A site visitor sent me an email, containing these views -:

"I have looked at your site and it is impressive. I am less impressed by the political analysis of the country and the backgrounds for the current situation"

I hadn't realise that there was any political analysis - but I think "The political background" refers to the coup in 1994 and "the current situation" being the effect that a reduction in tourism had on the local people.

Of course, at the end of the day, the politics matter enormously and regularly the means are not justified to achieve the ends, but talking to as many ordinary people as I can in The Gambia, opinion seems fairly well distributed about the rights and wrongs, the good and the bad of the powers that currently be and those who were deposed.

Ultimately, there is right and wrong and there is good and bad, but often they are so homogenised that it is difficult, other than by a gut reaction to unravel the mixture.

I have no idea if the coup was justified, no idea if the previous administration was corrupt or if the current one has democracy or dictatorship as its final goal, some of the signs are good some are bad.

It reminds me of an old Indian proverb "When two Elephants fight, its the animals beneath them that get hurt" and it is most certainly true that the ordinary Gambian people suffered greatly because of the reduction in tourism after the coup. Whether that was the fault of those who led the coup or the fault of those who precipitated it or even of those who reacted to it - how do you apportion such blame without all the facts - history will do that.

At the end of the day we all have to give account to our gods or ourselves and in the short, medium and hopefully the long term GTS can make a difference to the lives of some of those ordinary people without supporting or attacking the politics or politicians in The Gambia.

(I have not included the originators identity as their email was not sent with the intention of being published. However, it did contain this political dimension that I will consider in more detail in future - and of course I welcome any comments from YOU.)