In a message dated 2/17/2002 7:37:52 AM US Mountain Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< After some time it ran into problems, which was noticed by people at the
Barra end. Another boat was sent from Barra to the rescue of the first boat.
Unfortunate this boat was smaller than the one in trouble and panic stepped
in, I guess. The rescue boat fearing that it might capsize pulled away with
those who were lucky to board. This boat on arrival at Barra end struck a
rock and split in two. The people in that boat were helped to shore and they
explained the predicament of the rest.  >>

Gassama:
I really wonder whether you read what you wrote.  Despite receiving an
emergency call from the sinking ferry, prompting them to send an initial
rescue boat to what was fast developing into a catastrophic situation, the
"people" at Barra still failed to contact the Gambian rescue services or what
Gassama called, the Navy,  Instead, they had to wait until the initial rescue
boat, which BTW was split in two by a big rock as it approached Barra,
returned from a haphazardly arranged rescue mission to get a clearer picture
of what was happening.  This is either a ludicrous explanation or a
frightening example of the inefficiency of our services.

 It shows that there was a breakdown in an already nonexistent chain of
command.  This IMO is truly worrying and one can say it is certainly a
microcosm of a larger problem with the way the country is run in general.
While the govt.'s procuring ferry boats from Ukraine is a heartening story,
the focus should be on the way the inefficiency of our government cost almost
a hundred travelers their lives in a very tragic way...  A truly frightening
occurrence!

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