By Yunus S Saliu
One of the interesting features of good politicians is to leave a good legacy behind after ending their terms in the office instead of being a disappointment to the electorates and sympathizers.
Sulayman Sawaneh, a Gambia Denmark-based philanthropist speaking to this medium said good politician is to leave a good legacy for people to emulate after serving their people rather than becoming unsung heroes when their terms lapse in office.
Some politicians, he said, especially in The Gambia are going into politics not to serve their people but to accumulate wealth and leave behind debt and corruption “This is why our country still counts as one of the underdeveloped because they undeveloped it.”
He added that most of these emergency politicians in the country do not have the love of the country in their hearts as they claimed, “If they do they will emulate developmental agenda of the western countries, come together with good ideas, and support each other to develop this our beloved country.”
Mr Sulayman said, by so doing, they will leave a good legacy that will make them “heroes rather than becoming unsung heroes. Greediness and selfishness are killing our democracy and politics in the country, May Allah touches the heart of our politicians to do the right things they preached before assuming power.”
He went on that politics is not a business arena for politicians to become rich but now the Gambian politicians are on the opposite side of this in their intentions, “people or good patriots join politics to save their people and leave a good legacy as they leave office. If you are politicians accumulating wealth, siphoning the country, or council’s money that means you are corrupt and abusing office, power and the trust people have in you.”
Good politicians or a politician, he explained, must be of good character with integrity, and experience, have good instincts, trustworthy, honest, lovely, love his/her people, and be God-fearing among other characteristics.
So, he continued, “If you want to be rich or rich overnight don’t join politics, join politics to help the country and the people of the country.”
However, he lamented that many rich people are not always paying taxes in this country compared to petty traders in the market which the council rate duties collectors always chase around in the market to pay for petty goods they are selling.
“Some of these markets women are just selling peanuts, cooking ingredients, and fish to survive with their families while some of the rich people that are able to afford luxury cars, building two or more houses are paying lesser tax,” he enunciated.
He asked for how long The Gambia as a country will continue to leave on loans and grants to develop “our country.”