If you have not broken your fast, the story below will ease the hunger.
Yahya should be performing as a comedian at the hotels to boost our tourism
sector.

05th November 2003

Jammeh Turns Heat On Supermarkets
by Malick Mboob – Daily Observer

President Yahya Jammeh, still on his 'Operation No Compromise' effort,
yesterday announced that he has already given instructions "to deal" with
supermarkets whose prices still escalate daily.

Apparently touched about unnecessarily high prices, the president expressed
out right disgust at businesspeople he described as 'locusts destroying one
West African country after another' and warned them to either comply with
his tough new economic regime or leave the country.

Speaking to journalists hours after a tour of the Kanifing municipality, the
president said "supermarket owners think they are above the law and that
they are not affected by the campaign.  I'm warning them because from today
(yesterday), we are going to take on supermarkets. They are increasing
commodities prices daily thinking that they are out of the system. We are
going to deal with them today (yesterday). I have already given
instructions,' he said.

On Basic Commodities

President Jammeh expressed concern on the rising prices of basic commodities
like rice, sugar, oil and cement despite the tax-free status of most of
these items. "There is no tax on basic commodities especially rice. Most of
the taxes have been waived so that the prices become affordable for the
average Gambian.  There is no justification for a price of cement costing
D200 per bag.  We want prices to be reasonable that's why importers of rice
are not paying taxes," he noted.

Reacting to a recent announcement of a group of businessmen who announced
reduction in the price of rice to D450, President Jammeh told them to
expedite the reduction before he intervenes.  "They have to bring the prices
down immediately; otherwise, I will bring the prices down for them. I know
the world market price for cement, rice and oil," he said.

Asked why he thinks businessmen hike prices if there were no economic basis
for the increase, Jammeh said their action must be out of greed and
politically motivated.

"Those who sell cement have two hours to bring down their prices or I will
bring it down for them. Those in the supermarkets will be going back to
where they came from. Nobody will be allowed to profiteer from manmade
economic problems.  If they want to live in this country peacefully, they
have to go by what the people of this country want."

President Jammeh also announced that government will now introduce a system
that will reveal prices at which businessmen buy commodities as well as set
what prices these commodities are sold.

"As from now on, Customs, Finance and Trade departments will be asking for a
manifest.  If we publish the manifest and Gambians know how much businessmen
are paying customs and what they are charging them (customers), they will
kill most of them."

"There will be no exception on cement and rice.  Be it YDE or Boule & Co,
there is no exception," said Jammeh.

On KMC

President Jammeh registered dismay at the activities of the Kanifing
Municipal Council within the municipality. "I'm not proud of what I have
seen.  It takes money to fill the potholes, that is understandable, but no
money is required to clean the streets. As far as I am concerned, the smell
from the market areas is unusual. What I have seen is very shocking."

The president said much is expected of KMC as regards to environmental
health. He also urged the community to help KMC in making sure that the area
is kept clean.

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