"LE GABON ENERVANT" OR "ANNOYING GABON"

English version   CBON reportedly stated that he invited members of the diaspora to the inauguration of the new convention center because: "the eye that sees does not lie." This blog serves as a reminder to CBON that reducing development solely to the construction of concrete and glass infrastructure is a common analytical error, one that often leads to an illusion of development. While infrastructure is necessary, it is merely the container; true development is measured by the quality of the content. A truly developed country invests first and foremost in its people. Beautiful administrative buildings or ultra-modern hospitals are empty shells if they are not staffed by a well-trained, valued workforce, and if the education system fails to renew the nation's intellectual and technical elites. Progress is reflected in life expectancy, access to quality education, and public health, far more than in skyscrapers. Architectural modernity sometimes serves as a smokescreen for...

 

    English version   This Friday, CBON's directive aimed at imposing or encouraging the wearing of traditional attire on Fridays within the Gabonese public administration has significantly struggled to take hold. While the initial intention was to promote national cultural identity, an approach that, to a lesser extent, is reminiscent of the original logic of Zairian authenticity; its implementation clashes with very concrete socio-economic and practical realities.   The tailoring of traditional custom outfits, which requires purchasing fabric and paying a tailor, represents a significant financial cost. In a context where the cost of living is high and households are facing inflationary pressures, requiring civil servants to renew or adapt their professional wardrobes specifically for Fridays is perceived as an unjustified financial burden. For many compatriots, the household budget is allocated to absolute necessities, not to sartorial directives. ...

English version   CBON recently flew dozens of Gabonese citizens from the West to Gabon, all expenses paid, to attend the inauguration of the Congress Palace at the City of Democracy. According to very conservative estimates, 5 million CFA francs were budgeted per compatriot. If there were 20 of them, we are looking at 100 million; if there were 40, it amounts to 200 million, and so forth. Dear readers, this is indeed a staggering sum, particularly when put into perspective with the socio-economic realities on the ground. The contrast between these lavish expenditures and the fundamental needs of the population raises critical questions regarding governance, transparency, and the allocation of resources. In a macroeconomic context where basic infrastructure, the healthcare system, and education require urgent investments, mobilizing such amounts for public relations operations is difficult to justify. This expenditure resembles the purchase of complacency rather than a genuine inve...