Mr Manneh, Please! I do hope that me using the word GCAA is not personalised here.Maimouna is the person that we saw on observer,but Essa is seeing the GCAA in this case not a person per se.No one is attempting to criticise Maimouna unfairly here.What do you really mean by unfairly? Actually you are repeating what I said that is,the British embassy's note verbale was strengthening what Maimouna said earlier on as per the details that were outlined therein.However,brother please once again read the title of that press release plus that of the bbc news item and then that may help you see where I am coming from.That maybe the very reason why the British ambassador saw the need to come and further clarify the issue.The British ambassador was neither supporting the release nor against any institution he simply clarified the points.Compare hsi heading and that of the GCAA press release and then the bbc report and see. Actually Sidi I wish we could elaborate more on this without taking sides or me being forced to be pouncing on any one's soul here.I have been on several occasions to the FAA bureau and we spoke at length on this issue.Telling people numbers of how many airlines are registered does not make one an expert on measures that are geared towards counter terrorism etc etc.Look at what the British diplomat wrote once again,it is not all that a blue print that favours our airline industry at all.Please Sidi do not turn this to a debate where one is attacking Maimouna. I do not know Maimouna to warrant personal attacks and it is obvious that Maimouna does know me either! I happen to know Jabang,who maybe her Boss or so, and Jabang has been very instrumental in certain things that we initiated together.Jabang will not react the way you did because he would know where I am coming from if he does I am sure it maybe things were misinterpreted for him. Jabang knows me and we used to speak on this so was i speaking to Njok Cham.Jabang has been good and has done his best.That is why I blamed the higher authorities and not the GCAA management.Look at my postings once again and read yours please do me that afvour.Me mentioning Njok Cham was meant to speak on retroactive issues and not attacking anyone at the moment.My involvement and my understanding towards these issues that affect our darling industry goes beyond personal attacks,I am in for deeper things that can help in the long run. Does that mean whenever Maimouna sends a press release and it is criticised,then she is being "whipped"as a person? I did not feel that way and please be rest assured that category one is not going to be if what am talking about is neglected.Well the department of state of Justice can send you numbers not me. Find out from the former IG Ebou Njie and former sos interior and ask them who helped in getting computers and other gadgets that were meant for border protection and airport facilities.Find out? I usually do not personalise things because national development is beyond that. The last time I was at the dept of state for justuc, I was asked to be present because someone had to search for documents relating to an airline etc. Those papers were needed to convince the FAA and world airline. Any gvt out side be it the British or the Americans will only recognise a carrier that uses The Gambia's name if that particular carrier was registered and licensed back home.Therefore the importance of the GCAA and the local authorities influences the other side.If those licenses are being questioned then Sidi that is my worry nothing more nothing less! Please do not see this as anti Maimouna or anti Kumba,she represents an institution therefore has to face criticism,period.For the records brother I never criticised Maimouna I wrote about the GCAA on a topic that I feel I have something to share with anyone who cares.The FAA,Air France and those poeple i met in HUNgary and other places might have at least helped in this discussion,if only yhey knew that Gambia-l is here nd Sidi wants to know more. Essa. Sidi M Sanneh <[log in to unmask]> wrote: Dear Mr. Sey, In all fairness to Ms. Maimouna Taal, MD of GCCA, she tried to cover all the essential elements in her press release in reassuring Gambians and all users of the relative safety of the Banjul International Airport (BIA) facility following the BBC story as any responsible manager should. I see the British High Commission's statement as re-enforcing Maimouna Taal's release which stressed the need for GCCA to continue their efforts in strenghtening the safety oversight of aircrafts registered or airlines certified in The Gambia. In short, there is little or no difference between the MD's press release and that of the BHC. She deserves commendation for the timely re-assurance of the flying public, ratherr than being critisized unfairly, IMHO. This young lady needs all the encouragement from all quarters. I know she enjoys the support of the Americans, British and others that will benefit from a more secure BIA. May I ask: How many aircrafts are registered or certified in The Gambia. Only Millenium Air comes to mind. If there are others within this category, please share it with us. I thank you in advance. Sidi Sanneh ----Original Message Follows---- From: ESSA BOKARR SEY Reply-To: [log in to unmask] To: [log in to unmask] Subject: GCAA AND THE BANNED FLIGHTS,WHEN DIPLOMATS SPEAK AND BEYOND.......... Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2004 04:34:33 -0800 Recently we revisited the famous press release from the GCAA.In a satire that i wrote certian issues were presented in a condensed way.Once again let's continue this piece in a more explicit way...The issue of flights,registration of airline companies is so important in this modern world that,The Gambia Gvt should NOT! only rely on press releases and note verbales from embassies that maybe full if blames and counter accusations here and there.In this world that is full of terror-breeding ponds any gvt that wants to save it's country's image should not brush off such releases and then relax. The British embassy has made it categorically clear now that,the GCAA in particular has not yet met ALL! the requirements.The press release from the embassy was an intervention to clarify what led to such a ban BUT IT DID NOT DENY THAT there is still much to be desired from Banjul.It is not surprising because the FAA-federal aviation authority harbours the same feelings when it comes to our darling GCAA. In the press release of the British embassy we can see that it is stressing the need for improvement.Indeed this does not affect the open skies agreement.That agreement was also signed between The Gambia and the USA in 2000 under the able leadership of former SOS Sarjo Jallow.Isatou Jallow was the legal advicer of GCAA at the time.I do believe that Njok Cham is one of the best directors that the agency can have.Why he was fired is beyond me.Well I will not be surprised to hear that he was this and that or he did this and that,because in Banjul the state house is so "clean" that! whoever they fire,change,piss off or fall apart with that person is the bad one and they are good! This makes me laugh because that IS AN ABSOLUTE BLUE,BLACK AND PURPLE LIE!!!!!!!!!! There are intellectuals who have been off the hook and today they are recognised all over the world doing wonders.Infact no one so far has ever been fired or otherwise and then that person has not achieved some'n better! better!!! than when he or she was working under the culture of electric brooms and funny stuff like that! Sometimes it is the people in the streets who are the poor victims,most of us are not familiar with these technicalities and the administrative jargons that some directors,permanent secretaries play with here and there so it appears either confusing or or convincing,when the content are not true!!! Combersome approaches and extraordinary excuses through texts and stratified layers of jargons can be simply compiled by verbous technocrats but production can never faked. There are many things that are coming now which were started by former sos's or others,but it appears like those on now are the ones who did it,not at all!!! This is exactly why I wrote the satire PAINTING IMAGES IN THE AIR...However much or however hard people work if the cradle itself is wet or acidic then it will be hard to realise results.That is why some people use such outlets to share their views and at leats give in what they know.Poeple on line are strong intellectuals so I see no reason why civil servants should not be engaing them and discuss issues.Many civil servants back home will tell you that the BOYS ON THE INTERNET INSULT PEOPLE SO WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ON THE NET...That is nonsense!!!!some civil servants receive worst insults at work than what they may expect on line.I for one have been on for years now but that has not reduced my ability or my respect within any milieu that am currently serving.So communciation is very vital.I do not even know why such press releases are not being directly forwrded to the L and the post after all? There are many on line who maybe able to help the GCAA solve their problems forthwith.But back home even if one is good at this teh moment he or she criticises then that person should not even be approached for help! Why?! If I know that Haruna Darboe can help be rest assured even if he has a dog near his hosue I will come and aks for his assistance.NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SHOULD GO BEYOND PETTY PERSONAL ISSUES. We can even be analysing a lot of releases from certain corners in Banjul on line and show those affected where they need to improve.That can continue even when another gvt comes to replace the present statusquo.Gambians like the idea of tagging and saying "bul waha mom sahh!" Essa. Think before you sink! "Pessimists see difficulty in every opportunity and optimists see an opportunity in every challenge" "Suits cannot be made without scissors and niddles,so decent minds disagree to agree" --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Hotjobs: Enter the "Signing Bonus" Sweepstakes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _________________________________________________________________ The new MSN 8: advanced junk mail protection and 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Think before you sink! "Pessimists see difficulty in every opportunity and optimists see an opportunity in every challenge" "Suits cannot be made without scissors and niddles,so decent minds disagree to agree" --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Hotjobs: Enter the "Signing Bonus" Sweepstakes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~