A piece of good news worth hearing is indeed worth talking about, repeatedly, if possible. Such is the news emanating from the International Monetary Fund.

The lead story of our paper yesterday summed up a statement captured in a press release from the Department of State for Finance and Economic Affairs, which indicates a total endorsement of the prudent monetary policies being employed by the government of The Gambia.  

Of course, this is not the first time this country has received such an uplifting acknowledgement from the reputable Bretton Woods institution. But what makes this one very important is that the report came as the rest of the world grapples with the effects of the global phenomenon of hardship. This was, in fact, a point well noted by the authorities at the Fund.

"The PRGF supported economic program has been implemented satisfactorily, despite the recent increase in world food and fuel prices," Mr Takatoshi Kato, the deputy managing director and acting chair of the Fund, was reported as saying, in reference to the country's completion of macroeconomic conditions.

The credit, of course, goes to the entire citizenry of the country, but more especially to the leadership, whose aim it has been to ensure the realisation of positive results from whatever policy program it engages on.

As we often say, let this development serve as an inspiration, rather than result to complaisance. We must have it at the back of our minds that everybody's effort counted very much in this. We are strongly convinced that the people of The Gambia can only realise the benefits of the gains from this development if we remain steadfast in our productive endeavours, looking forward to future prosperity.