UNITED
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
PARTY
MANIFESTO
2016
- 2021
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F O R W A R D
This
note contains the Manifesto of the United Democratic Party (UDP) which it
intends to present as a policy guideline in the forth-coming
Presidential/Parliamentary elections. It
is a statement of intentions in respect of the socio-economic development as
well as institutional and constitutional arrangements it proposes to put in
place during its terms of office. The party intends to be identified with the
pronouncements in this manifesto the overall aim of which is “The
Transformation of The Gambia into haven of peace and prosperity”.
In
this regard, major policy areas have been identified across the board and are
carefully examined to reflect their relevance to the realization of the above
objectives. They range from strengthening democracy and sound governance,
security matters, economic policies firmly rooted in free market economy, trade
liberalization and monetary and fiscal development to provide an enabling
environment for a balanced and sustainable economic growth and development. A
pragmatic foreign policy has also been highlighted.
Reforms
in the civil service have been mentioned and special emphasis has been placed
in national unity, social justice, poverty alleviation, economic management,
and empowerment of women and good governance.
This is consistent with the UDP Government’s thematic areas which will
usher in national unity, social justice and more importantly fundamental and
positive changes in attitudes. Mention
has also been made of drugs abuse and program envisaged for the rehabilitation
of drug addicts.
The
transformation of The Gambia into a heaven of peace and prosperity through the
realization of our economic objectives for a balanced and sustainable economic
growth and for self-reliance is the hallmark of our national policy. In our view, this will guarantee poverty alleviation
through an uplifting in our agricultural productivity, industrialization of the
economy and the development of the country.
Consequently,
the UDP is determined to mobilize all resources both internal and external for
the fullest development of the country. We have opted for a free market economy
as point of departure in our economic strategy. We are determined that with the
co-operation of our development partners we will achieve this goal of improving
the well being of the Gambian people.
The potential is available and in place and we are not wanting in the will
and determination to forge ahead.
1.
I N T R O D U C T I O N
We
the people of The Gambia have arrived at cross roads. The Gambia has endured 22
years of international isolation, economic stagnation, endemic corruption,
bridle use and misuse of state power and deliberate fiddling with the
constitution to entrench self-perpetuating rule of the APRC government. The
choice that we have to make is clear: between a brutal dictatorship determined,
by all means necessary, to remain in power even at the altar of free, fair and
credible elections and a genuine democratic civilian policies to place The
Gambia among the progressive nations of the world. The UDP will provide such a Government.
Important
though is the fact that these elections are also a choice between values. At the heart of our conviction is the belief
in the freedom of the individual. We
believe that for freedom to have real meaning, standards of public service must
be high and widely accessible.
That
the rights of the individual, like all others in a free society, are the same
for all men and women irrespective of age, religion, ethnic origin and class.
Finally
for these rights and responsibilities to be exercised fully and fairly, the
Government of The Gambia must work hard to promote the general well-being of
the Gambian people by adequately supporting new initiatives, research and
innovation, the improvement of skills, infrastructure and industrial
development.
Guided
by these values, we will make The Gambia more competitive, productive and just,
more secured against crime and more conscious of the danger of environmental
degradation. The Government must serve
the whole nation. We will provide such
Government.
The
realities of current world order require that the Government provide: a stable
economic environment; that lays a firm emphasis on productive investment in the
public and private sectors, education and training to develop the skills of
young people and adults.
The
UDP will implement these policies as vital for improvement in living standards
of the people. We have confidence in our country and its people. We want to
create a society to provide equal opportunities for all and promote development
of the people’s potentials and the exercise of their rights. We shall therefore
introduce constitutional and other changes that will give renewed vigor to our
democracy.
These
policies strongly demonstrate our practical commitment to freedom. We will
strive to revive a cordial relationship with our neighbors, in particular
Senegal; strengthen our participation in ECOWAS, the AU, the Commonwealth of
Nations and the United Nations. We will respect and implement the UN Charter,
and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and all other treaties
ratified by The Gambia.
It
is time for change, time for fresh start to a new beginning in our lives and in
the life of our country. The Choice is clear. An APRC Government would mean the
perpetuation of economic stagnation, political isolation and a repressive
social environment. If there is any doubt about the inefficiency of the APRC
government, then one does not have to look beyond the destitution of the
average Gambian today and the near collapse of a once vibrant economy. The APRC
has no policies, which would mean sustained development, better health care or
improved educational standards.
The
UDP Government will give a fresh start for The Gambia. It will mean action to
rebuild confidence, fair taxation and incentives for enterprises and support
for essential services. It will mean
greater freedom, security and opportunity.
STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY AND GOOD
GOVERNANCE
Abraham
Lincoln in 1863 described Democracy as “Government of the people by the people
and for the people”. We are committed to the concept of a representative
democracy in which people choose based on informed decisions as to who they
want to represent them and defend their interests and conduct the affairs of
the state on their behalf.
The
present Constitution was tailor-made to suit the self-perpetuating project of
the APRC. A UDP Government will introduce Constitutional amendments, which
would amongst others include:
a)
limiting
the term of the Presidency to 2 terms of 5 years;
b)
limiting
the term of Local Government executives to 3 terms of 4 years;
c)
making
the office of Chiefs an elective one;
d)
entrenching
provisions relating to the Independent Electoral Commission;
e)
Making
provisions which would enable organizations other than political parties to
sponsor candidates for elections.
COMMITMENT TO DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN
RIGHTS
The
UDP has a fundamental belief in and is committed to democracy and respect for
Human Rights. There can be no sustained and meaningful development in the absence
of a genuine democracy. The people of this country have an inalienable right to
participate in all decision-making process on all issues affecting their lives
and the conditions of their existence.
Alleged
fraud, waste and embezzlement are absolutely no reasons for the seizures, abuse
and demolition of the rights of the citizens of this country or any other
country. All citizens of The Gambia must be treated equally as human beings in
the eyes of the law.
Everyone
has the fundamental right to be listened to and be heard when accused or found
to be in breach of the law.
The
UDP will ensure the establishment of an independent judiciary as the executive
arms of the law to take all legal actions necessary to preserve the rights and
privileges of the society.
We
are strongly committed to the protection of the rights of the citizen at all
times as reflected in the Constitution of The Gambia, the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights and similar legal instruments that seek to protect the
individual against the might of the state. We shall also give full support to
the individual against the might of the state. We shall also give full support
to the strengthening of the democratic institutions in the country. These will
include:
i)
Political Parties
Political
parties will be recognized as the vehicles for expressing the political will
and aspiration of the citizens. As one of the pillars of democratic practice,
political parties shall provide the necessary framework for the effective
participation of the citizenry in the political process. We shall support and
encourage the operations of a multi-party environment that will subscribe to
the process of affecting a change of government. Any law that seeks to restrict
the operations of such political parties shall be abrogated. As important
agencies in the political educational process, the UDP Government shall provide
support to political parties in carrying out their civic education programs.
ii)
The Press
The
Press has a particularly important role to play in strengthening democracy. It
has the responsibility of informing and educating the citizens as well as the
Government on the concerns, needs and possibilities of the ship of the
state. To fulfill this role effectively
calls for an active press and committed journalists whether from the public or
private sector.
We
will support and encourage a free press as a pillar of democracy. We will
abolish all unjustified restrictions on the press. We shall also ensure that
individual privacy and personal information are protected for all citizens.
iii)
Civic Education
Civic
education can only take place effectively in an atmosphere devoid of
authoritarianism. We will encourage and support civic education through the National
Civic Education Agency, the schools and the political parties so that the
citizens can play a more active and enlightened role in the political and
general development of the country. An enlightened population will be a bulwark
against political abuse of power and a defense against military interference in
politics.
iv)
Judiciary
We
shall strengthen the justice delivery systems of The Gambia while at the same
time ensuring the independence of the judiciary to dispense justice in a
credible, impartial manner. We are committed in the name of justice to
providing all people who feel unjustly treated an opportunity to appeal before
an independent judicial commission for a review of their cases.
v.
The Security of The Gambia
The
role of the Armed Forces, Police and other security agents is to defend the
sovereignty of the country and maintain peace and stability for all citizens.
We
will provide adequate resources and needed equipment for the effective defense
of the country. The Police force will be
strengthened to deal with crime and drug trafficking that is becoming a
national embarrassment.
We
will provide improved professional military and other training facilities to allow
the army to play a useful role in the development process especially in
constructing roads bridges; and gully erosion control and forest management
during peace time.
THE ECONOMY
The
Gambia successfully implemented a number of bold macro-economic policies in the
latter half of the 1980s that have released the productive sectors of the
economy from the crippling control of the Government. The liberalization
of the economy and the encouragement of private sector development constitute a
necessary first step on the road to macro-economic policy reforms already
undertaken with the support of the World Bank and IMF. These policies led to
improvements in The Gambia’s business climate and encouraged in inflow of
investments. Unfortunately, since the coup in 1994, there has been a complete
reversal in prudent economic governance in The Gambia and with it, the economic
fortunes of the country. UDP aims to put our economic policies/governance,
among others, back on track.
Economic Policy and Management
Our
economic policy shall be based on a free market principle, which will aim to
secure maximum economic growth through private sector initiatives and development.
The UDP Government will provide a sound economic environment using prudent
fiscal, monetary and structural policies that will aim to achieve the
following:
i)
Taxation
Currently, the Gambia government has three major tax
brackets:
VAT- Value Added Tax which stands at 15%, this is tax
incur by consumers at the point of buying goods and services. The impact this
system has on Gambians is adverse. However, since the Gambian economy is mainly
tax base, the introduction of VAT could have been better managed. A UDP
government will set up a panel of experts to analyze the cost-benefit of VAT on
the people.
Income Tax is at 25% whilst corporate tax is 31%. There
are other taxes on property, stamp duty etc ranging from 2.5% to 10%. A UDP
government will again, as the case of VAT, assess the impact of these taxes on
businesses, on employers, employees and the economy as a whole. A more
equitable and rational implementation of tax rate and payment execution will
put in place to ease the negative strain on the people and the country as
whole.
The tax system in the Gambia requires improvement
and streamlining. The UDP will make the tax collection procedure and
processes easier and flexible. Currently, taxation on rental income (0.3%) is a
burdensome element to many landlords. For example enforcing the fringe benefit
tax or tax on rental income will be revised to enable landlords, property
owners to see clearly the benefits of paying tax and less aggressive methods of
enforcement for late or tax avoidance.
Taxation on Small
Businesses
Some small business may not find the turnover tax as an
easy option because they are required to pay tax even if they incur a
loss. The UDP will introduce tax breaks for small businesses that have
break-even or made losses in their initial start-up within a 4 year business
cycle.
Currently small businesses pay tax on their turnover even
if they make losses within a business calendar. Tax rates will be reduced
whilst a UDP government secures other sources of revenue. As the population
continue to increase, the demand for goods and services will also
increase. Alternative revenue sources such as Funds for entrepreneurs who
will be encouraged to bring private sector innovation in various industries,
strengthening the public –private sector partnership.
A UDP government will setup a development fund such
as agricultural development bank or an entrepreneurship fund where people
across different sectors could tap into. Commercial banks would be encouraged
to give equity or loan to start ups. The incentive to encourage
entrepreneurship and with readily available funds, it is envisaged that unemployment
will drastically reduce and hence, more revenue for the state.
ii)
Monetary Policy
The
UDP government will reestablish the independence of the Central Bank. The
monetary policy goals shall be aimed at reducing inflationary pressures in the
economy, closing the savings-investment gap and complementing fiscal policy. The
monetary policy will also aim at enhancing foreign exchange earnings and
bringing the balance of trade to equilibrium. The capacity of the Central Bank
to manage and direct the monetary policy of the economy shall be enhanced.
The
regulation and supervision of the financial services sector shall be
strengthened to ensure its efficient and prudent operation and maximize
protection of depositors’ funds. A full liberal exchange rate policy will be
maintained.
iii)
Public debt management
The
current debt burden of The Gambia – both domestic and external, is no longer
sustainable with its overbearing impact on the overall economic performance. As
it is, due to rapidly increasing domestic borrowing by the government, the
country’s public debt now stands at above 100 percent of GDP as at end 2014
according to the IMF. The eternal public debt as at the end of 2014, stood at about
US$411.2 million. The domestic debt portfolio which is incurred through borrowing
from short-term Treasury-bill market, and usually at very high interest costs,
is also estimated at about GMD16.2 billion at end-2014.
A UDP government will put in place a
pragmatic public debt management policy by first reducing government spending
to raise the required amount of funding, support policies that will improve the
competitiveness of the economy and maintain an efficient market for government
securities.
Our
government will develop a risk management framework to identify and manage
the trade-offs between expected cost and risk in the government debt portfolio.
Through this framework, government would be able to regularly conduct stress
tests of the debt portfolio on the basis of the economic and financial performance.
Private Sector
We
fully recognize the potentials of the private sector as an engine for
growth. To ensure private sector led growth, the UDP government shall
support and encourage private sector activities through the provision of an
enabling environment for business and investments.
In
view of its pivotal role in the socio-economic development of this nation, the
growth and development of the private sector will be an integral component of
our overall economic policy.
To
ensure the growth and development of this sector as an engine of growth, the
UDP administration will:
Ø
Ensure regular
consultation with the private sector through its umbrella institutions on all
issues of concern to put in place policies friendly to the private sector, in a
bid to facilitate the achievement of private sector growth.
Ø
Always strive to take the
views of the private sector as essential inputs in the overall economic policy
formulation.
Ø
Put in place institutional
structures and mechanisms for private sector capacity building to make the
sector more proactive and efficient in the execution of its functions.
Ø
Encourage and support a
healthy public-private partnership for speeding up the achievement of our
micro-economic objectives.
Development of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
The
culture of small business development is not new to The Gambia. Our priority
will be to strengthen the institutional support for this sector. In this, we
will work with the relevant agencies (reintroducing and strengthening of IBAS)
and other organizations in the country. We shall update current sectoral
surveys and a small business award scheme will be instituted to encourage
competition.
Promoting Investment
We
shall place a special emphasis on the promotion of investment by providing the
necessary infrastructure, and policy initiatives with tax and other incentives.
Investments in the service sector as well as other sectors that are labor
intensive shall be encouraged to enhance employment and the empowerment of the
youth. Current bureaucratic procedures encountered by investors in the
processing of claims under the development act shall be streamlined and
simplified to eliminate subjectivity and uncertainty. A one-stop-shop system
will be established.
A
special investment promotion body shall be established for the implementation
of an aggressive investment policy aimed at encouraging domestic and foreign
direct foreign investment (FDI), in the framework of encouraging the local
enterprise initiative, and facilitating the transfer of technology and
expertise.
Power Supplies
Power
supply remains a major constraint to our development effort. We need
energy to power industries, hotels and houses. The current situation of erratic
and costly power supply continues to stifle our efforts towards realizing the
economic development goals. In this regard, the whole management of generation,
supply and distribution network should be revisited to ensure an effective and
efficient management of Gambia’s energy needs.
We
shall increase the generating capacity and thus the supply of electricity;
improve the quality of service in distribution and management and to reduce the
high cost of electricity to both industry and domestic consumers. This
policy will improve the competitiveness of Gambian industries. Alternative
energy sources such as Wind, Solar, and Biofuels will be evaluated and
exploited to diversify our options and reduce our dependence on diesel engines,
components and fossil fuels, which we imperatively have to import. The
bridge barrage project will be revisited with a view to establish its
feasibility for implementation. Thus The Gambia can gain the potential for
becoming a net exporter of electricity.
The
current policy of charging duty on generator fuel shall be reviewed with a view
to exempting it from all direct taxes.
Human Resources Development and Employment
Our
policy will be to invest in the human resources to train and retain the
necessary skilled labor force required for our economic take-off.
Employers will be obliged to invest a minimum amount in training their own work
force to make a contribution to the national training effort. People will
be trained to acquire skills relevant to every aspect of the
economy-agriculture, manufacturing and trade and service industries.
We
shall give women real and equal opportunities to work and all employees will be
given equal rights and status under law.
AGRICULTURE
One
of the important handicaps to our development is the low productivity,
especially in the agricultural sector where the overwhelming majority of the
population is engaged. Raising the productivity of farmers would raise not only
their living standards and thereby reducing poverty, but also create a healthy
and well-off rural population who will provide an important domestic market.
In
this regard, a UDP administration will develop a national agricultural policy
to tackle the low productivity and address the constraints faced by our
farmers. This will lead to programs and actions in the following areas.
i) Increasing
the yield of the land under cultivation. This will require improved
technological packages and efficient extension services. Timely access to
credit and other related inputs will be encouraged.
ii)
Increasing the land area under cultivation. This will entail bringing more land
under cultivation. In this regard we shall pursue an active policy of more
swamp lands rain-fed rice cultivation through the cultivation of dams and other
protective structures against salinization and for water conservation. We shall
support construction of causeways and footbridges to ease access and movement
inputs to and produce from swamp rice fields.
iii)
Improve Credit Service. Access to credit is an important determinant in
increasing productivity. Today the credit needs of the farmers have not been
addressed satisfactorily. We shall work with the commercial banks and other
lending agencies to develop a differentiated and responsive credit system that
addresses the various credit needs of the various categories of the farming
community.
iv)
Provision of Agricultural Inputs. The UDP Government will work with the
private sector as well as farmers’ unions to take bold and innovative steps to
ensure that agricultural inputs are delivered on a timely basis and in adequate
quantities to farmers at reasonable prices. Availability of good quality seeds
will be given special attention through, among other things encouragement of
Government and private seed production institutions. Village seed and
serial banks will be established. The party will address issues relating
to farmers at the grassroots level by providing back-up support services in the
form of training and other incentives.
v)
Marketing Services. Increased productivity will require market outlets. A
network of markets will need to be developed especially for the food crops and
horticultural produce that will ensure fair prices for the producers. We shall
encourage and support development of such markets at national, sub-regional and
international levels. Appropriate technologies will be evaluated on processing
and preservation of seasonally available agricultural products to increase
incomes and availability during other times of the year.
vi) Research
and Development. We will develop effective programs to improve on the
quality and yield of produce. The successful results of these researches
shall be introduced nation-wide through efficient and strengthened extension
services. Participatory, multidisciplinary and demand driven research
strategies, through which sustainable crops and livestock management systems
could be put in place, will be adopted.
vii) Institutional
Reform and Adaptation. To support the objective of greater agricultural
productivity the institutions in the agricultural sector will be reviewed and
adapted to face the new challenges.
In
this respect the National Agricultural Research Institute will be capacitated
and strengthened in order to enable it to generate agricultural technologies
that are environment-friendly and adapted to our socio-economic conditions.
viii)
The Soil and Water Management Unit (SWMU) shall be upgraded and expanded with
the objective of opening up more land for rain-fed rice and irrigation
cultivation in supporting the policy of food security. Also, this unit will be
enabled to expand its capacity for tackling the increasing upland soil erosion
and degradation problems.
ix) Agricultural
Diversification. Agricultural diversification provides another opportunity to
raise farm income. In addition to the traditional tree crops, we shall
promote the introduction of improved varieties of fruit trees and
vegetables. The planting of these trees will not only generate revenue but
also improve the vegetation cover. The annual tree planting season will be
reinstated.
x) Encourage regional concentration of crop
cultivation commensurate with their inherent potential and maximizing
productivity
Fisheries
The
UDP Government fully recognizes the potential of this sub-sector both in terms of
food and foreign exchange earnings and shall implement appropriate policies for
its sustainable development. We shall encourage diversification and efficient management
of our fisheries resources with a view to optimizing utilization in order to
improve the diets and incomes of the cross section of our society.
A
UDP led government will particularly develop in-land fishing as a strategy of
providing employment opportunities for rural people especially for youths and
women. With the abundant fresh water from rivers across rural Gambia, the UDP
led government will develop sustainable aquaculture farms providing the
appropriate technology and the training needed to quickly help many rural
families’ particularly young people grow out of poverty. With time and through
the sustainable efforts put in place, the small fish farms put in place will be
scaled up to cover many areas. The government will create a whole value chain
where private sector operators will be encouraged to setup hatcheries in
strategic administrative regions/places which are sold to fish farmers. Those
who are not into fish farming can engage in the chain supply and selling of the
fish and or fish foods. With the pace of ongoing rural electrification that the
government will embark on, those engaged in large scale supply of fish will be
less burdened by the problems associated with storage. In this way fish is made
affordable in rural areas and employment generated.
Regarding
ocean fishing, the UDP led government will strengthen policy against poaching
and use of Fila-turneh nets….which are large scale fishing nets that can
stretch tens if not 200 metres. With dwindling fish stock in our waters, the
UDP led government will put in place critical conservation strategies that will
protect and see the country’s fish stock increase.
EDUCATION
Education as a basic right of an
individual and a means of achieving personal fulfillment will be a major policy
objective. Furthermore education is
closely related to the economy, as it is a major partner in development. In view of this the development of our human
resources through education and training is a necessary step in achieving
economic growth and development.
The objectives of our education policy will be
further geared towards improving opportunities for the upward social mobility
for all, narrow the income inequality gap so that the positive effect of education
would benefit all. For any Nation to achieve its development
goals and to be sustainable it must be led by a well-fed, healthy and educated
society. We will build the organizational capacity to come up with the right
reforms to achieve the critical minimum effort required for
success. As part of the process of our education sector, the UDP led
government will identify and address the most salient of the constraints of
training and educating our young, to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
The quality of education in the country still
face the challenges of low levels of learning outcomes and achievements at
all levels of the system. According to a Department of Education strategy
published in August 2008 only 20 percent of grade-three students passed English
and 18 percent Mathematics in 2008. Grade-five students fared little better
where 30 percent of the students passed English and 13 percent
Mathematics.
Quality remains a serious problem in Gambian
schools. Quality is compromised by a number of factors including high teacher
and student absenteeism, low content knowledge of trainee-teachers, and few
career development opportunities for teachers. Some of these reasons have been
documented even in the Department of Education’s 2008-11 strategy.
The UDP led government will adopt and
implement an education policy that adequately responds and safeguards the
interests of the parents, the pupils, and of course the teachers, who are the
key implementers of the policies and programs. We will improve the number of
contact hours between teachers and children that has been drastically cut by
the government’s extreme lavishness with public holidays and school holidays.
The parents and teachers will be involved in the formulation of the policy so
that they will be abreast with the basics of the education policies, whose
successful implementation they are key players in.
We will improve the pupil – teacher ratio and
basic teaching materials such as chalks, textbooks, teaching aids to improve
teaching and learning conditions in schools. Training and career development
for teachers will be improved apart from the basic training they receive from
the Teacher Training institutions. A conducive and enabling environment will be
created to improve the working conditions of teachers as a strategy of
motivating them to ensure efficiency and commitment to quality education
delivery and learning achievements. In this regards, the UDP led government
will provide adequate funding to the education sector to ensure retention of
teachers especially at primary and secondary levels.
A UDP Government will encourage vocational
and entrepreneurial training to be part of the school syllabus to equip our
children the skills for self-employment. The Gambia at the current state of
economic development needs more technically skilled under-graduates to face the
demand and challenges of the twenty-first century.
The university education system will also be
revamped in a way that ensures quality but also guarantees relevance. Our
government will support the different faculties of the university to equip the
students with the relevant education needed to advance the development goals of
the country.
TECHNOLOGY
AND TELECOMMUNICATION
As we approach the end of the second
decade of the 21st Century and the beginning of the 3rd Gambian republic, the
UDP government will embark on reforming our tertiary institutions to be centers
of technological innovation. The information-age technology and the advent
of data “superhighway” for multi-media communications led to the explosive
growth of the Internet and applications based on Internet
Protocol (IP). The high-speed broadband
has now become a ubiquitous means of communications; the key feature of which has been the evolution of
High speed Data services, IP Telephony (VoIP) and Internet Protocol Television
(IPTV) all based on Internet applications, are now standardized means of
transporting Voice, data and Video (Commonly known as “Triple Play”).
Internet
– Access to Technology
Ø Upon assuming the responsibility to
steer the affairs of this great nation, the UDP government will immediately
convene an international conference with our partners and local stakeholders to
carve out a plan to inject energy and resources into the already crumbling
infrastructure that had endured a serious battering to the brink of a complete
collapse. This conference will focus on sectors of our infrastructure that are
currently rendered useless or near failure such as, telecommunication (Gamtel),
energy- NAWEC (solar, windmill, electricity), education, tourism, agriculture,
health, etc.
Ø It is apparent that the Jammeh
government has over two decades successfully mismanaged, or disoriented the
most important resources of any nation, and that is its human capacity. Once
upon a time, the Gambia could brag of the best and the brightest civil service
in the whole of Africa; however, in Jammeh's Gambia, experience, education and
loyalty to the nation have become taboos, while sycophancy, nepotism,
inefficiency, and egocentrism are rewarded. A UDP government will reward people
with experience, education, skillfulness and the technical know-how to make
things happen and will appeal to all Gambians in the Diaspora to participate in
the rebuilding of the homeland.
Ø A UDP government will integrate the
teaching of technology education in the elementary/primary school curriculum so
that all students will become proficient in the use of technology by the time
they reach high school.
Ø A UDP government will use
technology as a tool to educate the people. We will ensure that every school in
the country from elementary to the university level is a place where people can
have access to up-to-date technology. By doing so, we will work with Gamtel and
other Broadband service provides to make Internet access available to all
communities from Kartong to Koina. We will make real the idea that the world is
a global village. Our people have the potential to be technology savvy and the
UDP, as a party will make them realize this fact.
Ø A UDP government will ensure that
each and every high school in the country has a high-tech library with
computers and Internet access so that their learning will not be restricted to
reading hard copy books, instead, they will benefit from unlimited educational
resources that are available out there to their counterparts around the globe.
Ø A UDP government will transform the
University of The Gambia as a center for Research and Development (R&D). By
doing so, the UDP government will encourage both professors and students to
cultivate a learning curiosity in technological innovation for the betterment
of the country. As a result of this new R&D initiative, The Gambia
government will rely on its potential instead of outsourcing such important
functions to foreign corporations.
Telecommunication
The
Internet Broadband and IP-based technologies have many comparative advantages
over the traditional circuit-switched systems which make it possible
as an
integrated
ecosystem
that
is reliable, secure,
accessible, and cost-effective; where all of one’s communication needs can easily
be fulfilled with the highest
standards of service.
Ø Since Gamtel has the infrastructure
in place and with the ACE’s submarine fiber optic cable, it now has abundant
bandwidth that is not being fully utilized. UDP Administration will meet Gamtel’s quest for “Triple Play” by
introducing and expanding Broadband services by using Optical Fiber cable and
Wireless Broadband transmissions throughout the entire country. It is UDP’s
objective to make communications in The Gambia the best, it once was and make
Gamtel & Gamcel the success stories once again.
Ø A UDP administration will ensure
that with a Liberalized market, there is fair competition amongst all service
providers and to ensure reliable, efficient and high-quality services are
rendered to call customers regarding network availability, accessibility,
retainability, reliability and affordability. By Regulation, PURA (The Gambia
Public Utilities Regulatory Authority) will be empowered in the monitoring and
assurance of these parameters.
Ø A UDP government will not try to
suffocate Voice Over IP (VoIP) calls via Viber, IMO, Skype, WhatsApp, Talkray,
etc., such as the APRC government has been doing without success.
Ø Instead, A UDP government will try
to improve the services of Gamtel and Gamcel to increase their customer base,
thereby reduce the incoming and outgoing fees for all calls. For example, an
international from U.S to The Gambia through Skype cost 92.5 cents per minute
on landline and 67.6 cents per minute on a mobile phone, while it costs only 4
cents per minute to call Nigeria.
HEALTH
The Gambia’s ranking on the UNDP's Human
Development Index (HDI) value two years ago for 2014 was 0.441— which put the
country in the low human development category—positioning it at 175 out of 188
countries and territories. Between 1990 and 2014, Gambia’s HDI value increased
from 0.330 to 0.441, an increase of 33.5 percent or an average annual increase
of about 1.21 percent. Yet despite this positive development trend, a National Household
Survey (NHS) estimated that 61.2% of the population is classified as
"poor". This high poverty rate implies a high level of disease
vulnerability on the population and has serious implications for public health
services delivery.
Life
expectancy at birth for both men and women increased by 5 years over a
twelve-year period of 2000-2012; the WHO region average increased by 7 years in
the same period. In 2012, healthy life expectancy in both sexes was 8 years
lower than overall life expectancy at birth. This lost healthy life expectancy
represents 8 equivalent years of full health lost through years lived with
morbidity and disability.
The leading causes of death in children are malaria and infectious diseases.
Cardiovascular diseases (including hypertension), diabetes, cancers and trauma
are the common diseases/conditions are major killers among adults. Inaccessible
and inadequate maternal health care services are responsible for increased
maternal morbidity and mortality. The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in the
Gambia has declined from 1 050 deaths per 100 000 live births to 730 per 100
000 live births but this is still unacceptably high.
Infant mortality rate (IMR) has increased
from 84 to 93 per 1000 live births.
The Gambia is faced with a high disease
burden with emerging and re-emerging diseases such as HIV/AIDS, cholera, and
other communicable diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis and meningitis.
One of the major obstacles facing the health
sector is the shortage of health personnel at all levels of the health care
delivery system. The doctor population ratio of 1: 6132, the nurse population
ratio of 1:1554 and the trained midwife population ratio of 1:3325 are below
the 1:1000 standard ratios for developing countries. There is a high attrition
rate (between 30-50 %) and slow production of new health workers resulting in
the shortage of health personnel at all levels of health delivery. As a
consequence, there is a high reliance on foreign health professionals. Out of
the 99 medical doctors (clinicians) in the public health sector, almost 80% are
expatriates, mainly from Cuba, Nigeria and Egypt.
The Gambia faces daunting challenges in
disease control. The gaps in the health system that demand the most attention
are to do with service delivery at the district level, through the
strengthening of primary health care; improving the referral system; sustaining
adequate Human Resources for Health (HRH) and reinforcing the regulatory
framework with appropriate reforms in public health.
Under a UDP leadership, the key issues area
to be addressed would be:
Ø To
implement an appropriate and effective health financing policy by revamping and
strengthening the cost recovery programme – A Drug Revolving Fund for the
rationalized procurement of drugs and other medical supplies;
Ø To
improve the health care delivery system in the country by the rational staffing
of the Health Centres. Newly qualified doctors from the University would play a
pivotal role in this effort;
Ø To
decentralize the health management responsibilities, especially the
administrative functions to the Regional Health Teams (RHTs) will be fully
implemented to facilitate health delivery in areas outside the Greater Banjul
Area.
Ø To
integrate traditional medicine into the mainstream health care delivery
system as a priority in collaboration
with research institutions like the Medical Research Council (MRC);
Ø To
reduce morbidity and mortality due to communicable and non-communicable
diseases and conditions, and strengthen health-promotion capacity at all
levels; this would entail strengthening primary health care from village level
to referral hospitals;
Ø To
improve maternal health and reduce neonatal and childhood morbidity and
mortality;
Ø To
guarantee a six -months maternity leave with pay for working mothers;
Ø To
improve the general standards of health of the population and address health
consequences of emergencies by improving the preventative aspects of public
health including environmental
sanitation.
Ø To
effectively improve skilled staff retention and circulation by providing
incentives particularly for staff serving in the rural areas, including better
housing and amenities.
Ø To increase the size as well as improve the quality of our health
service delivery team/personnel through continuous recruitment and training.
Health should not be a privilege;
it is a basic Human Right. A UDP
government will make sure that under its watch no Gambian dies because they
could not afford the money for health. The UDP's commitment is caring for
our country's most precious resource: The Gambian People.
WOMEN'S AFFAIRS
So far as the place and contribution of women are concerned, it has been
the policy and practice of United Democratic Party to put women in the fore
front or our activities and decision making.
Since the inception of the party, women have been fully represented at
Executive level and as officials of various women’s and youth wing. At national
level, we believe that women should be fully involved in political decision
making at both the local and national levels. There must be representation of
women in local councils and national parliament which is at very abysmal.
The
UDP believes that the starting point of addressing the women’s issue is to
attack their poverty status. Women make up a substantial majority of the
Gambia’s poor. The prevalence of female headed households, the lower earning
capacity of our women and their limited control over their spouse’s income all
contribute to this disturbing phenomenon. In addition the Gambian women have
less access to education, formal sector employment programmes. These facts
combine to ensure that poor women financial resources are meager and must be
improved relative to men’s. To address these, the UDP strives to;
Ø
Bridge the large earning
differential between men and women by instituting equal pay for similar task
and break down barriers of entry of women to higher paid jobs. By opening
access to some in urban areas to obtain formal employment in private companies
or public agencies instead of restricting them only to low informal
productivity jobs. In the rural areas our women will be given adequate
resources necessary to generate stable incomes.
Ø
The UDP believes that a
review of legislation and the social customs that prohibits women from owning
landed properties or signing financial contracts without a husband’s signature.
The ineligibility of women for institutionally provided resources such as
credit and training will also be reviewed.
Ø
The UDP also feels that
review government employment or income enhancing programs to be made more
accessible to women thus reducing existing income disparities between men and
women. Programmes to alleviate poverty increase training programmes urban areas
to increase earning potential and formal sector employment for women’s produce
such as vegetable plots are being encouraged through the Women’s Wing.
Ø
The UDP aim at more
integration of women in development programmes, which must be drawn into the
economic mainstream. This entails increasing the rate of female participation
in educational and training programmes, formal sector employment and
agricultural extension programmes. It is also of primary importance that
precautions be taken to ensure that women have equal access to government
resources provided through schooling, services, employment and social security
programmes. In order to improve the economic status of women, we shall also
provide incentives for the informal sector which employs the majority of the
female labour force.
Ø
The aim has been to
address the consequences of the decline in women’s relative or absolute
economic status which has both ethical and longer economic implication. We are
of the view that any process of growth that fails to improve the welfare of the
people experiencing the greatest hardship, broadly recognised to be women and
children, results not only in the disempowerment of women, but also fails to
accomplish one of the principal goals of development. In the long run, the
current low status of women is likely to translate into a slower
rate of economic growth. It is for this reason that the UDP will do everything
in its power to ameliorate the status of women.
Apart from the positions reserved ex-officio for women on National
Executive – National Chairperson Women’s Wing, Secretary Women’s Wing, President
Female Youth Wing and Secretary Female Youth Wing, the post of Secretary for
Legal and Human Rights Matters is held by a woman. This position, which is
fourth in the hierarchy of officials, is held by a professional lady. Out of a
total membership of twenty five on National Executive, ten are females.
YOUTHS
The Gambia has a robust and fast growing youth population. In fact current
statistics show that almost half of the country’s population is youths.
Notwithstanding their numerical size, the situation of young youths under the
current government is one of destitution and desperation.
The APRC government’s notion of youth development is one placed on short
terms benefits where young people are offered nothing beyond festivals,
intangible benefits that hardly add value to their life and seasonal jobs on
the President’s numerous farms and cattle ranches.
Due to hopelessness, along the length and breadth of this great country of
ours, entire communities have been depleted of their youths, leaving behind
mostly the elderly and women to scrounge a living from an agricultural economy
that has also collapsed because of government neglect and mismanagement.
This has exacerbated poverty, brought about food insecurity and undermined
the overall economy with its attendant adverse effects on health and
education.
Today, we are losing a whole generation of our young people to the desert
and high seas as they give up on the proposition that they can live free and
dignified lives in their homeland. The combination of a lack of opportunities
to live even a modest subsistence life in the village and the excesses of a
predatory government that has become their serial abuser, has made life for
young people anywhere else preferable even at the risk of death.
The APRC government still continues to ignore a myriad of factors that
could help tie the fortunes around in favor of young people’s empowerment.
A UDP led government will put in place policies and pragmatic strategies
that would help young people their full potential and catapult them to the
ladder of success and political participation by first improving the democratic
space, provide and support skills development, eliminate favoritism, end
negative stereotypes of youths, encourage mentorship, open up opportunities
that job placement for young people, improve the alternatives for education and
personal development.
TOURISM
From
Bartil Harding's 1965 pioneering trip of 300 Swedes to 25,000 tourist arrivals
in 1976, (originating from a few more European countries), the number of
visitors continue to rise steadily until 1994/95 when the declining trend set
in.
As
a matter of reality, government should not only see tourism as a source for
foreign exchange earnings but an industry that also offers limitless opportunities
for employment. In The Gambia the management of this volatile industry (in
theory) falls within the purview of The Gambia Tourism Board, while all the
practical realities point to the contrary as outsider stakeholders are
directing the affairs of this important industry.
Under
a UDP administration, the tourism industry will be harnessed with the following
specific goals and objectives;
Ø
Increase the industry's
contribution to the GDP from 12% to between 20%-25% in 5 years;
Ø
Create employment
opportunities (both direct and indirect) to 150,000 within 5 years;
Ø
Increase the share of the
local stakeholders from under 10% to 25% of the total revenue generated by the
industry within 10 years, and exponentially thereafter;
Ø
Limit the
All-inclusive Policies and expand
the out-of-pocket spending of the average tourist so as to support the local
operators and the allied industries such as local crafts, tie-dye, ground
operators, etc...
Achieving
these goals and objectives will require the implementation of the following
strategies, viz:
i)
Diversifying and
strengthening our products, i.e.;
·
Strengthening our
traditional products such as sun-beach/winter tourism and cultural products;
·
Develop our floral and
avi-fauna potentials to enhance the ecological/scientific tourism component,
such as bird watching;
·
Develop our river
cruising, sports fishing and catamaran tourism potential;
·
Encourage the development
of tourism infrastructures in the countryside such as tourist camps and/or
"waikikis" in order to extend visitation up country.
ii)
Promotion and Marketing,
i.e.;
·
Open tourism bureaus in
continental Europe so as to market specific products in upscale niche markets
in countries like Switzerland, Italy and Germany;
·
Embark on a direct
marketing campaigns in the United States so as to maximize our benefits from
the opportunity that the advent of "Roots" opened for us as the true
gateway for cultural tourist ("pilgrim") coming this to market.
The UDP will
also have mechanisms in place to mitigate the negative impacts of tourism such
as pedophilia and on the environment.
TRANSPORTATION
In
order to engender a vibrant and sustainable economic development, industry and businesses
need good roads and reliable communication facilities. The deplorable road
networks and archaic communication technology of The Gambia today are a great
disincentive in advancing the country’s drive to position it as a vibrant
service economy.
The
road networks have remained all the time largely seasonal; the national radio
hardly covers the entire country satisfactorily. At a time when countries all
over Africa are benefiting from the opportunities offered by cutting
edge telecommunications technology, The Gambia unfortunately, is
experiencing severe problems not only in connectivity but also internet
penetration.
The
UDP led government will also satisfactorily improve the urban
transportation network to reduce congestion in the cities and to improve the
time business operators and vegetable farmers spend to reach the markets.
The
UDP Government will open the country by developing a road reconstruction
program, which will provide permanent all-season roads for business and
communities. Initially, priority will be given to improving the rural
road network, which has endemically suffered from getting less than its fair
share of the country’s paved road network.
Radio
and Telecommunications services will be upgraded and given greater autonomy in
programming and operations. Private investment in this sector shall be
accorded the enabling policy environment it deserves.
The
Banjul International Airport and the Seaport shall be developed to maintain the
Gateway concept for The Gambia. Government, International Donors and private
sectors partners will be encouraged to participate in order to realize this
greater dream. Particular efforts will be put in place to make The Gambia an
air transportation hub in the region where through various forms of incentives
including tax breaks.
EXTERNAL RELATIONS
For
the first thirty years after Independence in 1965, the Gambia had a
respected place on the international scene. It played an important role in
conflict resolution in the Middle East during the Iran – Iraq conflict and
peace keeping in Liberia and Sudan. It was recognized for its
excellent respect for human rights. It was in recognition of
this record that the erstwhile continental organization
the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the precursor of the African
Union, voted to establish the headquarters of the African Centre for Human
Rights Studies and the African Commission on Human and Peoples
Rights in Gambia. However, since the
coup d’état which in 1994 overthrew the democratically elected
government of the day, the country has been the object throughout the world of
criticism and condemnation for its abysmal human rights
record and absence of the rule of law.
The
Gambia’s reputation at the level of the sub region particularly the West
African Economic Community ECOWAS - has not been smooth sailing.
This explains why the Gambian Head of State has never been
able after twenty years in power to get
elected as Chairman of this sixteen member
regional integration grouping.
Relations
with the neighboring sister Republic of Senegal, with which the
Gambia is inextricably linked by ethnicity, history and
religion and culture, have also been at most times troublesome
and erratic, to the detriment of the welfare and well-being of
the two sisterly countries.
A
UDP government will rectify this recalcitrant image that the
country has been known for in the past two decades and to this effect, will
predicate our external relations on the following principles;
i).
Mutual recognition of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other
nation-states;
ii).
Non-aligned, and, non-interference with the internal affairs of other states;
iii).
Basing our bi-lateral and multi-lateral relationships and partnerships for the
mutual benefits of all partners;
The
above tenets will lead The Gambia to:
Ø Play a
more positive role in regional, continental and international groupings,
such as, ECOWAS, wherein we shall unequivocally respect and be bound by
treaties and protocols we assent to.
Ø Re apply and restore
full membership of the Commonwealth of Nations from which the
President unconstitutionally withdrew the country from in 2015.
Ø Forge
closer ties with Senegal and in this regard, a UDP government
will enter into discussions with Senegal with a view to working
out a more practical and lasting form of
cooperation between our two countries that would be mutually
beneficial
Ø Work
sincerely and in a proactive manner with Senegal to find a lasting solution to
the protracted conflict in the southern Senegal region of Casamance, which has
a devastating effect on the sustainable development of our two countries.
Ø Rationalize its
international and diplomatic representation based on wider interest of the
Gambian people by reducing the unnecessary and
costly diplomatic missions that have proliferated under the present
regime
