PRESIDENT JAMMEH OPENS 2008 LEGISLATIVE YEAR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANJUL 000117 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL EPET KDEM SOCI GA SUBJECT: PRESIDENT JAMMEH OPENS 2008 LEGISLATIVE YEAR REFS: (A) BANJUL 19 (NOTAL) (B) BANJUL 106 (NOTAL) (C) BANJUL 109 (NOTAL) BANJUL 00000117 001.2 OF 002 -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (U) On March 28, President Yahya Jammeh presided over the opening of the National Assembly, which marked the beginning of the 2008 legislative year. This year's event was the most elaborate in recent years and was attended by National Assembly Speakers and parliamentary delegations from four West African countries. President Jammeh used the occasion to outline his government's plans in various sectors of the economy, spoke out against unproductive men in the workforce, racism, and homosexual marriage, and provided an explanation for the delay in oil exploration in The Gambia. END SUMMARY -------------- A GRAND AFFAIR -------------- ¶2. (U) The National Assembly Speakers of Senegal, Mauritania and Guinea Bissau and a Parliamentary delegation from Nigeria were invited to the event by the Speaker of the Gambian National Assembly, Fatoumatta Jahumpa-Ceesay, better known as "FJC." FJC is a senior member of the ruling Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) and she brought the party's political machine into full play, making the opening of the legislative year into a big political event with more pomp and pageantry than usual. Former President Sir Dawda Jawara was also present at the ceremony, and was seated next to the Vice President, Isatou Njie Saidy. President Jammeh's acknowledged Jawara's presence with an introduction as "the father of the Gambian nation, ex-President Sir Dawda Jawara," adding, "Welcome my uncle," which drew loud applause from the audience. ¶3. (U) In his speech, which was frequently punctuated by applause from the APRC-dominated Assembly and pro-government invitees, the President made a general review of progress in various sectors of the economy and outlined plans for the coming year. On the subject of the economy, President Jammeh quoted figures cited in the 2008 budget and said the country experienced a GDP growth rate of 6.7 percent in 2007, inflation fell to 5.1 percent and the country's international reserves stand at a comfortable level of 4.5 months of import cover. He maintained that the government would continue to promote a strategy of careful management of the country's external debt to finance the priorities under its current Poverty Reduction and Strategy Paper (PRSP),though he made no mention of the country's recent attainment of debt relief measures, which he has derided in the past (ref A). -------------- AGRICULTURE -------------- ¶4. (U) Regarding the all-important agricultural sector, which he recently brought under his portfolio (ref B),President Jammeh announced that agriculture would be transformed from a seasonal activity dependent on seasonal rainfalls into year-round activity "taking full advantage of the new technologies available." Without giving specific details, he said his government would exploit the potential of the Gambia River and underground water resources, as well as water harvesting, to ensure that irrigation agriculture become a way of life. "Under my leadership, as the Secretary of State, agriculture will be given a new lease of life," he declared, indicating that his tenure as Agriculture Minister would not be as temporary as previously believed. -------------- PETROLEUM EXPLORATION -------------- ¶5. (U) On the subject of efforts to exploit The Gambia's purported offshore oil reserves, the President said that drilling of the first exploration well in the two off-shore blocks that are licensed to a Canadian company, Buried Hill, would commence in 2009. He disclosed that his government is also negotiating with other companies for exploration and development activities in the remaining offshore blocks, the ultra-deep, near-shore, and onshore areas. President Jammeh, who recently took over the petroleum portfolio as well (ref C),said the delay in oil exploration was due to the fact that the conditions proposed by some of the companies were not acceptable to him. "When these companies tell me that other countries are accepting five percent share of their oil revenue, I tell them that this is The Gambia and we look at what favors us," he said. -------------- SIDEBAR BANJUL 00000117 002.2 OF 002 -------------- ¶6. (U) The President drifted from his prepared text on a number of occasions to address, in typical Jammeh fashion, issues that none of the government departments would have included in their submissions. For example, he spoke about introducing what he called an "Extra-Wife Tax" for men who wish to marry young girls because they feel their first wives have become old. Jammeh thanked women for providing bedrock support for his development efforts, noting that as the reason why he had "rewarded many women with top jobs" in the government, and berated men who do not contribute to the workforce. Urging import-dependent Gambians to consume locally-produced goods, he encouraged them to also wear locally-made clothing. To the amusement of his audience, Jammeh, who has abandoned Western dress, added: "We will introduce a tie-tax for those of you wearing suits and ties." He also went on to warn that racism and gay marriage had no place in The Gambia. His only reference to the "West" and the United States was an expression of thanks to the United Kingdom and the U.S. (as well as the Government of Taiwan) for assistance in training The Gambia's military and police. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Although the State Opening of the National Assembly is a constitutional duty for the President, this year's event was more significant for its sub-regional political objectives than the substance of the President's speech. Some observers believe that the National Assembly speakers from other countries were invited as part of a strategy to help break Jammeh's isolation from the majority of his peers in the sub-region. President Jammeh has not attended a meeting of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in three years since losing a bid for the chairmanship against President Tandja of Niger. Jammeh is also displeased with the ECOWAS Community Court for hearing a case against the GOTG over the disappearance of journalist "Chief" Ebrima Manneh. However, Jammeh has begun to travel again in the region, and reveled in the visit of the Mauritanian President earlier this year, perhaps seeing it as a sign of growing acceptance amongst his regional peers. ¶8. (SBU) Though this was one of Jammeh's more tempered speeches in recent memory, it spoke little to the actual agenda of the National Assembly in the new legislative year. Aside from the long-awaited Women's Bill that Post expects to be brought to the floor in the coming months, we have little sense of what to expect in terms of new legislation -- though it is likely that the APRC-dominated National Assembly will continue its current policy of rubberstamping the President's wishes. END COMMENT WELLS