The introduction of personal identification number (PIN) and what it does for the Gambian Economy.

When the PIN was introduced I was in the UK studying. However, it was one of those rear glimpses of geniuses that very inventive Gambians come up with once in a while. But is still worthwhile as the saying goes better to late than never.

The verdict must first of all go to the powers that be today, meaning the ruling party in government for creating the fertile and conducive ground for such great thinking and ideas taking root in Gambian society. That does not mean I am not cognisant of the fact that, may be the thinking that it is only a money grabbing instrument for government. That does not also means I am oblivion of the facts that we all need money so as the government too in our daily dealings and pursuits of whatever and god knows what!

No matter what a person might say about the introduction of the PINs it is one of the best inventions by way of financial instrument that the APRC Government came up with. It is also seer work of genius brain from the person, committee, GRA or whosoever is behind it. Bravo to you and mother Gambia s proud of you. Thank you.

The Gambia is virtually devoid of natural resources until yesterday when news raved across the country like bush fires of the discovery of oil and oil related minerals in our country culminating into hope, hype and our virtual brain stimulating comfort that oil and other early embedded resources are here, we were without any.

However, we are blessed with an unravelled gift of peace and a dynamic-strategic located centre for business that is the pride of Africa.

What this PIN will do for the Gambia is what the National Insurance Numbers are doing for the UK.

The UK hardly produces anything but armed with a conducive atmosphere and strategically located in Europe it has make use of the tranquillity and brains to map out a niche for its great survival and growth. The British people are one of the most heavily taxed peoples on the face of the earth.

As a working person in the UK you pay tax as you work. The more work you do the more tax you pay. They pay tax as much as 31% depending how much you earn and how many jobs you do.

Life is very expensive in the UK and the government preside over by Her Majesty (HRM) is a taxing nation and its citizenry are complaining everyday but they are the prime defenders of the Country and the Cross. They complain but they accept that the country must move and it needs money to do just that and the only way to move business is for the residents and citizenry to foot the bill.

Everyone who is resident in the UK and works or is trying to earn a living from students on internship to Gordon Brown must pay tax. There is work without a National Insurance Number, the equivalent of our PIN.

If you go for a job in the UK, the most important document is your NI card and then your Bank Account and then your passport of Driving licence. To me the objective here is the state wins then the other stakeholders and then the residue for you. The UK economy benefit billions of pounds annually on income tax and it is indeed a major income grabber for the state.

In the Gambia, the introduction of these PINs is a bold and economic-sense sensible tact by government to salvage the economy and boost our GDP as a nation and a people.

These PINS will help this country of ours to teach and train people to be tax conscious that no nation can survive from promise alone and handouts and grants. African countries since independence have been reliant on our colonial masters to bring about development and emancipation of its lots.

All African states have wrestled with this idea and for four decades into our political independence we are one step forward and two steps back. We are watching our countries slip back into colonialism by not doing something to stem the ties of handouts and grants and oestrous loans.

It is a pleasure to see nation state such as the Gambia taking development to the fore by the building of massive infrastructures and the coming into being of such wonderful ideas such as the Introduction of the PINs.

The dynamism in its youth and seeing the stream of young graduates taking the development of this country into another gear being spearheaded by the president who is also a youth is sending no other signals but development progress, development pregress, and development and progres.The introduction of the PINs is there fore an alternative source of earning for the Gambia.

The same can be said that the Introduction of the PINs is also serving as a guard against tax evasion. This is a very serious crime anywhere in the world and there is no reason why the Gambia should not mount a campaign against tax evaders both Gambian and Non-Gambian alike. It is a crime and we must do everything in our legislature to stop the practise and sensitise the masses as to what it means to be patriotic and to be honest to your compatriots. Gambian for all Gambians born and unborn generations for that matter.

Welcome to the Gambia but this little paradise should not be a breeding place for tax- evaders nor must our country be a wealth creator for lots of Middle Eastern, Europeans at our peril. We welcome all honest and hard working foreigners but please pay your taxes as mandated by the laws that be so that the country can also be what we all want it to be in order to stem the tides of youth exodus to the West in search of greener pastures, some dying on the way to a life they do not have a clue about.

The Introduction of the PINs will also serve a very dynamic ad useful statistical tool as to who pay tax and how much income tax is paid by Gambians and non Gambians and where the best performing sector of our economy lies.

The PINs will also help stop the black and red market of transacting major transactions that the government may have an interest in which before today was a loss for the government.

The PINs will also serve as a catalyst for genuine investors to have faith to come here and earn a living and scare Rouge Funds Managers and investor from entering our shores as it is evident that there is a huge investment pushing its way into our country. We all must be mindful of what packages they are selling to us and make sure you read the little prints to the contracts as that is your life be it personal or you signing on behalf of an organisation.

Please read and read very well what is being given to you or you risk the wrath of your superiors and get the sack or you may spend all your life paying debt you never really benefited from.