President Jammeh has called on all Gambians to disregard our political or ideological differences for national development purposes, noting that no nation can become great if its citizens are indolent, indifferent, divided and destructive.

Addressing thousands of Gambians and non-Gambians alike, who gathered at the July 22 Square to mark the country’s 43rd independence anniversary, the Gambian leader said the moment calls for all Gambians to come together as one people and one family and resolve to make The Gambia a great nation.

“The opportunities to attain this exist, but this can only come about if we identify with the country and its heritage and values, carve out a common destiny, cling onto a shared ideology and vision and link our development efforts to that vision and ideology,” he maintained.

In President Jammeh’s view, the fundamental elements that should characterize our actions need to be embedded in the regard for ethical values, whether we consider ourselves leaders or servants of the people, professionals or artisans.

“It is necessary that we establish codes of conduct or regulatory frameworks and cultivate a keen sense of discipline to define our attitude to work and our relationships.

“Developing a nation and leading it into greatness demands productivity”, he said adding, “no nation can optimally develop to overcome its weaknesses without productive citizens “.

According to President Jammeh, his government is in the process of creating a new Gambia, a country where each and everyone will be held accountable and responsible for his or her actions, and a country where service, justice and all the hallmarks and principles of justice, equality and honest governance will permeate every section of society.

He further noted, “My view is that true patriotism should be measured not only by what we have done already, but also by what more we can do and intend to do.”

This notion, he went on, is grounded in the conviction that genuine commitment and love for ones people cannot be momentary but spontaneous and never-ending.

He maintained that like other people Africans, and Gambians for that matter, are endowed with enormous potential to change their circumstances and be counted among dignified people and nations.
 
The implication of this realization, according to President Jammeh, is that we can grow out of backwardness only if we choose to do so.

“As history teaches us, greatness cannot be borrowed or imported. People do great things that make them great and nations do things that lead them to greatness. Greatness is therefore, an offshoot of factors that devoted citizens influence, alter or transform.”

This year’s celebration was graced by Their Excellencies, Levy Mwanawasa and Pedro Pires, Presidents of The Republic of Zambia and Cape Verde respectively.

For more detailed coverage of President Jammeh’s Address see our subsequent editions.