Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue Issue No. 89/2007, 1 – 2 August 2007 Editorial 100,000 TO EACH KMC COUNCILLOR TO REHABILITATE ROADS There are seventeen wards in the KMC area. There is Tallinding ward with 19,773 inhabitants; Faji Kunda ward with 12,744, Latrikunda Sabiji ward 11,289; Abuko ward, 4,345; Serrekunda ward, 18,901; Bundung six junction, Mauritani ward, 21569; Bundung Borehole/Bantaba ward, 19,500; Kanifing ward, 6, 275; Old Jeshwang ward, 8,480; New Jeshwang/Ibo Town ward, 24, 219; Bakau New Town/Fajara ward 15,981 and Old Bakau Cape Point ward 12,901. It is confirmed that each councillor is given 100,000 dalasi to be utilised to rehabilitate the roads in their respective wards. This amounts to a total of D1.7 million dalasis for road rehabilitation. The drivers who use the space adjacent to Serrekunda School have confirmed that the road connecting their parking space with Papa Sarr Street is impassable as the gravel poured there turned into clay. Residents of many communities in the KMC area are lodging similar complaints. Foroyaa, therefore, suggests that all councillors go back to their respective areas and honestly give reports of the state of the roads after the rehabilitation they claimed to have undertaken. Those coming from Old Jeshwang have lodged complaints of worsened condition of the road going to the school. Those in Churchill Town have also complained of the same condition. Road construction or rehabilitation is a technical matter. The Local Government Act has created ward development committees as well as technical committees. The ward development committees are supposed to meet periodically to look at all the problems in their respective areas. These problems are supposed to be discussed by councillors and budgets prepared to address them. Section 13 of the Local Government Finance and Audit Act states that “No appropriation of funds by a council shall be made out of the funds of the council unless it is approved in a budget.” According to Section 8 Subsection (7), “A council shall allocate at least sixty per centum of the budget for development activities, excluding the recurrent costs of those activities.” Each council is required by Section 18 of the Local Government Finance and Audit Act to have a contracts committee comprising the Chief Executive as Chairperson, the Director of Finance, the Director of Planning and Development, two elected councillors to be appointed by the council, two members of the public to be appointed by the Secretary of State. According to Section 18 (1) “All procurement by a Local Government Authority shall be carried out in accordance with the Gambia Public Procurement Act, 2001 and the monetary thresholds and regulations prescribed by and under that Act. To build roads requires procurement of stones, granite or other materials for road construction. What the council should have done is to rely on the councillors and ward development committees to identify the roads that need priority attention and cooperate with the Department of Technical Services to conduct studies on how to rehabilitate them. In short, road construction must go with some form of drainage so that water will not be stagnant on the road. Foroyaa wish to caution the councillors to keep receipts of their purchases of gravel and other items utilised for road rehabilitation. The Auditors may call them some day. The end result of expenditure of public funds is public accountability. No skill to do work, No right to receive funds to do it!! THE UNCOLLECTED REFUSE IN KMC “Management Promise To Tackle The Matter,” The residents of KMC have been complaining of uncollected refuse within their neighbourhood. When this reporter visited the Sayerr Jobe Avenue and other parts of the Serekunda locality he came across heaps of refuse, some of which are kept in bags whilst others are just thrown about everywhere. Many residents, shopkeepers and restaurant owners on the highway complain of foul odour they always encounter due to indiscriminate dumping of waste. One woman who spoke to this reporter explained that because of lack of a reliable system of collection of waste in their area the people are relying on the monthly “ set-setal” as an opportunity to get rid of their refuse by dumping them on the high-ways so that the KMC would collect them. She said that due to KMC’s lateness in collecting such refuse the dumps have indeed turned the whole thing into a social havoc. When this reporter visited the Tallinding market he found that there is a dump within the market just close to the KMC’s own public toilet. This site is so stinky and unapproachable that the sellers who sit closer have to move away from the unbearable and oppressive stench. An old man, who also sells close to the site, said insects and reptiles have taken the place as a feeding ground thus sending signals of an impending health hazard in the environment. When contacted for comments, the Assistant Manager of the KMC Cleansing Service, Mr. Kemo Conteh, after being shown some photographs of the sites, said there is no magic formula in the collection of refuse. He said the KMC lacks vehicles and other logistics. He called on the public to exercise patience and to have confidence that the KMC is there for them. Mr. Conteh promised that the refuse along the Kombo Sillah highway will be collected these days. He claimed to be waiting for their supply of fuel; and that they were also making arrangements to hire trucks to enable them collect all the refuse. He finally said that the dumping site behind the Tallinding Market will be tackled but did not talk of relocating the site. CROP FAILURE IN PARTS OF NORTH BANK By Ousman M.M. Jallow Many farmers in the Districts of Lower Niumi, Upper Niumi and Jokadu have complained of crop failure. From 26 to 28 July, 2007 this reporter visited villages and farms in those three districts and found instances of crop failure. Misiranding, Lower Niumi This reporter met one Essa Sarr upon arrival and asked him how well his crop was doing. In response, Essa said he grew all the crops he had, be they groundnuts, coos or maize. But to his disappointment the groundnuts did not germinate due to lack of rains. He said he sowed the groundnuts on the day after the first rain in June. Lamin Ndure and Sutay Senghore, from the same village, also suffered the same as Essa. They told this reporter that they could not sow their crops again because of lack of money to purchase seeds. Daru Loween, Jokadu On 27 July, this reporter proceeded to Daru Loween where he met the Alkalo. The Alkalo said one of his sons, Alhagie Lowe sowed his groundnuts a day after the first rain in June but the groundnuts did not germinate because of the dry spell that followed the first rain. Fatou Lowe, Papa Touray and Essa Lowe also suffered the same fate. According to Essa Lowe, he sowed three bags of groundnuts just after the first rain but all his efforts were in vain. Chisay Majaw, Jokadu The dry spell after the first rain also affected the crops of some farmers in Chisay Majaw. These include groundnuts, coos and maize. Njanko Touray, Samba Ceesay and Mboku Bah were affected the most. Kerr Selleh, Jokadu A farmer by the name Modou Ndow in this village was interviewed about the success of their crops. He said that his crops and those of Ebrima Jallow have been affected. Chamen Sosseh, Upper Niumi It was the same story when this reporter interviewed one farmer from this village by the name Banjugu Sidibeh. He said that his groundnut was also affected. He said that the long dry spell of almost one month that followed the first rain led to the failure of his crops. When asked whether he sowed some crops again after the failure, he said he was unable to do so due to lack of money. Touba Angale, Lower Niumi Crop failure affected more than six farmers in this village. Some farmers sowed their crops again while others could not do so due to lack of money. Macca Bala Manneh, Lower Niumi According to their Alkalo, Bala Manneh, three farmers are affected in his village. He said one Modou Touray sowed 6 bags of groundnuts just after the first rain, but all that he sowed did not germinate. The affected farmers blamed the long dry spell, that lasted for almost one month, for the failure. Sulayman Sowe and the Alkalo himself were also affected. They too could not sow their crops again due to lack of money. Sami Village, Lower Niumi The Alkalo said that 7 farmers are affected in his village and they are as follows: Amat Mboob, Ebrima Jallow, Modou Mbye, Modou Njie, Salou Jeng and Fanding Sisay. When asked whether or not the affected farmers were able to sow their crops again, he said some did sow maize but that the others could not. Kerr Juma Sirra, Jokadu On 28 July, I proceeded to Kerr Juma Sirra. One Ousman Bah was asked how their crops fared. He said his groundnuts did not germinate due to lack of rain. He added that he sowed his crop after the first rain. Bantanding Wollof, Jokadu Some farmers in this village were also affected. They sowed groundnuts, coos and maize just after the first rain. But some coos and groundnuts failed to germinate. Some of these farmers sowed some crops again but some did not because of lack of seeds. The following farmers were affected: Mariama Jallow, Bakar Jallow, Modou Jagne and Ousman Jallow. KMC DISBURSES D1.7 MILLION AMONG WARDS By Bubacarr K. Sowe The Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) has recently distributed 1.7 million dalasi among seventeen councilors for the purpose of rehabilitating roads in their wards, Foroyaa has been told. Duwa Jaiteh, Director of Administration at the KMC, has confirmed the disbursement of 100,000 dalasi to each of the ward councillors. Mr. Jaiteh said: “ Each councillor was given D100,000 dalasi to go back to their Ward Development Committee Members and discuss with them with a view to fill all the necessary roads needing attention”. He said that this was a request made by the councillors at a council meeting. “It was unanimously agreed to assist them in the rehabilitation of their roads”, he said. KMC’s Chief Executive Officer, Abdoulie Sanyang, told Foroyaa he was satisfied with the work in some of the areas he had visited. Mr. Sanyang said “there is a contract committee in place to monitor these things. I’m sure they will come with a positive report. I’m sure councillors are responsible and they will not deceive their electorate”. The wards that the KMC CEO said he had visited were Faji Kunda, Bundung- Mauritania and Six Junction, Bundung Borehole and Bantaba, and Latrikunda. SUPERIOR COURTS GO ON VACATION FROM TODAY By Bubacarr K. Sowe The Superior Court of The Gambia will today commence their summer vacation, stated a note from the Master and Registrar of the High Court, Safiyatu N’ jai. The two month holiday is expected to end on Friday, September 28 and the new legal term will commence on Monday, October 1. However, during the vacation, Justice S.M Monageng will be the vacation judge from 1 to 14 August. Justice H.C Roche will then step in from 15 to 31 August as the vacation judge, while Justice M.M. Yamoa will be the vacation judge for the whole of September. SEYFO MOMODOU L. CEESAY REMOVED; HARUNA SABALLY REINSTATED Confirmed reports reaching this paper have it that Mr. Momodou Lamin Ceesay, the recently appointed Chief of Jarra Central, has been removed from office. According to reports, Ceesay was on Wednesday afternoon phoned by Governor Modou Soma Jobe who asked him to meet him at the Tabokoto Junction where he was said to have handed to him his termination letter. Mr. Ceesay was appointed Chief of Jarra Central on the 25 of May 2007 and had served in office for only two months. Haruna Sabally, who was said to be the longest serving Chief in the country, was retired two months ago and Ceesay appointed in his place. This reporter contacted the family members of Momodou Lamin Cessay who confirmed his removal. When contacted, a staff of the Department of State for Local Government and Lands confirmed the removal of Momodou Lamin Ceesay as Chief and the subsequent reinstatement of the retired Chief Seyfo Haruna Sabally. The source, however, fails to throw light on the reasons that prompted his removal. The Governor of Lower River Region Mr. Modou Soma Jobe declined to comment on the matter. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY HEART BREAKER’S NEMESIS Part 8 With Amie Sillah Thugs Attack Lolly Lolly have created a lot of enemies through her wicked schemes. She had destroyed serious long built relationships and caused heart break to friends, confidants and love ones. One of those on whose toes she tread sent thugs after her. They lured her to her house and gave her a good hiding. She was beaten to rubbish then they left her. She nursed her wounds in isolation and pain. But she still could not associate her troubles to her wicked schemes. She is still short sighted. Lolly’s Mother Lolly’s mother visited her younger sibling in the city. Aunty Aisha is Aunty Sawyatou’s youngest sister she stays in the city with her husband Uncle Musa. Lolly was staying with them when she came to school in the city. When she was expelled from the university, she decided to move out with friends. Now she hangs out with friends but managed to rent a modest duplet for herself where she stays during weeker days. Aunty Sawyatou was anxious to see her daughter after so many months of not seeing her. She was shock to learn that Lolly has relocated from her Aunt’s and uncle’s house. She was worried. She enquired about her. “Lolly is not staying with us.” Uncle Musa replied. “Where is she staying now?” Aunty Saw asked. “Since she acquired her new job she relocated to be nearer her work place are her reasons.” Mama was excited. “Lolly is working! My daughter is working! Where?” Uncle Musa got blanked. “Actually, we don’t know her work place.” Aunty Saw lamented. “Oh Lolly has killed me!” Uncle Mose laughed over it. “It is not a great deal now. Many girls are not staying with their guardians in the big city. They move out whenever they have a job far away from their homes.” “What is the problem?” Aunty Aisha asked. “There is this family Sawaneh, their son Ablie who stays in U.K wants a wife. Lolly is identified because Alhaji Saikou Sawaneh was my late husband’s best friend and business associate. How would they feel to know that Lolly is living alone in this big city without a guardian?” “Oh sister! Don’t you worry. We are a family. We will welcome them as Lolly’s guardians in the city. I can always go to her closest friends and they will locate her for me.” Aunty Aisha reassured her sister. “Oh thank you! Thank you very much.” Aunty Saw said. “No need to thank me we are a family.” She hugged her sister and prayed to Allah. Uncle Mose laughed and hugged his sister in law and his wife Aisha. They praised the lord. At Lolly’s Duplet They went to Lolly’s Duplet and announced the news to her. At first she become skeptical. “Mummy! You are finding a husband for me? That is in the 15th century not 21st.” Mamma was defensive. “Not actually! Ablie came after you. He knew you at school before he left for overseas. Your two fathers were the best of friends and business associates. This is their wish.” Lolly reflected. Mammy! Hold on! Is it Ablie, the dandy boy, fair coloured and Afro hairdo? He read business admin and has now double masters.” “Exactly! Can you remember him?” “Yes mum! If he loves and seriously wants to marry me, I’ll accept.” She hugged her aunt and mum. They praised Allah. Ablie Comes With His Family Ablie came with his Uncles to bring cola nuts and to register interest in marrying Lolly. Lolly also showed interest to marry Ablie. Consent of the intendeds was sought after. (‘Guru Nuyo’). In many African Cultures Kola is life. It is used in all important human ceremonies. Name it, birth, marriage and death. Lolly Bluffs Lolly went to Sally’s Boutique. Sally is a big lady. She owns a Boutique and a saloon. She is a ceremony planner. Her new stocks have arrived. Ladies swarmed her boutique. She is a fashion pacesetter. Lolly visited her shop. She wanted Sally to plan for her incoming wedding. “Whats up?” Sally commented as Lolly stepped into her boutique. “I want you to plan my wedding.” Sally startled. She sat upright. “What! You are getting married?” the news shocked her like a thunderbolt. “Of course! I am. Should I not get married? Every girl however rotten prays to be a Mrs. I am no exception.” Lolly defended her position. “Am sorry! I just thought you were not yet ready. I am proven wrong. That’s the meaning of the surprise. Anyway, don’t mind my manners. Who is the lucky guy?” Lolly laughed. “Ablie, he hailed from Upper Region. We schooled together. He is now staying in Burmingham. He is Alhajj Saikou Sawaneh’s son. He is cute and dandy. I’ve said it! I’ll not settle for any local riff-raff. My wedding is going to be the talk of time for eternity”. “You are smelling pound sterling. It fills the air”. Sally teased. “Say it again! Ablie have made the buck. He is ready to spend for a special wedding. Don’t spare a butut! We have it and will spend it.” Sally hugged her and took her into her inner boutique were only special guests are welcomed. She was given a cataloque to do her selection. Penda Visits Sally’s Shop Penda is in Sally’s ‘Cabudu’ (Social Club). She came to inspect her stocks. Sally hugged her and started to show her around. Then she halted. “Guess what!” Sally quizzed.” I can’t! What is it?” “Lolly was here today!” “Which Lolly?” “Lolly that kills your joy!” Penda frown and hissed. “What have she come for? Somebody’s boyfriend to snatch? That one!” “She came to plan for her wedding.” Penda dropped her bag.” Which wedding? Who is marrying that ‘ layabout’? Are you trying to pull my legs?” Am not! It is true. She said Ablie Sawaneh, a guy from Upper Region, an ex class mate now staying in U.K have come to marry her. She came for me to choose her clothes and accessories for the wedding.” “Unbelievable! Lolly of all people! It is unfair! She have tread on too many toes. She have destroyed many genuine relationships! It cannot happen! It cannot!” Penda swore. Sally dragged her into her inner shop. “Pay back time!” Penda soliloqued. Thugs Again As Lolly and Ablie went shopping they were intercepted by thugs. Lolly have to run for her dear life. Ablie was shocked to death. He was embarrassed. Confrontation When they arrived home, Ablie questioned her. “What is happening? Who are those thugs after your life?” Lolly sulked. “I don’t know them!” “But its strange! They looked deadly. Have you any score to settle with anyone!” “I don’ t ! I said I don’t know them what else do you want me to say? To know them by force?” “I don’t believe the fairy tale! Have you any axe to grind I asked again.” “It could be mistaken identity. I have a swollen bag with money, my jewelry. They could have been attracted by these items.” She lied. “Am sorry! You should understand my predicament. I am not trying to blame you but I am scared for our lives. How can some crazy trigger happy guys came pointing me a short gun at close range? Then ran after you! I am absent from the country for a while. I am scared. I don’t want anything to happen to us.” “You have traveled abroad for a while. You could have made enemies before you left. Don ’t blame me for anything. I am innocent.” Ablie became furious. “Hold it there! Don’t even go there! Are you hiding something? Explain yourself before it is too late. I can be of help.” Ablie posited. EPA WILL IMPACT ON COUNTRIES DIFFERENTLY Mam Cherno Jallow, the Chief Executive Officer of The Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), has indicated that experts are yet to have a full picture of what impact the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) will have on the regional economy. Going further, Jallow pointed out that impact an assessment had been conducted on what the regional market is going to be like, but the studies are yet to be completed. Mr.Jallow said different countries have carried out their own impact assessment, “but that is not helpful”. Explaining further, he said what is important is to have a global view of what is going to be in the regional market. In his opinion, the countries are going to be hit differently depending on the type of economic set up they have in place. Mr. Jallow said the Economic Partnership Agreement being negotiated by the European Union and ECOWAS will bring about regional integration. “Some countries have been protecting their borders by putting in place taxes and non tax barriers to protect their industries and discourage the importation of goods from some countries in the sub region. With the EPAS, the tariffs and non tariff barriers are all going to fall. This would ease the movement of goods and services across borders,” he remarked. The GCCI CEO said one of the conditions of the Economic Partnership Agreement is that there should be regional integration in West Africa. “East Africa is negotiating with the EU, the same thing applies to Central Africa and other regions. They are negotiating as a block, that is why the integration is a requirement for us to go into Economic Partnership Agreement. It has been ECOWAS’ plan to have regional integration, but they have been slow in implementing the negotiation programme. But with the EPAs, we have been, sort of, forced to work into it quickly to make sure the region is integrated quickly. The pillars are being put in place. Because for regional integration you must have a customs union. You must all be working in one market so that there would not be boundaries anymore between countries in terms of trading. Once you are in the ECOWAS market, you can move freely from one country to the other, the same thing applies to the goods” he remarked . “If we go into EPAs, it may affect the growth of our industries, because their industries are more developed, they are stronger, they have economies of scale and there is no way that our industries can compete with their industries. But the EPAs are not saying that there should be reciprocal agreement from the onset. What the EPAs are saying is that ECOWAS countries will be given a period of time before they will allow European countries to compete with ECOWAS industries directly. What we are negotiating is to make the period as long as possible. But the Europeans want it to be shorter. ECOWAS negotiators want the period to be between 30 and 35 years for us to open our borders for goods coming from Europe. The Europeans are saying a period of ten years is enough. That is what is on the negotiation table,” Jallow remarked. SUFFERING IN SILENCE; THE PLIGHT OF GAMBIAN NURSES Please allow me space in your widely read Newspaper to put my case before the public and the leadership of our country for their honest and sincere consideration. I am a young man of thirty seven years of age. I graduated as a Nurse (State Enrolled Nurse) and started working in early 1994, well before the July 22 military take over. Therefore, I can proudly say that I have served my country now for thirteen years in my capacity as a nurse, and during all this time, I have neither been suspended nor given any warning letter. I have worked both in the urban and rural areas of the country under very difficult conditions: sometimes conducting deliveries under candle light or hurricane lamps in very poor ventilated rooms during hot summer seasons and without proper personal protective equipment and knowingly risking my own life in the process of saving others. I have not regretted and will never regret whatever I do or went through in serving my countrymen and women. I have the desire to serve them for the rest of my life. However, I come to realise that I have a duty to my family also and which is to feed and cloth them well and to give them a decent shelter, which I could not do because of my earning capacity. After thirteen years of service, I could not save anything to enable me to secure an empty plot of land for myself and my family. All I earned goes to feeding, clothing and payment of school fees. With the rising prices of basic commodities, even the little I was able to do for the family is becoming an impossibility. Sometimes I sit and ponder about what would happen to my family if I should die today. Where and how are they going to live? Probably it was such thoughts which might have forced many of my colleagues in the field to leave for private clinics and hospitals, NGOs or even go abroad in search of greener pastures. It is not because they are unpatriotic or unwilling to serve their country, as some people may think, but because they could not foresee any bright future for their children with their parents continuing to earn what they are earning under government employment. It is in light of these circumstances under which I am living which force them to leave. The Government, therefore, needs to do something to encourage us to stay and continue serving our people. We, too, need to have hope in the future of our children, if we are to continue serving for the rest of our lives. We need hundred percent salary increment and land to provide shelter for our families. A concerned Nurse ACCUSED ALLEGES TORTURE By Modou Jonga One Vincent Badjie, an accused person in an alleged house breaking and theft case, has claimed that he was severely tortured by police officers attached to Gunjur Police Station, to the extent that he had to admit committing the said offence. The accused person made these remarks on Monday 30 July, 2007 before Magistrate E.F M’bai, while cross-examining, Lamin Colley, second prosecution witness. According to the accused, he was unlawfully arrested, handcuffed and dragged to the Gunjur Police Station from his residence at Gunjur Madina Salaam, in Kombo South. The accused person said that, he was threatened and severely beaten to confess and accept that he did break into and stole from the house of the complainant, Mr. Luis, a German national. Because of the fear of a further dreadful torture by the police, the accused said that he had no other option but to accept the suggestion of the police. The complainant was absent in court. At this stage, the accused was informed that he should only ask questions but not to give statements that he will have his chance to give his evidence. REPATRIATED GAMBIANS RELEASED The seventy-five (75) Gambian would be migrants, repatriated from Spain, have been released by the authorities on the same day that they arrived in The Gambia as disclosed by the Immigration PRO, Superintendent Aminata Jammeh-Sonko. According to the Immigration PRO, when the seventy-five returnees arrived in The Gambia on Tuesday 24 July 2007, they were screened by personnel from her department and subsequently released. She further said that no charge has been preferred against any one of the returnees. ************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask]