In as much as in times of tragedies like this it is wise not to draw hasty
conclusions, I dare say that the Senegalese Authorities are the cause of
this tragedy. I also hold the Senegalese President, Abdoulie Waade, his
Prime Minister and transport minister solely responsible. This tragedy
should never have happened and could definitely have been avoided.
If you recall folks, not so long ago, a similar tragedy befell us; and in
that case, just as in this case, the overwhelming majority of the victims
were Senegalese. On that occasion most of the victims were returning to
Senegal after shopping in Banjul.
Following that tragedy, The Gambia government took some measures, which the
Senegalese Authorities could also have taken. Some of those measures
included separating cargo from passengers, putting strict limits on number
of people and weight ferried, the provision of life jackets to all as well
as regulating the times these boats can operate. None of these measures
were taken by the Senegalese authorities in this case.
Some of the reasons given for this tragedy are overcrowding and bad weather
amongst others. Yes, both are true and valid reasons. But are they good
enough to explain what happened? To me, the answer is absolutely NO! In the
Senegambia sub-region you do not need someone to tell you it is going to
rain and aound what time that rain would come. We do not need to be told
whether that rain would be light or heavy. We are born with that gift! That
boat/ferry should never have left port under the impendin weather
conditions reported and at the time it left. Poor judgement and poor
timing, pure and simple.
As for the overcrowding, the main reason advanced is equally not acceptable
to me. Yes, there has been rebel attacks of commuter vehicles. Yes, there
has been lost of life and property; and yes the river trip is cheaper.
These however, does not remotely compare to this tragedy. This tragedy is
of a much higher magnitude than even the Titanic, if one considers the
different situations and advances made in terms of sea navigation since
then. The Senegalese authorities created this situation and therefore are
solely responsible for what happened next.
Having said that, I would now give my reasons for holding the Senegalese
President abdoulie Waade, his Prime Minister and Minister of Transport
squarely and rightfully responsible for this tragedy. No need to look
anywhere else.
If you recall folks, there has been some major disruptions on road travel
between senegal and The Gambia during the past few months. It was reported
that, because The Gambian port authorities who run our ferry services
increased their rates, particularly for Senegalese vehicles transitting
through our country, the Senegalese motor drivers's union mounted a
blockade of our border and effectively stopped travel between our two
countries. This affected The Gambia to a larger extent than it did Senegal;
as The Gambia needs a more harmonious interstate travel regime between the
two countries to access other countries in our sub-region and for its re-
export trade. Several meetings at Senior Government Official level,
Ministerial level and Presidential levels to try to solve the problem.
Several such meetings were held both in Senegal and The Gambia to no avail.
Despite their pronouncements, the Senegalese authorities failed to prevail
on their transport union to adhere, not only to ECOWAS protocols signed
between the two countries on the free movement of goods and people within
member countries, it also failed to prevail on the union to respect
bilateral agreements signed between the two countries over the years. Some
of these agreements signed as recently as this year, clearly spells out
what responsibilities each of our governments have in making them work. Not
only did the Senegalese authorities fail to act in line with these
protocols and agreements, it tacitly supported the union by saying that
they had no control over their activities. Parts of some of these treaties
stipulates conditions of transit between the two countries very clearly.
The Inter-state transport treaty between the two countries clearly
stipulates how many inter-state buses from each country can ferry
passengers between the two and how they should be treated in each other's
country. Ferry charges were never to be determined bilaterally as far as I
know.
Since then The Gambian authorities have capitulated and reversed their
decision to increase ferry fares whilst the Senegalese authorities are
dragging their feet in implementing their side of the bargain.
At the time, the port authorities cited higher fuel and maintenance costs
for the increase but the Senegalese transport union will have none of it.
They, not only refused to go back to the status quo, but have since then
been making more and more demands on The Gambian authorities.
As I am writing this piece, Gambia's GPTC busses go to Dakar full of
passengers but return to Banjul empty. The Senegalese transport uninion
would not allow them to pick up passengers from Dakar without queuing with
the smaller passenger vehicles in their overcrowded carparks designed for
small passenger vehicles. This is inspite of the fact that, over the years,
the GPTC always picked up passengers from the designated bus depot that was
identified for it by The Senegalese authorities.
To further encourage the transport union to disrupt cross border movement
of goods and people between our two sister countries, much to the detriment
of our economy, the government of Abdoulie Waade struck a deal with the
transport union to build them special petrol stations along the much longer
route via Tamba, selling them fuel at much subsidized rates. What Abdoulie
Waade failed to realise is that whereas this may seem to be a solution, it
is not the best solution. Journey time is longer, tear and wear is
increased and he cannot force passengers to make the journey.
Yesterday, it is said in The senegalese Daily, Sud Quotidien or something
like that, that the Joolla recently came from maintenance still with one of
its engines not working and without sufficient life rafts, life belts or
life jackets. The same Senegalese press has also alledged that people are
encouraged to use the ferry rather than transit through Gambia by making
the cost of travelling by this mode cheaper. This, it is alledged, is also
coupled by the Senegalese army from doing much to protect people from
attacks over the land route. This, they conclude, is what inevitably led to
the overcrowding and so heavy loss of life.
Like I said before, this is a tragedy that could and should have been
avoided and there is none to blame except Waade, his prime minister and
transport minister.
Have good day, Gassa
--
There is a time in the life of every problem when it is big enough to see,
yet small enough to solve (Mike Leavitt)
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