1. MAYOR’S CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN BANJUL.

Samba Faal, acting mayor of Banjul will be appointed president of the World
conference of mayors when over 300 mayors from around the world meet in
Gambia next week.

Speaking to the Gambia Daily after calling on President Jammeh, the chairman
of the world conference of mayors, Johnny Ford said the conference has six
goals: training, tourism, technology transfer, the twinning of cities, the
building of mutual trust and raising income.

2. GAMBIA IS TO HOST THE 2003 ANOCA CONGRESS.

The Gambia has been selected to host the 2003 general assembly meeting of
the Association of the National Olympic Committees of Africa, ANOCA. This
was announced at the 9th general assembly of ANOCA in Mombassa, Kenya.
Present at the general assembly meeting was the president of the
International Olympic Committee (IOC), Mr. Juan Antonio Samaranch.

The Gambia was singled out for a Gold medal by Mr. Fidro Kidance, the
Director of international relations of the IOC international relations
office. During the same meeting, Mr. Alhaji A. B. Dandeh Njie was elected
treasurer General of ANOCA.

3. GAMBIA TO RECEIVE D700 m EU GRANT.

George Marc Andre, European charge d’affaires in the Gambia has said that
under the new partnership agreement with ACP countries, 51 million Euros
(about 700 million Dalasis) is to come to the Gambia over the next 5 years
as a grant. Mr. Andre made this disclosure after paying a courtesy call on
President Jammeh at State House on Wednesday to present to him a copy of the
new ACP-EU partnership agreement signed in Cotonou on the 23rd June 2000.

In another development Mr. Sidi Sanneh, ADB executive Director whose service
with the bank is soon coming to an end, also paid a courtesy call on the
president.

4. GAMBIA AND FRANCE SIGN LAND AGREEMENT.

Last week the Governments of the Gambia and France signed a land agreement
aimed at establishing a French Embassy in the Gambia. Monsieur Jean De
Gliniasty, French ambassador to The Gambia and Senegal signed on behalf of
the French government whilst secretaries of state for justice, Joseph Joof
and that of Local government and Lands, Momodou Nai Cessay signed on behalf
of the Gambian Government.

Talking to reporters later, the honorary Consul of France in The Gambia, Mr.
Trapateau said that this would usher in many opportunities, such as direct
flights between the two countries, French tourists, companies and investors.
The proposed French Embassy is expected to be fully operational by 2002 and
will be located in Cape Point road on a plot of land that formerly housed
the French consulate in The Gambia before it was transferred to Dakar in
1953.

5. THE GAMBIA HIV/AIDS RAPID RESPONSE PROJECT (HARRP).

The government of The Gambia in collaboration with the World Bank is
launching a 15 million US dollar HIV/AIDS rapid response project aimed at
slowing down the spread of HIV/AIDS through an urgent, comprehensive and
multi-sectoral response to the prevention of HIV/AIDS transmission and a
system of care and support with active community and private sector
participation. This project will be directly under the office of the
president.

6. SERRE KUNDA HOSPITAL PROJECT.

The government of The Gambia, having received financing from the Islamic
Development Bank (IDB), is currently inviting bids for the construction of a
major hospital in Serre Kunda. The hospital will be built in the buffer Zone
between Kanifing layout and the Independent stadium. This will be an ideal
location because of the vast area of available land and easy access to it.
People living in the Kombo coast can drive directly to the hospital without
going through Serre Kunda, thanks to extension of the Badala Park road that
is being reconstructed and extended to Camalo via stink corner. Tenders for
this project will be opened on Thursday 2nd August in the presence of
bidders and work on it is expected to start soon after.

7. HASSAN JALLOW APPOINTED JUDGE IN THE HAGUE.

The honourable Justice Alhaji Hassan Boubacar Jallow, a judge of the supreme
court of The Gambia, has been elected by the general assembly of the United
Nations as an ad litem judge of the international tribunal for the former
Yugoslavia.

The elections, which took place on the 12th June 2001, resulted in the
election of 27 judges to the tribunal. His election, which took effect from
that date, is for four years.

8. Banking becoming easier.

On the 15th instant, trust bank limited, one of the leading banks in the
Gambia, launched the first Internet banking service in the Gambia called
“Trust Bank Direct”. Trust Bank Direct, a computerised banking system is
aimed at enabling customers to have easy access to the bank and also
accessing their bank accounts without going to the bank.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Momodou Conteh a computer expert and senior
manager at the Management Information System department of Trust bank
limited explained that “Trust Bank Direct” would allow customers to have
easy access to the bank through the Internet. He further explained that for
the customer to have access to the bank, all they need is to have a PC with
windows 95/98, a modem and a telephone.

Mr. Conteh, who designed the software himself, also revealed that their bank
would very soon implement Electronic Personal Banking (EPB), smart cards and
ATMs.

In another development, in collaboration with the General Post Office (GPO)
recently launched its Western Union Money transfer service using the Post.
Initially, this service will be available at three post offices namely
Banjul, Serre Kunda and Soma (LRD). This, many people consider a very useful
move. At least our poor folks up country need only travel to Soma rather
than all the way to Banjul. The longer opening hours of the post offices is
another bonus.


Have a good day and bye 4Now, KB Jobe.

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