 |
| DUGA in Washington |
Gambia's diplomatic representation has grown almost three-fold in 20 years, according to budget figures complied by Foroyaa newspaper. The country's embassies have ballooned from modest number of eight in 1993 to twenty-two Embassies today covering over fifty countries around the globe. While the number of embassies have mushroomed, the country's economy has not grown at the same pace, and neither has government revenue.
The budget allocation for the 22 embassies to look after the welfare of Gambians living in these 50-odd countries sprinkled across the globe is shameful and scandalous, especially when compared to the amount of Gambia's meager resources is devoted to 'Futampaf' dancing in Kanilai.
To illustrate our point, In 2013, D1.5 million was allocated for all of the 22 embassies, in 2014 D 2.5 million was allocated and in 2015 D 2.4 million was provisioned, averaging out to $ 2,400 per embassy per year. What can this measly sum do for example the Washington DC embassy that covers Canada, Mexico or the London embassy that covers most, if not all of Scandinavia.
What these allocations show is that the Jammeh regime erroneously and increasingly view Gambians living aboard as enemies of his dictatorship and thus do not deserve protection from their government in Banjul. Jammeh values the lives of his kith and kin in Kanilai than Gambians living abroad, pure and simple.
