From the Grapes Talk All Leave None

The Independent (Banjul)
COLUMN
July 19, 2004
Posted to the web July 19, 2004

By Khadija
Banjul

As parastatals continue donations to help boom the amount budgeted to grace
the 10th Anniversary of the July 22nd Military take over, the Grapes was
informed that NAWEC has chipped in with a donation of D3 million.

What! 3 million! Yes, with water and electricity scarcity continuing to hit
our cities and towns. The Grapes is saying that that huge amount could have
been used to help provide sufficient water and electricity for the people.
After all, the celebration is a one-day affair, where as, water and
electricity goes long as life lasts NAWEC's Tariffc Changes There is this
double take in town about NAWEC's new water and electricity tariff changes.
The Grapes indicates that people are complaining that the tariff increase
is done without proper checking.

Many people said they used to find it difficult to pay their water and
electricity bills more so now as the tariff has been increased. One such
affected person has told the Grapes that he is taking his metre back to
NAWEC. What an amazing thing! This has never happened in the history of the
Gambia. But why this massive tariff increases? Anyway the Grapes has no
answer to this question unless we turn to our brothers and sisters at
NAWEC . Telecentres Losing Customers There is this gibbering in town that
telecentre owners are seriously affected by Gamtel's recent increase of
land-to-mobile tariffs. Ask how? Well because nowadays people stay away
from making land-to-mobile calls in telecentres, instead they prefer buying
scratch cards to make their calls (a move that can only delight Gamcel).

One disgruntled guy told the Grapes: "before the increase I use to pay
D7.50 but now I pay nothing less than D20 for the same time spent in the
telecentre." What of those who were making calls valued at D50, how much
will they be paying now?" the guy queried. The Grapes wonders if the new
tariff changes is to Gamtel's advantage as they are now loosing several
customers on daily basis.

Why The Haggling?

Tenants are now haggling with their landlords over the increase in payment
of rent, the Grapes learnt. Guest what? Some landlords are now serving
their tenants with notice letters informing them of increase in rent
payments. The Grapes says pay or else evict. One of such letters, which the
Grapes came across, cited the high cost of living and the upsurge in basic
amenities as reason for the increase of rental fees.

Big Musical Jambureh

There is this emit waltz in town that apart from the 16 football teams and
10 heads of States, 4 big musicians are invited to grace the July 22nd
celebration. These musicians, the Grapes was informed include Mariam Makeba
of South Africa, Sister Carrol of Jamaica, Salif Keita of Mali and Youssou
Ndour of Senegal.

What a big musical Jambureh! But do we need all these things just to
celebrate a change of government. After all the July 22nd 1994 coup was
condemned by the International Community. With the huge amount of money
budgeted for the celebration, the Grapes is10.5

Female Civil Servants preparing themselves for D Day

Classic info. reaching the Grapes has it that some government departments,
after receiving the circular urging all female civil servants to
participate in a match pass to celebrate the July 22nd anniversary, held
emergency meetings. At the meeting, the Grapes was informed, it was agreed
that the women take from their department votes to buy Ashobi.

What the Grapes now want to know is who gave the authority to use
taxpayers' money to buy Ashobi for a march pass?


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