Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 15/2008, 4 - 5 February 2008
Editorial
They are sending the girls away from
School Mr. President!
It is claimed that there is free education for girls in The Gambia .
However, little is mentioned of the limited nature of the education support being
provided to some girls.
The senior secondary schools have started sending girls away from school for
not paying their fees.
Some of the girls are required to pay Three Thousand Dalasi and others more
than Four Thousand Dalasi. Those who cannot pay must stay at home.
In a meeting between the president and the representatives of the governing
body of the university, he alluded to the fact that a researcher had talked
about education being more expensive, a comment which he considered to fall
short of international findings. We hope the SoS for basic education will
commission a study on the accessibility of secondary education, giving gender
mainstreaming particular consideration. We are convinced that she will
corroborate that the cost of secondary education is making access more prohibitive to
young men and women from poor families. The lip service to free education for
girls should stop. Let the study be commissioned and let the truth be told to
the people. If the government disagrees with Foroyaa we challenge it to make
its position clear through a pres release and call on us to send those
affected to the Department of State.
Essau And Dibba Kunda Arrestees Charged
By:Abdoulie G.Dibba
This paper has been reliably informed that the residents of Essau and Dibba
Kunda in the North Bank Region, who were arrested by the police in the
aftermath of the local government elections have been charged by the police.
Speaking to this paper, Inspector Sulayman Secka indicated that the people who were
arrested in Essau, namely, Sima Sonko, Sally Jawara, Joy Koka Sonko and
Fatou Sonko are charged with being idle and disorderly. The quartet were arrested
by the police at Barra police station on 26 January and detained for three
days without been charged. Inspector Secka also added that the following
people from Dibba Kunda, namely, Ali Ndow, Baboucarr Ceesay, Jim Chune, Jim
Jobe(1), Jim Jobe(2), Adama Sowe, Malick Ceesay, Alhagie Jobe, Ali Mbye and Biran
Mbye are all charged with conduct that is conducive to the breach of the peace.
He said the reason forwarded by the police for not taking them to court is
due to the fact that the region does not have a resident magistrate but a
traveling magistrate and that since October, 2007, there has not been one in the
region. He said that once the Region has a magistrate, the suspects would be
taken to court. As of now, the PRO said, the arrestees have been released on
bail and are reporting to the police. However, the arrestees informed this
reporter on Sunday that the frequency of their reporting to the police is a big
burden. According to the ten arrestees in Dibba Kunda, they are asked to
report to the police three times a week, that is, on Monday, Wednesday, and
Friday.
The suspects, who are normally accompanied by their sureties, complained
that they spend D750 on transport every week. This they said places a big
economic burden on them. “This is why even if our rights are violated, we do not go
to the courts for redress because of the financial constraints that people
in the countryside encounter” said one of them.
The arrestees from Dibba Kunda are the supporters of the independent
candidate for Sabach Ward, in the recently concluded council elections, while those
from Essau are supporters of the NRP candidate for Essau Ward.
About D1.2m Project For Journalists
GPU Congress Expected Soon
By Amie Sanneh
The President of The Gambia Press Union, Madi M.K Ceesay, has disclosed that
the GPU has a project of about 1.2 million dalasi for Gambian Journalists.
This project he noted, is a two year project and will be used to capacitise
journalists from both the print and electronic media. The project Mr. Ceesay s
aid, will be run by GPU and GAMES which is based in Denmark.
The GPU President made these remarks at the GPU office, on Friday, at the
opening of a week long training course for journalists which is also part of
the project. This training course is divided into three components, field
reporting, online journalism and web mastering. The training is being facilitated
by trainers from Denmark.
The GPU President added that the training of journalists under this project
will not only cover journalists but also technicians and editors. He pointed
out that the project has employed a project coordinator and an administrator.
Mr. Ceesay revealed that the GPU has established small fund generating
activities in the form of a printing machine and an Internet Café. He described
journalists as the watchdogs of the people who should also allow people to
scrutinise them for transparency. Mr. Ceesay took the opportunity to inform
journalists that the GPU congress will be held next month.
For his part the project coordinator, Charles Camara, said the training
project will help build the capacities of journalists in their respective areas.
Describing the time as short, Mr. Camara urged them to make maximum use of
the little time available to them.
Sene-Gambian Teachers Call For Integration
By Fabakary B. Ceesay
The Gambia Teachers Union on December 9, last year, signed a joint
communiqué with a leading teachers’ union in Senegal, Syndicate Unique Et Democratique
des Enseignants du Senegal (SUDES), in Dakar, during the 12th National
Delegates Congress of the latter held in Thies and which set aside February 1st as
“Sene-Gambia Day,” to be observed by the two unions. This memorandum was
signed based on the common desire to foster regional integration through
increased access, promotion of professional reliance and equity.
The agreement also entails GTU and SUDES to establish a cooperative
agreement for the mutual benefit of both Teachers’ Unions. The maiden celebration
took place on 1 February, 2008 at the GTU Cooperative Credit Union conference
hall.
The acting General Secretary of GTU, Mr. Essa Sowe, said that it is the norm
for Africa and her people to associate, particularly those within the same
sub-region, in order to safeguard or promote the interest and well being of
their people. Mr. Sowe urged the people of the two countries to protect the
geo-political as well as the socio-economic ties that naturally bind them. He
noted that no significant difference can be noticed between the people of the
two nations, in terms of the way of life or culture. Mr. Sowe said that the
co-operation agreement will reduce social exclusion and ensure an inclusive
civil society and the participation of workers and their organizations in the
process of decision making and implementation of national policies and
programmes.
Mr. Omar J. Ndure, the President of GTU, said that it was an unconquerable
act on the part of the colonialists, from outside the boundaries of Africa, to
separate a people, who had share the same cultures, traditions and
aspirations, just by the scroll of a pen. He emphasized that the 1884 Berlin
conference can be undone by co-operating in all spheres of life, irrespective of
boundaries and colonial languages. Mr. Ndure said that the event will bring about
co-operation among teachers sharing the same professional ethics and
aspirations. “We teachers have a moral responsibility to participate in nation
building by providing relevant and quality education for our children. In addition
we have an impeccable role in guiding children to nurture and uphold the
right moral and ethical values that can help them face challenges of life
tomorrow. These noble tasks are cherished by both GTU and SUDES, as a basis for our
co-operation,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary, Department of State for Basic and Secondary
Education, Mr. Baboucarr Bouye, on his part said that both peoples of the two sides
are biologically related and that it is one family living in both sides.
Permanent Secretary Bouye further stated that there is no historical narration
that one can make without connecting the two countries. He said that the
initiative by the teachers is very essential as it will serve as a bridge between
the same people who share the same tongues, and every thing in common; that
such fora should even be conducted in our local languages and not in the
colonial languages.
The Senegalese Ambassador, Mr. Momodou Faal, called on the two unions to
maintain this initiative and work hand in glove to strengthen the international
aspect of the two nations. Ambassador Faal said that the two nations cannot
go without each other; that both should be each other’s keeper. He said the
cementing the bond of relationship between family members is godly and should
be welcomed by the people.
Mr. Sainabou Gaye, a representative from SUDES, said women have a role play
in the integration process of the two sides. She added that wherever there is
mutual family ties women must be at the forefront.
Rohey Sillah, first Vice President of GTU, said that The Gambia and Senegal
are inseparable. The occasion was marked by an historical narration of the
two countries by Alhagie Mansour Njie.
THE GAMBIA’S ROUND TABLE CONFERENCE
Budget for implementation of PRSP = US$754 million Funding gap of $480
million
Theme of RTC: “Taking a Decisive Step towards Achieving the MDGs in The
Gambia”
The Government of the Gambia, with the support of the UNDP, is organizing a
Round Table Conference (RTC) with its development partners, to be held in
London, United Kingdom, on the 5 and 6 February 2008, according to a press
release issued by the UNDP. The main objective of the RTC is to engage the Gambia’
s development partners in policy dialogue on national development policies
and programmes, the release adds. It follows the production of the country’s
second generation Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), which is firmly
anchored against the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and the country’s long
term strategy, Vision 2020.
The release explains that the PRSP is divided into five main pillars, namely;
1 Creating the enabling policy environment to promote growth and poverty
reduction
2 Enhancing the capacity and output of the productive sectors
3 Improving the coverage of basic social services and social protection
needs of the poor and vulnerable
4 Enhancing governance systems and build the capacities of local communities
and Civil Society Organisations to play an active role in economic growth
and poverty reduction
5 Mainstreaming poverty-related crosscutting issues into poverty reduction
The budget for the implementation of the PRSP is US$754 million, of which
the Government of the Gambia will contribute $ l 00.million, $174 million is
secured in donor commitments leaving a funding gap of $480 million. With The
Gambia reaching HIPC completion point, the funding gap is expected to drop to
$310 million.
The release states that the conduct of the RTC is timely, as it comes on the
heels of the Gambia reaching HIPC completion point, a remarkable achievement
that was preceded by the endorsement of the PRSP II itself by the joint IMF
/ World Bank Executive Boards in the summer of 2007. According the release,
the successful conduct of the recent local government elections also serves to
underscore the conducive development cooperation environment within which
the RTC is being conducted.
It further states that the strategy adopted for the RTC is based on the
Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, with its underlying principles of ‘
national ownership and leadership, as well as mutual accountability.’ The release
notes that key strategy documents have been prepared for programs envisaged to
have a catalytic effect on the attainment of the pillars of the PRSP.
Missions have also been mounted to key donor embassies and capitals, designed to
engage them on the approach and expectations vis-a-vis the RTC, as well as The
Gambia’s development aspirations, at large. The theme for the RTC is “Taking
a Decisive Step towards Achieving the MDGs in The Gambia”
The Gambian delegation will be led by Her Excellency the Vice President, Dr.
Ajaratou Isatou Njie Saidy, and will include the Secretary General and Head
of the Civil Service, the Secretary of State for Finance and Economic
Affairs, several other Secretaries of State, the Governor of the Central Bank, and
the Chairman of the National Planning Commission, inter alia. On the part of
The Gambia’s development partners, it is expected that UNDP’s Regional Bureau
for Africa Director, Mr. Gilbert Houngbo, as well as other high level
dignitaries from multilateral and bilateral development partners, will participate
in the RTC. The new UNDP Resident Representative Designate, who is expected
to take up position shortly, Ms Chinwe Dike, will also grace the occasion.
The release concludes that at the end of the RTC it is expected that the
development dialogue will be considerably strengthened between the Gambia and
its development partners, areas for enhanced cooperation identified, and a road
map clearly delineated and agreed for follow up activities after the RTC.
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY
Life Is Not A Game
Part 1
With Amie Sillah
Sophie is an undergraduate student at the University. She is studying
Management and Development. Her boyfriend Essa is also an undergraduate student
doing Computer System. Sophie is expecting a baby for Essa. She has undergone
three abortions. She is not ready to undergo another one. Doctor advised her
that she can lose her life if she ventures another one. This was a big
dilemma. She told Essa about it. Essa sympathized her situation but he was not in a
position to father a child. His parents are poor and from the provinces.
Sophie is an orphan. She also hailed from the provinces. Essa insisted on
abortion as a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea. Sophie would not
bulged this time around. Essa ran through a childhood friend George. He is from a
rich family. He use to patronize Essa during tier secondary school days. He
is a generous man. Essa hatched a plan with Sophie to dupe him. Did they
succeed? What happened next.
The Problem
They are both undergraduate students. Sophie is studying Management and
Development, while Essa is studying Computer Systems. Sophie under went three
repeated abortions. She refused to abort her fourth pregnancy. Her life was on
the line Dr. Joof warned her. She refused to Essa’s request to abort her
pregnancy. The lovers were in a dilemma.
The Plan
Essa is deceitful and crafty. He thought of how to dupe in order to execute
his plan. George, an old childhood friend and benefactor came to his rescue.
George is from a rich family and he is very generous. Infact, he was the one
who financed Essa’s education through his parents. He is an only child of a
very rich family.
Essa Meets George
George was in South Africa. His parents do some business in Johannesburg.
Now he is in London transferred to another branch of his family business. He
came on vocation. The two friends bumped into each other at the shopping
centre. They were both excited, after elaborate greetings, they decided to go to a
pub to chat over a drink. They remembered old school days. “You were
suspended from school after the student riot”. George reminded him. “Of course, that
was true. I was charged as a ring leader. And you know what! They were
looking for escape goats and obviously when one is labeled a ring leader you are
dealt with. Oh! I missed you boy. Give me your card. “Essa demanded. George
dipped into his pocket and gave him a card. You are lucky boy. Only this one is
left”. He dipped into his pocket and gave him a wad of new notes. Essa was
excited. “What are you doing now? Are you married?” George asked. “Marry? No!
I am an undergraduate. No money, no marriage”. “What about you?” Essa
asked. Geroge. He showed him his finger and Essa laughed. “My mom is at my neck.
She said I have to marry by hook or crook. She said she needs an heir to our
business empire. But how? I am not hook to any maiden as yet. Who am I going
to marry? She needs to give me time to settle down, interact, socialize to
find a compatible woman. I don’t want to gamble my life. Life is not a game. But
the rich old lady would not hear of it. She said she wants to see and nurse
her grandchild before she joins her ancestor. Dad would have acted
differently. I missed my dad. He was cool and understanding. He was a great democrat.
He believed in human rights. But my mom is the opposite of my dad. She is all
imposing, domineering and maternalistic. She still sees me as a school boy
not a grown up man of 30 years”. Essa tabbed him on the shoulder and encouraged
him. “They area all the same, mothers. But she is right. She would want you
to be settle, get married and giver her an heir”. “You sound like my mother”
. George teased him. They left the pub and went their different ways.
George and Mom
Mom confronted George and reprimanded him. “You have an empire on your name.
You are my only son. When are you going to get settle and lead a responsible
life? “But mom! I am just returning into the country. Give me time to settle
down and get a good woman for a wife. Don’t involve me in an adventure we
will all live to regret. You know woman these days. They will look at what I
have but not who I am. Give me a little time please to make the right choice.
Life is not a game mom!” “How much longer would I give?” “Mom! Marriage is
an institution. I cannot just dive into it like that!” George argued’’. “I
need to see you get settle to give me a grandchild period! And that should be
pretty soon. And also Youngman, Don’t come home drunk!” George left in a
jiffy. He tried to escape mom’s taunts and grumbles.
To be contd.
FOCUS ON POLITICS
Collapse of Soviet Union and End to Cold War Politics;
“A Wind of Change”
With Suwaibou Touray
We have suspended this column “focus on politics” to allow the columnist to
participate in the Local Government election campaign in his constituency.
In the last issue, we have dealt with the “Wind of Change” when the Soviet
Union collapsed. We have followed the analysis made by the Foroyaa, as to how
the cold war came into being.
We have stopped where we said among other things that the Soviet Union’s
propagation of the theory that capitalist countries could only survive by
exploiting the people in colonies and dependencies and the need to rise up against
their colonial masters won the appraisal of many intellectuals and literate
people in the colonies.
Let us continue from where we stopped.
According to Foroyaa, socialism was becoming a universal force; that workers’
power was the order of the day. This it wrote, provoked union activities
and workers’ strikes in countries like Britain.
Foroyaa gave an example of such strikes in Britain in 1926 which eventually
led to the formation of a Labour government in 1929 to satisfy the demands of
the working population. This however did not save Britain.
By the latter half of 1929 up to the end of 1933, the advanced capitalist
countries experienced serious economic crisis.
According to Foroyaa’s analysis on the wind of change, a country like
Britain suffered a serious depression in 1931, which led to the closure of
industries, massive unemployment and poverty, while the Soviet Union comparatively
launched successful five year plans from 1928 to 1932 and from 1933 to 1937;
that it experienced economic stability as unemployment was eradicated and the
living standard of the people became better.
According to Foroyaa, this again influenced workers and intellectuals in
other parts of the world to focus attention on the Soviet Union and on socialism.
As a result, communist parties developed in many parts of the world and were
given moral and material support by the Soviet Union.
Two camps were therefore emerging in the world. The was the camp which
called for national liberation in colonies and dependent territories and workers
power in the advanced capitalist countries and the camp of countries which
wanted to maintain capitalism and colonies; there was the socialist camp under
the leadership of Soviet Union as well as the capitalist camp comprising
countries such as Germany, Britain, France, United States and Japan who were
engaged in so much competition amongst themselves that they could not form a camp.
According to Foroyaa, the influence of socialism, at the time, was stronger
than the influence of capitalism.
And as Foroyaa wrote, after the 1929 – 33 crisis that gripped the advanced
capitalist countries, the small companies were swallowed up by bigger
companies which could begin a new wave of production and economic growth; that this
economic went hand in hand with the desire for more markets and sources of raw
materials by countries which were subjected to disadvantages when Britain,
France, United States and Italy, met to share the gains of victory after the
First World War.
Foroyaa then analysed the position of Italy which it said was on the side of
the victors but was treated as a junior partner during the sharing of the
cake of the victors of the First World War, but which felt cheated for not
being allowed to annex Austrian territory. Hence when Mussolini took over power
and stood at the helm in July, his regime did everything to build up Italian
narrow nationalism or national chauvinism and to strengthen the military might
in preparation for war to capture more territories.
Japan too, which was on the side of Britain, France and the US during the
First World War, felt unfairly treated in the sharing of the gains, since she
was not allowed to take part of China.
According to Foroyaa, Japan has built up narrow nationalism and national
chauvinism among the people and strengthened her military might in preparation
for expansionist wars.
For Germany, its defeat in the First World War made it possible for the US,
Britain and France to profit at her expense. So Germany had the desire to win
back her lost possession and influence.
So according to Foroyaa, it was evident to any fairly competent analyst of
world events, from 1930 onwards, that a Second World War was inevitable.
By 1931, according to the Foroyaa supplement, tension began to heighten when
the Japanese rulers invaded and occupied Manchuria, China. Thus one can say
that that was the beginning of the Second World War in 1932.
The defeat of Germany and the fall of Japan in World War Two gave rise to
the ascendancy of the US and USSR as world powers. “After the war, Europe was
left in ruins and had to face the task of being reconstructed economically and
politically. The US, whose territory had not been affected much by the war,
could do much to aid the recovery efforts of European countries, as Foroyaa
wrote, gave it a dominant role.
On the other hand, Foroyaa wrote, the Soviet resistance to Germany’s forces
built up its prestige. The local communist parties in German occupied nations
were at the forefront of resistance against such occupation and were given
support by the Soviet Union to take over power in these countries.
Hence between 1945 and 1947, two nations emerged as world powers, the United
States and the Soviet Union.
Several questions were addressed in this supplement such as; ‘How did the
Cold War emerged? What gave rise to the crisis in Eastern Europe? What was its
inevitable outcome and what lessons to learn from the whole thing?’.
According to the analysis of Foroyaa, the Japanese, Italian and German
rulers could only further their territorial ambitions by defying the treaties
which restricted the expansion of territories. They could further their aims only
by being oppressors. Hence, as Foroyaa wrote, despite the Stimson Doctrine,
Japan began an invasion of the international settlement of Shanghai, China,
approximately two weeks after the US had come up with its Stimson Doctrine.
Foroyaa analysed how, in November 1923, Hitler led an uprising in Germany
which was put down and for which he was sentenced to five years; that he was
later made Chancellor of Germany by Hindenburg in 1933; that Hitler served less
than one year in jail during which he wrote “MEIN KAMPF”, a book in which
he promoted the racial superiority of the Germans.
To make matters short, Hindenburg died in 1934 and Hitler became ruler of
Germany.
Foroyaa analysed how Hitler defied the Versailles Treaty which was designed
to prevent Germany from ever developing into a military power by introducing
universal military training in Germany and how Hitler generally prepared
Germany for war.
Foroyaa said even though the USSR did not gain from the Treaty of Versailles
at the end of the First World War, by 1939, it had become a major power and
had influence all over the globe among the workers and intellectuals in the
advance capitalist countries.
According to Foroyaa, Germany had the ambition to dominate countries and
dependencies in order to build a powerful German nation, and the Soviet leaders
had the mission to transform the war, they referred to as an imperialist war,
into an international struggle, where the workers in capitalist countries
and the liberation movements would take over power from their rulers..
Foroyaa analysed the battle of Britain and the German occupation of France
in which France accepted defeat; how German forces occupied Yugoslavia and
launched attack on Greece compelling Britain to withdraw her troops; how Japan
initially got the upper hand with her combat with Britain and America which
later joined the war; how Germany had penetrated the USSR with German troops
numbering over one and a half million and launched an offensive on Stalingrad
and the Caucasus.
Foroyaa also explained the turning point and the defeat of Germany; the
defeat of Japan; the reality after World War two, the economic reconstruction of
Europe, the political implication on Bulgaria, Czechoslavakia, the GDR,
Hungary, Poland, Romania etc.
Foroyaa analysed how the “COLD WAR” syndrome emerged, the struggle between
the two superpowers, i.e. United States and USSR and the poverty of the
struggle; the arms race and ideological warfare; the intensification of the Cold
War; the Korean crisis; how USSR developed a highly industrialized economy;
the question of socialist democracy and how to consolidate democracy and so on
and so forth.
To make a very long analysis short, Foroyaa concluded that in a year’s time,
we were to enter the 21st century; that the future was rushing upon us with
break-neck speed; that our thinking, therefore, must assume an accelerated
power of motion if we were not to fall out of step with the demands of the
changing times.
For The Nation newspaper, most African countries have been maintained in
power with the help of the massive loans, aid and other crumbs from the western
countries and donor agencies. The Nation was of the opinion that since the
doors of Eastern Europe were now opened for Western investment and aid, the
tide was likely to change from Africa to Europe. It called on African
governments to adapt or be ready to perish as the loans and aid were soon to whittle
away, leaving us only with the AIDS disease.
See next edition of Focus as we edge closer to 1990, Gambia’s Silver Jubilee.
Appeal For Waste Disposal Vehicle
By Lamin Fatty
Mr. Demba Mballow, the Head of the Cleaning Section of the Basse Area
Council, has strongly appealed to the ‘appropriate authorities to provide them with
trucks to enable the council to perform cleansing services. Mr. Mballow made
these remarks recently in an interview with this reporter at a recent
cleansing exercise organized by a group of Red Cross volunteers and Rafam members
in Basse.
According to Mr. Mballow the only truck that they used for the collection
and disposal of the waste was not functioning. While urging the council to
maintenance the truck, Mr. Mballow also advised the general public, particularly
the people residing along the market and the police station area, to be
responsible for the removal of their household waste by paying donkey carts to
dispose them. For his part, Mr. Mustapha Manneh, one of the only four people
responsible for waste disposal with donkey carts, said they face difficulties
because to the breakdown of the council vehicles and coupled with limited
staff.
An attempt to talk to the Governor of URR and the chairman of the interim
management committee of the Basse Area council, Mr. Omar Khan, could not
materialise as he was said to have traveled to Banjul.
Foroyaa will however seek the opinion of the Governor on the issue.
International Roots Festival Media Campaign Launched
By Fabakary B. Ceesay
The 9th edition of the International Roots Festival Media Campaign was
launched on Friday 1 February at the Paradise Suites Hotel. During the previous
festivals, the role that The Gambia media played in publicizing and sensitizing
people about the event cannot be over-emphasized. The media has undoubtedly
remained an important partner of the International Roots Festival since its
inception in line with its desire to consolidate this worthwhile partnership
and the efforts to develop this Pan African event.
This years Roots Festival encourages a wider participation of the Gambian
population who are encouraged to dress in traditional Gambian attire throughout
the duration of the festival. This will help showcase our beautiful
traditional dresses while at the same time providing the international guests with a
better understanding and appreciation of Gambian culture. To give the festival
a wider African flavour, other African nationals residing in The Gambia have
been invited to participate and showcase their culture.
A national coordinating committee, appointed by the Secretary of State for
Tourisn and Culture, has since August, 2007, been working behind the scenes to
plan and implement the festival programme which features boat trips to
Juffureh, James Island and Janjangbureh, as well as an initiation ceremony in
Kanilai, among others. During the week long festival, there will also be a
showcasing of Gambian traditional performances, as well as an investment fora and
educational discussions. The occasion will also create a platform for Africans
in the Sub-region and those from the diaspora to share and learn from each
other. Visitors are expected from the UK, USA and the Caribbean.
The International Roots Festival, conceived in 1996 by the government, is a
biennial event organized by the Department of State for Tourism and Culture,
in collaboration with the National Centre for Arts and Culture and Gambia
Tourism Authority. The festival mainly funded by the government with public and
private partnership, is a commemoration of the forced enslavement of millions
of Africans to the Americas and the Caribbean during the 17th and 18th
centuries. It is intended to serve as a bridge building initiative between Africans
on the continent and all people of African descent worldwide. It also serves
as a moment to celebrate our rich, diverse and yet homogenous cultural
heritage, which augurs well for the promotion of The Gambia’s cultural tourism.
The festivals inspiration is drawn from Alex Haley’s famous book, Roots,
which is the story of how he traced his 8th generation ancestry to a slave
caught in the village of Juffereh and forcibly transported to America to be sold
as a slave. Research shows that over 243,000 were forcefully transported from
the Senegambia region by registered trans atlantic slave ships between 1646
and 1850s. Consequently The Gambia is home to millions of Africans in the
diaspora through their ancestral umbilical cord.
The SoS for Tourism, Angela Colley, said that as the festival grows and the
infrastructure gets more developed, they would want to decentralize it, moving
it away from Banjul, and Kanifing municipality into the hinterland, where
guests would have the real Gambian experience. SoS Colley said that the
organizing committee of the festival thought it fitting to do the launching with
their esteemed selected partners. She noted that their first partners are indeed
the media. The SoS added that the 2008 partners are people and institutions
that have been carefully selected. “These are indeed very important people
and institutions that matter in Gambian society.”
The Chairman of Marketing and Publicity Sub-Committee, Mr. Ebou Waggeh,
during a press conference, said that the media will have access to information as
regards the festival. He further said that the participation of the Gambian
media lagged behind in previous festivals compared to international media
coverage of the event. He indicated that this time around the local media would
be transported along with the international media to cover all the
programmes. He emphasized that the local media is a priority in this year’s event which
is the reason that prompted this launch of the media campaign.
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