Dissolve Youth Wing




The Independent (Banjul)

November 6, 2000

Banjul

GPTC staff have complained against what they saw as the formation of the APRC
youth wing within the corporation and the selling of APRC membership cards
there.

They called on President Jammeh to immediately dissolve the movement in the best
interest of the corporation.

Some concerned workers who approached The Independent, explained that since the
formation of the youth wing the corporation's workers are confronted with
various problems ranging from 'unfounded allegations to threats against innocent
members of staff'.

The GPTC workers stressed that the corporation is not a political bureau and so
the formation of a youth wing will only 'create trouble and affect the GPTC
negatively'.

According to them, as a result of an APRC youth wing within the corporation, its
management has been rendered so weak it can easily be convinced by youth wing
members 'to do anything'. They added that the GPTC management is one with
individuals who have integrity and qualifications. 'They should not be subjected
to unnecessary threats' one of them warned.

One staff who explained that he bought an APRC membership card against his will
for fear of being labelled as 'anti-APRC' claimed that the youth wing was only
out to 'victimise certain individuals'. He also added that 'I had to buy the
card for D10 in order to maintain my position. I would be easily sacked for
refusing to become a member'.

A female staff noted that politics should not interfere with the operations of
the GPTC and maintained that the most efficient management is one that is free
from political interference.

She called on the corporation's staff to unite and empower their management
against the machinations of the youth wing.

Recently some workers of the GPTC who were said to be permanent members of the
APRC youth wing were sacked after they reportedly wrote to the president,
threatening to burn down the properties of some top officials.

Since then, some workers have called on all public servants to register with
labour unions, defending the interest of all workers regardless of their
political affiliations.

They also called on the Gambia Workers' Union to 'live up to expectations and
condemn the existence of a political wing within a public corporation like the
GPTC'.

The three sacked staff, who reportedly confessed their involvement in making the
threat after police and NIA interrogation, also called on the president to
'dismantle the board of directors'. They also accused the corporation's
management of misuse of funds, nepotism, and holding private meetings with the
United Democratic Party.

A GPTC official told The Independent that the rationale behind the youth wing
was 'to help each other but not to antagonise or terrorise anyone'. He accused
the three men of being anti-APRC individuals who have joined the youth wing with
a hidden agenda.

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