Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 47/2006, 19-21 June, 2006
 
Editorial
APRC GOVERNMENT 
What is your problem?
This is one government that should have been the most tolerant in the world.  The Gambia is one of the most tolerant and peaceful countries in the world.  Muslims and Christians coexist in peace in full respect for each other’s religion.  Political ideology and tribal differences have not led to any fratricidal armed struggle.  Poverty which is to the extreme, with 69% of the population living on less than one dollar a day, has not driven the deprived into the streets.
Trade Unions hardly engage in demonstrations for minimum wages or to combat redundancies.  Radical student unions have disappeared.  One no longer sees cartoons in the Daily Observer.  Private radio stations merely engage in broadcasting what has nothing to do with governance.
Only three critical newspapers are in existence at this moment, that is, The Point, The Gambia News and Report and Foroyaa.   Young journalists are in a state of despair as they hear about arrests and long detention without charges.  None of those arrested report on their suffering in the press.
Needless to say, National Assembly Members are arrested without any comment from the legislature not to mention impeachment proceedings.  Mayors are arrested and suspended indefinitely without any comment from the electorate.  Farmers harvest their crops only to be deprived of facilities to market them.
In short the problems of the country are unquantifiable.  However, it has not created any adverse conditions that barred the country from hosting the AU or receive international assistance.  However, we cannot understand why a few weeks before the hosting of the AU some people are still detained without appearing before the courts for trial in gross violation of the constitution.  We cannot understand why the APRC Chairwomen would be busy mobilising people to get ID Cards few days before the registration of voters.
Despite Foroyaa’s call for the authorities at the Department of State for the Interior to visit a compound called, Tamba Kunda near the Tallinding Police Station where ID cards are being issue and, tell the nation why such a scheme was taking place in a private residence we could only get a press release indicating that Foroyaa’s call was vague.  The government has been in office for 12 years.  10 years is enough for any government to be contented. Such a government should not have any desire to prolong its stay in power by tolerating any violation of human rights or manipulation of the electoral process.
The authorities should hate bad publicity and should get up and visit places where wrong doing is allegedly taking place instead of simply writing statements to make general comments.
Action is needed to prevent APRC party Chairwomen from giving a bad image to the government they wish to maintain in office.  Action is needed to prevent security agents from keeping people who are not charged with crimes in detention.
As we approach the AU Summit one expects sanity to prevail.  Detention without trial must come to an end.  The Independent should not be harassed.  The IEC registering officers should apply section 18 of the Elections Decree to the letter.  They should not reject a valid document like an ID Card but they should question those who appear to be registered to satisfy themselves.
 
SOS MACDOUALL SPEAKS OUT
By Abdoulie G. Dibba
The Secretary of State for Communication Information and Technology, Neneh Macdouall Gaye, has announced that The Gambia Radio and Television Services had offered to cover the proceedings of the National Assembly on television for the viewers.
She said this proposal was made to the speaker in 1997 by GRTS and the response was that the Assembly was not yet ready for that kind of exposure. SoS Macdold-Gaye made these remarks on Monday at the National Assembly while responding to a question raised by the Member for Illiasa, Hon. Kebba Touray, on live coverage of the proceedings of the National Assembly to allow Gambian people to watch their representatives deliberating live.
 
 
URD GOVERNOR FIGHTS WITH HIS DRIVER
By Lamin Fatty
Report reaching Foroyaa have confirmed that the driver of the Divisional Governor of URD, Mr. Bunama Jabbie, was detained for barely 12 hours. His detention was precipitated by a physical exchange he had with his boss, Governor Omar Khan. However, we could not establish what provoked the fight.
According to a source, the governor first slapped the driver and the driver got annoyed and retaliated back by blowing the governor. A relative of Bunama Jabbie told Foroyaa that the latter was released from custody after the mother of Mr. Khan appealed to his son to release Mr. Jabbie. Our reporter managed to speak to Mr. Khan regarding the information, but Mr. Khan said he will not answer the question posed by our reporter.
Efforts to speak to Mr. Bunama Jabbie bore nought. The station officer at Basse was also contacted for comments, but he was said to be out. The officer on duty confirmed the release of Mr. Jabbie but declined to comment on the matter. The Police PRO, ASP Aziz Bojang, was also contacted but he said the governor’s office is an established office therefore he cannot shed light on the issue.
It could be recalled that Mr. Omar Khan, the Governor of URD, had slapped one gentle man during the campaign of the last September bye-election in Wuli West.
 
TREASON SUSPECTS PLEAD NOT GUILTY
Fourteen out of fifteen suspects charged with treason related offences pleaded not guilty to all the charges levelled against them. The fifteenth suspect, Alhagie Nying, did not plead to the charges when they were read against him. He told the court that he had no access to a lawyer. 
The fifteen are divided into a group of eight and a group of seven. The group of eight included Captain Bunja Darboe, Captain Yahya Darboe, Captain Wassa Camara, Second Lieutenant Faring Sanyang, Tamsir Jassey, Alieu Jobe, Omar Keita (alias Omar Faal) and Honourable Demba Jeng (National Assembly Member).  All eight of them were charged with treason and conspiracy to commit treason.  They all pleaded not guilty to these two counts. Alieu Jobe and Tamsir Jassey were also charged with aiding and abetting the purported coup leader Col. Ndure Cham. Each of them pleaded not guilty to these counts. The proceedings was presided by Justice Agim. The prosecution was lead by the acting director of public prosecutions, Mr. Fagbenle while the defence team included Lamin Camara, Bory Touray, Lamin Jobarteh, Sainabou Wadda, Lamin K. Mboge and Musa Batchilly. After the plea was taken one of the defence counsel Lamin Camara informed the court that the prosecution had served them only with the cautionary statements of the accused and not those of the witnesses. He submitted that these statements are useful in that six of the witnesses are suspects charged with concealment of treason and conspiracy to commit treason. The DPP opposed the move but the court ordered the DPP to make all the documents useful in the trial available to the defence. At this stage the court was adjourned till the 20th and 21st of June, 2006. 
The group of seven suspects were taken before Justice Monagen. All seven have been charged with concealment of treason and conspiracy to commit treason. The seven in this group are Captain Abdoukarim Jah, Captain Pierre Mendy, Lieutenant Momodou Alieu Bah, Samba Bah, Lance Corporal Babou Janha, Private Alhagie Nying and Hamadi Sowe. All of them except Alhagie Nying, pleaded not guilty to both counts. Both judges promised to consult each other so that the dates fixed for the trials do not clash.
 
 
IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT ON ISSUING OF ID CARDS
In an apparent response to the article published by FOROYAA No. 46/2006 of the 15th June, 2006, the Department of Immigration issued the following press release.
With regards to the recent Article in Foroyaa 15th June 2006 about the issuing of ID cards, it would have been fitter had the author of the report first contacted my offices which operate on open door policy for an interview.  I did receive a telephone call. However, his questioning was vague.
All Gambians 18 years and over are entitled to a National Identity Card.  Should Immigration choose to use a designated centre for issuing purpose it is their right, bearing in mind that there are times when large number of persons are seeking an ID card, hence we need to open temporary facilities for issuing purpose.
The criteria for National Identity Card are:
a) 1. Birth Certificate or 2. Gambian Passport or 3. Voter’s Card or 4. Seyfo Certificate or Village Alkalo’s Certificate
b) If applicant obtained Gambian Citizenship by Registration or Naturalisation to produce: Registration or Naturalisation Certificate.
ID cards are issued in form with the above criteria and not based on political allegiance or otherwise.
You are reminded that every Gambian over 18 has the right to secure a National Identity card for travelling and security reasons among others.
Applicants are warned that it is an offence under Section 31 of The Gambia Nationality and Citizenship Act to obtain or attempt to obtain a National Identity Card by false declaration.
Comments: After the author of the first article submitted his report on Tuesday for publication on Thursday the editor called the Director and explained to him that a compound where the APRC flag flutters was being used to issue ID cards and a number of claimants that the reporter spoke to claim to hail from Cassamance or Guinea. The editor then suggested to the Director to send someone to the scene to find out what was happening. Nothing changed on Wednesday and on Thursday we published the story.
On Friday, after we received the press release from the Department of Immigration, the editor proceeded to the scene at once to see for himself. The following was observed: A number of immigration officers were seated in the compound carrying the APRC flag. 
Claimants carrying blank application for ID card forms and forms for attestation (already endorsed by a purported alkalo) approached two young ladies seated at the entrance of a shop almost opposite the compound that served as the office of the immigration officials. After the young ladies filled the forms for them the claimants then proceeded to a second compound adjacent to the “office” to submit their forms in a house together with their photographs and D110 each. There was no scrutiny.
Infact a reporter Annia Gaye, who accompanied the editor, wrote the following: 
National Identity Cards are still issued at a compound called Tamba Kunda in Tallinding Kunjang. When our reporter arrived at the scene, people were seen crowded and looking for I.D cards and it can be explicitly seen that these cards are issued to even non-Gambians.
This reporter was able to talk to one man who said that his driver wanted an ID card but was unable to get it. He was trying to acquire one for him and he finally got one for him.
On Saturday, a middle aged man came to our office to express his concern about how ID cards were being issued to people he regarded as foreigners. He told us that a Guinean and his wife in his home told him how easy it was for them to obtain ID cards from Tallinding Kunjang. We leave it to the reader to decide whether what is in place can be regarded as credible.
One thing is clear anyway. Buba Jammeh of Tallinding and his colleagues were not comfortable with the editor’s presence. 
The situation at Bundung was similar as evident in the following report by Lamin Fatty: 
Mass issuance of Identify Cards has been reported at the Bundung Police Station. When Foroyaa got the information, a reporter was dispatched to go and see things for himself. According to him, on arrival at the police station, he noticed a long queue of people eagerly waiting for their ID cards, while others were loitering around the premises of the station looking for a place to photocopy their forms. Our reporter managed to talk to some youths, who were said to have come from Guinea, but were mobilised by an APRC “Yai Compin” to go to Bundung and ask for one Rohey Sanyang, who is responsible for filling the attestation forms. They said they were encouraged by the “Yai Compins” who told them not to be worried provided they are going to vote for the ruling party. 
One old man who said he came from Barakesh after the rebels in Cassamance issued a warning letter, said on hearing that there is issuance of I.D cards, he decided to go and try his chance and is lucky to have one. One Rohey Sanyang who was filling the attestation forms for the people on the queue said that anybody who has been given ID card should report to her residence in the evening because they are to record their numbers in case their cards are lost. 
We publish on page 16 the graphic experience of a man who has not met the requirements of citizenship but who had acquired national documents unlawfully through the instigation and assistance of government officials and party stalwarts.
 
 
ROAD CONSTRUCTION CONTRIBUTES TO ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION
By Lamin Fatty
The deputy permanent secretary at the Department of State for Forestry and the Environment, Momodou O. Njie, has said that building houses, construction of furniture and fencing are some of the activities that contribute greatly to environmental degradation. Mr. Njie made these remarks while delivering a speech on behalf of the SoS for Forestry and the Environment, Edward Singhateh, at the closing of a quiz and drama competition organised by the NEA. 
Mr. Njie also said that road construction also contributes to the degradation of the environment since, according to him, the activity in most cases is carried out without soliciting any technical forestry advice, resulting in the mass felling of trees, thereby leaving the land bare. He pointed out that some of these activities, among others, result to the significant loss especially the big trees, which he said serve as wind breakers that protect our fragile dry land areas. He said desertification, environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity resulting from annual bush fires in most divisions of The Gambia is indeed alarming and therefore worrying.
Soil degradation, according to him, also contributes immensely to environmental degradation in many parts of the country, resulting in significant reduction in farm-productivity. He said that large scale forest fires destroy habitats, thereby affect the country’s fauna and flora.
“Consequently, our biodiversity continues to decline steadily,” he said. He therefore said that this year’s theme is meant to raise awareness of the advancing deserts of lands and protecting the knowledge and traditions of the people affected by the phenomenon. He reiterated in the strongest terms that desertification is a global problem, which we can only ignore at our own peril. He finally said that his government will continue to support interventions aimed at informing and educating the people on good environmental management practices so that sustainability of its actions will be assured. 
 
 
(Part 8)
DARFUR REPORT
We are publishing the report of the report of the Pan-African Parliament on Darfur in series. The head of the mission was Honourable Abdul Katuntu, from Uganda and the rapporteur
Halifa Sallah the Gambia.
Finally, our visits to the sectors and governors of States, our discussions with representatives of Human Rights Organisations, Commissioners Monitoring Human Rights violations, Judges, the Representatives of the UN System, the parliamentarians, African Ambassadors, leaders of the armed opposition and the people at large revealed the need for AMIS to have a robust security and military apparatus and political administration which will be able to ensure respect for the Agreements, conduct awareness raising regarding the mission among the personnel under CFC and all Sectors of Sudanese Society. Lack of information can be a major hindrance to the achievement of the targets of the AU Mission. The population must be involved. In order to achieve that they must know and support what is being done on their behalf. Even the elite in Darfur are not fully aware of the components of the Cease-Fire Agreement. This creates an information gap that can undermine the implementation of the provisions of the agreement. People in Darfur are crying for protection, regardless, of whether they are of Arab or African origin.
Part Eight 
CONCLUSION
The atrocities such as the burning of villages, the destruction of life and property and the
displacement of the citizenry, which outraged the conscience of the international community, are evident.
The Humanitarian Cease-fire Agreement and the Protocols are accepted by the Sudanese government, the armed opposition, the AU and the International Community to be the instruments that should guide the road to peace and stability, facilitate humanitarian assistance and steer the negotiation process to create the type of governance structure and development plans that could guarantee, the population of Darfur, their political, social and economic rights.
The AU has established its institutions in Sudan to facilitate the implementation of the Humanitarian Cease-fire agreement. On 8th April 2005 the Ndiamina Agreement would be a year old. The fact on the ground reveals that neither the peace and security component of the Cease-Fire Agreement nor its political component has materialized. The military observers of the Cease-fire Commission and the representatives of the parties all concur that the cease-fire violations are persisting. The mission received reports that as late as February 2005 war was taking place in the area near Tuggo, North Kabkabiya and Samir. The return of refugees and displaced persons to their villages, as envisaged in the Protocol, have not materialised.
Lastly, the Abuja talks aimed at ensuring a political settlement has still not taken off.
8.1 A comprehensive Governance and Development Agenda
The mission observed that the main objective of the armed opposition is not to secede from Sudan but to build a new Sudan. The government also maintains that it has a programme to build a new Sudan through the sharing of power and resources.
Therefore the mission holds that the negotiation for political settlement should be accelerated in order to give hope to the combatants that the objectives of creating a new Sudan can be achieved by respecting the Cease-fire Agreement.
The mission observes that if the negotiations for a political settlement are not time bound, security and protection concerns would gain primacy because of repeated violations. In short, initiative in finding a lasting solution can be lost.
8.2 On cessation of hostilities
The mission has alerted its mind to the categorical statement of the military observers that without rapid action to contain the cease-fire violations the integrity of the Cease-fire Commission and the AU mission can be compromised. The mission exercised its mind on what could be done.
It holds the view that, to address the issue of protection of the population, the CFC should enhance the responsibility of the military protectors to include protection of the population. The Cease-Fire Agreement is designed to be automatically renewed every 45 days, except if opposed by one party.
None of the parties has revoked the Cease-Fire Agreement, but it is not being honoured. The mission also observes that there is no visible authority to which the cease-fire violations are reported for visible action. It, however, observes that there is provision for a Joint Commission in the Cease-fire Agreement in addition to the Cease-fire Commission. The functions of the Joint Cease-fire Commission in handling violations are not clearly stipulated. This mission holds that
this vacuum should be filled. An oversight institution is needed to act on the reports of violations.
8.3 Structural reform for AMIS
The fact that the PAP mission could convince a representative of SLA to send a message to his compatriots abroad to reverse their announcement to revoke the Cease-Fire Agreement, confirms that the peaceful settlement of disputes requires the constant and consistent engagement of adversaries, at all levels.
The mission holds that the AU mission in Sudan cannot ensure such engagement on an intensive and sustainable basis unless it establishes a robust administrative unit with strong political, humanitarian, information, human rights, military and security departments that are staffed with experienced and dedicated personnel. Such personnel must be amenable to efficient and effective
consultation, planning and decision making with the participation of all sectors.
8.4 The issue of Genocide, War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity
The mission met the UN International Commission of enquiry on Darfur. The mission observed that evidence must be gathered and corroborated to establish a case for indictment.
The mission holds that the AU can playa part in combating genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity by establishing the African Court on Human and Peoples Rights to which findings, of Commissions established to monitor Cease-Fire Agreement based on investigated and documented cases can be presented by prosecutors.
It observes that the creation of an oversight commission that would receive complaints of cease-fire violations and answers to queries sent to the accused, could make it possible to rely on public opinion to exert moral pressure on violators and further rely on a court, to ensure justice.
This mission holds that the AU faces a challenge and an opportunity to build its institutions to help solve Africa’s problems. As it faces the task of building institutions to handle crisis it should equally recognize that it is creating the new African structures that can better facilitate the integration of the continent and prevent crisis in the future.
Finally, the mission assured all Sudanese that the problem of Darfur is both a challenge and an opportunity; that if they cooperate with the Organs of the AU until the crisis is solved Sudan will be an example of best practice in crisis management and resolution by the AU and serve as a model on how African states and people can collaborate to solve Africa’s problems.
 
 
“LUNTANGHO” (Foreigner)
Below, we publish the narration of a man who claims to be a Guinean but has acquired national documents unlawfully through the instigation and assistance of officials and party stalwarts.
 
Dear Editor,
First I want to express my heartfelt thanks to you and your widely respected and read newspaper, for granting me precious space to publish my article. For the information of your wider readership, I have taken this article to other media houses for publication and was flatly refused by them. So I thank you very much.
I am a Guinean national residing in the country.  I’ve been in this country for the past 20 years, making the Gambia my second home.  I am married to two wives one of whom is a Gambian-born Guinean.  Despite staying long in this country, I still have my heart in my native land, Guinea, where I have my roots.  This is because I’ve been and I am still regarded as a foreigner in a country where I have stayed for over 20years.  I have a well stocked shop where I sell to earn my living and I am also engaged in the re-export trade too.  I also stay in a compound that belongs to three of us brothers.
To sum it all, I can say that I am a well-to-do business person who definitely lives a decent life because I have the means and the resources.  My two brothers I share the compound with, are also in the U.S and they are also excelling very well.
But despite all these, I am considered a foreigner who can be fooled by politicians every time elections draw near. The main reason for writing this letter is to share my experience with your general readership.
During the first republic, I and my fellow Guineans have been targeted and drawn by unscrupulous politicians into their nets, by issuing us with fraudulent voters and identity cards, inorder to vote for the ruling party.  During the first republic, the influence of former prominent ministers enabled many of us to have the country’s national papers but yet still we were seen as foreigners even by the very government we voted into office because we continued to pay those taxes levied on foreigners and continued to be asked to produce our native country’s papers at every check point we come across. At one time during one of my travels, I produced a Gambian ID card at a check point in the provinces, but was given the first humiliation of my life by the police officer at the said check point. The officer seized all my Gambian and Guinean papers and detained me the whole day at the said check point. I had to resort to bribing the officer to get free. 
After this incident, I narrated the matter to the influential minister in the former PPP regime who helped us to get these papers, but he took my complaint with a pinch of salt. It was from this time that I started to reassess the whole situation and being very cautious. Eventually the PPP regime came to pass and we entered the regime of the soldier boys. This is the era I had the worst experience and humiliation of my life. Since they knew the dirty tricks that the former PPP regime used to win elections, the party of the soldier boys used the same nasty tricks to not only trick the opposition and win the elections, but deceive us foreigners who have stayed for long in this country.
As the elections drew near, the influential persons within the party of the soldier boys made a lot of mobilization to register us in one of the constituencies in the greater urban areas, thereby making that particular constituency the one with the most registered voters. We were given the promise that after the elections, our stay will be regularized as legal first class citizens of this country, which is yet to happen up to today. 
We were all issued with Gambian ID and Voters Cards, which made me to vote in the 1996 elections. But due to my frustration and anger, I did not vote in 2001 and will never vote or participate in any activity that will legitimize unscrupulous governments or perpetuate them in power. Sometime in the year 2001, I was confronted by one soldier manning a check point, when our vehicle was stopped for the usual security check. We were asked to produce our papers which I did and to my dismay, when I produced the Gambian ID Card that was issued to me in order to vote for the (soldier boys), I was given the worst slap that I will never forget and as fate will have it once again, I was whisked out of the vehicle and detained at the check point. I was given the worst humiliation of my life and ordered to give them money or else they will lock me where I will never be found.  I complied and gave the soldier boys at the check point a hefty amount of money to secure my release. That night, when I arrived home, I cried my heart out. My family, particularly my children, felt very uncomfortable. My concerned brothers also called from the US and advised me to return to my native country or to stay in neighbouring Senegal. I contemplated the idea but decided to stay for the benefit of my children’s education and the nostalgia I have for this country. Since then, I have taken very low profile and concentrated on my business, until some days ago, when I was again approached by an APRC Yai Compin to register and get my own papers regularized. She narrated all what she had to narrate just for me to again go and acquire a Gambian ID Card so that I can get registered. When she finished her narration, I gave her my sincere viewpoint, which she sincerely accepted and really sympathized with me. I narrated my experiences to the lady who was not able to control her emotion. The lady wept openly after my narration and I told her categorically that I will never participate in any activity that will put in place an unscrupulous administration or perpetuate their stay in office. The lady was very reasonable with me and felt very disappointed. The lady contacted my fellow countrymen and urged them to get the ID cards but they expressed similar sentiments and experiences worst than mine. The lady came back to me and explained her frustration and anger at the (soldier boys) and their administration and vowed that she will not waste her time and that she also had her dignity to protect. She promised that she will never engage anyone or persuade anyone to register, particularly foreigners, who are asked to pay all types of taxes; Aliens ID cards, Residential Permits, etc, and being humiliated by immigration officers. 
After this encounter with this lady, just a few days ago, I was again contacted by a friend who resides close to my compound, who informed me that I should go to one compound in Tallinding where I will be assisted to receive a Gambian ID card and will be able to register and vote for the (soldier boys). He told me that a lot of people were there to receive their ID cards, particularly my fellow countrymen. 
This time, I decided to go there just to see things for myself and to my surprise, I met a lot of my fellow countrymen who were there for the first time to receive Gambian ID cards. After talking to most of them, many indicated to me that despite their short stay, they know everything behind the issuance of those ID cards; that they are not fools and know what to do when the time comes. In fact most of them told me that they want these cards so as to be able to offset the health cost levied on foreigners at hospitals and health centres. In fact it seems as if my countrymen have received a good orientation regarding the issuance of these cards. 
As for me, I will never be a part to it and will give wise counsel to my fellow countrymen to be very mindful of what to expect after they receive these cards. This is just to lure them for a short period of time after which they will know their true status: “Luntangho.”
Thank you for space.
From a concerned legal alien, LUNTANGHO.
 
 
HON. KEMESENG JAMMEH HARPS ON FARMERS’ PLIGHT
By Abdoulie G. Dibba 
The Jarra West National Assembly Member, Hon. Kemeseng Jammeh, announced that the AU Summit has nothing to do with farmers’ money. Hon. Jammeh made these remarks on Monday at the National Assembly during the adjournment debate. He indicated that farmers in this country are in real difficulty. “They sold their groundnuts since December and up to now, they cannot receive their money when we are already in the rainy season,” he said. He went on to say that farmers all over Lower River Division (LRD) are complaining of the nature of the trade season. Before the commencement of the season, he said, farmers were promised that there would be no credit buying, but he noted that credit buying started from the very beginning of the trade season.
“To the disbelieve of the farmers, SoS Touray told the whole nation that the farmers will be paid by the end of April and now the same Yankuba Touray is saying that farmers would be paid after the AU Summit,” Hon. Jammeh said. He also indicated that the two issues have nothing to do with each other. “The AU Summit has nothing to do with the payment of the farmers,” he categorically stated.
Hon. Jammeh said the failure of the government to honour the orders of the courts is an indictment to the judiciary. One such order is the case of the Banjul Mayor. Hon. Jammeh criticised the September presidential election, saying that the timing is bad. He pointed out that September would be in the rainy season and most of the roads are dilapidated which would make the election campaign very difficult. He called on members of the inter-party committee to reconsider the date and fix it in December. Hon. Jammeh indicated that contrary to the statement that the Soma/Mandinaba road construction work has commenced, Hon. Jammeh said that work on this road is yet to start.
 
HALIFA ON GAMTEL
By Abdoulie G. Dibba
During the adjournment debate, the Minority Leader at the National Assembly, Hon. Halifa Sallah, indicated that the Secretary of State for Communication, Information and Technology has told them what GAMTEL had contributed in independence celebrations. “At the time, I asked then whether GAMTEL can continue to live in the old way, but my question was not understood. But it is very clear in the answer today when we were told by the Secretary of State that the 1 kilo watt and 5 kilo watt transmitters in Bansang used to assist in GRTS been received in Basse. She said the 5 KW transmitters recently developed a fault and its required spare parts have been ordered and are expected in the country in about three weeks time,” Hon. Sallah reminded. Hon. Sallah indicated that because the spare parts are not available, it has to be ordered. “The spare parts could have been identified, ordered and kept in a store. What is efficiency? What is effectiveness in administrating institutions,” Hon. Sallah inquired. Hon. Sallah pointed out that just across the Assembly, there is a GAMTEL institution and for a long period, it could not function because the generator is not functioning and they could not get the electricity they wanted while GAMTEL is spending colossal sum of money on independence celebrations and “we still take these things as normal answers. Can we continue to accept these things as normal?”
 
 
HALIFA CALLS FOR COMMON FRONT ON NATURE
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
Contributing to the motion on the ratification of the African Convention on the Protection and Preservation of Nature and Natural Resources at the National Assembly, on Thursday, the Minority Leader and Member for Serrekunda Central, Hon. Halifa Sallah, reminded individuals and governments that the preservation of nature is a collective responsibility. 
“There are objectives enhancing environmental protection and the sustainable use of natural resources. That is the essence of conventions. It is to create collective responsibility. What is done in one country can undermine the other,” Hon. Sallah said.
Hon. Sallah opined that the government needs to develop a policy that would harmonise the convention. He said that the convention will serve as a guide both on the present and future usage of land. Hon. Sallah noted that conserving water is another fundamental issue. He cited most places were wells and pit latrines are at similar depths or close to each other.
Hon. Sallah called for what he described as “Indigenous knowledge” to incorporate into the central government policies inorder to benefit the local populace and enhance effective implementation.
The Member for Wuli West, Hon. Sidia Jatta, said that shifting cultivation has seriously affected the fertility of most of the land. On the forest, Hon. Jatta said that the indiscriminate cutting of trees for fire wood, charcoal and timber has led to the rapid depletion of the forest cover.
On his part, Hon. Idirissa S. Sallah of Sami said the annual burning of the bush also has a negative consequence on the environment. He called for collaboration between The Gambian and Senegalese authorities to quell the scourge. The Member for Kombo North, Adama Cham, said most of the species that used to be seen around are now extinct. The Member for Kiang West, Kalifa Kambi, recalled his days in the North Bank as a field worker where he urged residents to stop killing the mating Guinea fowls inorder to increase their population. 
 
WALID HAKIM BACK IN COURT
Walid Hakim, the Lebanese businessman who was arrested shortly after the death of Deyda Hydara in December 2004 for being illegally in possession of fire arms and the importation of fire arms into the country, was on Monday 12th June 2006, re-arraigned before Justice Monagen of the High Court in Banjul.
When the case was called, the counsel for the defendant, Surahata B. Janneh, announced his presence for the accused, while Mr. Fagbenleh, the acting DPP, stood for the state. When the charges were read out to the accused, Mr. Hakim pleaded not guilty.
Following his announcement of representation, counsel Janneh told the court that they do not know why they were in court since up to that moment they have not been served. In response to Mr. Janneh’s claim, state counsel Umaru told the court that the failure to serve the respondents is the fault of the High Court registrar. Mr. Umaru lamented to the court that the Magistrates’ Court was not the proper jurisdiction for the case. He stressed that it is because of the inappropriateness of the jurisdiction which motivated the Attorney General’s Office to bring the case to the High Court. The matter is adjourned to the 15th June 2006.
 
FOOD CRISIS AT GAMBIA COLLEGE
The financial crisis that is hitting The Gambia College has led to the reduction of the two daily meals that students receive to one. Also, an amount of D170 (hundred and seventy dalasis) had been deducted from the monthly stipend of each student resident on campus.
An anonymous student said: “Our executive said our rice is finished and they owed our supplier about sixteen thousand dalasis (D16, 000.00). The bags in stock, they said, cannot sustain us and they deduct one hundred and seventy dalasis from each of us.”
The worried students also said that what is doubtful about the whole situation is that the executive are not affected by the deduction. He indicated that a conflicting numbers of on-campus students were given by two different sources in the executive.
However, the students’ Main Union responsible for feeding has clarified that the deduction of students’ allowances is not a cheating strategy but a way of securing adequate food. Speaking to Foroyaa on Tuesday, the Student Union’s nutrition minister, Lamin Jaffuneh, said that they were indebted to the tune of seventeen thousand dalasis and they needed a strategy to cope with the situation. Mr. Jaffuneh explained that, that was why they proposed to cut down the 170 dalasis from each student. On the reduction of the daily meals of students, Jaffuneh said they have little remaining in stock. He said that those are the remaining bags from the twenty bags they recently bought.
The minister of finance at the college, Sheikh Turad Sibeh, said the college is wholly depending on philanthropists to feed its student populace. Mr. Sibeh also said that students have failed to understand that the Union’s coffers are empty. He said it was through the lobbying of funds that they had managed to keep everyone fed since they took over from their predecessors. Sibeh added that at the time he took over as minister of finance, only about 500 dalasis was left in the store.
Meanwhile, a taskforce to study the crisis has been set up by the general student body which would report on its findings to the principal of the school.
When Foroyaa contacted the principal, Dr.Badou Senghore, he declined to comment.
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