Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 127/2007, 29 – 30 October
Editorial
The Youth and the Future
From the Frying Pan into the Fire Forever? No!
The Gambian youth constitutes 60 per cent of the population. 44 per cent of
the population are considered to be under 15 years old. What is the future of
the youth under the APRC regime is a matter of concern.
Our primary schools absorb about 185,000 children, Our Upper Basic schools
absorb bout 67,000 children, while our Senior Secondary Schools absorb about
27,000 children. Within a period of 12 years the school system releases almost
three hundred thousand young people into the job market in The Gambia. The
public sector is already over saturated. It is estimated to employ less than
16,000 employees. It is also claimed that it employs more people than the
private sector. In fact retrenchment is already taking place and Foroyaa will
give a comprehensive report on the current overhauling of the agricultural
sector and the number of people who will ultimately be among those retrenched.
Now Foroyaa would like to ask the adult population whose ranks are
constantly shrinking because of low life expectancy: How are these 300,000 young
people going to survive if the current productive base of the economy remains the
same?
The government claims that its focus is on the youth. However the subvention
to the National Youth Service Scheme amounts to only 4.1 million dalasis.
Only D800,000 serve as a Youth Enterprise Revolving Fund. The rest is meant for
salaries, allowances, utilities and other costs of sustaining the programme.
The National Youth Council receives a subvention of D738,000. Only 50,000 is
designated for Youth Assistance Training.
All these subventions are part of the budget of the Department of Youth,
Sports and Culture which stands at 14.5 million dalasis. D2 million of this is
supposed to be a contribution to finance a National Enterprise Development
Initiative. Foroyaa will follow developments to show you how many young people
benefited from these schemes against the number of young people in need of
productive engagement to better their lives. Instead of providing avenues for
them to have a future, conferences are being held in the name of saving them
from themselves as they take dangerous trips into the arms of blind destiny.
They fail to empathise with the youth. They fail to recognise that the
situation of the youth is the case of our proverbial frog which jumps from the
frying pan into the fire. Telling them to stay in the frying pan is not the
solution. It is just another bad option.
The real challenge is how to transform the country from being a frying pan
so that the young people will not try to jump from it into the fire of illegal
migration. Foroyaa holds that both the past and present regimes have failed
to build a Gambia that has the productive base to absorb the creative
energies of its young. The Gambian people however are sovereign. They have the
capacity to take charge of their destiny. The youth should not continue to accept
to be victims of blind destiny. The Gambia does not have to be a frying pan.
The youth do not have to be frogs without options.
What they need to do is to learn from the failures of the past and the
present to be able to shape the future. The youths must become critical minded.
They must demand options from those who aim to be their policy makers. They mus
t know the policies political leaders have to address the problems of the
young. They must interrogate these policy options to develop a mature view of
what is fact or fiction, what would end up as empty promises and what is
practicable and realisable. It is no longer safe for the youth to have blind trust
in leaders or worship personalities.
This is the era of the sovereignty of the people. Each Gambian must seek to
assert his or her independent sovereign right by developing the maturity
which enables them to listen to all views and discern what can lead to the
consolidation of liberty and prosperity and by extension enhance his or her
personal liberty and prosperity. The future belongs to the youth if we dare to take
charge of our destiny. The future will be lost if we follow leaders without
thinking what they can offer us to end our suffering.
GAMCOT Finally Pay Farmers After One Year Of Waiting
By Lamin Fatty
The only Cotton Company in The Gambia, GAMCOT, has finally paid farmers
their 2007 cotton dues in full after waiting for almost a year.
Speaking to this reporter at his office in Basse Manneh Kunda while the
payment of farmers was in progress, the Manager of the company, Mr. Amadou Danso,
revealed that a total amount of D1,821,667.00 was paid to the farmers as
their outstanding credit owed for the input supplied to them. He said that all
the nine areas namely, Wuli East/ Central, Wuli West/Sandu, Sandu/Sami, Sabi
area, Kantora, Sankulaykunda area, Jimara, Jareng and Sinchu Gundo are all
paid their monies in the presence of their area presidents, who witnessed the
payments and endorsed them on behalf of the farmers in their respective areas.
They also attested for those who had lost their receipts to avoid denial of
payment for being unable of producing receipts and helped in ensuring the
smooth running of the payment process. He pointed out that the company sold the
cotton to its selling agent, Kopago, which in turn sold it to Portugal. He
disclosed that a total number of 745,872.5kgs of raw produce was produced. He
said that after ginning there is another product called the “lint” which,
according to him, amounted to 30.4457 kg. Mr. Danso said that a total of
415,950kg of seeds was also produced as a result and that the company precisely
produced 745 tons of raw cotton against 400 tons last year, thus representing an
87% increase. He said that pest and insects infestation was thus encouraged
but with the help of chemicals, they were better able to address those
constraints. He strongly apologised to farmers for the delay and urged them to be
optimistic in the cotton production and stated that the company does not belong
to him but to The Gambians. He told them not to listen to critics who,
according to him, are against the development of the cotton sector.
It could be recalled that a local newspaper called ‘Today’, sometime ago,
reported that farmers in CRR threatened to burn down GAMCOT to ashes for
failing to pay their monies. But now the company has finally acted in fulfilling
its obligation.
Foroyaa will publish the interview conducted by this reporter with the
farmers regarding their continued engagement in cotton production, now that they
have received their monies.
The Outcry Of The Fisher Folk
A Risky Business With Little Profit
By Amie Sanneh
Fisherfolk in Brufut have been complaining about the problems hampering
their work in fishing for a long time now.
In an interview with Foroyaa in Brufut, one Maloum Mbye, a boat owner
lamented the constant stealing of fishing nets. This, Maloum said, is their main
problem. He explained that normally when they go out fishing, they spread their
nets overnight to enable them catch many fish. Maloum said when they spread
out their nets at night other fishermen in The Gambia and even some from
Senegal would steal their catch by cutting their nets which are spread in the
river and take them away with fish trapped in the nets.
Maloum, however, said they experience great losses when such incidents
occur. He admitted that nets are very expensive and that they have complained this
to the Fisheries Office in Brufut but to no avail.
He explained that when factory owners collect their fish supply from them,
they (the fishermen) find it difficult to get their money as the transaction
is normally done on a credit basis.
Mbye described the fishing expedition as a risky one and without much
profit. He said for one fishing expedition, they buy five gallons of petrol (20
litres) at D150 per gallon, which works out to D750. The highest number of
people that go out fishing is four.
He therefore appealed to banks to open branches in Brufut on the seafront
adding that this will be of immense help to them; that this will enable them
access to loans and opportunity to save their monies in a bank.
He finally called on the government to help them with security to avoid the
constant theft of their nets, which is of great concern to them.
Gibbi Secka, who has 10 years fishing experience, also complained of stolen
nets. He said even if you identify your net after it has been stolen, the
individual would deny stealing it or would say “I met it in the river.”
Commenting on the price of petrol, he noted that in their area vendors do
not reduce the price of petrol even if a price reduction is announced, but would
not hesitate to increase it the moment there is a price increase. Secka
noted that the reason why this is so is because there is no competition; that it
is only one person who is selling gasoline there.
“We don’t have any help’ he said. He also appealed for access to bank loans.
Other people I spoke to echoed similar concerns.
“AU Still Faced With Human Rights Challenges”
Commissioner Monageng
Sanji Mmasenon Monageng, a commissioner with the African Commission on Human
and People’s Rights (ACHPR), has said that the African Union remains
concerned about the many human rights challenges on the continent ranging from armed
conflicts, poverty, HIV/Aids, natural diseases, sexual violence, arbitrary
arrest and detention of human rights defenders, including journalists and
activists.
Delivering her statement, marking the 20th anniversary of the African
Commission, and the celebration of the African Human Rights Day held on Saturday
October 21, at the Commission Secretariat along Kairaba Avenue, Commissioner
Monageng said despite 20 years of continental struggle for restoration of human
rights, there is still room for improvement.
However, she said, since the establishment of the AU, there has been a
recommitment by African leaders to the ideals of human rights protection, and an
ever increasing realisation that unity, peace and sustainable development
cannot be realised without respect for human rights. The establishment of organs
such as the Peace and Security Council, Economic, Social and Cultural Council,
Pan African Parliament, the African Court on Human and People’s Rights,
among others, is a demonstration of the continent’s determination to mainstream
human rights in the programmes, policies and discourse of the AU.
“The adoption of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance
in January 2007, further expands the scope and integrates the principles of
human rights in the political space on the continent,” she asserted.
Commissioner Monageng, who is also a High Court Judge, spoke about some of
the progress made as others stumble in the process. She said that the African
Union called upon all the people of Africa and the international community to
uphold and adhere to all human rights obligations and responsibilities and
solve the continent’s human rights challenges once and for all. She also spoke
of the need to build up a durable culture of respect for human rights and
ensure a climate of peace and security for sustainable development in Africa.
It is pertinent to note that in June 1981, African Heads of State reaffirmed
their adherence to the principles of human and people’s rights and freedom
and undertook to promote and safeguard freedom, justice, equity and human
dignity on the continent and had adopted the African Charter on Human and People’
s Rights which draws inspiration from international human rights norms and
African values.
Traders Discuss E.U Market Access
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
Traders involved in businesses between The Gambia and the European Union
(EU) countries on Thursday, October 25, gathered at the Kairaba Beach Hotel for
a workshop on the theme, “Access to the EU Market for Agricultural Products:
Opportunities and Challenges”.
Bai Matar Drammeh, president of The Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(GCCI), speaking at the opening ceremony, said the EU remains The Gambia’s
most important trading partner.
“In the first quarter of 2007 alone, Gambia’s imports from the EU
represented 36% of total imports and exports to the EU represents 35% of total exports,
” Mr. Drammeh said.
He expressed that trade between The Gambia and the EU shows huge deficit for
The Gambia, “Which is not good for a small country’s economy.” According to
Mr. Drammeh for the first quarter of 2007 alone, the deficit for The Gambia
was at 37% of total trade between the two parties.
This large trade deficit he said could be attributable to many factors, but
the main factor could be the small export base, the weak production capacity
of the export oriented companies and last but not the least, increasing
difficulties in accessing the European Market”.
Mr. Drammeh added that stringent sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures have
rendered access to the European market more difficult for the least developed
countries (LDC).
“Market access for LDC countries’ products and more specifically for
Gambian products has not only a commercial dimension to it, but could also have
political and social dimensions, which should not be over looked,” he said.
Helene Cave, Charge d’ Affaires of the European Commission to The Gambia,
said The Gambia’s, market access to the EU is quota free and tariff free, as
The Gambia is eligible to Everything But Arms. Madam Cave said: “In 2001, the
council adopted the so-called “EBA (Everything But Arms) Regulation,”
granting duty-free access to imports of all products from least developed countries
without any quantitative restrictions, except to arms and ammunitions.
At present, 49 countries belong to the category of LDC’s. The provision of
the EBA regulations have been subsequently incorporated into the GSP
regulation. Only imports of banana, rice and sugar have not been fully liberalised as
at now. These three products, however, are not really crucial to The Gambia.
Duties on those products have been gradually reduced until duty free access
was granted on banana in January 2006, sugar in July 2009 and rice in
September 2009. “In the mean time, there was however duty free tariff quotas for rice
and sugar,” She said.
Interview with Halifa Sallah
Part 6
Foroyaa: We need to focus on the constitution, PDOIS’s programme for
democracy and development ; NADD’s evolution, demise and its future; Religion and
politics and other issues being raised about you. Some are interested in
knowing why PDOIS is still not the major opposition party waiting to take over;
some wonder why PDOIS have concentrated on one presidential candidate since its
inception while others rumour that you carried on a coup against Sidia by
being NADD’s flagbearer; some accuse PDOIS of having an ideology which is alien
to the people and is therefore rejected. Some claim that you should never
have advocated for the adoption of the 1997 Constitution; that you should not
have accepted to be a flag bearer and have given reasons that we would like to
pose. However before we get into all these issues we would like you to tell
our readers how far you have gone with the launching of your recent book?
Halifa: The book “Treatise on founding a Federation of African Republics “
is being produced locally to give boost to national capacity to produce high
grade books for universal consumption. The starting point was a bit
difficult for the technicians. However, they have gone through all the hurdles. I
have developed a strategy for launching it world wide.
Foroyaa; How do you intend to go about it?
Halifa: Let me expose readers to the preface so that they know the content
before explaining the strategy for its launching. The preface goes as thus:
PREFACE
In March 2007, a month after I ceased to be a member of the Pan African
Parliament, I received a memorandum conveying my appointment as a member of a
Task Force constituted by the Bureau of the Pan African Parliament, to prepare a
report on the feasibility of establishing a Union Government and a United
States of Africa for the consideration of Parliament before the adoption of its
position on the Grand debate conducted by the Heads of State of Africa, in
Ghana in July 2007.
This animated the Pan Africanist consciousness which is buried in my very
Social being. My creative spirit was jolted into action and given an
accelerated power of motion by my recollection of Lumumba’s behest which is conveyed in
his farewell letter to his wife, as he prepared his mind for death in the
hands of his murderers.
Lumumba wrote:
“Neither brutality nor cruelty nor torture will ever bring me to ask for
mercy, for I prefer to die with my head unbowed, my faith unshakeable and with
profound trust in the destiny of my country, rather than live under subjection
disregarding sacred principles. History will one day have its say .......
Africa will write her history and from the North and South of the Sahara it
will be a glorious and dignified history.”
Looking at the task before me, I felt that the moment Lumumba had envisaged
has finally arrived, after years of villainous actions to subject those who
worked tirelessly for the liberation of the continent to indignities and
death. Unity was standing at the door knocking to awaken the sleeping Giant. The
challenge therefore falls upon all of us to write the glorious history Lumumba
envisaged by making it.
At that point, I felt a sense of calling and duty to be among those who may
have the honour to be part of those who are to defend what countless great
Pan Africanists have lived and died for, that is, to carve a homeland free from
subjugation, marginalisation and degradation and create a destiny of
liberty, dignity and prosperity for the African Peoples.
This is the thrust of the book. Its primary objective is to give convincing
epistemological evidence regarding the feasibility and inevitability of
founding a Federation of African Republics.
This book is not designed to be a recipe on how Africa is to unite. It is
not prescriptive in its approach. It does not romanticise, glorify or valourise
Africa ’s past in an attempt to cover up the demonstrated inadequacies of
the present.
This book adopts a discursive approach which guides the reader through the
various stages of African history by making relevant citations from reputable
sources to show with unimpeachable clarity the interconnection and
concatenation of developments which compel the Heads of State, The Parliament, The
Economic, Social and Cultural Council and the African peoples, as a whole to
revisit the subject of African Unity in a more systematic, deliberative,
realistic and substantive manner.
The book has the collateral objective of restoring the epistemological merit
of Pan African scholarship by relying mainly on citation from the works of
Olaudah Equiano, Dubois, Nkrumah, and the various Declarations, Conventions,
Treaties, Acts, Charters, Protocols, Agreements, Programmes, Policies, Plans
of Action and Projects of the Organs of the Continent to prove that the
Strategic direction and justification for Unity have already been conceptualised
and the architecture for the establishment of the juridical, institutional and
programmatic policy foundation for a United Africa has already been laid.
It therefore aims to foster a paradigm shift from the epistemological
prejudices which have made many African Academics/Academicians to accuse those who
make citations from the works of Pan Africanists as discarding Scholarship.
It aims to restore the credentials of Pan African literature as a minefield
for African Scholarship which is in dire need of being harnessed by African
Academics/academicians to help groom African students and intellectuals who can
help move the emancipation and development agenda of the continent forward to
carve a dignified destiny for the people.
The book is divided into chapters and sections.
The sections in chapter one deal with the problems of founding a state,
examine the genesis of African Nationalism and the concept of an African Nation,
map out the location of Africa in the World prior to the global slave trade,
show how Africans who were forcibly removed from their land during slavery
yearned to return to the land of their birth only to be informed by the system
of colonialism that there was no land to return to. The sections finally show
that the spirit of African Nationalism was at the core of the struggle
against the Global Slave Trade and Colonialism.
The sections in chapter two examine the origin of Pan Africanism, show its
contribution to the shaping of the world order after the first and second
world wars, especially the provision of the Mandate system of the League of
Nations , the United Nations Charter and the provisions of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights. They give a summary of the key recommendations regarding
the Juridical and institutional foundation for exercising the right to
self-determination as envisaged by delegates to the first Pan African Conference of
1900, the First Pan African Congress, the National Congress of British West
Africa and the four other Pan African Congresses which followed.
The sections in chapter three focus on the challenges and achievements of
the liberation struggle for self-determination and independence.
They highlight the birth of Independent Ghana, Dubois’s advice to Nkrumah on
the way forward for African Unity and Ghana’s unique contribution in
becoming a bridgehead for the struggle for political independence.
The roles of the Conferences of Independent African States and The All
African Peoples Conferences pioneered by Ghana in promoting continental liberation
and the contradictions which emerged between the Casablanca, Brazzaville and
Monrovia groups before the birth of the OAU have been fully documented.
The sections in chapter four focus on the birth of the OAU, the
operationalisation of its committees and the rise and impact of Micro-Nationalism. The
programme propounded by Nkrumah and his final stand for the unification of the
continent, before his overthrow is given sharp focus.
The sections in Chapter Five map out the challenges of African Integration
during the first lost decade which gave birth to the Lagos Plan of Action, the
second lost decade which gave birth to The Abuja Treaty and the Third lost
Decade which gave birth to the African Union . They show the final demise of
Micro-Nationalism and document all the structural and programmatic responses
to the growing impoverishment and marginalisation of the peoples of the
continent, despite its immense wealth.
The sections in chapter six deal with the extraordinary meeting in Sirte and
the birth of the African Union. They examine all the relevant juridical
instruments which can facilitate the drafting of a Federal Constitution and
review the state of the Executive, Parliamentary and judicial organs of the AU
which could evolve into the pillars of a Federal state. They review the role of
the Regional Economic Groupings and the Financial Institutions of the Union
in fostering African Unity.
The sections in chapter seven explore the way forward. The principle of
subsidiarity which holds that acceptance of membership of a Federation means loss
of sovereignty is contrasted with the principle of collective sovereignty
which conceives membership of a Federation as giving a multiplying effect to
the individual Sovereignty of countries. The sections show that the
establishment of the African
Economic Community with an African Central Bank, an African Investment Bank
and an African Monetary Fund, capable of providing stable exchange rates,
balance of payments and investment support to continental food and agro
industrial and other enterprises can break the agricultural monopoly of the north if
complemented by effective countermeasures to ensure equitable trade and
realistic and equitable exchange rates of world currencies. These measures are
argued to be a viable reposition of Africa, in a world characterised by trading
and financial blocs.
The sections further explain the role of ideology and the nature of the
third phase of pan-Africanism and highlight the necessity of the Convening of a
World Conference on Equitable Trade and another on Equitable Financial and
Monetary Systems serve as the foundation for the establishment of a New
International Economic order. Finally, the last section in chapter seven focuses on a
practical timetable for the establishment of a Union Government and a
Federation of African Republics.
Scientists-Journalists Network On Malaria To Be Launched In November
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
The African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMERN), a network of
journalists and scientists working on malaria will be launched in The Gambia on
November 13. Pa Modou Faal, AMMREN Country Coordinator for The Gambia Chapter,
said the date of the launching is confirmed but the venue will be known to the
public in the near future.
Mr. Faal told Foroyaa, that AMMREN’s Executive Secretary, Mrs. Charity
Binka, is expected to grace the grand launching of The Gambian Chapter, the first
to be launched among the nine sister chapters throughout Africa. He promised
that their network will work closely with government departments, private
organisations and the media in order to reduce the burden of malaria on The
Gambian people.
Journalists Urged Wider Coverage On Malaria
As Health Department Introduce New Malaria Drug
By Amie Sanneh
Journalists from both the electronic and print media have on Friday October
26 pledged to intensify their efforts in raising public awareness on malaria
prevention and control.
The journalists, made this promise at a workshop organised by the National
Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) aimed at building awareness on malaria
amongst journalists and the introduction of the new malaria drug.
Officially opening the workshop, the Manager National Malaria Control
Programme, Malang Fofana, said they are embarking on a process of policy change.
He said in the past, health officials prescribed chloroquine tablet to treat
malaria, but now they have discovered that it is not very effective in
treating the disease.
Mr. Fofana revealed that the department of Health services is coming up with
a new malaria drug, called coartem. This drug he said, is very effective and
can treat malaria.
He described people’s attitude towards treatment as negative which needs to
be changed.
Mr. Fofana said even if they are given the best medicine, if they do not
take it accordingly, it would be of no use. “People need to comply,” he said.He
pointed out that the mosquito is not easy to control and the best way is to
have preventive strategies.
He expressed hope that the information received will be disseminated to the
people.
Speaking earlier, Madam Abie Khan, head of regional Health team, said the
department of Health singles out malaria as one of the biggest burdens in the
sector. She disclosed that the project is funded by the Global Fund Against
Malaria.Madam Khan said there is a new drug in the malaria treatment which will
replace chloroquine.She, however, describe journalists as an important tool
in information dissemination and that together with them there will be a
difference. She urged them to report objectively and not subjectively.
Adam Jagne Sonko, who chaired the opening ceremony, said that with
journalists they can reach a very wide range of audience.
Health officials at the workshop said the new malaria drug, coartem, is
already in The Gambia and a sample was shown to journalists but will be effective
in November or early December. They noted that their staff need to equip
themselves with the new drug before it can be given out to the people.
This drug is said to be very expensive and the treatment is 24 tablets but
should be taken accordingly. However, the medicine is not recommended for
children who are below five years and pregnant women. The details about the new
malaria drug would be published in Foroya’s Health and Nutrition Column.
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY
Discrimination In The Family
Part 9
Mama With Soul And Zai
The couples got fed up with mama’s beckering and troubles. She criticized
every bit of their lives. Mama came to help the couples nurse their twins but
she practiced the contrary. Every morning she woke up late, took time for her
make up and asked for an expensive breakfast. “I do not want junk food. I am
on a highly vegetable and fruits diet with high protein and little
carbohydrate. I know you are poor but for me to stay you have to provide it or else I
quit. I’ve not come here for unnecessary sacrifice”. She threatened her
daughter and son-in-law. Zainab challenged her mum. “You have no use here. You don’
t look after my babies. You don’t care about us. Mama, you are trouble. It
definitely makes no difference whether you stay or not”. Sulay took a low
profile. He left Zai to iron it out with her mum.
The Rich Household
Che’s busy schedule did not allow him to visit Zainab since she put to bed
her twins. He decided to give Bani a cheque of D300, 000 for her sister. She
exclaimed. “All this for Zai? Oh my darling sunshine!” She embraced her hussy
and gave him a passionate lip kiss. Bani is very happy. “Sweetie! Your visa
is ready. You’ll travel to US next week”. “Oh!” She jumped with excitement.
“America! Here I am!” She bounced on her settee. She is a fulfilled woman.
The Twins Crying
The twins were crying. Sulay came into the room to check. He found mama
making up, unattending the babies. He went to console them. He changed their
nappies. Mama started grumbling. “The room is stuffy. No AC, no fan. Your low
income would not allow you to enjoy life. I warned my daughter but she would not
listen. But if you don’t install an AC or at least buy a fan I’ll leave. I
am comfortable in my home. I cannot come her and suffer. “Sulay felt the pain
and humiliation. Mama’s arrogance was unbearable. But as his in-law he
cannot exchanged words with her. He let sleeping dog to lie.
Mama Leaves
Mama left unceremoniously when the couples went to work. The senior nanny
told them when they returned home. “She just packed her things and told me to
tell you when you come from work”. Aunty Nancy told the couples. “Good
riddance to bad rubbish!” Zainab gave a sign of relief.
The Two Sisters
Bani came to visit her sister. She came with the cheque. They discussed
about their impossible mum. “Mama came her with her rigid set rules. She insulted
and humiliated us. She refused to take care of the twins. Her taunts became
unbearable. With Allah’s intervention, she packed her things and left when we
went to work. Mama is trouble. She is getting worst as she ages”. Zainab
explained. “Oh Mama!” Bani expressed. “Let us move to a more interesting
topic. How is Che and his business?” Zai asked. “Busy, busy as usual”. Then she
gave her the cheque with Che’s apology. “Here is a cheque. Che is ashamed
that he could not pay you a visit since you put to bed. He is sorry”. Zai
thanked him. “This is too much. We are grateful. Che is an international business
tycoon. He has no time but we appreciate his generosity. May Allah replenish
his well of wealth. He will never be found lacking”. Zai kissed her sister.
Then Sulay entered.
Saul Enters
“Oh! What a great visitor! The two sisters on childhood secrets!” He
hugged Bani. “Long time! How is Che? No time, busy, busy as usual”. “Say it
again! He is travelling to Brazil tomorrow. I don’t expect him until the end of
the month. But am travelling to the US next week. I am going to put to bed there
”. “Oh! Safe journey in advance”. Saul said. “Thank you!” Bani replied.
Zai showed her husband the cheque. “Oh! It’s too much! Thank him for us. Tell
him we appreciate the gesture”. “You are welcome!” Bani replied. Zai asked
Bani to excuse her. “Am going to serve his lunch. He is tired from work”. “
Let me join you to learn to serve Che better. You are an expert in the field.
You were there before me”. They gave a girlish giggle and both entered the
inner room. Now the sisters are very closed.
A Job Offering
As the couples were relaxing Zai told her husband. “Darling, Che is offering
you a managerial position in one of his companies. The packages include an
official car, residence and fringe benefits for our family. What do you say to
it?” Saul hesitated. He was uncomfortable. He answered. “Thank you
sunshine, don’t say I am turning down your sister’s offer. It is great of them but
darling, I have a bright future. I am a graduate, an accountant. I have
prospects. I am to travel soon on some professional course. I am more comfortable
with that than working for Che. I want independence and respect. I want to
work it out. That is more dignified. Say it diplomatically to Bani. Don’t make
her feel we are rejecting their offer. They are nice to us. They mean no harm”
. He caressed his wife. “Okay darling! I understand. I’ll put it neatly. I
respect your position. It is noble”. He kissed her. “Am I not lucky for
having a loving, caring and understanding wife? I love you with my body and soul.
You are my soulmate”. The couples kissed again. They are one. They love
themselves.
FOCUS ON POLITICS
PRESIDENT JAWARA’ S STAND ON DEMOCRACY CHALLENGED;
As Foroyaa Push For Genuine Democracy
With Suwaibou Touray
We have been focusing on politics in this column, which motivates us to
follow the narration of political events from pre-colonial Gambia to
post-independence era.
One main objective of our review is to see how far the practice of democracy
had matured in the country since independence and what role various parties
played in the democratization process.
Let us continue from where we stopped.
By the end of 1987, there appeared to be an intensification of visits to The
Gambia and to Senegal by certain Gambians and Senegalese. Reports indicated
that about 116 children from The Gambia visited Senegal and camped with
Senegalese children. It was also said that it was Banjul City Council that
contributed a huge sum of D10, 000. This was perhaps to reciprocate what Senegal had
done a year or two ago. Reports also showed the visit of the mayor of Dakar
to Banjul. The objective that was said to be behind all this was to revamp
the SeneGambia friendship.
PDOIS which opposed the confederation on the grounds that it was just a
bureaucratic set-up meant to benefit only the bureaucrats commented that the D10,
000 could have been utilized to uplift the conditions of say the dilapidated
streets in Banjul. They called on the ratepayers to start demanding for an
explanation as to how their money was being spent.
The criticisms on the SeneGambia confederation mainly from the PDOIS and the
rumours of the president contemplating about resigning attracted attention
from the foreign media, such that by 12th December, the BBC interviewed
president Jawara whether in fact he was contemplating about resigning. The
president said he was not. BBC then asked why he has moved into his own residence in
Fajara from the state house, the president simply said that should not be
taken to mean that he was about to resign but did not elaborate. When the BBC
reporter asked about the confederation, the president said the protocols of
implementation, which had been signed under the main agreement, have been
functioning satisfactorily. The BBC reporter went a bit further to ask whether
anything concrete had been done; the president identified the confederal
parliament. When quizzed further as to who was the head of the confederal army, the
president preferred not to say that it was a Senegalese. At this point, the
president simply asked the BBC reporter to go and review the confederal
agreement.
According to Foroyaa issue No. 8/87, it was no wonder that president Jawara
did not appear too keen to further the discussion. Foroyaa re-emphasized that
the confederal agreement and protocols did violate the sovereignty of The
Gambia and Senegal. So as they insisted, it was a stumbling block to the
development of an equal relation between the Gambia and Senegal; that the president
of Senegal could still declare a state of emergency in the Gambia.
By December 1987, president Jawara visited Germany where he was invited to
the Pottinger Collegium for Democracy. The Western countries at the time
measured democracy in African countries by the mere holding of regular and
periodic elections without gauging whether the practice conforms to the standards or
not. Consequently, when the president came back, he was full of zeal, which
must have compelled him to call for a press conference.
The PDOIS must have been thrilled by this move and must have seen the
opportunity to push the PPP government to state their views on issues raised by
them, such as the SeneGambia confederation, the registration process and of
course on the issue of Democracy, in general.
According to Foroyaa, the PDOIS used the occasion to engage PPP on polemics
since they could not get them to attend rallies, symposia etc, to exchange
views so as to defend their policies. So by the end of December 1987, the
Foroyaa got the opportunity to have face-to-face dialogue and Sam Sarr represented
them.
Interestingly enough, as the discussion ensued, the Director of Information
and Broadcasting made several attempts to block the dialogue but the
president later asked him to allow the dialogue. The other interesting thing was that
Radio Gambia butchered parts of the dialogue where they felt the president
did not fare well. This compelled Foroyaa to publish it verbatim.
Press Conference turn To Debate
FOROYAA: My question concerns your trip to West Germany in relation to the
Pottinger Collegium as an advocate of democracy and human rights. A review of
the Local Government Act, infact many people are very active in wanting to
participate in chieftaincy elections, since there are so many chiefs who are
acting at this particular moment. This Local Government Act does not in fact
make any provision for the election of chiefs and on the contrary in fact it
gives the president the power to be able to appoint and remove chiefs from
office and my question in this regard is, do you consider this to be a democratic
arrangement, especially if one considers that the people elect and the
president disposes of whatever the people propose? This is the connotation. And
further, still on council’s elections the president is empowered to dissolve
any council at any time he deems fit and that….
PRESIDENT: You’ve exhausted that really. Let your questions come to the
point. Summarize them because time…
FOROYAA: In a nutshell, what, I’m saying is, the Local Government Act does
give a lot of power to the president to be able to dissolve council and the
minister to be able to cripple the council. Do you therefore consider that the
present arrangement for Local Government to be democratic enough?
PRESIDENT: Yes, I do. I think our Local Government Act like all our laws are
based on democracy; all our laws are based on the democratic principle and
respect for human rights etc, etc. Individual freedom, freedom of expression
etc. And you cited the method of election of chiefs. Well, before the PPP
Government came to power, chiefs were in fact simply appointed by government and
even then one would not say it is not democratic it can be done. Many offices
are simply appointments by the executive. The judges are not elected here,
they are appointed by the President, the President appoints the Chief Justice,
appoints the judges of the appeal Court. Would you say that is undemocratic?
FOPOYAA: What I am saying is that, where the people propose should the
President dispose?
PPESIDENT: Why not?
FOROYAA: When the people elect somebody the President has authority?
PRESIDENT: Yes, yes, Presidents have power you know.
FOROYAA: That’s why I’m asking the question in relation to your advocacy of
democracy and human rights?
PRESIDENT: A President without power will be no use to government, to the
country, , to the people. That’s why Presidents everywhere, Heads of States,
Heads of government are invested with power so that they can use that power to
govern in the interest of their people. You see, as I always say, before
Independence, of course chiefs were never elected, there was no voting or
anything. You have the Governor simply appoints chiefs, but it was the PPP
Government who tried to inject a greater sense of democracy in that appointment by
bringing about elections of chiefs so that the people in the districts could
participate and express their views, at least they have few candidates to choose
from. While you say that once they do that the executive should not have
power to dismiss a chief. Well I think that’s wrong.
FOROYAA: That it’s in parliament…
According To Foroyaa their reporter did not finish this statement. That what
he wanted to say was to point out to the President that parliament has not
made the post of chief elective; that the people were just being deceived to
think that they were electing chiefs when in reality it was still the
President who has authority to decide who is to be chief. This comment could not be
made because the President interrupted with the following words.
PRESIDENT: That is wrong, in my view. That executive as the law provides;
and that law has been taken to parliament has been passed by parliament that
under certain circumstances the president should have power; the president and
the Minister have certain powers extending to the President being able to,
under recommendation by the Minister to dismiss a chief in the national
interest, I would not call that undemocratic. It is democratic and you find similar
situations everywhere as I have cited the Chief Justice is a very important
personality, he is the third personality in terms of precedence in the state,
but he is appointed by the president and he can be dismissed by the president
under certain circumstances. So that to allege that we are being
undemocratic by the legislature giving power to the president to dismiss chiefs under
certain circumstances is simply not correct, is not valid.
FOROYAA: So you are saying it’s a Colonial legacy?
PRESIDENT: What?
FOROYAA: This….
PRESIDENT: What I said was Colonial was the appointment of chiefs without
anybody voting for them and we came and injected some degree of democracy in it
by making chieftaincy to be an elected office; that the people of the
district the electorate in the district would vote, would elect a chief so that
this was done by us in order to bring in some degree of democracy in the
process, but the power still to dismiss a chief under certain circumstances in the
National interest is still there and I think it should be there too. Do you
think chiefs should never be dismissed under any circumstances?
FOROYAA: What I’m saying is – where the people elect, if a system exists, a
truly democratic system, where the people elect somebody; should an
individual be given the power to dismiss that particular individual? The case of the
chief Justice is appointed by the President just like, for example
parliament, a parliamentarian cannot be removed from office just by an individual;
there is a legal procedure, not the feeling of an individual. A chief can be
removed from office and the President does not have to explain anything. This is
what I’m questioning in terms of your democratic principle, which you are
advocating. According to Foroyaa,(This part was left out by Radio Gambia).
PRESIDENT: What I am saying, this is very democratic still. This is still
very democratic because the President is not acting on his own out of a whim.
It is… his actions…. are based on a law which had been passed by the
Parliament which had been elected by the people. So you see it is the legislature;
if the legislature were to amend that law then of course it would be
undemocratic for the President to ignore the law and, act as he wishes out of his own
personal whim but in dismissing a chief under certain circumstances the
President would be doing it according to law, a law enacted by the legislature,
which of course has been elected by the people, so in fact the President is
acting on behalf of the people. Agreed?
As our reporter took a step to respond the other journalists would not allow
him to ta1k. The President seeing our reporter coming to respond made the
following remarks.
PRESIDENT: You want to continue the debate, well, carry on, I’m ready.
FOROYAA: My colleagues are stopping me.
PRESIDENT: Well, I’m ready.
See next issue as we delve into issues of 1988.
President Jammeh’s Surprise Visit To AG Chambers
By Saikou Ceesay
On Thursday around 4:00pm, President Yahya Jammeh made another surprising
visit to the Attorney General’s Chambers, Department of State for Justice.
Prior to his tour of the offices, workers and employees of the Attorney General’s
Chambers welcomed him and formed a procession to shake hands with him.
Meanwhile, the President conducted a tour of the Department with the
Solicitor General Dr. Henry Carrol, amongst other officials. He visited all the
sections, starting from the office of the SoS, Chambers, Criminal Division,
Companies Division, Curator’s Division and Registrar General’s office. He gave
them the floor to lodge their complaints and indicate the difficulties they are
facing in their work.
He later pledged to sponsor some Gambians for higher education. Mrs. Grace
O. Mowoe Parliamentary Council, who served part of her life at the Attorney
General’s Chambers, was given a new car by the president for her personal use.
Mrs. Mowoe was said to have been using her own car for official duties. He
also pledged to rehabilitate the Attorney General’s chambers.
Mrs. Marie Saine Firdaus, the Secretary of State for Justice, was on a visit
to Taiwan during the President’s visit to her Department of State. The
occasion was attended by many dignitaries.
Police PRO Calls For Public Cooperation
By Saikou Ceesay
In an exclusive interview with the Foroyaa recently, the Police Public
Relations Officer, Superintendent Sulayman Secka, said crime in The Gambia is
moderately low. He indicated that they have kept armed robbery in rural areas in
check, adding that the Police Intervention Unit (PIU) has been decentralised
to all regions in the country.
Mr. Secka assured Foroyaa that armed robbery will continue to decrease
considerably as the PIU are doing well in both rural and urban areas.
When asked what the police force are doing in protecting the lives and
properties of the citizens, Mr. Secka pointed out that they are doing all they
could to protect the lives and properties of all citizens and non-citizens in
the country. He said to ensure that this is done new police stations have been
opened in various parts of the country; that there is constant patrol in the
Greater Banjul Area to make sure that peace and tranquility prevail. Mr.
Secka added: “We need the cooperation of the general public”.
He assured Gambians that the police are their servants and partners and are
here to serve Gambians to the best of their abilities in the protection of
lives and properties. Mr. Secka maintained that the police alone cannot do it
all. He said they need the co-operation of the general public. “The community
are the police and police are the community” stressed the Police PRO. Mr.
Secka urged the public to come forward and join hands with the police to make
The Gambia a crime free country.
UN To Deal With US Blockade On Cuba
By Fabakary B. Ceesay
Next Wednesday, for the 16th consecutive year, the resolution “Necessity of
ending the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United
States of America against Cuba” will be dealt with at the UN General
Assembly. Last year the resolution was approved by 183 of the 192 UN member nations,
with only 4 votes against and one abstention.
According to Ambassador Carlos M. Salsamendi, for 47 years, the Cuban people
have been suffering under the imposition of the blockade which was part of
the aggressive policy adopted against Cuba by the United State’s Government
through acts of sabotage, fostering terrorist actions in Cuba, even at the Bay
of Pigs invasion that was defeated by the Cuban people. Ambassador Salsamendi
noted that such hostile policy has been further strengthened by the present
US administration as a top priority issue on President Bush’s agenda.
Ambassador Salsalmendi further said the best proof of such assertion is none other
than that of Bush, in which he announced an unprecedented escalation of his
policy against Cuba. He said President Bush’s intentions are to change Cuba’
s system by force; that Bush declared that in future dealings with Cuba the
word of order will not be stability, the word of order will be liberty,”
stressed the Ambassador. The Cuban Ambassador asserted that Bush has no moral
authority, nor the legal mandate, to impose changes of legal and political
systems that other peoples of the world have chosen for their countries. He said “
It is an outright violation of our rights as an independent people”. He
pointed out that Bush is now getting ready to pack soon, leaving the white house;
that he is acting out of frustration since all his plans against Cuba have
failed. Ambassador Salsamendi challenged Bush for saying that the Cuban
Government is isolated in the international community, when Cuba was recently elected
to the UNESCO Executive Council by 157 votes out of 175, noting that Cuba
was the third world country most voted for.
Ambassador Salsamendi also highlighted the losses his country had made
economically due to the US blockade. He said Cuba had lost 89 billion dollars for
the past 50 years due to the blockade, noting that, that is genocide. “The
United States had for the past 16 years utterly disregarded the decision of the
International Community which has been approved unanimously by the UN
General Assembly, “ he said the blockade registered damages in their country’s
economy besides the hardships the Cuban population has been subjected to.
Dawda Bah Out of Favour at HJK
By Modou Nyang
Only two months after making a permanent switch to Finnish top division side
Helsinki Jalkapalloklubi (HJK), Dawda Bah, is now wide off new coach Aki
Hyrylainen’s selection order.
Bah moved to HJK in July from second division league side Kokkolan
Palloveikot (KPV) first, on loan before the deal was turned permanent last month. Yet
it seemed his career was in for the best after putting pen to paper for the
capital club scoring in his debut match in a UEFA Cup qualifier just days
after joining the club. And under Coach Keith Armstrong who hatched his move to
the Helsinki club, the Gambia international became an instant hit for the club
and a fans favourite, earning the nickname, “Banjulin Taikuri” (The Banjul
Wizard).
But only three months down the line and Englishman Keith Armstrong sacked,
following HJK’s crash out of the UEFA Cup and some poor results in the
domestic field, Dave is finding it difficult to command a regular place in the
starting eleven.
With the excessive tinkering by Hyrylainen in the last two league games he
has turned to other options to get him the results that he believe will earn
him his long term deal at the helm of the club at the end of the season. having
only signed until the end of this term.
Dawda was an 83rd minute substitute on Saturday in their last league match
in a 3-0 home win against TPS and this was not the first for the talented
midfielder to be sidelined. He completely failed to make it to the pitch midweek
on Wednesday, in another win over AC Oulu, and only played 25 minutes against
IFK Mariehamn on Saturday 20th October, in a goalless draw.
And now that the league has ended with HJK 7th on the Veikkausliiga table
with a total 34 points and trailing champions Tampere United by a whopping 20
points, their only chance for clinching silverware this season is in the
Finnish cup where they will play against FC Honka on November 3rd.
It now remains to be seen whether Hyrylainen’s contract will be extended and
if so whether Dawda will be part of his plans for next season considering
how far HJK will far in the Cup competition.
Two to Attend Forum on Maintenance of Artificial Surfaces
By Modou Jonga
Amadou Jallow and Bakary Terema Dahaba will travel to the Ivory Coast next
month to attend a forum on the technicalities of managing artificial playing
surfaces.
Jallow, a member of the Brikama Sports Committee and Dahaba Director of the
Gambia Football Associations’ Technical Training Center at Yundum, are set to
leave for Abidjan on 20th November to join other countries in the forum which
is organised by FIFA.
Brikama is the host of the country’s first ever plastic surface playing
ground and in other to make good of the facility, the main beneficiary – the GFA,
together with the Brikama Sports Committee are intent on exploiting all
avenues to ensure that it become a success.
And making this known in an exclusive interview, Lamin king Colley,
President of BSC added that a Memorandum of Understanding has also been drafted for
the BSC and the GFA to enter into an agreement on the management and
maintenance of the artificial turf. He also revealed that after their two
representatives’ return from the Ivory Coast, the document would be signed by both
parties.
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