SIX BUSES DONATED TO JAMMEH FOUNDATION FOR PEACE

The Spanish Palma de Majorca Municipal Council in Spain, today presented six Man-Pegaso buses to the Jammeh Foundation For Peace through the President Alhaji Yahya Jammeh at Statehouse.

The 70-Seater buses brought to a total of ten buses donated by the Council since last November. In presenting the buses, a Gambian philanthropist based in Spain, Mr Kassim Njie, through whom the donation was made possible, told the Vice President Mrs Isatou Njie Saidy that he has been negotiating for the buses for the past six months with the Spanish Council. He said that the buses are meant to ease the transportation problems facing students and also assist in the development of public transportation in The Gambia.

In addition, Mr Njie thanked the Gambian Ambassador accredited to Spain, Hon. Mr William John Joof and the Office of the President in The Gambia for their support in making the donation possible. He said the total cost of the buses is 7 million dalasis and an extra seven million dalasis worth of spare parts and foodstuff also accompanied the new vehicles to The Gambia. Mr Njie finally told the Vice President that the buses would be maintained by two Gambian mechanical engineers who were trained in Spain.

In his remarks, The Gambian ambassador to France who is also accredited to Spain, Mr Willy John Joof thanked Mr Kassim Njie whom he described as a hardworking Gambian. Mr Joof used the occasion to call on all Gambians abroad to emulate Kassim Njie’s noble venture. The Finance Secretary Famara Jatta also thanked Njie for the donation and assured him that the vehicles will be delivered to the beneficiaries by the Jammeh Foundation For Peace.

In receiving the buses, on behalf of the President, the Vice President, Mrs Isatou Njie Saidy, thanked the Municipal Council of Majorca in Spain for the donation on behalf of the Jammeh Foundation for Peace, which, she described as laudable. She appealed to Mr Kassim Njie to further assist the accredited Ambassador to broaden the Cooperation between Spain and The Gambia. She thanked Mr Njie for his patriotism in making the donation possible. The Vice President ended her brief statements by appealing to all Gambians in the Diaspora to emulate the worthy example of Mr. Kassim Njie.

For the pictures, please visit www.statehouse.gm

GARBAGE TRUCKS TO ENSURE HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT

The Vice President, Mrs Isatou Njie Saidy has challenged the Municipalities and Area Councils in The Greater Banjul Area and the Western Division to take advantage of emerging Rubbish Re-cycling Technology so that The Gambia can take a lead in that area.

Mrs Njie Saidy said this during an off-the-cuff, spontaneous speech she gave during a brief ceremony in which she presented six garbage trucks donated by His Excellency President Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh to the Banjul City Council, the Kanifing Municipal Council and to the Western Division.

She advised the beneficiaries to seek assistance through their twining programmes with other municipalities outside the Gambia "who have the wherewithal that we don’t".

Mrs Njie Saidy emphasised the importance of rubbish processing and called on the Municipalities and Area Councils to desist from collecting garbage from one part of the municipality only to throw it at another part.

Speaking on awareness creations, the Vice President encouraged communities to include among their responsibilities the process of "each-one-teach-one" so that "we all teach each other about environmental cleanliness; about ensuring a healthy environment and about eradicating malaria in The Gambia.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, the Chairman of the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) retired Major Abdoulie Conteh assured the Vice President that "these extra trucks will re-inforce those already in place" and promised they will do their best to ensure a clean environment.

Mr Conteh lamented over the issue of maintenance and appealed for assistance for the acquisition of spare parts. He thanked the President and Vice for what he described as a kind gesture.

The occasion was chaired by Secretary of State for Finance and Economic Affairs Mr Famara Jatta and witnessed by Secretary of state for Education Mrs Anne Therese Ndong Jatta, the Mayor of Banjul, the Commander State Guard and Local Authorities.

Again for the pictures, visit the statehouse website.

Have a good day, Gassa.