven by an informed citizenry in a business-friendly environment of effective public private partnerships.” All this in two years they claim. I know they wrote three but 2017-2019 is more like two and a half. Since all these positions are voluntary and knowing how timely we are at everything, let’s see how much work will be done by year’s end.
Think Tanks, by and large, are agenda-focused research organizations that aim to provide expertise and analysis in order to influence or guide government policy makers. While a lot of Think Tanks are non-profit, there are others such as Oxford Analytica or Deutsche Bank Research that are for-profit. While some Think Tanks cooperate with governments to formulate policy, I am yet to hear of or read about a Think Tank that is commissioned and managed by a government. I guess we get an “A” for innovation. But here is where the canker gnaws: What if the policy recommendations of the this Think Tank do not jive with the UDP manifesto?
Despite the expansive nature of the task ahead of the Think Tank, they are tasked with only two deliverables:
1) A blueprint document reflecting the political vision and mission of the coalition government (yes it does say coalition government) in the promotion and strengthening of democracy, human rights, rule of law and economic modernization
2) A revised national development plan 2017-2019, based on the aspirations of the manifesto of the coalition government
That’s it! Two deliverables. A friend intimated to me that this Think Tank is akin to the proverbial “kicking the can down the road.” I am told that this whole Think Tank idea was Halifa’s until he got torpedoed and cast aside. Whether this is true or not, I am sure his supporters will insist that if he were involved with it, it would have had better direction than people having to clarify that they were not actually consulted to be part of it before their names were published. It would be hard to argue with them on that. We’ve heard of people who’s names were added who never acceded their consent! We saw the musings of Sidi Sanneh, hopeful for The Gambia, yet faithless in the political drivers. How torn must he be between the desire to help his country and knowing these politicians are not Sa Muta Nyos! But I digress.
The government is relying on a group of people with diverse experience in all sectors to write a national blueprint for it that will supposedly reflect the political vision and mission of the “COALITION GOVERNMENT.” It is safe to assume that the members of this Think Tank understand the “political vision and mission of the coalition government” because us mere mortals are still in the dark. I would also assume that members of the Think Tank agree to this COALITION “political vision and mission” because I don’t see how they can write a plan that is not in line with their own beliefs. But knowing how spineless some of the members are, don’t be surprised to see them contribute to anything even if they do not believe in it. But that’s the caliber of people we rest our salvation on. Talk about the low expectations syndrome! My point is this: what if the Think Tank submits a policy that says that the office of the president should not have such a large budget? Or that there really is no need for 50 people to travel to Ethiopia for some freaking conference? Will the UDP accede or just continue business as usual while they ask us to give them more time?
The other deliverable is a “revised national development plan” between 2017-2019 they say “based on the aspirations of the manifesto of the coalition government.” Chei nyun!! The coalition government is a coalition in name only.! Is the recently revised budget based on the “aspirations of the manifesto of the coalition government” ?
I think the whole exercise is one of futility and a waste of meagre resources.The government was elected, to come up with their own development plan that’s in line with their political programs. Instead, they have outsourced this responsibility to policy experts to tell them what to do. It’s doubtful that the Think Tank will produce any novel ideas about governance and policy that could not have been tried and refined over the next two years that it would take to generate those ideas. Constitutional, electoral, and civil service reforms should now be before the National Assembly with public hearings and expert testimony to be followed by enactments. It is best to learn by doing; with incremental adjustments based on feedback. Blueprints are for buildings and machines, not societies. The conceit here is the belief that a group of Gambians, no matter how august a body, can divine a development plan for the country. No they cannot! Development is what occurs organically when a free people embark on pursuing their own dreams and aspirations in concerts with others. It’s not foreordained. I will make a prediction here: This Think Tank thingy is not going to get us anywhere. If they deliver on time, it will be the usual merriment compounded with the pomp and pageantry that greeted its birth. Then we will sing ditties to the great sons and daughters that crafted it and they will be inundated with congratulatory messages extolling their greatness and love for Gambia. Then we will disperse and go about our business. The blueprint they produce will only be dusted off the shelves when they want to hoodwink some organization into funding some so-called projects! Once secured, they will marvel at their genius all the way laughing to the bank! The people, the ordinary man and woman, will remain in hardship unless they better their condition based on their own ability. Then we will be told to give the government more time. We said the same about Yaya Jammeh: We gave him more time and he ended up bilking us billions over twenty-two years !