Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 021/2007, 21-22 February, 2007
Editorial
When Will the Hand of Mercy Be Laid on Them?
According to Section 82 subsection (2) of the constitution, “There shall be
a Committee on the exercise of the prerogative of mercy consisting of the
Attorney General and three other persons appointed by the President subject to
confirmation by the National Assembly.”
The role of the Committee is to advise the President on who should be
granted amnesty. Hence subsection (1) of the same section states: “The President
may, after consulting the Committee established by subsection (2) –
(a) grant to any person convicted of any offence, a pardon either
free or subject to lawful conditions;
(b) grant to any person a respite, either indefinite or for a
specified period, of the execution of any punishment imposed on that person for any
offence;
(c) substitute a less severe form of punishment for any punishment
imposed on any person for any offence;
(d) remit the whole or any part of any punishment imposed on any
person for such an offence or any penalty otherwise due to the State on account
of any offence.”
When South Africa emerged from the ruins of the Apartheid era, the Truth and
Reconciliation Commission stepped in to ease the tension between the races.
Even in Rwanda, a country torn apart by a bitter fratricidal war, the
President can afford to grant amnesty to a large number of inmates a few days ago.
Why can’t convicts in The Gambia be granted amnesty on occasions like
Independence day or Republican day celebrations?
Why can’t detainee’s who are not yet charged not be released from months or
years of detention?
An amnesty will augur well for the spirit in which the speech for the
independence celebration was delivered; when it was stated that ….”we must avoid
conflict, discord and unite by all means.”
AT THE COURT MARTIAL
“I INSISTED FOR AN ATTORNEY”
Says Captain Mendy
By Fabakary B. Ceesay
Continuing his testimony at the court martial on the 15th February 2007.
Captain Pierre John Mendy said that he protested to see an attorney before he
could write his statement, but that never materialised.
According to Captain Mendy, on 19th April, the panel came to Mile Two Prison
and he was paraded before them and Lamin Cham read out the cautionary
statement to him. “He asked me, what is your opinion and I told him I will reserve
my opinion until I see my attorney. But I did not see my attorney and I was
not given any reason as to why,” he said. Captain Mendy further said that
there were six to eight members who were present as a panel; that among them he
knew Lamin Cham, Boto Keita, Nfally Jabang, ASP Ceesay and Sowe. When asked
whether he knew Babou Loum, he said that he was seeing him for the first time
when he was in the witness box. Captain Mendy, explained that on 1st June
2006, he was taken from his cell to the conference room of the mile two prison
together with other accused persons charged with concealment. He said that,
among them were Captain Abdoukarim Jah, Lieutenant M.A Bah, Corporal Samba Bah,
Lance Corporal Babou Janha, Private Alagie Nying and Hamadi Sowe. He added
that they were later taken to the NIA headquarters, and there he went with
Lamin Cham to an office. Capt Mendy said “He gave me a blank witness form. He
told me that you guys are going to be state witnesses.. I told him if we are to
be state witnesses, then the cautionary statements should be cancelled,” said
Mendy. He said that Cham then told him to just write but he responded that
he could not do so without his attorney being present. Mendy said that he
later wrote a statement in which he indicated “I reserve my opinion until my
attorney is present.” Captain Mendy explained that he showed Lamin Cham his back,
head and hand where he sustained injuries from the beatings. “I told Lamin
Cham to bring my cautionary statement of the 23rd March 2006 so that it can be
cancelled, but this never happened” said Capt. Mendy. He continued “they
told me that if I write the witness statement, they will drop my cautionary
statement. What they meant is that they will drop the charges against me,
released me from mile two prison and use me as a witness against other people.” “I
signed the statement of the 23rd March 2006, because Hydara promised me that
the charges against me will be dropped,” Capt. Mendy concluded.
Cross Examination By DPP
During cross examination by the state counsel, Emmanuel O. Fagbenle, Captain
Mendy noted that he has been in the service for almost 23 years. He said he
was a military police before and that he knew Captain Wassa Camara, as he was
also a military police. Fagbenle asked him whether he has ever been
arrested prior to this incident. Mendy replied that he had never been arrested in
his life and has never been in a police station. Fagbenle asked him whether he
had ever participated in the arrest of any person, he replied that he has
never, but only to “dekit.” Asked whether Lamin Cham forced him to write his
statement, Capt. Mendy replied that he tried to force him but he refused. Capt.
Mendy denied that he was arrested on the 23rd March 2006, saying, “I was the
first to be taken to mile two, the records are there.” Fagbenle asked
whether it is true that on Monday 20th March 2006, he was having some discussions
with the then CDS, Colonel Ndure Cham. Mendy replied, “I cannot recall that.”
Captain Medny said that while he was the commanding officer of the Fajara
Barracks, the present CDS (Col. Lang Tombong Tamba) called his office to inform
him that Colonel Cham was coming there for the certification of soldiers who
were having training with the American soldiers. He explained that as the
normal military practices, he organised a quarter guard to honour his presence.
Mendy said that after Colonel Cham inspected the quarter guard, he proceeded
for the certification. Fagbenle asked him when that happened and Mendy
replied that it happened three (3) weeks before the alleged coup incident. He was
asked whether Colonel Cham has ever visited the barracks while they were
fencing it and Mendy replied that he cannot remember that. Fagbenle asked “On what
occasion did Colonel Cham visit the barracks and asked RSM Bah to talk to
you about the coup?” “If the Colonel cannot talk to the Captain, who is an RSM
to talk to the Captain?” replied Mendy.
COUNSELS TO ADDRESS THE COURT
Counsels Lamin S. Camara and Borry S. Touray, have on Saturday 17th February
2007, told the court martial at the Yundum Barracks that they are preparing
to address the court on the totality of the evidence before the court on the
22nd February 2007.
Lamin S. Camara, counsel for accused persons, No. 5 and 6, Captain
Abdoukarim Jah and Lieutenant M.A Bah, respectively, said he will not put his witness
before the witness box but that he will rely on the totality of the evidence
before the court. He said his address will also be based on the evidence
adduced by the prosecution. Counsel Camara who was also holding brief for
counsels Lamin Jobarteh and Lamin Mboge, who were not present at the court said that
he cannot decide whether to put their clients before the court, because he
was not asked to do so.
Earlier on Friday 16th February 2006, counsel Lamin Jobarteh informed the
court that he has to decide whether to put his witness in the witness box. He
said there is the likely chance that he would not put his client in the
witness box to give evidence. Counsel Touray, also indicated that he wanted to
address the court in the oral form but not in a written form as suggested by the
Judge advocate, Justice Akomaye Agim. The case was adjourned to Thursday 22nd
February 2007.
NADD PRESS RELEASE
Below is a press release issued by the Executive Committee of the National
Alliance for Democracy and Development on its performance in the recently
concluded elections and the future:
The Executive Committee of the National Alliance for Democracy and
Development met on Saturday 10th February, 2007 to review the performance of the
Alliance in the recently concluded elections and pave the way forward.
The Executive Committee recalled that the NADD came into being because of
our appreciation of the fact that “no single opposition party could put an end
to self perpetuating rule, given the culture of patronage, intimidation and
inducement that had already taken root in the political life of the country”;
that we did recognise that “empowering the people to build a durable and
sustainable democracy is the only way to put an end to the self perpetuating rule
of the APRC regime and prevent the possibility of the emergence of any
government that would perpetuate itself in office in the future.”
The Executive observed that the failure to keep NADD intact led to the
creation of two alliances, one aimed at bringing about a system change while the
other aimed to bring about a regime change.
In reviewing the results of the presidential election, it recalled that the
UDP had 104,808 votes while NADD had 23473 votes. It observed that the votes
of the UDP despite its alliance with the NRP and GPDP reduced from 149,448 to
104,808 instead of increasing to 185,000 as anticipated. This simply means
that even if other parties joined the alliance after the split the UDP votes
would not have increased.
In this regard the NADD Executive Committee concluded that it is the split
in NADD which is responsible for the dismal results in the presidential
election of the opposition. Learning from this lesson the NADD Executive argued
that the opposition may experience the same dismal performance if they fail to
unite during the National Assembly elections.
The Executive Committee therefore called for a tactical alliance between the
opposition parties and with Independent candidates. The failure to forge a
tactical alliance gave rise to the dismal results of the opposition in the
National Assembly elections with the UDP claiming 4 seats, NADD 1 and the NRP
none.
The Executive observed that with a tactical alliance the seats in Jokadu,
Kombo South and Niamina East could have been easily won and the prospects for
the opposition getting the majority in the National Assembly would have been
greater.
The Executive further observed that NADD as originally constituted had 1154
votes in the Nianija by-election compared to the NRP’s 693 votes in the 2007
National Assembly election; that Kemeseng under NADD had 3444 votes in the
2005 by election but had 2760 as a UDP candidate in the 2007 National Assembly
elections.
That Halifa Sallah as NADD candidate in 2005 by-election had 5911 votes
while scoring 4302 votes in the 2007 National Assembly election with the UDP
candidate polling 1548 votes. The split is obviously a contributing factor to the
results.
In Kombo East, the UDP candidate had 2814 in the 2006 National Assembly by
election while NADD had 1109. The combined votes was greater than that of the
APRC candidate. However in the 2007 National Assembly election the same UDP
candidate had 2232 votes and lost by a majority of 3909 votes.
The NADD Executive therefore concludes that with only 58% of the voters
participating in the presidential election and 41.7% participating in the
National Assembly elections a vacuum exists in Gambian politics that needs to be
filled. The Executive considers the filling of this vacuum as an uphill task
which requires realism, perseverance and tremendous commitment to the national
interest despite the fact that NADD did not put up a candidate.
The Executive Committee therefore resolves that the way forward is to call
on all opposition parties to recognise the dismal performance of the
opposition, restructure their political organisations and change their tactics to
promote tactical alliances that can ensure the birth of a genuine multi party
system which will allow the election of be the undiluted choice of the people.
To begin with itself, the Executive Committee approved the proposal of the
NADD flag bearer to do away with the office of flag bearer and hold a primary
election two years before the 2011 presidential election so as to give room
for popular consent to determine candidature. It endorses the maintenance of a
spokesperson and the effecting of structural change to accord
responsibilities and functions to members of the executive in particular and all members in
general to promote collective leadership.
It further resolves to introduce membership cards and membership education
to build up the grassroot structures of NADD, mobilize resources and prepare
the ground for its growth and development, nationally and internationally.
It envisages the holding of an annual congress to allow the grass root
structures of NADD to have impact on its strategies, tactics and policies as well
as their implementation.
The members of the Executive Committee expressed their resolution to go the
extra mile to attain NADD’s fundamental objectives regardless of the uphill
task that is envisaged.
It concludes by extending its appreciation to the voters in Wuli West, in
particular, for maintaining the NADD seat and the voters in all other
constituencies for maintaining their confidence in NADD.
It wishes to assure them, in particular, and the people, at large, that NADD
is here to stay and will rejuvenate itself to be worthy of enlisting their
confidence and support.
DRAMA IN THE COURT
By Bubacarr k. Sowe
An unusual incident occurred on Thursday at the Kanifing Magistrate’s Court
when a defendant jumped police custody and disappeared.
Sarjo Sissoho, (the defendant), was sued by one Jajeh Conteh over a D130,
000 visa deal. Appearing before Magistrate Pa Harry Jammeh, Sissoho revealed to
the court the people whom he bribed to secure visas for his clients. He also
said he gives ten thousand dalasi to state security agents (name withheld)
to facilitate the trip of his clients. Sissoho also told the court that with
the help of two German friends, he has been able to get sixteen people to
Germany and Spain.
Magistrate Jammeh ruled that the defendant’s act is criminal and has
corrupted security officers. The Magistrate recommended that Sissoho be arrested and
detained at the Bundung Police Station for further investigation.
Some minutes after the order was made, Sissoho sneaked out of the court room
without anybody’s notice. He was apprehended two hours later by first class
constable, Pateh Jawo, in Banjulunding where he was seen riding on a motor
bike, allegedly on the run. Sissoho was then remanded in custody at the State
Central Prisons in Mile Two. He should be back in court today.
AMADOU CORAH RELEASED
Mr. Amadou Corah, a businessman and native of Tambasansang in the Upper
River Region, has breath the air of freedom after more than two months in
different detention centres. Immediately before N/A elections.
Mr. Corah was arrested by the Police from Basse and initially taken to the
Basse Police Station where he was later moved to Bansang, Kuntaur, Brikamaba
and Jareng Police Stations. He was finally released unconditionally on Tuesday
last week. Many people take his arrest to be politically motivated.
When contacted, the family members of Mr. Corah confirmed the release of
their loved one and also commended the Foroyaa for giving the family courage and
hope all throughout his detention.
NO LAWYER FOR KAWSU CEESAY
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
Kawsu Ceesay, Chief Electoral Officer of the Independent Electoral
Commission (IEC), on Tuesday told the Magistrate that he has no lawyer to defend him.
Mr. Ceesay was dragged to court on February 14th on a forgery charge.
Appearing before the Magistrate at the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court he said he had
tried to contact a lawyer, but still could not secure one. Ceesay appealed to
the court for more time to search for a legal representative.
The prosecutor Mr. Umar did not object to the accused’s request and
therefore the case was adjourned to March 5th.
Mr. Ceesay is alleged to have forged the signature of Mr. Ndondi Njie,
former Chairman of the IEC to enable him buy electoral materials from a Canadian
firm to the tune of US $221, 071.94 equivalent to six million dalasi.
According to the particulars of the offence, on December 2nd, 2006 at
Kanifing and other places. Mr. Ceesay forged the signature of Mr. Ndondi S.Z Njie,
purporting the approval for the purchase of electoral materials. Ceesay was
granted bail by the court at his first appearance to the same tune or a landed
property of equal value.
14 YEAR OLD SEEKS MEDICAL ASSISTANT
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
Fatou Njie Barrow, a fourteen year old girl, is appealing for assistance
from good Samaritans to facilitate the urgent treatment of her deteriorating
health condition. According to a report prepared by the Medical Board of the
Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital (RVTH), Fatou is diagnosed with “complex
congenital cyanotic heart disease.” The report also says that the girl has been
attending a cardiology clinic since the age of one with the same diagnosis.
It also states that she was diagnosed with cyanosed when she was first
admitted in the hospital with breathlessness at the age of one. The Medical Board
recommends overseas treatment due to the limited facilities in The Gambia.
Fatou’s father, Fabakary Barrow, said since February 2003 when the overseas
treatment was recommended for his daughter, he has been unable to secure the
means to meet the cost. You can reach Mr. Barrow on 9928138.
HALIFA ON YOUTH AND SELF DIGNITY
By Annia Gaye
Mr. Halifa Sallah has stated that life is a journey towards self-
realization and self actualization and said human beings must live a life of service as
no one can live in complete isolation. Mr. Sallah was speaking at the
evaluation ceremony of the Bundung Home Link Red Cross on Saturday 10th February at
Bundung. He noted that youths should bear in mind that life is a school
where we learn from experience and from each other’s views. He observed the Red
Cross as an institution of socialization which has tremendous impact on the
lives of young people to be able to develop themselves through extra curricular
activities. He informed youths that a society cannot be a good one without
people being together with norms and values.
Mr. Sallah further informed youths that it is significant for them to take
their dignity seriously and to know that the future of human kind depends on
the type of young people, who are emerging today. He said that youths should
realize that a human being without dignity, self worth is no better than a
beast.
Mr. Sallah mentioned the need for youths to start giving value to social
organisations like the Red Cross as they are new institutions of the society. He
further mentioned that such institutions need support from societies,
families and individuals.
“I hope the leadership will be playing their role as an important asset to
the youths in the institution.
President Jammeh Risks Global Embarrassment
By Demba Jawo
Like most Gambians, I am quite worried about the possible repercussions of
the claims by President Jammeh that he has the “mandate” to cure AIDS and
other so far incurable diseases through the use of herbal concoctions and
incantations from the Holy Quran. It indeed sounds as if he got the “mandate” from
a spiritual deity, which smacks of superstition, and certainly not
compatible with his status as a head of state.
While no doubt The Gambia and indeed all Gambians would be very proud if it
is indeed proven that our head of state has got the magical formula to cure
this dreaded global epidemic which has eluded even the greatest of all
scientists, he seems to be risking an embarrassment of global proportions for
himself as well as the whole country.
One would have expected that instead of going straight ahead with his
treatments, it would have made more scientific sense if he had first subjected his
concoctions to some laboratory tests to prove their effectiveness before
making such a public announcement or even commence using people as guinea-pigs.
Indeed it is dangerous to give false hopes to AID sufferers before even
authenticating the claims.
The head of the HIV research team at the University of KwaZulu Natal and a
member of South Africa’s Treatment Action Campaign, Mr. Jerry Coovadia was
quoted by the BBC saying that it was tragic that The Gambia had a “political
environment that allows a minister of health and a president to violate every
foundation of science and public health.”
As a layman, I understand that HIV/AIDS is not an ordinary disease which
kills people, but rather, it destroys the immune system of those infected and
therefore makes it much easier for any other opportunistic disease to overwhelm
them. Therefore, it is possible that President Jammeh’s herbal concoctions
have the potency to treat some of those opportunistic illnesses, but that
certainly does not mean that they would also cure AIDS.
Just as the BBC interviewer said to Dr. Mbowe, it is a big risk for
President Jammeh, who does not have any medical background, to just from the blue
claim to have the medical knowledge to cure such a major infection like AIDS.
The Gambia is lucky to have one of the most reputable medical research
institutions in Africa; the Medical Research Council, and if indeed he had any
knowledge of curing such a dreaded disease like AIDS, he should have passed his
concoctions through them so that they would subject the medicine to some
scientific analysis, and if possible patented before directly administering it on
patients.
HIV/AIDS has become the most important disease in the world today because of
the fact that it has been causing the deaths of so many people and there is
as yet no cure for it. Therefore, for President Jammeh to claim to have the
spiritual means to cure it, means that the eyes of the whole world would be
focused on The Gambia. And if the claim turns out to be just another hoax, then
it is certainly going to be very embarrassing to this country and indeed all
Gambians and friends of The Gambia.
While President Jammeh is quite well known for his penchant to stir
controversies, as a head of state, he certainly needs to be very careful about some
of the things he says or does because they can always come back to negatively
haunt him and the whole country.
Another aspect of the whole saga is the negative role being openly played by
the health professionals, who are supposed to be guided by their
professional ethics rather than allow themselves to be cajoled by political
considerations. We would have understood Dr. Mbowe’s position on the matter if he had
been just any other politician, but as a health professional himself, and
someone in charge of our health system, he is not expected to try to justify any
unscientific approach to Medical Science issues. At least, Dr. Mbowe and the
other health professionals at the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital, the
Department of Medical Services as well as those at the National AIDS Secretariat
should have mustered the courage to tell President Jammeh the truth and be ready
to face the consequences.
Dr. Mbowe has told us that many of the patients so far “treated” by
President Jammeh are responding and showing some improvements, and that some lab
analyses have shown that some of them are showing some negative results, but
there was no indication that those found negative were indeed infected in the
first place. It is even hard to see how Dr. Mbowe and his colleagues at the
RVTH and NAS would risk their jobs and give any results that would embarrass
President Jammeh. Therefore, the positive announcements should be handled with
caution.
While we have seen some reaction from the UN system in The Gambia, as well
as the WHO country office, it is a shame that their reactions were very vague
and hardly said anything. It is however extremely necessary for the WHO and
UN-AIDS as well as the international community to come to the rescue of the
Gambian AIDS patients, who may be given false hopes and made to believe that
they have been cured of the infection while they are not. Such false hopes
would not only expose them to even more danger, but it also has the potential to
make the general public lose confidence in the Gambian health system.
I can recall that about two years ago, there was a claim in the Daily
Observer by a traditional doctor at Ghana Town that his medicines can cure AIDS,
and there was such a swift reaction from the health authorities and NAS, with
everyone of them condemning him for giving false hopes to AIDS patients. Yet,
here we are today, with President Jammeh making exactly similar claims and
instead of anyone condemning him; he is receiving all the praises from our
medical professionals. This is yet another manifestation of the “Animal Farm”
syndrome in this country.
FOCUS ON POLITICS
The formation of the National Congress of British West Africa helped small
and his contemporaries in West Africa in particular and in Africa in general.
While small was occupied with establishing Unions in the Gambia to combat
injustices and reduce exploitation, others such as Herbert Macaulay of Nigeria,
Blaise Diange of Senegal and Casley Hayford of Gold Coast (Ghana) and others
were all in one way or the other engaged in fighting colonial domination
injustices and exploitation.
For example in Kenya in 1920, a number of protest organisations emerged to
fight specific grievances concerning land alienation, taxes, or labour policy
as well as the implication of all official measures such as the African was a
second class human suitable only for exploitation.
During the same time in Nigeria Herbert Macaulary, a civil engineer became a
public speaker and a polemic writer which placed him in a position of a
Nationalist leader. This period coincided with an incident in Lagos Kingdom when
the then king or “eleko” was removed and Lagos annexed. Macaulay saw this as
injustice and wrote a petition calling on the colonialists to reinstate the
incumbent. This call was backed by public opinion in Lagos and continued to
regard the affair as a “distoolment or dethronement,” which eventually
consolidated Herberts’ movement to the extent of establishing a party.
Blaise Diagne another contemporary of Francis, is also necessary to mention
here, even though the French Policy of assimilation was different from the
British on paper but it has no practical difference in reality. The French
colonial policy was to make all the people in the communes in their colonies
citizens of France but it was so stringent that it appeared almost impossible to
attain citizenship of France through the legal channel.
But by 1914, Blaise who was born in Goree Island, a commune, but who had
lived almost continuously throughout his adult life outside of his homeland
returned to contest a seat as representative from Senegal in the French Chamber
of deputies, a post that had always been filled either by a French or Mulatto
candidate. He was then elected thus becoming the first African ever to fill
that post. During Blaise’s campaign he accused the Europeans and Mulattoes of
both economic and political discrimination against Africans, and pledging
himself if elected to regaining the lost citizenship of his people, but he almost
organised a riot when he discovered that a European resident named his
dog, Blaise.
However his struggle bore fruit when the “Natives of the incorporated
communities of Senegal and their descendants” remained citizens of France by law.
Diagne’s intervention had for the first time replaced the Black man’s age old
feeling of inferiority with a sense of dignity and self-respect. He was
again re-elected in 1919, and more and more communes gained citizenship of France.
UNITY IN ACTION
During the period between the two World Wars, Casley Hayford was preoccupied
with a movement that went beyond the limited question of national politics
within the Gold coast. For many years he had come to regard international
cooperation among Africans as the most effective means to the achievement of
greater self-determination by the peoples of West Africa, at a time when
democratic ideas at the end of the first World War stimulated nationalists
aspirations in Africa.
According to Hayford unity in thought, in aspirations and in objective could
best be served through unity in action, through a United West Africa. True
patriotic love of country was love of Mankind, and therefore ventured to
commend the coming together of entire West Africa as one man to think together,
and act together in matters of common good. Following this conviction, Casley
led a group of educated Africans in organizing a conference of West African
leaders drawn from the Gambia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and the Gold Coast to be
held in Accra in 1920.
The conference was held and based on three major premises-1. That the
educated African had become the natural leader of his people, that Wilsonian
self-determination was a proper basis for political, economic, and social reform in
British West Africa, and that community of interest would henceforth lead
West Africans to work in close concert in achieving their mutual objectives.
RESOLUTION OF THE CONFERENCE
Resolutions of the conference demands Constitutional reform in terms of
municipal self-government, the end of courts presided over by British
administrative officers, popular election of half the membership of the legislative
councils, and the creation of special houses of assembly, containing popularly
elected majorities, which would be responsible for colonial taxation and budget
policy, equality of opportunity between European and African was stressed in
Civil Service, Medical Service, and judicial appointments. They also urged
the end of economic discrimination against Africans in favour of European
business interests especially in connection with indigenous land ownership and
the right to sell or lease land without interference by the government. They
also demand for more efficient self-government through a strengthened African
Press and particularly through more extensive, improved education capped by a
West African University.
Finally, national self-determination was given a special African relevance
in the demand that no disposition of the former German Colonies be made
without reference to the wishes of the people of the territories involved. The
conference then formed a permanent National Congress of British West Africa.
Achimota College was later said to be established in the Gold Coast in
response to the recommendations of the congress.
The rallying cry of the congress was “taxation goes with effective
representation” Casley Hayford its chief supporter died in 1930 and it soon expired
but others like Edward Francis small continued their un-relenting work to
liberate the African people.
Small continued to intensify the education and organisation of the people.
See next issue for more details on small’s organizational capacity.
OPINION
A TAX BASED ECONOMY IS NOT A GOOD SOLUTION TO THE GAMBIA
Dear Editor,
Although we as a nation under the regime of the A.P.R.C are being denied or
restricted from many privileges such as assistance in the form of loans and
grants which were privileged during the previous government under the P.P.P
regime from the European countries and the U.S.A. But this tax based economy
would only make matters worse to the poor majority citizens of the Gambia. As
taxation is increased it reflects to the cost of commodities and therefore
making high rise in prices of both goods and services. In such a situation only
the rich will live and the poor will die. Because nowadays every thing is
being converted to a commodity meaning that every thing has a value and without
enough money citizens would not afford their needs not to talk of their
wants. Meaning the few employed will live at the expense of the poor majority and
the unemployed. But our country, the Gambia is not as poor in terms of human
and natural resources and all we required is to invest the little assistance
from foreign creditors and the revenue collected from taxation within the
most productive sectors like the sea for fishing which could cater for more food
and also generate revenue from within our local markets for public
consumption and also more foreign currency from experts.
The river Gambia with its waters can be harnessed for irrigation purpose to
produce enough rice and other cereals in order to lessen the burden of
dependent on foreign imports. The River Gambia can also help to minimize
transportation problems. Investment priority must be given to agriculture for farming
like growing crops, animal husbandry, poultry keeping, and also much priority
of investment towards developing our various local industries like the arts
and handcrafts such as tie and dye, batik music paintings, sepultures and the
theatres? And the driving power of all these endeavors is the human
resources. So, therefore a positive and radical steps need to be taken in order to
improve our educational curriculum at schools to meet all these demands. It is
not only enough to chanell our education curriculum to office specializations
or white coloured jobs. The Gambia has its own given environmental realities
and not that all foreign cultures have to be imported. For culture is a way
of life of certain group of people living together in the same environment.
Culture can neither be exported nor imported directly but culture has to be
institutionalized according to the realities of that particular locality and the
level of development of the people and the demand of the time.
A Concern Citizen
GAMBIAN YOUTHS AND THE RISKY ADVENTURE FOR GREENER PASTURES
Youths in The Gambia are risking their lives in search of better life in
Europe.
However, youths who are involved in this dangerous journey believe that one
should risk one’s life to go to Europe to escape unemployment in The Gambia.
They assert that when they complete their senior secondary school education
that is the end for most of them, (about 75 per cent of youths), because there
are no jobs or spaces for them and they end up being criminals and slaves in
their own land. The 25 percent who expect to get employment complain of low
wages and increase in the price of basic commodities. A youth who want to be
anonymous told me he receives D1500 per month. He pointed out that when he
buys a bag of rice, the balance is not sufficient for fish money. He said he
normally ends up borrowing and begging people, and that he ends up having
problems because he is incapable of paying his debts. He said can neither feed
himself, nor build a house for himself and his family. There is mixed reaction
from the government side the Chief Executive maintains that even if Europe is
sealed with barbed wire, youths will enter there because as he put it, it is
to go and bring back what was stolen from Africa, in general and The Gambia
in particular. In his view the African continent was rich in resources all was
stolen by Europeans during slavery and colonial times. He emphasised that it
is now time for youths to go to Europe and get back what belongs to their
forefathers.
On the other hand, the former SoS for External Affairs and other senior
government officials are of the view that the youths in The Gambia have no
justification to risk their lives to go to Europe in search of greener pastures. He
asserted that although grass in the West may be greener than here, it is
even harder to cut. He said youths in The Gambia should involve themselves in
skillful work and self employment ventures.
Furthermore, some youth organisations, for their part, lay blame on the
government for not providing the avenue for youths for example political
stability, jobs opportunities and better working conditions.
Therefore one can safely conclude that poverty and lack of opportunities in
The Gambia is what motivates Gambian youths to risk their precious lives in
the sea.
A Concern Citizen
DODOU KASSA JATTA &CO. TRIAL
The criminal trial involving Dodou Kassa Jatta and others was on Tuesday
adjourned by the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court.
When the case was called by the court clerk, the prosecutor, Inspector
Bojang, stood up and applied for an adjournment. He told the court that he wanted
his witness to continue his testimony, but the witness is stricken by
illness. He therefore applied for a short adjournment. The defendant’s counsel Lamin
Camara, did not object the application. At that juncture, the court
adjourned the matter to 26th February for continuation.
Dodou Kassa Jatta, Omar Jatta, Mariama Fatty, Lamin Jawara, Isatou Jawara,
Lamin Jasseh, Chernor Ndure and Mamburama Jatta are standing trial for various
offences. Three of the accused persons are charged with obstructing a police
officer in the execution of his duties. One of them is charged with
threatening violence and five are charged with prohibition of conduct conducive for
the breach of peace under the Public Order Act.
SUSAN WAFA RELIEVED
Mrs. Susan Wafa Ogoo, who until yesterday was the Secretary of State for
Trade, Industry and Employment, was relieved of her appointment.
According to a GRTS radio announcement yesterday, she is relieved of her
appointment with effect from yesterday, 20th February, 2007. The announcement
states that the President did so in accordance with section 71 (4) (b) of the
constitution. Mrs. Ogoo has been one of the longest serving ministers in the
AFPRC/APRC administration of President Jammeh. She was among the first
ministers to be appointed when the AFPRC took the helm of state in July 1994.
She first became minister of Tourism and Culture in 1994 and remained so
until after the election of President Jammeh in 1996 when she was again
appointed as Secretary of State for Tourism and Culture. However, after President
Jammeh was re-elected in 2001, she was appointed Secretary of State of a new
Department, the Department of State for Fisheries, Natural Resources and the
Environment in March 2002. She served in this position until a curious cabinet
reshuffle in 2006 soon after the 2006 presidential election when her name was
conspicuously absent from the list of cabinet members.
Soon afterwards she was appointed Secretary of State for Trade, Industry and
Employment. She remained in that position until her termination yesterday.
This makes Mr. Edward Singhateh to be the longest serving minister.
Singhateh and Jammeh were part of the four who led the 1994 coup d’etat. The other
two were jailed after an alleged coup plot in January 1995. One of them Sadibou
Hydara died in jail while the other, Sana Sabally, now lives in exile after
his release from jail.
<BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> Check out free AOL at
http://free.aol.com/thenewaol/index.adp. Most comprehensive set of free
safety and security tools, millions of free high-quality videos from across the
web, free AOL Mail and much more.
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface
at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html
To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l
To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
[log in to unmask]
|
