Back and Next - Back and NextNational interest first
Friday, August 8, 2008
Gambians are aghast at the revelation by the Department of State for Trade condemning the appalling practice of insatiable businessmen who sell basic food items with stringent conditions attached.
The practice is not only unlawful, as has been reiterated by the said department, but clearly defeats moral principles. It portrays our society as a corrupt one, defying the atmosphere of decency influenced by our religious backgrounds, and our respectable traditional social values. It is also a demonstration of how crude some members of society are.
But if anything, the revelation also serves as a wake-up call for the security apparatus to take the business community to task. What we are talking about in fact transcends the business community. Business malpractices are many, and they take various forms.
While, as we said, the security will be obliged to take a stance, the business fraternity itself, under the auspices of their association (if indeed there is any such thing in existence), have a great role to play to prevent occurrences of these nature. The business community is part and parcel of the general consumer community; therefore any hitch would impact greatly on the entire society.
There is reason to believe that some people do this and turn the blame on the government, when in fact the government has absolutely nothing to do with such practices. That makes it all the more abysmal, because it is injurious to the national interest.
We do not need to empathize with government, all we have to do is put the general interest first, and that will surely safeguard national interest. That is what will make us all responsible citizens. In fact all that government does is to safeguard the interest of its people.
Therefore, any effort aimed at helping the people is complementary of the government’s efforts. And in the same vein, any effort directed towards disturbing the peace of the people is antagonistic and, if exposed, drastic action, in accordance with the law of course, should be taken.
The practice is not only unlawful, as has been reiterated by the said department, but clearly defeats moral principles. It portrays our society as a corrupt one, defying the atmosphere of decency influenced by our religious backgrounds, and our respectable traditional social values. It is also a demonstration of how crude some members of society are.
But if anything, the revelation also serves as a wake-up call for the security apparatus to take the business community to task. What we are talking about in fact transcends the business community. Business malpractices are many, and they take various forms.
While, as we said, the security will be obliged to take a stance, the business fraternity itself, under the auspices of their association (if indeed there is any such thing in existence), have a great role to play to prevent occurrences of these nature. The business community is part and parcel of the general consumer community; therefore any hitch would impact greatly on the entire society.
There is reason to believe that some people do this and turn the blame on the government, when in fact the government has absolutely nothing to do with such practices. That makes it all the more abysmal, because it is injurious to the national interest.
We do not need to empathize with government, all we have to do is put the general interest first, and that will surely safeguard national interest. That is what will make us all responsible citizens. In fact all that government does is to safeguard the interest of its people.
Therefore, any effort aimed at helping the people is complementary of the government’s efforts. And in the same vein, any effort directed towards disturbing the peace of the people is antagonistic and, if exposed, drastic action, in accordance with the law of course, should be taken.
Author: DO
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