GPU To Immortalise Deyda’s Killing
The Gambia Press Union is bracing up for the commemoration of the one-year brutal killing of the internationally acclaimed Gambian editor, Deyda Hydara on December 15th and 16th at Kairaba Beach Hotel.
This first high-profile anniversary is expected to take the form of an international conference. Until his gruesome murder on December 16th last year at the wheel of his car, Hydara was the Managing Editor and Co-proprietor of The Point Newspaper. His killing coincided with the 13th anniversary of the founding of his paper.
Delegates to the conference include representatives of West African Journalists Association, press unions of Senegal, Guinea Conakry, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Burkina, Nigeria and Mali.
Themed "Press Freedom, Democracy and Development," the two-day conference will be jointly organised by Gambia Press Union (GPU) and civil society organisations in the country.
In a statement ahead of the event, the President of GPU, Mr. Madi Ceesay said some local and overseas delegates, particularly close associates of the slain editor would be allowed to make statements and read solidarity messages. "During the conference, the board of trustees of the Deyda Hydara Foundation on Press Freedom will be introduced," he disclosed.
"On 16 December, the actual date of the anniversary of Deyda’s killing, conference participants will converge at the site of the renowned veteran journalist’s slaying for a solemn wreath laying ceremony," he said, revealing that the conference winds up with drafting of resolutions and recommendations, calling on The Gambia Government to unveil the mystery surrounding Deyda’s killing as well as respect freedom of press and expression.
-0-
Farmers Grind Axe With Suku
D6 Million Debt Hangs On His Neck
By Lamin M. Fatty
A farmers group in Upper Saloum, Group Juboo has got an axe to grind with the proprietor of Suku’s International Spedition for his failure to settle their money amounting to over six million Dalasis.
At a recent news conference in Fass, the President of the group, Omar Satu Sallah said they had entered into agreement with Hon. Abdoulie Suku Singhateh, who is also MP for Lower Baddibou Constituency, to purchase 1, 000 metric tonnes of groundnuts at D8, 400 per metric ton. "The total amount involved in the deal equalled to D8, 400, 000," he said, adding that the said amount was scheduled for payment on or before September 25th 2005.
"The deal allowed him ample time to sell the groundnuts and pay back our money in three separate instalments – on 25th days of May, July and September 2005. He had agreed to settle D2, 800, 000 on every instalment," Mr. Sallah said.
Mr. Sallah said Mr. Singhateh has honoured the first instalment when he paid over 2.7 million Dalasis. "Since then he refused to settle our outstanding balance of 6 million Dalasis. And the worst thing is that he keeps telling us stories. During the period, he issued us with three false cheques dated July 11th and August 10th and 23rd 2005. These cheques were dishonoured by the bank. Suku cheated us by tricks and we have exhausted all avenues to recover our money to no avail," he said, disclosing that Mr. Singhateh had earlier written to the group, appealing for payment to be rescheduled. "He complained of difficulties in transporting and marketing of the nuts," Mr. Sallah noted while urging the government to bail them out. "If we don’t have our money, we would not be able to buy nuts this trade season."
The Auditor of Group Juboo, Momodou Leigh said the briefing was meant to expose Hon Singhateh. "By this, the public will understand our plight because Hon. Singhateh has breached the contract he had signed with farmers. Despite being threatened with legal action, he refused to pay our money," he added, disclosing that his group intended to save the said amount at the bank so that they could buy nuts this season.
Leigh said Hon Singhateh tendered a collateral to them, assuring that he would effect total payment of the debt on time. "The irony of it all was that since he took our nuts, he had been communicating with us through letters."
An executive member of the group, Mai Jallow said Action Aid The Gambia (AATG) has disbursed the money to them principally to buy groundnuts of their members. "This is a pilot project which must not fail otherwise AATG would not confidently fund other such projects in the country."
Our reporter managed to get quotes from Suku who expressed willingness to settle the outstanding balance. "It was unfortunate that some of the group’s collaborators have employed calculated plot to hinder my business," he said, harping blame on the two months border impasse between The Gambia and Senegal as a major reason why he could not complete payment. He also added that the nuts were infested before they were transported to Senegal. "The buyer took advantage of this situation and reduce the price per metric ton. I therefore lost D450.00 per ton." Singhateh said he had incurred a lot of expenses on transporting the nuts from Upper Saloum to a store in Farafenni.
He said his Senegalese buyer had at last agreed for a barter system, which was why the nuts were exchanged with cement. "I have to sell cement to recover the money which was too slow. Because of these reasons, I could not honour the agreement. I have been concerned about the issue but I promise to settle the money on or before December 31st 2005."
-0-
DoSH Reacts To Missing Cheque
By Sulayman Makalo
The Department of State for Health and Social Welfare (DoSH) has reacted to our last Monday story titled "Confusion Rocks Health, Cholera Cheque Missing."
Below is the full text of the reaction signed by Alh. Saikou Janneh:
We write to put records straight on the above captioned article, published in your bi-weekly paper, The Independent.
Please note that for reasons of clarity, the Department of State for Health and Social Welfare deposited cheque No: 00310171 amounting to D42, 750 into the Medical Charities Fund, Account No: 0100130215300 at the Standard Chartered Bank on the 2nd day of November 2005. The Cheque was donated by the Ambassador of Taiwan to The Gambia, to help us contain the looming threat of a cholera epidemic within the sub-region.
The funds were subsequently disbursed, based on succinct work plans and proposals that were approved by the Director of Health Services, who provide technical over- sight for all the specialised units.
As at now, satisfactory liquidations have been made to the Permanent Secretary, on all cash advances, and these can be verified by any media house, for reasons of accountability.
Editor’s note:
The Independent still stands by the veracity of its story because going by the content of the above reaction, it is clear that the said cheque has not served its purpose. We thought health authorities would have proven us wrong that they have used the money to combat the looming threat of cholera epidemic, which was never the case.
We have been disappointed that DoSH reaction has not adequately informed the public how this money has been spent, which would have set the records straight.
-0-
FGM Concerns Gynaecologist
By Pa Modou Secka
Hassan Azadeh, Medical Director at Lamtoro Clinic has raised concern about the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the world.
Dr. Azadeh, also a consultant and gynaecologist, was speaking a child rights and sexual reproductive health forum jointly organised by Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices (GAMCOTRAP) and Save the Children Sweden at Corinthia Atlantic Hotel in Banjul. Among other things, the one-day program aimed to raise awareness on the reproductive health rights of the girl child among medical practitioners.
Dr. Azadeh observed that the public needs to be properly sensitised about the effects of FGM on reproductive health of women. " FGM is still widely practiced in over 30 countries. It is estimated that some 100 million women have been circumcised and immigration of those families in the UK has meant that the practice has now become an issue for most health care providers," he queried. He said FGM is a health problem whose pains cause shock, profuse bleeding, infection abscess, urinary retention, infertility and menstrual problems.
"FGM also causes deep mental and psychological damage, severe obstruction of labour and haemorrhage, large perennial, vaginal and cervical laceration and rupture of the uterus. It injures the urethra and bladder, stillbirth and neo-natal deaths," he noted, disclosing that over 1, 000 circumcised women die at labour.
Dr. Azadeh therefore called on the elimination of FGM, a call that has cause stir between activists and Islamists in the country some years back.
-0-
In NIA Diamond Case
Magistrate Warns Counsels
By Buya Jammeh
Furious about their notable absence in court, the magistrate presiding over the diamond case involving NIA officers last Monday warned the defence lawyers, Antuman Gaye and Lamin Jobarteh, to appear before his court in the next adjourned date come December 12th or otherwise he would proceed with the case.
Magistrate Kebba Sanyang of Kanifing Magistrates’ Courts who wondered why the case should be protracted, after all he had given an order for it to proceed in his absence, demanded an explanation for the delay of the trial.
The trial of the six NIA officers accused of being involved in diamond scandal has been in limbo for a while.
Responding to Magistrate Sanyang’s statement, the state counsel, Shanaka said the case was delayed simply because the next prosecution witness who lives overseas has failed to appear in court.
A defence counsel, Lawyer Chimeh expressed his intentions for the case to proceed but that his senior colleagues expressed interest to appear before the court in person.
-0-
University Student Found Dead
By Fatou Badjie-Ceesay & Njonji Drammeh
The body of a 21-year-old Cameroonian Medicine student at the University of The Gambia was on Tuesday morning found lying opposite the faculty building in Kanifing.
Some University students and other onlookers at the scene believe that, the girl was raped, killed and thrown near the faculty building. The shocking news to both students and administration cause suspension of classes for the day. According to Ms. Jobe, a student of the University, there is evidence that the girl was raped because ‘her trouser was torn and she sustained some bruises.’
Another onlooker believed that the girl might have been raped at a far distance and was thrown apposite the faculty building for people to see her body. "The highway is too open for her to be rape there," he said.
"We can’t tell what really happened or how she was killed. Her mobile phone, books, pens, and other school items were all intact. Even her money was not taken. It seems rape occur but we can’t tell where it happened. It can’t definitely occur opposite the building. It’s confusing anyway," a sad looking colleague of the deceased said.
However, the head of the University Student Affairs confirmed the story but declined to comment. "We will not talk to the press as at now because we do not know what happened. The case is with the police and it is not proper to comment during investigations," he said.
-0-
Action Aid Donates Gender Activism
By Sana Camara
Cognisant of the fact that women’s right is at the centre of their strategy to fight poverty and exclusion, Action Aid-The Gambia has made a contribution of D1.3million towards gender week commemoration.
Handing over the cheque to the executive director of the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies, Hannah Forster towards what he called "noble and humanitarian course," Action Aid county director Yahya Sanyang said such gesture is coming upon the entry into force of the protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Right on the right of women in Africa.
Addressing participants at the launching of 16 days of activism against gender based violence at the Kairaba Beach Hotel, Mr. Sanyang said the importance of the occasion cannot be over emphasized, especially in the light of the fact that violence against women has remained unabated despite numerous strives by various actors.
He stated that religions condemn all forms of violence on people, quoting the Holy Quran to back his assertion.
Mrs. Haddy Mboge-Barrow, programme officer (special projects) of the GFPA defines violence against women as ‘any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such act, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty whether occurring in public or private life."
-0-
Students Win TAI-Gambia Scholarship
Five students were last Wednesday offered scholarship by Trinity Ambassadors International (Gambia), an international organisation founded to provide help to the poor and needy in various facets of life.
The five students are from the Institute of Professional Administration & Management (IPAM), Nusrat Senior Secondary School, Bakoteh and Latri Kunda Lower Basic Schools. The sponsorship, according to the director Emmanuel P. Bob-Deen will be provided on a monthly allowance basis and each beneficiary will receive a sum of D570 to cover school expenses.
Speaking during the presentations, Mr. Bob-Deen informed the beneficiaries that the aim of the sponsorship is to alleviate their financial burden in pursuing their education. He encouraged the candidates to maintain their good academic record. "Periodic performance appraisals will be done to evaluate your performance," he said.
He assured them that his organisation would continue to support them up to their last educational levels in The Gambia.
Other speakers during the presentations include the heads of various schools. They all expressed gratitude for the gesture and prayed for TAI Gambia to progress for the program to continue so that it can reach other students that have not benefited from it.
One of the beneficiaries James E. Cole of Latri Kunda Upper Basic thanked TAI Gambia for being his sponsor. He said the sponsorship is timely as ‘it came at the time I needed it most.’ This gesture, he said, will reduce some financial burden in his educational career. He prayed for TAI Gambia and its membership to achieve its goals in The Gambia and beyond.
-0-
NID-Second Round Starts Today
The Gambia would today join 21 counties from West and Central Africa to organise the second round of synchronised National Immunisation Days (NIDs) targeting an estimated 350,621 children from 0- 5 years of age.
The immunisation campaign will run for five days during which Vitamin A will be given to all children between six months to five years.
According to a released from the department of State for Health and Social Welfare, vaccinators will go from house to house to vaccinate all eligible children. "If any child misses the vaccinators, please take him or her to the nearest health facility to be vaccinated," the release reads.
The release stated that the high level of commitment and co-operation of the Gambian people made it possible to achieve national coverage of 96% during the first round. "This tremendous achievement has been made possible due to the important role played by every Gambian," the department’s press release stated.
-0-
Editorial: The World’s Biggest Threat
Is there anything that has threatened the lives of humans in the world than arms and ammunition? The answer definitely is no.
Everywhere we go we live with the fear of being trapped by gangsters, snipers or suicide bombers. The proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the world should be a cause for concern for every peace-loving human being under the sky.
Mandinkas have a better name for gun – kido that means loneliness. Gun causes loneliness in the world - it shatters or devastates communities in the world. On the other hand, no country can today maintain its sovereignty without a robust weapon and army. In our present day generation, even fathers and sons do not trust each other and fell apart, more so countries that share the same territory. Instead of fostering good neighbourliness, these sister countries keep spying on each other’s military strength. This tells us that trust only exists by name.
The most disturbing thing is that most African countries keep increasing their military spending at the expense of other key areas such as health, education or agriculture. These are the countries whose heads of governments have blatantly refused to ratify the international protocol on small arms and light weapon, which was in force several decades ago. This has given them the leverage to buy arms in abundance and even sell them to freedom fighters or rebels who kill innocent civilians. We have seen how some crook leaders in the world fanned civil wars in our sub-region simply because of their selfish interest. Some people are generally like vultures or vampires that gain during conflicts or wars. These are the real enemies of peace and stability.
Some people believe that even if we destroy all weapons, people will still use their tongues to hurt each other. This is why we are duty bound to make consolidate peace-building activities during the period of peace and stability.
We concur well with WANEP that we should build peace and solve our conflicts before they balloon or snowball into full-blown violence. We should all take it as a national duty to sensitise our people about sensitive issues such as tribal, religious or ethnic discrimination spark off flames in other countries. Any society that fails to address these issues properly is surely sitting on a ticking time bomb.
For us to develop we need to join hands together so that we can arrest the illegal proliferation of small arms and light weapons in our region. Like the Chief of Defence Staff said the porous nature of our borders aids and abets the proliferation of arms in our respective countries. We have seen how the war in Liberia has proliferated to Sierra Leone.
-0-
Hajj Journey
By Ahmed B. Saidybah
It is clear that righteousness and true respect for Allah, which excludes the worship of anything else, are the criteria of true worship.
This is the divine rule, and Hajj is no exception. So for Hajj to be accepted by the Almighty Allah it has to meet certain criteria or prerequisites. What are these criteria or prerequisites?
This article is intended to throw light on the things that are required before, during and after the performance of the fourth Islamic pillar. Religious scholars have taught us that intending pilgrims are expected to perform certain things while they are preparing for this lifetime journey, during it and upon their return.
From an Islamic perspective, for any deed to be accepted, it should both be righteous and sincere. Allah the Almighty says in His Ever-Glorious Qur’an: [whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and, in the worship of his Lord, admit no one as partner] (Al-Kahf 18:110).
Before Setting Off
One who intends to perform Hajj should provide for all the expenses of the journey from lawful gains. On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, Prophet Muhammed (SAW) said, "Verily Allah is Good and He accepts only what is good. Allah’s commandments to his messengers and believers are the same as evidenced in these verses: [Oh, messengers enjoy what is good and do good deeds.] And He said: [O you who believe, enjoy what is good from what we have provided you with.]" Then he said, "A man makes a long journey, appears dishevelled and covered with dust, stretching his hands to heaven and saying, ‘O my Lord! O my Lord!’ But his source of food is unlawful, his source of drink is unlawful, his source of clothing is unlawful. How could his prayer be accepted then?" (Muslim).
This hadith makes mention of a man who worships and prays to Allah dearly so much that he has no time to clean his body; but in spite of that he eats from the unlawful and uses unlawful things. Allah not in any way answers the prayers of such a person.
So the lawful earning of food, drink, clothing, and everything else should be every Muslim’s primary concern. This is the first precondition for one who intends to visit the House of God in Mecca.
Believers who want to perform hajj should pay back others’ rights, return trusts to their owners, and advise their family to commit themselves to the dictates of their religion and the guidance of Prophet Muhammed.
If the pilgrim is a woman, she should look for a mahram to accompany her and assist her in performing the hajj rituals. She can also look for safe company with whom she fears nothing for her religion, life, or property. It is transmitted on the authority of Ibn Abbas that a man said, "O Allah’s Messenger! I have enlisted in the army for such and such battle and my wife is proceeding for hajj." Allah’s Messenger replied, "Go, and perform the hajj with your wife" (Al-Bukhari).
During Hajj
During hajj, pilgrims must stick to the examples of Prophet in Tawaf, Sa‘i, Rami, and all other hajj rituals, for he said, "Learn from me your rituals (of hajj)" (Muslim). This commitment to the Sunnah of the Prophet tends to make one’s hajj valid and consequently erase one’s sins as well as accept the good deeds.
During pilgrimage, pilgrims are advised to avoid associating anything with Allah, whether in worship or reverence. They are also not supposed to make any false statements. Rather, they should perform every rite with sincerity and loyalty to Allah alone. Pilgrims should honor the rites and symbols of Allah.
The Holy Qur’an supported the above statements in the following verses: [That and whoever honors the sacred things of Allah, then that is better for him with his Lord. The cattle are lawful to you, except those (that will be) mentioned to you (as exceptions). So shun the abomination (worshipping) of idol, and shun lying speech (false statements). Hunafa’ lillah (i.e., worshiping none but Allah), not associating partners (in worship) unto Him; and whoever assigns partners to Allah, it is as if he had fallen from the sky, and the birds had snatched him, or the wind had thrown him to a far off place. Thus it is and whosoever honors the Symbols of Allah, then it is truly from the piety of the hearts. In them are benefits for you for an appointed term, and afterwards they are brought for sacrifice unto the ancient House.] (Al-Hajj 22:30–33)
In the same vein, pilgrims should observe the best of all morals, as breaching any moral value may ruin all their endeavours to reach an acceptable hajj. Allah says in the Qur’an: [The Hajj (Pilgrimage) is (in) the well-known (lunar year) months (i.e., the 10th month, the 11th month and the first ten days of the 12th month of the Islamic calendar, i.e., two months and ten days). So whosoever intends to perform Hajj therein (by assuming ihram), then he should not have sexual relations (with his wife), nor commit sin, nor dispute unjustly during the Hajj. And whatever good you do, (be sure) Allah knows it. And take a provision (with you) for the journey, but the best provision is at-taqwa (piety, righteousness). So fear Me, O men of understanding!] (Al-Baqarah 2:197)
Hence, pilgrims should watch their tongue and keep away from nonsense and empty debates. They should also abstain from violating prohibitions or harming anyone or anything. Also, maintaining patience keeps them alert all the time to any breach or violation by any of their senses.
As pilgrims should keep away from all these bad things, they should at the same time do their best to acquire as many good deeds as they can. This is why they should perform many acts of worship. All these things can be understood from the aforementioned Qur’anic verse. Any lapse done in the precinct of the Sacred House, however slight or trivial we may deem it, is a violation that should be avoided. Allah Almighty says: [And whoever inclines to evil actions therein or to do wrong, him We shall cause to taste from a painful torment] (Al-Hajj 22:25).
It was related that once when ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was arguing with his wife, he went out of the precincts of the Sacred House. When asked why he had done so, he replied, "I do this to conform with Allah’s saying [and whoever inclines to evil actions therein or to do wrong, him We shall cause to taste from a painful torment]."
The Prophet’s Companions used to honor Allah’s symbols to this great extent, venerate the Sacred House, and avoid anything related to argumentation or controversy in any way, even if it were permitted. In this way they deserved to aspire for their Hajj to be accepted by Allah!
-0-
Respect Children’s Welfare
By David Thoronka
The purpose and function of child activist and advocates is to ensure that children’s right and welfare are protected and maintained. They serve as pressure groups to call for the upliftment and upholding of the standard of living condition of children. This latter role transcends every barrier and surround circumstances of children both free and restricted.
Children’s advocates strive to maintain the dignity and prestige afforded to children by nature. Every human being is born free and has the right to the basic fundamentals of life. Whenever a child’s right is violated, restricted or abused, child advocates scream at the top of their voices to correct and end the ills. They run helter-skelter to see that the authorities concerned does what they suppose to do.
The United Nations Charter on the Rights and Welfare of Children strongly condemns the ill treatment of children and calls on all to respect children’s right. However, this call is difficult to adhere to especially in a society that is riddled by poverty, Hiv/Aids, under-development and all the other odds associated with the third world countries. The children who are not under any restriction from authorities, sometimes finds it very hard to uphold their fundamental human rights. Taking into consideration the supra enunciated reasons.
So, if children who are in the eyes of society are very difficult to protect then what will be the position of those in seclusion? These children are expected to be humanely treated and kept in a decent environment.
The treatment and handling of child offenders are prescribed or provided for in the Children’s Act of 2005. Sections 215 to 228 of the Act, lays down the criminal procedure to follow in dealing with children who are accused of committing an offence. Sections 213, 229, 230 and 270 indicated that the children court has the jurisdiction to hear and determine all criminal charges brought against a child. To the contrary, children who are jointly charged with an adult in an offence are exceptions to this rule likewise children charged with treason.
Meanwhile the act went on to recommend a conducive atmosphere where children can be tried. The process should be as informal as possible. It should be in a form of enquiry rather than exposing the child to adversarial legal courtroom procedures. It provides that children should be tried in camera or in some instances through video links. Only the parties to the case should be present. These are parents or guardian of the child, a probative officer, social worker or anybody the court might be in need as Section 72 of the Act stipulates. Moreover, the identity of the child is of utmost importance.
The laws relating to children are not meant for punishment; rather they are geared towards reforming, rehabilitating and re-orientating children.
However, what seems difficult to comprehend by child’s right advocates and activist is that since the inception of the Children’s Act in 2005, which also brought into being the special children court’s, no case has been heard. It seems as if everything is at a stand still. We all know that it is illegal to hold some one in custody indefinitely without trial.
This is exactly what is happening to the considerable number of children who are held in the young peoples vulnerable centres. Some of these children are victims while others are accused of committing crimes. Up still now the accused children have not been brought to children’s court to be given fair hearing according to the rule of natural justice. Our laws demand that you bring a person before a court of sufficient authority to be tried for an offence he/she has been accused of within seventy-two hours or let him/her go. But this is not the case.
This situation begs to ask the question, which has always being asked. Is there no machinery to make the children’s court operational or are there no resources to promote this laudable course? Child’s advocates are saying that the authorities should take into consideration this matter and see how best these children can get a faster trial.
A brilliant idea can only become useful when it’s turn into action. Likewise a law becomes a law when it is applied or enforced. This is because there is no need to promulgate a law that will lie dormant or inactive. We are very hopeful to see a children’s court start operating soon.
The purpose for a speedy children’s court is not far fetched for numbers of reasons. It has widely held that there is an upsurge of criminality amongst the children’s population in our midst. If the court is not in place then all the number of accused children would not have trial.
-0-
Groundnuts the mainstay of our Economy/livelihood
What is the situation like Again?
Here comes another groundnut season. A time for merriment and joy for majority of the population especially the rural folk. Locally known as "tradeto", is a moment farmers receive dividends for having tilled the land and toiled under the scorching summer sun.
A period when no amount of sunshine or rainfall sends them home, they invest all their energies and other resources for a time like this. Loans or credits are taken in lieu of this bumper period. Festivals, which usually bring about a greater sense of community, were shelved to see the outcomes of these periods. These were moments in the past during our childhood days when we got new clothes and also ate nutritious food with groundnut soup (domoda), "chura gerteh", and "mabahal".
Times have changed many folds and most of the land in the provinces is lying fallow with the scourge of urbanization. Certainly if the industry still remained lucrative a lot more people who are roaming the streets of Serrekunda and other urban settlements would chose to go back home. Our economy has been battered in many ways due to the poor performance of the groundnut sector.
Much as I do not intend to be nostalgic, times were when the groundnut industry provided huge employment for many Gambians both in the formal and informal sectors. Groundnut products like oil were produced in this country but with the death of the GPMB, Gambia Cooperative Union, among others, all these lucrative sectors that oiled our economy are no more. Consequently, our economy depends more on taxation and loans from outside to finance most of our development projects. Contingent on this depleting factor, we are overburdened with loans and poverty has not scaled down anyway.
The essence of this piece is to see how the Gambian farmer is eking out for a living in the face of the circumstance. Due to the poor performance of the groundnut sub-sector, a lot of people have abandoned the land for the cities and others attempt going abroad. In the process, our reliance on imported food and other essentials like oil and other groundnut related products keeps rising. Most of our land lies fallow and production has scaled down drastically.
A very important dimension to all these is the fact after forty years of independence our farmers cannot still be self reliant or better still be organized to be able to exert pressure on policy makers regarding issues affecting them. The hallmark of the creation of the cooperative union was to have a platform for farmers that would enable them handle issues that deal with the marketing of their groundnuts. Therefore, it was supposed to be owned and managed by farmers. However, this was never the case in many respects. Unfortunately this institution was in the hands of people that were a bit distanced from the framers whose views would have little effects on the running of the body. Most importantly, the institution as a platform for farmers should have enabled them to even determine the price of their produce.
In 1998, the cooperative union was liquidated on the premise that it could no longer service the needs of the poor farmers. However, after eight years of its liquidation, we have not still witnessed the better part of why the liquidation. We had expected a new lease on life in the groundnut sub sector. As a liberal economy, the participation of private companies in many spheres of business is key. Evidently, what we have witnessed is that despite the many companies that surfaced and showed interest in buying groundnuts most of them failed to successfully penetrate the markets due to other policy bottlenecks. This period also saw the introduction of credit buying which is perhaps one of the most unfortunate developments that have finally succeeded in sending poor farmer out of lucrative farming venture. Many more farmers have totally abandoned groundnut cultivation. Unconfirmed reports have it that the groundnuts purchased last year are still in the many stores across the country whilst this year’s season should be kicking off any time soon.
In the circumstance when companies participating in buying groundnuts are yet to be known and the price is still not set for the poor farmer to be able to situate himself, little or no communication is even coming from the relevant department of state. Faced with such a situation both for the farmer and the economy, would it not be fair enough for some agricultural diversification so that we can compete with other farmers across the world? This would in many respects rekindle our economy. Therefore, the participation and involvement of the farmers and the private sector in mapping out strategies for the way forward is of paramount importance.
-0-
CAF Envoy Assesses School Of Excellence
By Namory Trawally
#F An envoy from the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Slim Aloulou arrived in The Gambia yesterday for a day’s assessment visit at the school of excellence.
Gambia Football Association built the school, which is situated in Old Yundum, after it had received a Fifa support.
The Tunisian CAF executive member was sent to have first hand information on the state of the school so that the continental football body provides possible financial assistance. Yesterday Mr. Aloulou joined several sports dignitaries to grace the official opening ceremony of the school.
The school, which is made possible through FIFA Goal Project, is part of the National Technical Training Centre. It will accommodate 30 selected interns for their weekend training.
According to sources, the official inauguration of NTTC is scheduled for February next year, when FIFA is expected to send a delegation to grace the occasion. "President Jammeh is also expected to be a special guest of the day," GFA scribe Jammeh Bojang disclosed.
It could be recalled that NTTC was jointly funded by FIFA, GFA and Gambia Government.
Gambia Hosts Int’l Inter-Clubs Tourney
As part of their drive to expose Gambian clubs to international challenges, the Gambia Football Association will be organising an international football tournament later this month.
The tournament, which will be competed by six clubs from The Gambia and the sub-region, will run from the 22nd to the 26th December 2005 at the Independence stadium. According to the second vice-president of GFA, Ebou Ndure, the idea was conceived at the just concluded zone II championship in Conakry.
He revealed that the participating teams are: Wallidan, Bakau United, Gamtel, Stade Malien of Bamako, Satellite of Guinea Conakry and ASC Port de Dakar, Senegal.
The teams would be paired in two groups of three each. "Wallidan and Stade Malien will be the seeding teams in group A and B respectively," he said.
Mr. Ndure disclosed that Gambian teams were selected base on their last season’s performance. "Wallidan are league defending champions, Bakau United FA cup winners and Gamtel league runner up," he said.
Eda Caar Tourney Kicks Off Tomorrow
The eight teams football tournament organized by Banjul Sports Committee in the memory of the late Eda Carr kicks off tomorrow at Banjul mini-stadium.
Eight teams, which have been paired in two groups, have already registered for the tournament. Of these figure, five are first division teams while the rest second division teams.
Wallidan is paired alongside Hawks, Real de Banjul and Young Africans in Group A while Gamtel, GPA, Interior and Starlight formed Group B.
Sat: 10/12/05 Real Vs Y/Africans 3.00pm
Wallidan Vs Hawks 4.30pm
Sun: 11/12/05 Interior Vs Starlight 3.00pm Gamtel Vs GPA 4.30pm
Mon: 12/12/05 Wallidan Vs Real 4.30pm
Tue: 13/12/05 Hawks Vs Y/Africans 4.30pm
Wed: 14/12/05 Gamtel Vs Interior 4.30pm
Thur: 15/12/05 GPA Vs Starlight 4.30pm
Fri: 16/12/05 Real Vs Hawks 4.30pm
Sat: 17/12/05 Gamtel Vs Starlight 3.00pm
Wallidan Vs Y/Africans 4.30pm
Sun: 18/12/05 GPA Vs Interior 4.30pm
Semi-Finals
Mon: 19/12/05
Group A Winner Vs Group B Runners-Up 4.30pm
Tue: 20/12/05
Group B Winner Vs Group A Runners-Up 4.30pm
Finals
Wednesday 21st December 2005, 4.30pm
Pap Saine, Others Honoured
The Zone II press union (Uzopress) recently honoured Pap Saine, co-publisher and Managing Editor of The Point Newspaper, and two other veteran sports journalists in the sub-region for their immense contribution to the development of sports.
Mr. Saine was nominated life president of Uzopress alongside Abdoulaye Diaw and Amadou Pathe Diallo of Senegal and Guinea respectively. The three distinguished veteran journalists were hailed for their untiring efforts behind the success of the sub-regional organisation (UZOFOOT) since its inception in 1972.
Reacting to the honour, Pap Saine, who is a founder member of The Gambia Sports Journalists Association, said, "I’m very grateful to have been honoured by Uzopress. It’s a big challenge for me because I need to keep the trust and confidence reposed on him," he said, urging rookie journalists to toe along similar line. He advised them to be committed to the development of sports in the sub-region and beyond.
-0-
Party Leader Outlines Political Blueprint
By Lamin Njie
The leader of The Gambia Party for Democracy and Progress (GPDP), Henry Gomez, has said that if elected into office next year, his party would not hesitate to develop the country.
Gomez, who is on a working visit to The Gambia from his Germany base, said his party is poised to work with any person or party that shares the same vision with them. "We have laid down plans to develop certain areas ranging from health, agriculture, employment, trade, education, communication, tourism and of course our economy. We have an objective to create a lot of jobs that will be better remunerated," he said, adding that this aims to improve the spending power of Gambians as well as eradicate poverty in the country.
Gomez said his party’s major worry centres around the development of agriculture. "A nation cannot be independent and developed without attaining self-sufficiency, which is the starting point of the economic and social take-off of the country," he said, adding that GPDP is also concerned about providing health for all. "If we were elected into office, there would be considerable increase of doctors and hospitals in the country."
Gomez also told reporters that a GPDP government would not stop at merely providing education but would go further to strive for quality and affordable education, which according to him would eliminate ignorance.
The GPDP leader said tourism that contributes significant part of The Gambia’s economy and as such his party is ready to change the face of the industry. He said his party would not hesitate to change the face of the economy through attracting foreign investments. "All these can be achieved in peace, which is why we pray for our existing peace to continue."
-0-
Deputy Speaker Faults Anti-Aids Workshops
By Pa Modou Secka
The deputy speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Belinda Bidwell has strongly opposed the National Aids Secretariat (NAS) for sponsoring Hiv/Aids workshops in the country.
Addressing a closing ceremony of a day’s national consultation dialogue on the global pandemic at Kairaba Beach last week, Hon. Bidwell said the hard fact is that many people who organize anti-Hiv/Aids workshops are mainly interested in lining their pockets with sitting allowances, which has defeated the whole purpose. As a result, she said, these people have not been effectively contributing towards combating the pandemic within our midst.
The vocal nominated parliamentarian wondered why the present generation is bent on failing the future generation. She said it is rather unfortunate for the present generation to leave behind a world full of diseases such as Hiv/Aids growing with strength. Mrs. Bidwell added that the call for action is significant in The Gambia’s fight against Hiv/Aids scourge. "Let everybody speak to one person about Hiv/Aids daily. In that we will defeat it," she said.
-0-