The article below is culled from the Observer. Our national debt is rising
higher than the sky. How far, it is no ones guess. God bless the Gambia; Amen.
Ousman Bojang.
GAMBIA¹S DEBT AT $566M FINANCE SEC REVEALS IN BUDGET SPEECH
The secretary of state for Finance and Economic Affairs, Famara Jatta, has
disclosed that The Gambia¹s total debt stock which stood at $390m in 1992 has
increased to $566m in 1999. Mr Jatta said this yesterday while delivering the
January 2001 to December 2001 budget at the National Assembly. This year¹s
budget centred on poverty reduction with particular emphasis on the
importance of good governance for accelerated growth and reinforced poverty
reduction.
Mr Jatta said 75 per cent of the debt is external and 25 per cent domestic,
translating into $425m and $141m respectively. The external debt, he added,
is expected to reach $439.5m by the year end. The Finance secretary said $2m
realised from the sale of Atlantic Hotel has been used to run down the
domestic debt burden. Mr Jatta said the country¹s debt is "no longer
sustainable and is seriously stifling the country¹s poverty reduction
efforts.
We devote over 30 per cent of our budget to debt servicing. The domestic debt
burden which until recently has been manageable is now of great concern as it
has a negative impact on the interest rate and subsequently crowd-out private
sector investment in the economy. Concerted efforts are under way to bring
down the level," he announced. The Finance secretary briefed the House on the
improvements recorded in health, education, agriculture and tourism.
The attainment of a sustained poverty reduction, he observed, requires the
existence of a good governance environment which is found to be a
prerequisite for a successful participatory poverty alleviation programme.
Good governance, he added, facilitates poverty reduction through promoting
opportunities, empowerment and enhancing security and increasing confidence
in the Gambian economy.
Mr Jatta said "the rate of inflation as measured by the weighted current
consumer index (CPI) is 0.9 per cent between January and December 2000
compared to 3.8 per cent in 1999. The food, drink and tobacco components rose
by 0.2 per cent, accounting for a 15.1 per cent rise in the overall index
while the non-food component registered a 2 per cent rise, accounting for
84.9 per cent of the overall rise in the index."
The dalasi, he added ,was persistently under pressure against most of the
international currencies as the US dollar and Pound Sterling strengthened
against the Euro. The demand for foreign exchange, he said, also exceeded
supply. According to SoS Jatta, the dalasi recorded an overall depreciation
of 5.4 per cent in normal terms, "against the composite basket of currencies
during the ten months under review." >From the end of December 1999 to
October 2000, he said the dalasi fell against the US dollar by 19 per cent
and 15 per cent against the Pound sterling in the interbank market.
The world economy, SoS Jatta said, continued to grow with global output
registering at 4.7 per cent growth in 2000. Commenting on the ongoing
frequent electricity cuts, SoS Jatta said the hike in price of oil in world
markets and the depreciation of the dalasi in relation to major international
currencies has impacted negatively on the operation of Nawec.
On staff disaffection emanating from that change, Professor McAdam said, "I
have, along with Dr Adebola and Dr Tumani Cora, travelled to Basse, during
which we explained that we have to move ahead. The trial is in danger and
risks closure unless there are changes of management and togetherness. It is
an important trial for The Gambia and Africa and we need to continue with the
immunisation programme.
The trial is founded by WHO, MRC, National Institute of Health in USA, USAID
and Bill Gates, representatives of whom were in The Gambia last week. Right
now, I am leaving for London to recruit system analysts," Prof McAdam said.
However, the MRC local staff, including those at Fajara, have complained
about the removal of some Africans from the the senior management team (SMT)
of the council. "We are not happy with what is taking place at the MRC,
particularly with the replacement of Africans on the SMT," one Fajara staff
member complained.
Wade's gov't warns journalists
President Abdoulaye Wade¹s government has warned journalists and commentators
to "immediately desist fromŒspeculating the outcome" of the proposed peace
talks with the MFDC rebels and "any type of negative reporting" of Wade¹s new
peace deal. Journalists who flout the warning will face prosecution.
A press communiqué issued Monday, said since Mr Wade announced the peace
deal, Thursday, there have been many negative and anti-peace commentaries and
reporting in the Senegalese media which risk poisoning the atmosphere of the
talks scheduled for December 16 in Ziguinchor and ultimately jeopardising the
chances for peace in Casamance.
Obviously, the Dakar press had been raising lots of doubt about Wade¹s peace
deal. Populaire newspaper, owned by singer, Youssou N¹Dour, ran a stinging
editorial in the weekend titled, Folle esperance, foolish hope, which
described Wade¹s peace deal as nothing new, but a PR gimmick. Earlier, Abdel
Latif Coulibaly, chief of the Sud FM network in a commentary, also cast doubt
on the sincerity of the MFDC rebels to honour a ceasefire judging from their
"poor record of ceasefire violations."
The MFDC has also warned journalists to desist from lampooning the movement
or face Œretribution¹. Meanwhile, the eight-month old government coalition
seems to be inexorably moving towards a crisis and break-up. Following the
dismissal of Amath Dansokho, the Housing minister last week by Mr Wade, other
parties in the coalition notably, Prime Minister Niasse¹s AFP and Savané¹s
And-jef, have publicly expressed solidarity with the communist leader.
In response, Mr Wade¹s PDS, Tuesday challenged "any party in the coalition
which is angered by Dansokho¹s dismissal to pack and leave the government."
It is being rumoured in Dakar that PM Niasse may soon do exactly that. Mr
Wade dismissed Dansokho November 28 saying the unrepentant communist leader
of PIT party has "insulted, threatened and undermined me."
Commission sent lying¹ KMC treasurer to cell
The chairman of the commission of inquiry into the Auditor General¹s Report,
Justice Gelega King, has ordered the treasurer of Kanifing Municipal Council,
Babucar Sanyang, be detained in cell for "failing to co-operate with the
commission members."
Justice Gelega King gave this order, telling Sanyang, "We have the power to
deal with you for forgery." However, Justice King later ordered his release
to enable him continue giving evidence. Upon his release, Babucarr Sanyang
apologised to the commission members for his behaviour claiming that he was a
layman and pledged never to circumvent the truth in his testimony.
He told the commission that he was responsible for all financial transactions
of the council and that it was his duty to supervise the instructions given
to his assistant treasurer. Mr Sanyang admitted that his failure to take
account of former assistant treasurer, Bakary Drammeh¹s reconciliations,
resulted to the forgery of D438,250. He also agreed that he did not at any
time, receive monthly reconciliation statement from Mr Drammeh for 13 months.
Mr Sanyang further revealed that the council has never made any
reconciliation statement for years. "It is something that we have inherited
at the council," he said. Abdoulie Bah, former cashier of KMC, said his
services were terminated by the authorities of the council because of
misappropriation of the council funds. Mr Bah denied allegations that he was
involved in forgery and shared money with Abdoulie Faal and Bakary Drammeh.
He added that he did not at anytime receive money from Mr Faal. He said Mr
Faal was responsible for the revenue collected from Serrekunda car park and
paid the money into the bank directly. Mr Bah denied that Faal showed him the
pay-in slips as he was "only a cashier" between 1995-96. He said he did not
work in the same office with Abdoulie Faal. Hearing continues today.
Drug squad boss explains how police bust Waka Jagne
The commander of the National Drug Squad, Inspector Kalilu Njie, Monday,
testified at the Kanifing Magistrates Court in the ongoing drug trial
involving Abdoulie ŒWaka¹ Jagne. Inspector Njie told the court that on
October 13, 2000, he and the crime management coordinator, Supt Jai Sowe,
were called by the deputy inspector general of police, Tamsir Jasseh, who
informed them that he had received a message from the HM Customs and Excise
in London regarding a suspected package sent to Banjul.
Based on the information, he said they kept watch at the airport and with the
help of a Monarch airline pilot, they traced the package. Inspector Njie said
they followed the suspected package to the Kanifing DHL office, where they
informed the DHL management that the package was under investigation and that
they would like to witness the delivery. He said on October 16, together with
one Corporal Jassey and CMC Jai Sowe, Waka Jagne and one of his friends,
Muhammed Sumbundu, went to the DHL office to collect the package. "As Waka
was about to enter his vehicle with the package, I approached him and
identified myself as the drug squad commander.
I informed him that the package in his possession was subjected to
investigation and I went with him to police headquarters." Inspector Njie
further disclosed that upon their arrival at the police headquarters, they
were unable to see CMC Sowe and so, they went to DIG Jasseh who he said,
opened the suspected package in the presence of the accused, his friend,
Sumbundu, ASP Bubacarr Jeng and Corporal Jassey and found 17 items,
originally sealed. Inspector Njie testified that when the items were opened,
a white powder suspected to be cocaine was found in them.
The DIG, he said, then informed Waka Jagne that he was under arrest. He
further disclosed that as Waka Jagne bent over the DIG and spoke to him in
low voice, DIG Jasseh ordered them to charge Waka for attempting to bribe a
police officer. He said that Waka and Sumbundu were then taken to the Fraud
Squad to make entries of the case and later to the drug squad office where he
said, Waka was charged for drug trafficking adding that both cautionary and
voluntary statements by Waka and Sumbundu were recorded.
He noted that Waka was held in detention until October 17 when he was taken
to Weights and Measures department for the quantifying of the said cocaine.
He added that samples were obtained from it and sent to the lab for analysis.
In his testimony, Waka Jagne expressed surprise about the charges saying what
the police told him was totally different from what was found in the parcel.
He said because of his success in music promotion, a lot of people intended
to visit The Gambia, some for business reasons. He said his friend, one Alex
Coker, told him that he (Alex) had a friend in Trinidad and Tobago who would
like to sell food stuff in The Gambia. Waka said Coker called and informed
him that he had sent the food stuff sample through DHL.
He told the court that he went to DHL office to receive the parcel but was
told that it had not yet arrived. He added that a week later, it arrived and
as he was collecting it from the DHL office in Kanifing together with
Muhammed Sumbundu, "somebody called and informed me that he was from the drug
squad and told me to follow him to police headquarters.
Upon our arrival, the DIG opened the box, looked at the contents and took out
one of the packets and said they believe it was cocaine and I was arrested."
The case has been adjourned to Friday, December 8.
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