Issue No. 24/2005, 28-30 March 2005
 Editorial
GPU Continues to March On

The Gambia Press Union, the association of journalists in this country, continues to march on in its quest for the free flow of information and ideas.  In order to attain this goal the conducive environment must exist.  There must be freedom of _expression, a requirement of an entrenched provision of the constitution.  Section 25 Subsection (1) Paragraph (a) of the constitution states explicitly: “Every person shall have the rights to freedom of speech and _expression which shall include freedom of the press and other media”

For freedom of _expression to have any effect the bad laws that impede it must go, in particular the Newspaper (Amendment) Act 2004 and the Criminal Code (Amendment) Act 2004 should be effaced from our statutes.

Furthermore, journalists must feel safe.  The murder of journalists, arson attacks, threats or blackmail must become a thing of the past.  The way out is to put an end to impunity.

No regime can put an end to the flow of information in this era of revolution in information technology.  This is the hard lesson all tyrants should learn.

The GPU has been in the forefront of the struggle to expand, consolidate and enhance freedom of _expression all these years and it is evident that the new leadership is committed to the same principles and has pledged to work towards that end.

The new GPU President has dealt with the issue of promoting and defending a free and responsible press.  He added that the question “Who killed Deyda Hydara?” will be pursued until the culprit or culprits are brought to book.  This sums it up all.

It must be emphasized that Mr. Ceesay is not only interested in a free press but also a responsible press.  This was also echoed by other speakers including the outgoing President, Mr. D.A. Jawo.

The unity that has already been achieved should be strengthened.  Media personnel and media houses should continue to close ranks to promote their common interest of free flow of information and ideas.





MASS ARREST OF TOP OFFICERS
 By Surakata Danso
Following the submission of the report of the anti-corruption commission to the head of state on Monday the 21st day of March 2005, heads started rolling within 72 hours.  This paper was informed of a mass arrest of senior public servants and the sacking of two secretaries of state. Among those alleged to have been arrested, there are four customs officers, 4 permanent secretaries, 2 employees of the KMC, 2 employees of BCC, one employee of the Brikama Area Council, 2 Central Bank Managers, a former GRTS Director General.

This was followed by the sacking of two secretaries of state, the Local Government Secretary of State, Manlafi Jarjue was replaced by Ismaila K. Sambou, a former field coordinator of the defunct Gambia Cooperative Union and current Alkalo of Darsilameh, Kombo South, while the Attorney General and Secretary of State for Justice, Sheikh Tijan Hydara, was sacked and replaced by Raymond Sock, who was Solicitor General.

In the same announcement, the nation was informed of a change in some portfolios which saw the moving of Sidi Moro Sanneh from Foreign Affairs to Trade, Bala Gaye taking over Foreign Affairs, Edward S. Singhateh moving to a new creation, Environment and Fisheries, and Bai Mass Taal taking the portfolios of Forestry and Water Resources.

Two former secretaries of state were said to have been among those arrested and detained with a former Director General of customs.

Below is the list of those whose arrest and detention were brought to our notice:

CUSTOMS

Peter Touray

Edi Touray

Alieu Ceesay

Abdou M.C. Jallow

TWO FORMER SoSs

Nai Ceesay

Pap Cheyassin Secka

FORMER CUSTOM DG

Ousman Mboge

FORMER GPA MD

Adama Deen

PERMANENT SECRETARIES

Karamo Bojang – Finance

Abdoulie Mam Njie – Tourism

Essa Khan – Health

Ousman Jammeh – Agriculture

KMC

Mustapha Kebba Njie – CEO

Mr.  Jallow – Finance Controller

BCC

Pa Sallah Jeng

Abdou Fata Uthman

CENTRAL BANK MDs

Nyanya Joof

Betty Saine

DIVISIONAL COMMISSIONER: Dua Jatta

FOROYAA will find out and report to the readership on developments. Needless to say, the report of the audito general is yet to be laid before the National Assembly.



GPU HOLDS CONGRESS

The Gambia Press Union on Saturday 26 March, 2005, demonstrated its democratic function by electing a new executive in office at the Girls’ Guide Training Centre in Kanifing. The executive consists of (9) nine members including two co-opted members (one male and one female) to ensure gender balance.

The New G.P.U. Executive

Madi Ceesay - President,

Ndey Tapha Sosseh -Secretary General,

Alimatou Jallow, Treasurer

Musa Saidykhan,1st Vice President

Aisha   Dabo, 2nd Vice President

Omar Bah, 1st Asst. Vice Secretary

Emil Touray, 2nd Asst Vice Secretary

Sarjo Camara, Co-opted

Alex Dacosta, Co-opted

The out going  President, Mr. Demba Ali Jawo in delivering his report said that the GPU executive has only four members in the country and that the rest are in the Diaspora. Continuing his report he informed the members that the Union is experiencing financial constraints, noting that there are some G.P.U members in the Diaspora who are tirelessly supporting the Union. He revealed that the Union needs to pay certain outstanding amounts to those responsible for the administration of the secretariat and other office needs and rent. He acknowledged the support and contribution, both in cash and in kind, from the media houses and some of their members, adding that all the media houses publish releases from the Union free of charge. He urged the Union members to be attending meetings and paying their dues regularly. Mr Jawo, expressed gratitude to the international media /journalists/organisations particularly the Senegalese Journalist Association, the Association of Journalist in Mali,
 the West African Journalist Association(WAJA) ,the Commonwealth Press Union (CPU), and Rapporteur Sans Frontiere (RSF) for their continuous assistance and support to the Union, both during difficult and normal times. He point out that the international media demonstrated genuine solidarity during the time when Deyda Hydara, a former GPU president was murdered, noting that they are still supporting the Union. The out going GPU president then urged the incoming executive to start where they had left; that he wished all his colleagues and compatriots in the media success in their endeavours.

Mr. Jawo dismissed as “baseless and far-fetched” allegations that independent journalists from the private media are a mouth piece for the political opposition. Mr. Cherno Jallow, a veteran journalist and member of the GPU and also the former Administrator of the Secretariat lamented about the present situation of journalists and journalism as precarious. He said that this is due to the lack of cooperation amongst the practitioners; noting that they had started very smoothly and were now ending up in a rough road. He observed that the new executive would be facing difficult challenges. “Standards are going down with regards to ethics, quality and style of writing news stories, editorials and you name it,” he retorted.

Speaking earlier, Mr. Suwaibou Conateh, the proprietor of News and Report, said he thought that the GPU had succeeded in all forms because they “are still struggling for press freedom as our mission and that is what we are doing.” He pointed out that notwithstanding the difficulties journalists are still informing people about issues. He then wished the new executive a successful tenure. Other speakers also spoke on the need for steadfastness, continuity, commitment, responsible journalism, press freedom, self reliance, etc.

In his acceptance address, the newly elected President of the GPU, Mr. Madi Ceesay thanked the members for their confidence in electing him to serve them in this capacity. He promised that he and the other new executive members will continue to work hand in hand with the advisory committee which comprises all the past Presidents of the GPU and proprietors and heads of media houses to tap from their experience. Mr. Ceesay said that media work cannot go without commitment, dedication and sacrifice. He emphasized that “You can kill, jail, or torture journalists one by one but no one can kill journalism because it is a noble profession which people cannot live without.” He said that the GPU will still continue with the process of promoting and defending a free and responsible press. He promised that the question “Who killed Deyda Hydara” will be pursued until the culprit(s) is(are) brought to book. He also promised that his executive will continue from where the outgoing stopped.



WHO OWNS GAMBIA PETROLEUM STORAGE COMPANY?



By Surakata Danso

Following the publication of Issue No. 14 / 2005 which dealt with the allocation of a land in Mandinari called ‘ladulaba’ to a petroleum company with Mr. Amadou Samba claiming ownership of the land area in a subsequent issue, Issue No. 17 / 2005, FOROYAA intensified its investigations and this reporter was informed that Amadou Samba owned 1% share of the company while Muhammadu Bahazzi owned 99%.

Readers would recall that FOROYAA’s earlier investigations revealed that the villagers of Mandinari were promised a compensation of D7 million by Shell Company, but this was overtaken by later developments resulting to a receipt of D1 million by the villagers from Gambia Petroleum Storage Co.



D1.6 BILLION BANK NOTES IN CIRCULATION



By Abdoulie Dibba

During the question and answer session in the National Assembly, the National Assembly member for Jarra West constituency, Hon. Kemeseng Jammeh raised the following question: “Mr. Speaker, the lower denominations of our currency (Dalasi), i.e. D5 and D10 notes especially, have outlived their usefulness, in view of their present state of dilapidation, thereby casing considerable inconvenience to the general public during financial transactions, could the Secretary of State for Finance and Economic Affairs, in collaboration with the Central Bank consider redressing this problem which is of public concern?” In response, SoS Margaret Keita indicated that the demand for banknotes by the banking system and the public has increased on average by 23 percent per annum during the last ten years; that despite this significant increase, the Central Bank has been able to discharge its statutory obligation to ensure that there are enough banknotes to meet public demand. She said that banknotes in
 circulation now amount to D1.6 billion and that most of these notes are fit for circulation. However, she said that some of the notes are no longer fit for circulation and should be withdrawn. SoS Keita went further to indicate that “to address this problem, the Central Bank has opened  an exchange window through which members of the public can exchange soiled banknotes for ones that are fit for circulation. In addition, she said that the Central Bank has recently procured a heavy-duty banknotes sorting machine to complement the manual sorting of banknotes. SoS Keita said that this machine is expected to become operational by mid March 2005 and is expected to help reduce the volume of soiled banknotes that are re-circulated through the banking system.



AT THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE

(CONTINUATION)
By Abdoulie Dibba


ABDOULIE KANAJI JAWLA, SANDU

In his contribution to the adjournment debate, the National Assembly member for Sandu Constituency, Hon. Abdoulie Kanaji Jawla started by thanking the President for a well delivered address. The member then went on to indicate that The Gambia national documents, ID cards and passports, are being possessed by foreigners who are assisted by Gambians themselves. Hon. Jawla said that the main contributing factor for foreigners to possess national documents is the issuance of birth certificates to those born in The Gambia without differentiating on the birth certificates Gambians from non-Gambians. Hon. Jawla argued that one of the requirements asked by the immigration officers to claimants is the birth certificates. Hon. Jawla stressed that having a birth certificate does not determine one’s nationality as a Gambian; that all the birth certificate does, is to show that you are born in The Gambia. He pointed out that being a national of this country is determined by section 9 of the 1997
 constitution which says among other things that one of your parents must be a Gambian. Hon. Jawla then called on the authorities to modify the birth certificates to differentiate Gambians from non-Gambian.

On security Hon. Jawla said that vehicles plying without number plates are threats to security. He noted that any kind of criminality could be perpetrated by those people using such vehicles and go free. He called on the authorities to address such a situation.

Hon. Jawla concluded by pointing out the need for school buses to ensure that students go and from schools.



KEMESENG JAMMEH, JARRA WEST

On his part, the National Assembly member for Jarra West, Hon. Kemeseng Jammeh said that he must express his appreciation of the performance of the National Assembly select committees. Hon. Jammeh noted that there is a massive improvement in the performance of the select committees vis-à-vis the previous Assembly. He indicated that he hoped that he will resume his position as a member of the select committees in the near future.

Hon. Jammeh in continuing his contribution, said that he will draw the attention of the government on the salary review committee because he said that in the last session he raised the following question: “Mr. Speaker, in view of the current high rate of inflation which stands at 17 % with corrosive effect on the purchasing power of wage salary / earners, could the Secretary of State for Finance and Economic Affairs consider implementing the recommendation of the last salary review commission under the chairmanship of Mr. A. A. Faal?” Hon. Jammeh indicated that the answer given by the then Secretary of State, Bala Gaye was that it was government’s desire to remunerate its employees as handsomely as it possibly could. He was then informed that government was working on a comprehensive civil service reform programme with compensation, the Terms of Reference (TOR) which had now been finalized; that the government was now in the process of mobilizing resources to meet the cost of the
 programme. Hon. Jammeh pointed out that in the answer given above, the SoS assured them that there will be a general salary review; that they are now quarter way in 2005 and that he was expecting something to be said by the President regarding salary review during the state opening but to his disappointment, nothing was said. Hon. Jammeh pointed out that the failure to say something on the salary review, means that government is yet to be resolved on this matter. Hon. Jammeh said that everybody would agree with him that the type of salary received by the average Gambian could not enable them to live a decent life. “Therefore,” Mr. Jammeh said, “there is the urgent need for government to do something so that the purchasing power of the people could be improved.”

Continuing his contribution, Hon. Jammeh said that members of the opposition were portrayed by the President in a very unfair way during the celebration of the country’s 40th Independence Celebration. Hon. Jammeh said that the President portrayed members of the opposition as people who do not love their country and does not wish good for their country because of their non-participation in the celebration. Hon. Jammeh said that this is very unfair because the members of the opposition were not invited. He said that if they were invited, they would have attended because in 1997 when they were invited they attended. Hon. Jammeh further said that the Executive should establish a better relationship with the independent press. He noted that the independent press is not invited at the State House or at the Airport when the President is going or coming from his trips. Hon. Jammeh argued that if the independent press is invited by the President, they will give him some information and at the
 same time ask questions that would clear the air.

Hon. Jammeh concluded by saying that if the independent press is not invited by the President, there will be no interaction and through interaction, he said, one can facilitate greater understanding between the Executive and the independent press.



RESIDENTS TREK KILOMETRES FOR WATER



By Sana Saidykhan

For almost a week, residents of Mansakonko and surrounding villages have been walking many kilometres to draw water for domestic use.

These villages had been connected to pipe borne water supply making them abandon their wells. According to NAWEC officials in Mansakonko, this lack of water supply is due to lack of fuel.

Residents who abandoned their wells at the advent of pipe borne water now walk more than 2 kilometres, after exhausting the few maintained wells.

On the way from Toniataba, few kilometres from Soma, along the bushy path, groups of women carrying twenty-litre water bottles on their head expressed concern and indicated that the government should consider their plight.

A senior civil servant, also a resident of Mansakonko, told FOROYAA that even when building a mud block one needs water. The angry civil servant who begged for anonymity, further condemned those who blame residents for abandoning their wells saying, “It is an inalienable right of every tax payer to have access to clean portable water supply.”

The residents were enraged by the acute shortage of water supply, not only for domestic use but for some businesses in the area’s commercial centre of Soma, which came to a standstill, due to lack of water. Two compounds burned to ashes as fire fighters too complained that there was no water in their tanks. Health workers in Soma were also seen along the long queues to fetch water for patients lying in the clinic wards.

Meanwhile, the Chief of Jarra West, Yahya Jarjue came to their aid for two days after buying fuel but the suffering continued after this was finished.



GAMBIANS IN SWITZERLAND FACE DEPORTATION

Unconfirmed sources have it that the fate of scores of Gambians perceived to be asylum seekers in Switzerland hangs on the balance. The presence of what they called Gambian immigration officers in Switzerland to facilitate their deportation is sending chills down their spines.

On Wednesday, a Gambian who preferred anonymity called this paper to say that the Immigration Director, Musa Mboob and his team are currently in Switzerland to help the Swiss authorities who are resolved to deport them. The caller who said that he was in hiding alleged that thirty Gambians have already been picked up, pointing out that four out of the thirty people already picked up will be deported. But he was quick to point out that the rest are awaiting deportation. The caller alleged that the Gambian authorities have made it categorically clear that The Gambia has no problem.

Our sources have it that the team that went to Switzerland consists of the Director of Immigration, two females and one male employee of the Immigration Services. Sources further have it that the said authorities are being assisted by Pa Badjie, a Gambian national. Sources further have it that the immigration officers together with Swiss authorities are mounting raids on the asylum camps and homes of Gambians believed to be in hiding.

In an attempt to verify the veracity of the information, this paper contacted the Immigration Spokesperson, Louis Mendy, on Thursday. Mr. Mendy said he could not substantiate the claims because he was not at work. He told the paper that he will find out. When asked whether the Director is in town, Mr. Mendy said that he could not tell because he did not go to the office, whilst noting that he was at the Atlantic Hotel. This paper will get back to the Immigration Spokesperson in a bid to get their version of the issues.


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