Do anyone has any information about the Amnesty for Immmigrant. If so i would be very grateful to read it. A friend of mine just call me and he said that Amnesty has been granted and the President has signed it.Please help if you can.Thanks >From: "Jeng, Beran" <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: FWD:Gambian Dalasi In Crisis While On The Verge of Being Rejected >Date: Wed, 3 Jan 2001 15:40:47 -0500 > >Gambian Dalasi In Crisis While On The Verge of Being Rejected > > >The Independent (Banjul) > >January 2, 2001 > >Banjul > >The Gambian currency the dalasi has fallen sharply against other foreign >currencies in recent months, prompting several businessmen in the country >to >prefer using other currencies in their business transactions. The situation >is >said to be felt more in the rural areas. > >Inhabitants in the border villages of North Bank Division said they have >been >alarmed by the dalasi's downward spiral whose value they said continue to >drop. >At the end of June last year, the Gambian currency was D11.32 to the US >dollar >and D18.06 to the British pound. > >It experienced some further drops in the last quarter of 1999 - a trend >which >continued into 2000. > >Towards the close of this year the dollar and the pound rose up further, >exchanging at D14.35 and D21.09 respectively. Other currencies like the >French >Fanc and the CFA have also rallied significantly against the local >currency. > >In the black market the picture doesn't seem to be assuring either. One >dollar >is equivalent to D15 while one pound is exchanged at D22. > >CFA500 make up for D10 while the French Franc is at D201. > >Local businessmen have expressed disquiet that the Dalasi is in danger of >being >rejected by foreign businessmen wanting to invest in the country but found >its >depreciating value a disincentive. > >In a round-up tour of the border villages in the North Bank Division, >people >there told The Independent that they have observed with "helpless shame" as >the >CFA Franc was being preferred to the dalasi. They asserted that on several >occasions, businessmen especially foreigners rejected the Gambian currency >in >favour of the CFA Franc. > >They revealed that this happened particularly during weekly market days >(lumos). > >Those who preferred other currencies said they were driven towards those >currencies by the "ailing and declining" Dalasi. > >A middle-aged businesswoman who wished to remain anonymous claimed that >many >counterfeit versions of the Dalasi have swarmed the market, dampening >confidence >to deal with the local currency. Alhagie Amadou Sargh a resident of Tawa in >Lower Baddibu told The Independent that a Mauritanian businessman in their >village caused a stir when he refused to accept the Dalasi in exchange for >items >he was selling. > >Mr. Sargh said he made an inquiry of whether it was proper to reject the >dalasi >within Gambian territory but was "advised to report the matter to the >police at >Kerewan". According to Sargh the only currency the Mauritanian businessman >accepted was the CFA Franc. > >Amat Joof a resident of Dimbuga said the rejection of the Dalasi in their >area >has brought serious difficulties to the people who depend on it to bargain >for >food and other essential items. He claimed that most of the rejections were >from >Mauritanian businessmen in the area. > >He pointed out that his daughter-in-law nearly fought with a businessman >after >he rejected her local currency notes. > >A middle-aged man who also preferred anonymity asserted that the Dalasi's >rejection could not at this stage remain unnoticed by the police. "I blame >the >Alkalolu and the police, who are aware of the situation" he noted. > >"The police should be brought to the picture" he suggested. "If this trend >should continue into the next year our currency would just be a trash" said >another businessman who trades between the urban and rural areas. > >The Kerewan police could not be reached for comment. However, an insider at >the >Central Bank confirmed that the Dalasi is in more trouble of a downward >slide >and acknowledged that it is faring badly against the CFA Franc. > >Although he said he did not know the reason for the currency's decline, but >he >would not rule out instances of counterfeiting as one cause. > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L >Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >You may also send subscription requests to >[log in to unmask] >if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your >full name and e-mail address. >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask] if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------