Superbird Compounds Demolished Owners Seek Compensation Several compounds, shops and business centres along the Super Bird highway were yesterday morning demolished as the Senegalese Company CSE embarked on the road construction between Westfield to Brikama Highway. The situation was rather emotional as the owners stood by helplessly while their compounds and business centres being turned into rubbles. When this reporter alighted at the Super Bird from the vehicle that he was travelling in, bulldozers were seen dragging rubbles while some other workers were seen using heavy iron hammers and mallets hitting at walls and levelling them to the ground. Speaking to this reporter, one Aplha Wurri Jallow who claimed to be a victim said, it was yesterday morning that they were asked to pack and leave their places as the measurement of the road affected their places and that they have to clear up the place. “We were shocked and desperate, but we had to comply, because we cannot challenge the authority of the government”. Maimuna Ceesay said the government should try and give them some sort of compensation because they and their families depended on their businesses to live. “Look it is disheartening and shocking looking at assets you invested lot of money in being destroyed in your presence”, moaned old Ma Ceesay in the direction of this reporter. She explained the old proverb in Mandinka saying “Ning mansa ko siloo yaaboo kungo teyma, kango lay bay jeng kay laa barri silo bay bola lay” meaning if the king orders a road to be constructed in the middle of the head, it is the neck that will be slanted but the road must be constructed. But for us the poor ones, we put our hopes on the Almighty Allah”. When this reporter also tried to talk to some CSE officials, a gentlemen who wished to remain anonymous said the government has given an earlier notice to all those affected enjoining them to leave these areas before the contractors reach them. They failed to comply, therefore they have nobody to blame but themselves he concluded. Meanwhile work on the Brikama Soma Highway is seriously on course according to reports reaching The Point. However due to many diversions owing to the construction, transport fares have risen from D35.00 to D50.00. Many taxi drivers said such diversions spoil their vehicles and force them to go on maintenance almost every week. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~