Issue No. 137/2007, 21 - 22 November 2007
Editorial
ANOTHER BUDGET SESSION IN THE MAKING
We have almost come to the end of another financial year. The executive is
required by the Constitution to direct the Secretary of State for Finance and
Economic Affairs to prepare and lay before the National Assembly at least 30
days before the end of the financial year, estimates of the revenue and
expenditure of the Gambia for the following financial year. The financial year
ends on the 31st December. Hence in about a week the Secretary of State is duty
bound to present the estimates of the executives on the sum required to run
the public service in 2008, the 14th year of President Jammeh’s rule. In
addition to the estimates, the SoS for Finance is expected to present the fiscal
and monetary plans and programmes of the government for economic and social
development for periods not exceeding a year and the estimates of expenditure
required to implement such plans and programmes.
In the last budget speech, the SoS indicated that the real gross domestic
product of the country grew by 7.7%. Agriculture is said to have contributed
29.8% of the value added, industry 10.9% and service sectors 56%.
These three basic branches constitute the macro economic base of the
country.
Agriculture covered crop production, livestock, forestry and fishing.
Industry covered mining and quarrying, manufacturing, provision of water and
electricity and construction in the public and private domain.
The service sectors covered the distributive trade, hotels and restaurants,
transport, communication, real estate and business services.
Foroyaa has been following the development of such sectors.
Unlike, 2006 when the state engaged in many works connected to the African
Union Summit 2007 witnessed many economic blood shocks, which undermined many
sectors in the economy. Foroyaa will monitor the picture the executive will
draw and then give a comprehensive analysis.
It is important to point out that despite the claim of a growth of 7.7%
salaries did not increase to meet inflation trends and income of the population
depreciated in the face of rising inflation. Poverty also remained the major
cause of misery and wretchedness. A way forward is necessary and urgent if we
sincerely feel the suffering of the people.
ECOWAS COURT ADJOURNS
Demands for Evidence
The judgment of the Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of
West Africa on the suit filed against the Gambia Government for the release
of Chief Ebrima Manneh was not delivered yesterday as anticipated.
The court has demanded for evidence of the arrest of Chief Ebrima Manneh.
The court has adjourned till Monday to receive evidence of the arrest of
Chief Manneh and related matters. The Media Foundation of West Africa (MFWA)
based in Accra, Ghana has filed a suit at the Community Court demanding the
immediate release of Chief Manneh who has been missing since 7 July 2006. Mr.
Femi Falana, a Nigerian lawyer, who is a member of MFWA Network of Lawyers for
the Defence of Journalists and the President of the West Africa Bar
Association, is holding brief for the MFWA.
The Gambia government has not been appearing before the court to defend its
case.
According to a protocol to the treaty establishing the community court, the
court has jurisdiction to hear and determine cases of human rights violations.
Its decisions are immediately enforceable. The Media Foundation for West
Africa (MFWA) is a regional, independent, non-profit, non-governmental
organisation based in Accra, Ghana. It was established in 1997 to promote and defend
the rights and freedom of the media and all forms of expressions.
Where Are Jasaja Kujabie and Others?
Family sources of three residents of Foni Kansala District have reliably
informed Foroyaa that the whereabouts of Haruna Jammeh of Kanilai, Jasaja
Kujabie of Dobong and Macie Jammeh of Kanilai is still unknown to them.
They informed this reporter that the detainees were arrested during the
rainy season in 2005.
State security agents arrested Mr. Jasaja Kujabi, a stalwart of the APRC in
the Foni’s and a resident of Dobong together with Mr. Haruna Jammeh and Mrs.
Macie Jammeh in 2005, family sources noted.
According to sources, they were taken to Kanilai purportedly for
questioning, but they never returned home. Family sources indicated that they have made
frantic efforts to locate their whereabouts, but their efforts are yet to
bear fruits. According to them, the disappearance of their loved ones is
impacting negatively on them. They said they are not aware of any court proceeding
against the missing trio. They further indicated that no reason(s) has/have
been advanced for their arrest by the authorities. They said when they enquired
about the reason for their arrest; the arresting officers only told them
that they are wanted for questioning.
Family sources urged the concerned and relevant authorities to release their
loved ones as their continuous detention has had a serious economic and
psychological impact on the livelihood of their families.
Fatou Jaw Manneh’s Sedition Case At The High Court
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
The protracted sedition case of Fatou Jaw Manneh, a United States based
Gambian journalist would be mentioned at the High Court in Banjul before Justice
M.M Yamoa. The journalist’s case has been a legal quagmire following the
withdrawal of two magistrates from the trial.
In early July, the trial Magistrate, Buba Jawo ruled that he does not have
jurisdiction to hear the case. Magistrate Jawo said in his ruling that the act
was done in the United States while the investigation and browsing of the
article on Internet was conducted in Banjul. He therefore transferred the
matter to the Banjul Magistrates Court.
At the commencement of the trial, Magistrate Jawo had over-ruled the defense’
s submission that the court lacks jurisdiction to try the journalist. On
August 6, Magistrate Imelda Mboto who was assigned to hear the case at the
Banjul Magistrate’s Court also withdrew from the case. Magistrate Mboto also ruled
that she has no jurisdiction over the case since it was posted in the
Internet and the accused person was arrested at the Airport which is under the
jurisdiction of Brikama.
Jaw Manneh was arrested on arrival from the United States on March 28 and
detained for five days.
Interview With Halifa Sallah
Part 12
One of my memorable encounters is the barefooted farmer whom we met at the
outskirts of Foday Kunda. He callous hands, torn clothes, chapped feet and
disappearing teeth placed us face to face with the dehumanizing nature of
poverty. It was very clear to us that no human being with clear perceptions of the
feasibility of a better life would resign to such a despicable state of
existence of having no present and no future. The farmer who knew Sidia from
childhood received us with a grin on his face as if we were very strange fellows.
We shook hands and explained our mission. He asked Sidia whether we were
going to bring what he called “Jawara mano” (Food aid from the President). Sidia
told him that food aid was not the solution; that our objective was to bring
about self-reliance in agricultural production and food self-sufficiency so
that we will not receive expired food as food aid. He said that politicians
who did not come with “Jawara Mano” are not likely to get votes. I looked at
the man from head to toe and wondered what benefit he derived from “Jawara
Mano”. He caught me looking at his cracked heels and asked me in jovial manner
why I was looking at him with such penetrating glance.
We did receive our first lesson on the challenges of the politics of
patronage. The farmers did not know what the role of a state was. They had no idea
why they were electing a president, members of parliament or councillors. They
had no notion of a constitution or the rights guaranteed for them. The
president, the ministers, the members of parliament, the commissioners and the
chiefs were all rulers or kings. Even public servants were mystified. Dispensers
were even referred to as Doctors. They did not know where the revenue of the
country was derived from and the entitlements they had as taxpayers. The
Gambia was literally a sovereign republic without a sovereign people. We drew
the conclusion that independence was meaningless unless it gives rise to a
sovereign people who are in charge of their destiny. The primary mission of PDOIS
therefore became evident we could not make progress unless we motivated
people to liberate their minds so they could decide who could best serve their
interest. Our primary enemy was the ignorance of the people and civic education
became our primary weapon. We got a very powerful public address system to
start the battle of a lifetime.
Some claim that your messages were above the people. Others argued that you
are advocating for a system which had failed elsewhere. Can you explain the
meaning of PDOIS and the type of messages you transmitted to the people
regarding PDOIS’s policies and programmes?
PD in the acronym PDOIS represents people’s or participatory Democracy.
This was designed to differentiate what we advocated for from the type of
democracy where people voted for elites on the basis of inducement or intimidation
who put personal interest before national interest and use their term of
office to misrepresent the people and enrich themselves at their expense. It was
clear to us that if a group of youths in Foday Kunda who had never gone to
school could organise themselves into a quasi village government which
collected revenue, prepared projects, allocated responsibilities and issue penalties
for failure in the performance of duty then each village in the country could
elect its own committee which would be responsible for the collection of
revenue and the convening of village meetings to assess needs and formulate
development priorities and projects. In the same vein, all projects initiated by
central government and NGOs could have such committees as their focal points
and partners so that they would inform the villagers of all developments,
participate in the awarding of contracts. The supervision of the storage of
materials and the monitoring of the implementation of projects to prevent any
diversion of resources. We started by asking farmers whether they were paying
taxes for their huts, cattle and carts and they would respond in the positive.
When asked whether they were informed of how much was collected and what was
done with it they would respond in the negative. We therefore told them that
there should be no village taxation without village representation and that
there should be no village planning and implementation of projects without
village participation. We indicated that people’s or participatory democracy
entails representation of and participation by the sovereign people at the
village, district, divisional and national level. We informed them of PDOIS’s
intention to establish such a system of democracy.
We spent some time explaining the word market price for groundnuts in
contrast to the local price and indicated how we intend to decentralize the
decision making process by empowering the chairpersons of cooperative societies to
meet with the secretariat of the cooperative union and representatives of
marketing boards to discuss and determine the local price of groundnuts after the
world market price is known. We informed them that such representation by
unions civic, organisations and organised groups to protect rights and group
interests are all part of people’s or participatory democracy which PDOIS will
nurture through civic education by the national media and consolidate through
popular participation and legislation.
Can you explain the meaning of the I in the acronym PDOIS and how you
transmit it to the average Gambian?
To be continued
Western Region Disaster Committee Donates To Disaster Victims
By Modou Jonga
The Western Region Disaster Committee on Wednesday 14 November, 2007 donated
bags of rice, sugar, plastic buckets, pans and clothing to fifteen disaster
victims in the Western Region.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, MR. Seringe Modou Joof who deputized
for the governor of Western Region and Secretary to the Regional Disaster
Committee noted his committee was given forty five thousand Dalasis by the
office of the National Disaster Committee headed by the Vice President of the
Republic to assist disaster victims within the said region. He expressed grief on
the numerous disasters that beset the Western Region l, Mr. Joof commended
the Guaranty Trust Bank and The Gambia Red Cross Society for their assistance
and cooperation.
Joof noted that a National Disaster Policy has been recently validated and
that a national disaster Secretariat will be set up in future in order to
ensure a swift response to national disaster incidents in various districts of
the country. The donated items include forty bags of rice, ten bags of sugar,
forty plastic pans, buckets and clothing.
In delivering the vote of thanks, one of the beneficiaries, Foday Badjie of
Sohm village expressed appreciation to the Western Region Disaster Committee
and urged them to respond to the needs of other disaster victims who are yet
to be assisted.
U.S. Embassy Assists Gambia Armed Forces
Bubacarr K. Sowe & Fabakary B. Ceesay
The United States Department of Defence HIV/AIDS prevention program through
the U.S. Embassy in the Gambia on Tuesday, November 20, donated items worth
35, 000 dollars to the Gambia Armed Forces. (GAF)
According to the GAF spokeman Lt. Alagie Sanneh the items included
computers, office equipment, laboratory equipment for HIV testing, T-Shirts amongst
others.
The items were handed over by the U.S.Embassy’s charged de’ Affairs to the
Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Brigadier General Lang Tombong Tamba.
According to Lt. Sanneh, they have a joint two-year program ending at end
2007, but said it could be renewed for 2008 and 2009.
Ban On Forestry Activities Lifted
By Modou Jonga
The Department of State for the Environment and National Resources has in a
press release broadcast over GRTS announced the lifting of the ban on
forestry activities. The ban has been lifted after more than a month of enforcement.
According to the press release, the ban is immediately lifted, but with
strict conditions, which should be abided by all those dealing in firewood,
charcoal and timber .The release states that a permit should be obtained from the
forestry officers at a nearly forestry station.
On Governments preserved forest parks and community forest parks, the
release states that a license should be obtained from the respective instituted
forestry committee. On the cutting of red timber, the press release states that
it should be traded out of the country and that clearance should be obtained;
that it should be transported on a specified time frame that is from
8am-6pm. The press release urges the general public to abide by the new rules.
18-Year-Old Girl Fined For Causing Actual Bodily Harm
By Saikou Ceesay
Amie Jambang, a resident of London Corner in the KMC suburb was convicted
for unlawfully assaulting one Mariama Demba by hitting her with a pressing iron
on her head.
The accused pleaded guilty to the charge and pleaded for forgiveness.
Delivering her ruling, Magistrate Wadda Ceesay said the court should not
condone such a cruel act, adding that the accused must be punished for her
acts. Having pleaded guilty before the court, Magistrate Wadda Ceesay fined the
accused the sum of one thousand dalasis (D1000) in default to serve three
months of imprisonment with hard labour. She further ordered the accused to
compensate her victim the sum of four thousand dalasis (D4000) or in default to
serve six months of imprisonment. Both sentences are to run consecutively.
Beach Boys Accuse Soldiers
GAF Spokesperson Clarifies
By Fabakary B. Ceesay & Bubacarr K. Sowe
Over a dozen young Gambians have complained bitterly over what they
described as the humiliation they experienced in the hands of soldiers who frequently
shave their hair. They lamented that the soldiers have shaved the “dreadlocks
” of more than 12 Rastafarians since the beginning of the tourists’ season.
According to the beach boys, whenever soldiers arrest them, they always
subject them (beach boys) to humiliation by forcing them to do what is referred
to as “Monkey dance”. They alleged that the soldiers always shave their hair
when they are in their custody. They said most of them work at the beach
either as restaurateurs, barkeepers or juice pressers. They pointed out that
most of them have invested a lot of money on their hair and that some have not
shaved their hair in the past years.
“It is very painful to lose your dreadlocks within an hour after several
years of maintaining it,” they lamented.
The Army spokesperson, Lieutenant Alagie Sanneh, said his men are not
shaving people’s dreadlocks at the beach “Even if they were doing it, it could
have been their own initiative to discourage them from harassing the tourist,”
said Lieutenant Sanneh.
Lieutenant Sanneh said he knows the type of officers that are attached to
the tourism area: .He said they will not shave people’s “dreadlocks” without
any reasons. Lieutenant Sanneh said instead of prosecuting them, they could
use their own methods to discipline the boys. He said they have not yet
prosecuted any suspect at the beach due to the fact that most of the principal
witnesses are tourists who would leave the country before a case file is prepared
for the suspect to appear in court. Sanneh said most of the boys are not
working at the industry, but that they would do every thing possible to get
working cards.
He sand most of them cannot even explain the nature of the work at the area.
Lieutenant Sanneh said there are many dubious acts going on at the industry.
He said sex workers, homosexuals and thieves use the tourism industry to do
their dirty works.
Sub-Regional Training On Improvement Of Greenhouse Gases Ends
By Amie Sanneh
A Sub-regional Training workshop on the Improvement of Greenhouse Gas
Inventory Methodologies ended last week at the Corinthia Atlantic Hotel.
The programme is aimed at improving the accuracy, transparency and
comparability of national inventories expected to come out of the region in the future.
Speaking on the occasion, a representative of UNDP, Almami Camara, said
climate change poses a serious challenge to development. He said climate change
in Africa, including The Gambia, is already having profound and irreversible
impacts on the continent’s economic and social environmental system. He noted
that recurrent in flood, droughts, erratic rainfalls on the continent are
climate related disasters.
Mr. Camara also said scientific evidence suggests that temperatures are
increasing and that rainfall patterns are changing, extreme weather events are
increasing in incidence and the sea levels are rising.
Mr. Camara remarked that the time to doubt the real and potential impacts of
climate change has passed and failure to act now could result to
irreversible changes. “Therefore, it is high time we mitigated the effects of climate
change through the implementation of adaptive measures,” he said.
Mr. Camara further went on to explain that adaptation is about managing
current and future climate changes. He noted that future climate trends are
likely to be different from those historically experienced.
He pointed out that most African countries are increasingly suffering from
the detrimental effects of climate change.
Mr. Camara said without the active involvement of developing countries in
carbon mitigation efforts, a sustainable carbon path for the 21st century is
not achievable.
He however described the poor as the most vulnerable who often lack the
means to adapt to anticipated impacts of climate change.
“If developing countries do not enhance the adaptive capacities and
integrate climate change risks into key development priorities, climate change could
compromise progress towards MDGs, Opening the workshop, the Secretary of
State for Forestry and the Environment, Momodou Kotu Cham, said The Gambia was
the first African country to develop case study guidelines. In 1991 when the
first set of guidelines were developed by the OECD and the IPCC. The case study
he said was presented at the IPCC session in Geneva in December 1991
together with the case study from Canada. He added that the efforts of Canada and
The Gambia led to the Development and Implementation of the four million dollar
UNEP Greenhouse Gas Inventories Project for few countries in Latin America,
Africa and Asia which was finalized in 1993.
Gamcel Presents Pilgrimage Package To Winners
By Annie Gaye
The National GSM operator, Gamcel, on Monday presented its pilgrimage raffle
draw package to ten winners at a ceremony held at its headquarters in
Kanifing.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, the Principal Assistant Secretary at
the Department of State for Communication and Information, Lamin Camara,
noted that this is the first time in the history of The Gambia that a large
number of customers have been accorded the special privilege to fulfill a
religious obligation. He said the hajj is one of the five fundamental pillars of
Islam that is incumbent on every Muslim to perform at least once in a lifetime
provided that one could afford it. He further said for the Christians,
especially the Catholic Faith, Rome is a prominent place as it is not only the
official residence of the pope but also houses the most prominent church in the
word. He commended Gamcel for coming up with such a wonderful gesture, which is
a clear manifestation of their ardent desire to thank customers for their
patronage and loyalty to the company. He stated that it is an indication of
their attachment to The Gambian people and their respect for religious beliefs.
“Religion constitutes a very important aspect of human life as it provides
man with that spiritual link to his creator and defines his life by giving
meaning to his very existence.” He said.
He congratulated the winners for their wonderful raffle draw and wished them
a safe trip to Mecca and Rome.
Almamy Gassama, Director, Customer Care said this is the second raffle draw.
He stated that this package is a fully sponsored one, that it includes
pocket money of 1000 dollars, visa and all the ingredients. He further stated that
they have seven Gambians, one Guinean and one Senegalese. He thanked
customers for compensating Gamcel. Some of the winners expressed their happiness and
thanked Gamcel for their wonderful gesture.
OPINION
We Are In Another Tourists Season But Are We Trying To Ensure Responsible
Tourism In The Gambia
The principal gold of the ministry of tourism is to maximize the economic
and social benefits that are derived from the totality of the tourism industry,
by the different categories of Gambian service and skill providers. Its
complementary aim is to foster an organisational and economic environment in
which foreign investors, managers and tourists can operate within a conducive
framework of equitable partnership with their Gambian counterparts with a view
to ensuring that the tourism sector contributes meaningfully to the
socio-economic development of the country.
Therefore for the ministry of tourism to fully achieve this goal,
responsible tourism should be their first priority but it is clear that the ministry
and the GTA is always happy with increasing number of visitors coming to The
Gambia forgetting that majority of tourists coming to The Gambia are low
spenders. And part of their top agenda items is having all year round tourism,
however I believe the foundation of the above agenda is supposed to be “
Responsible tourism.”
Meanwhile the meaning of responsible tourism in short is to link the
industry in all other sectors of life, minimising the negative impacts and
maximizing the positive impacts and to allow the fulltime participation of the locals
in the industry.
Therefore Gambia has a long way to go to attain sustainable tourism
development because the root of sustainable tourism is responsible tourism.
Moreover to justify why the ministry is yet to achieve this principal goal
economically, this is related to an increase in income of the country. Yes, it
is happening but its minimal because the Gambia’s tourism industry is still
paddled by outbound tour operators in this case, the industry is suffering
from high level of leakages and in the accommodation aspect foreigners are now
building compounds thereby renting to tourists during the season depriving
hotels of guests.
Socially this is mainly linked to improving the living standard of the local
Gambians. Yes that’s also happening but the locals are benefiting very
little because even our locally made products are not made accessible to tourists
with too many restrictions. Examples of such produce are cashew nuts,
groundnuts etc, and most of the service providers in the accommodation sector are
wage slaves heavily relying on tips.
Meanwhile, the majority of The Gambian product and service providers don’t
have at least a diploma in tourism and hotel management studies and the young
ones with such qualifications are denied serving the industry and so the goal
cannot be achieved without also considering the human resources available.
We need to understand some of the bumsters can guide better than some official
guides so they are supposed to be metamorphosed in the process of
responsible tourism than to be labelled as common criminals.
Finally, the way forward, if recommendations are to be characterized by
realism, focus must be given to not just what is desirable but what is also
realizable. Pursuing plans that are not consonant with the demands of the
objective reality on the ground may result in building castles in the air.
What is of strategic importance is to map out a course of action that could
be translated into achievable goals and there is suppose to be effective
utilization of the indisputable resources to make The Gambia a sustainable
tourism destination, if development is to speak the language of realism
By Sulayman Bah
Student
International Business College Fajara.
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY
‘TUMAL’ (ACCUSATION)
Part 2
Marriage Life
Their marriage life was a dream comes true. They loved each other. Victor
was the dream hussy and Emy, the dream wife. Everything was romantic about
them. Then came the pregnancy. Victor went through it with his wife. He was there
for her anytime she needs him. He dotted on his wife. Victor petted Emy.
Their parents were amused. Then cane the childbirth. Victor accompanied his wife
to the hospital. He was so caring and devoted that the matron in charge
allowed him to witness the birth which was not a clinic policy. He went through
labour with Emily. He felt her pain and was very helpful to the midwives
delivering his baby. Victor made a mark at the private clinic. Emily delivered a
healthy baby. Both mother and daughter did very well. During the pregnancy,
Victor ensured that Emily did her regular exercises and ate a healthy balanced
diet. This paid devidends at childbirth.
The Nursing Period
Victor ensured that Emy continue to eat a balanced diet, do her regular
exercises and practised optimal, exclusive breastfeeding. During her antenatal
days nurses advised them to practise exclusive breastfeeding. The benefits of
this practice are overwhelming. Babies will grow fit, healthy and sound. They
will experience little sickness, that is, if at all they get sick. If they do
they get well quickly, mothers benefit also from the practice. The uterus or
womb of such mother gets back to place immediately. It can serve as family
planning. What it needs is family support for the mother to ensure she does it
well. It is demanding. The baby feeds on demand. The child is exclusively
breastfed for six months after which supplementary food is given. It is always
good to give locally available food. Preferably fermented grain, ‘Ogi’. This
fermented grain, ‘Ogi’, should be enriched with groundnut powder, pounded
smoked fish and lime to taste with little sugar and salt. Emy read this from
NaNA’s (Nutrition Agency) leaflets. She hoped to practice it to the letter.
Victor, as a loving, devoted husband decided to support Emy to the fullest.
Whenever he came from work he would nurse the baby while Emy would take her
snap. When Emma began to take supplementary food Victor helped prepare it if Emy
was busy. Baby Emma became very much attached to daddy. She hopped and danced
whenever daddy returned from work. The duo became the envy of many couples
who were experiencing the opposite. Some with negative thoughts described
Victor as weak. “He does not go to Vous. He is always tied to Emy’s skirt”. They
teased and backbited him. Their wives have nasty tongues for Emy. “She is a
bad wife. She controls her husband. Victor does not look in the direction of
any woman. He washes Emy’s pants and underwears”. They exaggerated and
gossiped negatively about the couple. Emy and Victor lived their positive lives.
Grandma Comes To Help Nurse Her Granddaughter
Granny Jos came to help nurse her granddaughter. She is a retired marton, an
efficient nurse. She encourage optimal breastfeeding and using locally
available food as supplements especially the fermented grain ‘Ogi’. She shaved
the couples how to bathe and exercise the baby to give her physical. This is
her first grandchild. She dotted on her. Anytime she cries Mamma called Emy to
feed her. Victor would want to play with Emma when he comes from work but
Mamma won’t let him. “Go and rest, you are just from work. Come for her after
your snap. “Mamma would tell Victor who would protest jokingly and do as mamma
instructed.
At The Kitchen
Victor would go to the kitchen and helped his wife. They would gossip about
Mamma’s devotion to baby E. “She would not be allowed to play with my
daughter. She instructed me to have a snap first,” Victor told Emy. “She does the
same thing to me. She holds baby E all day long. She only calls me at feeding
time. Thank God, dad gives her only a month. Dad said he missed his wife.
Daddy rings everyday. Mommy complains that daddy gives her no breathing space.
He complains all the time that he is missing his wife. Dad threatened that if
mum stays more than one month he will come looking for her”. Emy laughed
over it. “We have enough rooms to house both of them”. Victor made a fun of it.
“Over my dead body! I want to be alone with my sweet heart. The old couples
have already celebrated their golden jubilee. We are just starting,” Emy said
sternly. Victor kissed his wife. “Thank you sunshine! Thank you for bringing
sunshine into our lives”. “Thank you in turn,” Emy replied to her husband.
A Great Naming Ceremony
Victor’s parents held a great naming ceremony at the village. The different
age grades entertained the city guests. There was great fun, dancing and
eating delicious local delicacies. There was plenty to eat and drink. Uncle Peter
is a retired health officer. He is now a beneh, sesame farmer. He also rears
pigs. Aunty Ebi is a petty trader. She has a stall at the town market. They
have a healthy saving. They spend money to give their only son a grand
christening ceremony for its first child. Victor could not restrain them. It was
their own savings. There was great partying. Everybody enjoy themselves.
The Sugar Daddy
Victor’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is a womanizer. He saw Emy and
decided to giver her a lift. Emy came to the supermarket to buy some foodstuff. She
met Mr. Peters as she came out of the supermarket. He offered her a lift.
She wanted to decline but he insisted. Emy agreed. Mr. Peters have penchant for
married women. Emy was very uncomfortable. He sensed and tried to clam her. “
I’ll tell my husband you gave me a lift”. “No, don’t! it is not necessary”
. Emy got down and thanked him for the lift.
Magistrate Sentences Driver
By Saikou Ceesay
Modou Gaye a driver who was earlier convicted for negligence and careless
driving was on 16 November ordered to pay a fine of one thousand and six
hundred dalasis or in default to serve six months in jail.
Delivering his judgment, Senior Magistrate Abdoulie Mbacke of the Kanifing
Magistrates Court said he is of the opinion that the accused deserves some
punishment in order to deter others from committing a similar offence He warned
that accidents are becoming rampart on the highways. He appealed to the
police and the authorities to try and put a stop to it. He pointed out that some
drivers often rush on the highways. He said their actions are sometimes
triggered by their desire to scramble for passengers and get more money. He said
this often results in fatal accident. He added that the court ordered the
accused to compensate Amadou Sowe, the complainant, the sum of one thousand and
four hundred dalasis (D1400) or in default to serve three months in prison. He
also ruled that in case the accused could not pay the fine, both sentences
are to run consecutively. The complaint is said to have sustained some
fractures on his legs when he was hit by the car off the road.
Author Bamba Khan Urges Gambians To Embrace The Culture Of Reading
By Musa Barrow
Arts and Music Column today shifts its attention on literature. In this
executive interview, Foroyaa speaks to a promising Gambian writer, Bamba Khan,
who described writing as an inextricable part of his life. Bamba Khan takes us
on a guided tour of his writing career, how to inculcate the culture of
reading in children and also dwelt on what the future holds for upcoming Gambian
writers.
Could you please introduce yourself?
My name is Bamba Khan, aged about twenty five years old and I work at the
Access Bank.
When did you start writing?
I began active writing about seven years ago, but I can say I started
writing even earlier than that because writing has been my aspiration since I was a
child. Even during my junior school days I have high inclination for art, so
I started writing by developing short plays and also representing my junior
school at various poetry competitions. Success came in 2004, when I and my
sister Mariam Khan published two books; one entitled “
Juffereh, kissing you with lips,” and the other one entitled “Proverbs of
the Senegambia”. The first one Juffereh is a collection of poems on different
subject matters and the book is made up of about one hundred and sixty pages.
It touches on different subject matters. It touches on history, empowerment
of women, child exploitation, slavery and whatever centres on the human
dignity of the African Society. The second took is a collection of proverbs which
have been translated from the different local languages into English. This
particular book is really looked up to by tourists and those who want to make
reference to the literary culture of the Gambian Society. This took summarizes
the different proverbs from the different local languages. Basically these
two above-mentioned books served as a springboard in my entrance to the
literary world. Apart from that in 2005, I co-edited a book entitled “Ocean Waves”
this book was written by university students and it centres on different
subject matters in different forms of poetry, prose and short stories.
Do you have any plans to publish another book soon?
Well, I am making plans to come up with another book, infect I have got some
works that am developing.
After having made such a tremendous impact on the literary world within a
short period of time, what really inspires you to continue to write?
Writing is something that is natural. Essentially I love the art of
writing, I love to see birds flying in the evening, I love to hear the songs of
births or sometimes if I go to the bush I hear the sounds of leaves, the
thunderstones or when it rains. All these natural phenomena attract me; they are
closed to my heart. So I feel that I can share my own world with society, because
I believe every individual has his or her own world. And it is important
that we all share our worlds.
What does it take to be a writer?
Writing is not difficult. Everybody could become a writer. Writing only
requires dedication and commitment to be able to bring out that natural talent in
you.
Earlier you made mention of two books published by you and your sister
Mariam. What were some of the obstacles that. you faced when you were publishing
these books?
The first obstacle we faced was lack of a publishing house, because the
renowned publishing houses, Macmillan, Balgraph and others do set “unnecessary
standards”. It means anyone who wants to publish with them has to go by their
standards which I believe is totally unfair. As an alternative I and my sister
have decided to set up our own publishing house called Sandeng Publishers
where we are going to use our own work, give them to critics to look at them
for us and publish them without referring them to international publishing
houses. I believe this initiative is a form of self-sufficiency and independence
which is completely compatible with my Pan-Africanist ideas. I believe we
should not depend on other publishing houses, instead we should initiate and
create our own publishing house and use them to expose our works.
Another constraint writers in this country face is lack of adequate funds to
be able to print books. The cost of printing is very high. The third
constraint I face as a writer is people do not buy the books when they are
published. Supermarkets are quite awash with my books, but the only people who mostly
buy them are tourists, not Gambians. Am not much surprised, not that because
the culture of reading in Gambia is staggeringly poor .Gambians are more
attracted to material things like new shoes, caps and DVDs. Gambians generally
are not very much interested in art, they believe buying books is equivalent to
throwing their money away. This very negative attitude towards writing truly
discourages writers like myself.
What do you think is responsible for this lackluster culture of reading in
this country?
First of all, it has to be associated to families; because children are like
flowers, if you mould them the right way, they would develop. But, people in
families do not force their children to read. The poor culture of reading is
not due to the schools; it is due to the families because every child hails
from a home. So by virtue of that, homes are responsible for what they are.
So, if changes are to be done, it should be related to homes and family heads.
They should nurture this culture of reading into their children. Culture of
reading does not mean one has to read only an English book, . An Arabic book
can also be read. If children develop literacy culture, then they want to read
everything; they become inquisitive and automatically this is good for the
country. The more literate a country is, the faster its rate of development.
So therefore it is very significant that people in the homes change the
attitude of their children.
Don’t you think the advent of technology is a contributing factor to this
poor culture of reading: example children instead of reading books are eager to
watch the latest movies and films and also play what they consider to be
thrilling computer games?
Although the advent of technology has its own negative effects, but I
believe it does more good than harm. The process of printing books infact involves
technology. There is infact a website dedicated to Gambian literature, if
children cannot get access to the books physically, they can use the computer to
access them. As far as I am concerned technology is here to enhance things.
So I do not associate this poor reading culture with the advent of
technology, it goes beyond that. It has to do something with the way people are brought
up.
You have mentioned earlier that you and your sister Mariama have set up your
own publishing house. So what does a publishing house do?
What a publishing house does is that it would look at a script, rate it and
see of that script is fit for publication, if so it would be given to a
printing house for it to be printed. Publishing houses do the editing,
crosschecking, graphic design and whatever has to be done about the book. Publishing
house is a group of people who look at particular scripts and develop it.
Furthermore, renowned publishing houses do discourage writing because they set
unnecessary standards. And mostly they exploit the efforts of writers in the
sense that in certain books they would publish and give the writer virtually
insignificant royalties.
Disability Does Not Mean Inability
With Ebrima Dibbassey
Physically Disabled Heads A Unit
An Exclusive Interview with Wheelchair Confined Momodou Savage, National
Rehabilitation Centre, Mechanical Unit within Social Welfare Department
Can you introduce yourself to our readers?
Thank you very much. My name is Momodou Savage, Head of the Mechanical Unit
of the National Rehabilitation Centre.
Mr. Savage, as Head of the Mechanical Unit, what does your work entail?
As you are aware the National Rehabilitation Centre is the only centre in
the Gambia that deals with the mobility of the physically disabled. Here in the
workshop we take care of the mobility aspect of wheelchairs, crutches,
corner seats and standing frame. We distribute wheelchairs to our members. We also
repair wheelchairs of our members who can be found throughout the length and
breadth of this country.
Do you have an idea as to the number of clients who come to your office
daily to get their wheelchairs repaired?
Well, it depends, ‘there are certain days when the turnout is high while it
is low on other days. Basically, we do have a lot of customers usually on
Mondays. That is not surprising because the week starts on Monday. Sometimes, we
do have up to ten people who come for different purposes, such as repairs,
replacement and other mobility aids. It all depends on the disability of the
individuals, both children and adults.
You repair them, but do you normally give out wheelchairs to users?
Indeed we issue wheelchairs here and we issue them free of charge for that
matter, we repair them free as well, so these are all activities that we do
within the centre.
For how long have you been the head of this technical or mechanical unit?
I have been the head of this unit for the past eight years.
Now one can say some of the disabled who use wheelchairs in some instances
abandon their wheelchairs at strategic locations and kneel down in order to
attract alms from individuals. As a wheelchair user, what would you say to
these individuals?
It is understandable given their poverty but it is not dignified. The centre
is purposely to serve the physically disabled and provide them with
wheelchairs. Even if you sit on your wheelchair, when you go to the market, people
can give you something whoever wants to give would give something because
Gambians are so generous, people would give out money, give out charity.
If you say National Rehabilitation Centre, this is meant for all the people
with disability including you yourself. You are a physically challenged. I
hope other disabled people will not see it as a discrimination, like
concentrating only physically disabled. What do you have in this regard?
With regards to that issue. I think it is a very salient point when you say
National Rehabilitation Centre should cover all aspects of disability but
unfortunately this is only the physical aspect that we are dealing with. With
regards to the deaf and the visually impaired they also need to be
rehabilitated. Nonetheless, I think the visually impaired have their own way of having
white cane and there are instances when they come here and then we give out
walking sticks to them. I can remember many of them came here and then we issued
them with walking sticks, because if you don’t have a white cane you can use
a walking stick and sometimes we do give that.
You seem to be happily married, how many children do you have?
Yes, I am married I have two children; a boy and a girl.
Do you do any physical exercise/physical training? What do you do as part of
your enjoyment or relaxation?
Normally, I don’t do physical training but definitely I was a very good
basketball player. In fact, I was among the first people who introduced physical
basketball in the Gambia and I was the captain. You may already know that I
am the technical director of the Gambia National Basketball Committee.
Definitely, after work I don’t do any physical exercise which is not actually good
for me.
Tell us about your background?
I was born in Banjul. My parents are here even my great grandmother who came
from Basse, a place called Ceesay Kunda.
What is your age?
Savage: Well, I am an elderly ma
What are some of your bit difficulties that you were unable to overcome to
make your customers happy?
That is a very good point you know. There are very good people who come to
the Gambia and sometimes they even come with stocks of this sort wheelchairs,
coaches and the like and sometimes they don’t even know where to take them. I
am urging every Gambian and non-Gambian who have these things in stock to
bring them forward to us.
As the world disabled day approaches, year what would be your message for
the year 2007 World Disabled Day?
It is very important that we are marking world disable day, I think the
essence of 3rd December is for government, NGOs to know the existence of the
physically challenged or the disabled people in the Gambia or in the world at
large. They should have the foresight to be part of the planning. They must not
be forgotten when it comes to road network, transportation, physical
structure; when you even come to policies. These are very important things that
definitely the government and NGOs should really consider. They should not forget
the disabled but cater for them and even try to give them the chance to
explore their ability. They have a lot to share and they have a lot to contribute
to national development.
What would be your final word to the leadership?
Yes, let the disabled community come together because that is the time the
government can see us as a very unique force in order to cater for the
disabled community. Let the disabled come together and say we need this, we need
that. At least that will really help the government to plan properly; so that
they will not forget certain areas. But when the disabled come together and
form a very strong force that will help the government and even non-governmental
organisations to plan properly and be inclusive.
D6.8 Million Water Project Launched In URR
By Lamin Fatty
The Permanent Secretary for the Department of State for Fisheries, Water
Resources and National Assembly matters Mr. Lamin Nyabally has said that rural
water supply should not be treated as a mere service delivery process, but as
a step towards household water security.
Mr. Nyabally made this remark recently at the Governors Bantaba at URR
Basse, while delivering a speech on behalf of the Secretary of State for
Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters at the launching ceremony.
According to Mr. Nyabally the programme which costs 6.8 million Euros
(almost equipment to about D200 million) will provide clean portable water and
proper sanitation to both the rural and peri-urban populations of over 115,000
inhabitants; thereby reducing the stress on the national health budget and fuel
importation cost, particularly for the main project areas like URR, NBR, and
WR.. He pointed out that Government has recently promulgated a water policy
which he said calls for the establishment of a management and inclusive water
management framework base on integrated water resources management
principles. He also said a water maintenance policy is being developed to provide a
framework for community water management in order to provide instruments for
capacity building for water user group. He highlighted that the RWSSSP unlike
previous interventions, has forged a strategic partnership with NAWEC by
having a peri-urban component around the urban areas. He stressed that the
challenge in the water sector will be to promise and facilitate the management of
our water resources and infrastructures that are constructed throughout the
country.
For his part, the programme coordinator of the RWSSS Mr. Ousman Jarjusey
highlighted that an estimated 164 new water supply system will be installed. He
said 80 large diameters dug wells with hand pumps will also be provided for
the small communities. He pointed out that 50 drilled wells and at least 25
solar water supply systems will be provided for the medium and large size rural
communities with a population of 1000 inhabitants.
According to Mr. Jarjusey, the project will improve the operation and
maintenance arrangements for the rural water supply facilities by ensuring
sustainability and achieving cost recovery. He said that it will also improve the
sanitary and hygiene practices of the beneficiary communities through health
education, provision of sample pig-latine and skills training at village level.
He said it will also strengthen the national capacity of the rural water
supply sector to ensure the implementation of policies and reforms.
For his part the governor of URR Alhagie Omar Khan stated among other things
that without water, there is no life. He urged the villagers who are to
benefit from the project to make best use of if. He finally said that all hands
must be on deck to make the project a success. The ceremony was chaired by the
executive secretary of the Gambia Association of Local Government Authorities
(GALGA) Mr. Mustapha Njie.
Man Accused Of Raping A Thirteen Year Old Girl
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
A 27 year-old resident (name with held) of 199 Tobacco Road in Banjul is in
police custody for allegedly raping a thirteen-year-old girl. Spokesman of
the Gambia Police Force, Inspector Sulayman Secka said the alleged offence
occurred along the Tobacco Road at 01:08 hours in the morning of Monday, November
19.
Inspector Secka also confirmed that the alleged culprit is under
investigation and the victim had been to a health centre for medical check up. A source
has hinted Foroyaa that the victim is insane.
Lamin Sarr Preaches Discipline
By Modou Nyang
Scorpions assistant coach Lamin Sarr has implored on his players currently
training for the Zone II championship to respect time set for training.
Sarr who is currently overseeing the training in the absence of head coach
Jose Martinez, said this on Tuesday morning when addressing the players after
training of which 6 of the 22 selected players reported late. He said: “This
is a National call and you have responded to the call, which means that you
have accepted. [So] I expect every one of you to respect time set for
trainings. The choice is your, we agreed to start raining at 8am but even you (don’t
know referring to who) who live here in Bakau coming late is not acceptable”.
And he continued: “This is the senior National team and you should set
examples for the young ones [to follow]. You are now aspiring to be professionals
and it from here that you start respecting time. All of you have mobiles
[phones] or watches you can set their alarm time to wake you up, I set mine to
5:30am and I have to wake up even if I am sleepy”.
Coach Lamin Sarr conducted his training session with the players that
reported early taking them through many techniques on goal scoring and defending.
And the final selection of 18 players for the competition in Guinea Bissau is
expected next week before the team leave for Bissau on Tuesday 27th or
Wednesday 28th.
The team is also expected to go in to camp this week and today Wednesday is
being touted as the day.
SK East Crash out of Super Nawettan
By Lamin Komma and Sulayman Bah
Serrekunda East has gone out of the Super Nawettan competition after a
goalless draw with Banjul on Tuesday at the West football grounds.
The defending champions failed in the defence of their title as they
finished third in their group with 4 points behind Bakau and Banjul who took first
and second with 7 and 5 points respectively. This is probably the first time
for the five time winners of the competition – equaled only by Banjul, failed
to make it out of the group stage of the competition.
With only a point assuring them a place in the semifinal, Banjul went into
the game with a game plan not to concede and allow East to fight for every
touch of the ball. But the City Boys could have been two goals up in the first
half had it not been for the supporting defence of the goal post. Striker
Ousman Jagne beat the East goalkeeper twice in the 4th and 42nd minute but his
strike hit the post.
East returned for the second period eager to find a break through and only
the good defending and superb form of the Banjul keeper Musa Camara held them
out. The former champions best chance in the match came in the 72nd minute
when Camara brilliantly put off a goal bound howler from number 13 Ousman. And
East could still consider themselves lucky when substitute Ebrima Sonko
failed to react on time to slot home.
In the other match at the Serrekunda East grounds Bakau maintained their
unbeaten run in the competition by defeating Sukuta 3-2. Bakau took the lead in
the 23rd minute through Sainey Ceesay but Sukuta canceled it out in the 38th
from a Lamin Ceesay strike. The KMC side however rallied in the second half
and scored twice. Forward Alagie Janneh lobbed the ball over the Sukuta
defence and sent a strong drive into the net and Pateh Nyang got his second in the
competition scoring Bakau’s third. However, Ousman Bojang pulled one inside
injury time to end the match 3-2.
Joseph Gomez (Joe Tennis) Serrekunda East coach said his boys has done their
best and he just had to cheer them. “It’s a lesson, [but] the boys have
done their best, three of our players who were supposed to start the match
[could not] due to the organizers [misplacing] their cards. Our match with Sukuta
was the worst match we have ever played, we just won the match but it was not
a good match and we changed in our second match and were just not lucky to
hit the net.
Sainey and Mansally Fail in Double Attempt
By Modou Nyang
Sainey Nyassi and Abdoulie Mansally failed to capture the MLS league title
losing 2-1 against Houston Dynamo in Washington on Sunday.
The young Gambian duo were in for a second silverware attempt with club New
England Revolution after they captured the US Open Cup Championship two
months ago. Sainey and Mansally did not make it from the bench in a game the Revs
took the lead in the first half only to be subdued by the Dynamo in the
second.
Striker Taylor Twellman put the Revs in the lead in the 20th minute, but the
Dynamo tied it in the 61st before they fired the winner 13 minutes later in
the second half. Revolution has never won the MLS title having reached the
final four times. They fell in the final hurdle in the 2002 and 2005 through
injury time goals and last year were denied through penalties.
Sainey and Mansally have each made one appearance for Revolution in the
league as substitutes and increasing their playing time playing with the reserves
in the reserves division. Despite not having played many games for the Revs
after joining them late in the season, the young Gambians picked up
championship medals in the US Open Cup.
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