This is of grave concern to me, and I hope to all Gambians. If this is
indeed true, and toxic waste is leaked/dumped into Gambian waters, it could
leave devastating effects that will last for generations.
If government want to trace the ownership of the vessel, the registration
will be a good place to start. Otherwise, am sure the US government will be
more than willing to help if asked.
I hope those responsible for this are dealt with severely. What a sell off!
Maila
-----Original Message-----
From: Yusupha Jow [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Sunday, September 10, 2000 11:14 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Toxic waste abandoned off Gambian shores
I just culled this very disturbing development form the Observer.
Another
very suspicious development. This reeks like a conspiracy. In
times past,
it was well known that foreign companies would pay African leaders
to dump
waste in their countries though this might not be the case here.,
GPA, Others Intensify Probe
The mysterious appearance of a wrecked foreign vessel suspected
to be
carrying toxic waste has provoked the establishment of a committee
comprising the National Environment Agency, Gambia Police Force,
Gambia
Ports Authority and other concerned state institutions to
investigate the ma
tter.
The wrecked-looking vessel, which is currently anchored a
considerable
distance offshore from the Banjul Port was allegedly 'illegally
and
secretly' towed around the Port by unknown persons who, according
to
reports were bribed for that purpose. Reports reaching The
Independent say t
he MV Jonas, weighing about 1,600 tons was allegedly towed in the
jurisdiction of The Gambia by another vessel the MV Dali on
January 24,
2000. MV Dali, according to the reports left the country three
weeks ago
but left behind the wrecked vessel after port officials were
allegedly
offered thousands of US dollars as bribe to leave the 'toxic
waste' vessel
intact on Gambian waters.
Highly placed GPA sources have since claimed that the MV Jonas
is
suspected to be carrying toxic waste or other waste materials
intended to
be dumped in Gambian waters. The GPA sources however, added that
since
there are regulations to be observed before the entry of vessels
into the co
untry's territorial waters, it was incumbent on the GPA to monitor
MV Jonas
before it was 'abandoned' in The Gambia. The sources indicated that
GPA proc
edures make it mandatory for any vessel entering the country to
announce its
arrival and to be escorted to port by a GPA appointed pilot.
After a vessel has anchored, a boarding team, consisting of
customs,
immigration officers and GPA health officers would be dispatched
to it to
know its contents before offloading. Charges to be imposed
according to
them depend on the tonnage of the vessel. The sources who appeared
concerned
, blamed state security institutions for their failure to prevent
it, mainta
ining that it was improper for the MV Jonas to be 'abandoned' on
Gambian wat
ers without its crew who allegedly left 'without the notice' of GPA
official
s. GPA insiders also blamed their managing director and the
operations direc
tor for negligence and held them responsible for allowing the vessel
inside
Gambian territorial waters.
The insiders alleged that since Cosmos Shipping are the agents
for the
vessel, both the harbour and traffic masters should have been
informed.
Insiders also inferred that the two senior officials should have
been aware
of the vessel's entry since they both receive daily returns of
ships, detail
ing the purpose of their call to port. The officials who declined to
be name
d called for the 'immediate' resignation of the two senior GPA
officials, wh
o they held 'wholly responsible' for any adverse situation,
resulting from
any toxic waste discharged from the vessel.
Captain Abdourahman Bah GPA's operations director who
acknowledged that
speculation abounds connecting the vessel with toxic waste, also
told The
Independent that the matter is the subject of a committee of
inquiry and
those suspected of involvement are 'trying to divert the people's
attention.
'But the truth will surely be revealed soon' he asserted. Mr. Bah
said
that although he did not want to pre-empt the outcome of the
committee of in
quiry, he was wrongfully blamed for negligence. Efforts to speak
with Ebrima
Jagana GPA's managing director proved futile as he was constantly
said to be
out of his office. According to an official of the GPA who
dismissed
reports that MV Jonas was 'toxic laden' Mr. Jagana is not a member
of the
committee set up to look into the matter.
Since the sudden and unprecedented arrival of the wrecked
'toxic-laden'
vessel around the Port of Banjul, the public, especially the
residents of
Banjul have expressed 'grave' concern about its contents. People
who spoke
to The Independent said that it was against international
environmental
conventions for a wrecked vessel laden with toxic matter to be
abandoned in
another country, especially when there is the potential for damage
to life
and the environment.
Hamat Kebbeh of Half Die in Banjul said that many people around
the area
were monitoring the vessel since it reached Gambian waters and he
urged the
authorities concerned to send it away. 'Let the authorities expel
it
immediately before it is too late. It could be poisonous', he
added. Binta
Njie of Hagan Street accused senior GPA officials of negligence,
recalling
that a similar situation occurred last year, resulting in the
burning of a
marine patrol boat at sea. Binta also claimed that MV Jonas'
'unnoticed' ent
ry highlights 'some serious security lapses.'
Recently a similar vessel suspected to be laden with destructive
toxic
waste was towed in Senegalese waters, provoking massive protests
against
its berth in that country. It was eventually sent away by
Senegalese
security agents.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the
Gambia-L
Web interface at:
http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
You may also send subscription requests to
[log in to unmask]
if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to
write your full name and e-mail address.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask]
if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
