Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Isue Issue No. 005/2008, 11 – 12 January 2008 Editorial The ABC of the Budget How our Money is Spent The Government derives revenue from us. Even the loans it takes are paid from our tax money or the fees we pay for services. It is therefore our right to know how the money is spent on our behalf. We all know that no institution is more important to the human resource development of the country than the tertiary institutions in the country, such as the University of The Gambia, Management Development Institute, the Gambia College, Gambia Technical Training Institute and the Management Development institute. The amount of money allocated to such institutions by the Executive and the National assembly should be of concern to all of us. They have decided to allocate 8.2 million dalasi to the University of the Gambia , 2.3 million dalasi to Management Development Institute, 5.5 million dalasi to Gambia College and 5.5 million to Gambia Technical Training Institute. The budget for Scholarships is 6.5 million. In contrast, the office of African First Ladies Against AIDS is allocated 2.6 million dalasi , the office of Ex –President is allocated 5 million dalasi. In the same vein, while in the past budgets more funds were spent on Basic education and Health than defence, in 2008, defence is becoming the major priority, as 397 million is allocated to the department compared to 254 million to health and 359 million to basic education. This is why Gambians should realise that the establishment of a two term limit for a government makes sense. In short, such a government is less likely to inflate its security budget because of the feeling of threat. One third of the defence budget could build a University complex and sustain it annually with enough scholarships allocated to students on the basis of merit. Even if they were to leave this country to go somewhere else, they would be sending remittances which would impact on the National Economy. The security provided by good governance and limited term of office is the best instrument for promoting sustainable development Independent Candidate Stands Firm By Modou Jonga The Independent candidate, Bullock Ward, Foni Brefet, has refused to yield to pressure to give up his candidacy in the forthcoming council elections. Reliable reports reaching this reporter has it that the Bullock Ward independent candidate, Mr. Ismaila Badjie was approached by some APRC bigwigs to withdraw from contesting in the forthcoming Local Government Elections. Mr. Badjie was nominated by the IEC on 4 January to contest the forthcoming councillorship election against an APRC sponsored candidate, Tombong Jatta for the Bullock Ward. Reports have it that a meeting was held at Sutusinjang, in the Alkalo’s residence, on Wednesday, 9 January to effect such withdrawal. Present at the said meeting were the Western Region Governor, Abdou Badjie, SoS Lamin Bojang, NAM for Kombo South Paul Mendy, NAM for Foni Brefet Bintanding Jarju and others. The withdrawal resolution was said to be vehemently rejected by supporters of the independent candidate. Speaking to Foroyaa, Mr. Ismaila Badjie confirmed that such a meeting took place in the said place. Mr. Badjie reiterated his desire to stand by his people at all cost. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, some supporters of Mr. Badjie, who were said to be present at the meeting, told me that they rejected the idea of withdrawal to the utter dismay of the Regional Governor. They expressed their determination to see it all through with their independent candidate. They alleged that the consideration for the selection of a candidate was biased in favour of the APRC candidate against the wishes of the majority; that their candidate was recommended by more than five villages to be their representative in the council. They argued that his name was forwarded to the selection committee but, to their surprise, his name was replaced by the said APRC candidate without any explanation. Basse Council Staff Complain Governor Denies By Lamin Fatty Some employees of Basse Area Council claimed that they have not been paid for four months now. According to a source, what is regarded as abnormal is that the whole revenue collected, on daily basis, goes to the Regional Governor, Alhagie Omar Khan, who is currently serving as the chairman of the Interim Management Committee. The source insisted that as chairman he presides over the affairs of the council and not to handle finances when there are accountants who should be responsible. According to a junior staff working for the Council, they have not received their salaries since before the month of Ramadan, The Governor however denies all these. When contacted for comments as the Interim Management Committee Chairman, Governor Khan refuted the claims that council staff are being paid their salaries. He said he has never been aware of anything like that happening at the said council. He even insisted that payment of salaries of council staff was in progress at the time of the interview. Njau NRP’s Candidate Rejected The Independent Electoral Commission has announced the rejection of the candidature of the candidate of the National Reconciliation Party (NRP) for the Njau Ward, Lower Saloum Constituency, in the forthcoming council elections scheduled for 24 January, 2008. The announcement is contained in a release issued by the commission which states that “The candidature of Mr. Ousman P. Jobe to contest the position of councilor under the NRP ticket for Njau Ward has been annulled with immediate effect.” The release goes on to say that Mr. Jobe’s disqualification is based on section 17 subsection (6) of Local Government Act 2002. According to this provision, for a person who has completed serving a term of imprisonment of more than six months to qualify, ten years should “have elapsed since the end of the sentence or disqualification …” or he/she would have been pardoned. According to IEC, “10 years have not passed since his conviction in 2000.” The IEC therefore disqualified him. Foroyaa will seek the opinion of the NRP on the matter. GAMTEL PROJECT WAS APPROVED -Omar Ndow By Bubacarr Sowe Omar Ndow, the Ex-Managing Director of Gamtel, on Thursday, 10 January, told the Banjul Magistrates Court that the project, which is the subject matter of his charge, was approved by the Gambia Public Procurement Authority GPPA and was endorsed by the board and management of Gamtel. Ndow was testifying as a defence witness on the charge of failing to follow the required procedure of the GPPA regulation. He was initially facing two criminal charges but was freed on one of them following a “no case to answer” submission filed by his counsel Sheriff Tambedou. According to Mr. Ndow, the two witnesses testified on two different products. The first testimony by Abdoulie Bah, on a payment that was to be approved by himself (Ndow), was in connection to the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) or the wireless telecommunication system pilot project. Mr. Ndow added that the other one was the Intelligence Network (IN) platform. He testified that the CDMA pilot project was to be provided by a China based company, Huawei, which got the blessing of he Gamtel board and management and it was forwarded to the GPPA. Mr. Ndow went on to say that the project which was initially to be implemented at no cost, was for the expansion of the fixed line network to 230,000 lines, and this contract signed between Gamtel and Alcatel in 2001 was approved by the government. He also said part of their agreement was for the contractor to provide prefinancing of the 230,000 lines which could be multiplied by 400 Euros a line, and that would be a total of 92 million Euros. He added that the contractor could not provide the financing until 2003 when they came up with a framed agreement with Alcatel, for the contract to be implemented in phases, rather than scaling it down on the basis of unavailable funds. Mr. Ndow argued that the CDMA pilot project was going to circumvent all the problems they had at the beginning, since the technology was easily deployable and it’s cost was 65 dollars a line, which is far cheaper than the initial 400 Euros a line. He recalled that during their consultation on the approval of the project, the GPPA Director General spoke to Pa Modou Gassama, Director of Planning and Network Development at Gamtel, Mustapha Conteh, Senior Procurement Manager at Gamtel, and himself, as the then Managing Director of Gamtel. Mr. Ndow said in that telephone conversation that the GPPA’s director general said the project is not a procurement matter at that stage, since it was at no cost and was only a strategic decision by the management of Gamtel. He also said that after that conversation he wrote to the GPPA through the Department of State for Communication and Information Technology (DOSCIT), which oversees Gamtel. The three correspondents between Gamtel and the GPPA were admitted in evidence as part of the evidence. A copy of a page of the way book at DOSCIT, which shows the delivery letters, was also tendered and admitted in evidence. At the start of his testimony, Mr. Ndow told the court he is an engineer who started working as a technician in 1971 with the then Department of Telecommunication. He said in 1975 he was promoted to a senior officer and was made a technical officer in 1979. According to him, in 1980 he was a superintendent and rose to the rank of a senior engineer in 1982. He said that in 1984 Gamtel was established as a public enterprise. Mr. Ndow said he was twice the Managing Director; first from 1994 to 1996 and from August 2003 to November 2006 when he received his termination. Prices of Foodstuffs Serrekunda Market By Isatou Bittaye Item January 2007 Current Price Rice per bag – D585 D590- 620.00 Rice per cup – D3.00 D3.00 Tomato per 400g tin D20.00 D35.00 Tomato per 830g tin – D35.00 D45.00 Fresh tomato per measure – D5.00 D5.00 Onion per bag – D510.00 D270.00 Onion per measure – D5.00 D5.00 Cooking oil container 10 litres D250.00 D335.00 Cooking oil container 5 litres D150.00 D175.00 Cooking oil per cup- D5.00 D6.00 Palm oil per cup- D8.00-D10.00 D12.00 Pepper per measure- D5.00 D2.00 Bonga D5.00 D5.00 Joto D20.00 not available Cat fish- D25.00 D20.00 Chicken per carton- D400.00 D400.00 Chicken per leg D15.00 D15.00 Sugar per bag- D725 D540.00 Sugar per cup – D5.00 D3.00 Meat beef and bone D75.00 D75.00 Meat beef steak – D90.00 D100.00 Flour per kilo – D15.00 D18.00 Flour per bag – D550.00 D790.00 Trial Of Senegalese Insurgents Adjourned By Saikou Ceesay The Banjul Magistrates Court, presided over by Magistrate BY Camara, on Wednesday, adjourned the trial of alleged insurgents, due to the absence of the prosecutor, Emmanuel Fagbenle. The trial is adjourned till Wednesday 16 January 2008 for ruling on whether the statement obtained from the accused persons were taken under duress or voluntarily, according to rules of procedure. The nine alleged insurgents are currently remanded in custody at the state Central Prison in Banjul. Demanding the Release of Ms. Fatou Jaw Manneh Below is an online petition geared towards the discontinuance of Fatou Jaw Manneh’s case or a speedy trial. According to the initiators of the petition, it is aimed at gathering signatures in the tens of thousands to draw the attention of the authorities to concern of many for Fatou Jaw Manneh’s freedom. The petition is addressed to the President and copied to many others. To: International Committee We the undersigned as concerned citizens, friends and supporters of The Gambia wish to bring your attention to a frightening trend that has characterised the political and civil landscape of our country and to request your help in ensuring that the civil liberties of Gambians are not violated. BACKGROUND Attacks on journalists in the Gambia have been frequent in recent years, including unsolved arson attacks on media houses, arrests, extended secret detentions, disappearances and murders, prompting many to go into exile. In 2006, there was the dissappearance of Daily Observer journalist Chief Ebrimah Manneh, as well as the incommunicado detention and ongoing trial on charges of publishing “false news” of The Independent reporter Lamin Fatty. 2004 saw the murder of prominent Gambian Journalist Deyda Hydara who was the Co-founder and editor of the Point Newspaper as well as a former Associated Press and Agence France Press correspondent. A case in hand is the arrest and trial of US-based Gambian freelance journalist Ms. Fatou Jaw Manneh following her arrest and week-long detention on her arrival in the Gambia in March 2007 before being charged with sedition by the state. Her trial began at the Kanifing Magistrate’s court presided over by Magistrate Buba Jawo who ruled that because the alleged offense against the person of the President Yahya Jammeh took place on the world wide web, the magistrate does not have requisite jurisdiction to hear the case. On July 3 2007, magistrate Jawo ruled that Fatou Jaw Manneh’s sedition trial cannot be heard at his court and therefore transferred the case to the Banjul magistrate’s court. The Banjul magistrate’s court also referred the case to Brikama in the Western Region. The Brikama court transferred the case back to Banjul for lack of jurisdiction. The Banjul Magistrate’s Court returned the case to the Kanifing Magistrate’s court. Ms. Manneh, a political online commentator, a former reporter with the Gambian private newspaper Daily Observer and a pro-democracy activist, was arrested by officers of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) at the international airport in the Gambian capital, Banjul, on 28 March 2007 upon her arrival from the USA. She was detained for a week without being charged, which is in contravention of the Gambian Constitution, which states that individuals be brought before a court within 72 hours of being detained. During her detention, Ms. Manneh was denied access to a lawyer and to her family for seven (7) days. She was arrested on March 28th 2007 and released on bail bond at D25,000.00 (US$900.00) with a Gambian surety. On 4 April 2007, Ms. Manneh finally appeared before a court in Kanifing, 12 km from the capital, Banjul. She was charged on three counts of sedition under Gambia’s criminal code: ‘intention to commit sedition’, ‘publication of seditious words’ and ‘publication of false news intended to cause public fear and alarm to the Gambian public’. Each count carries a maximum prison term of two years or a fine or both. Ms. Manneh pleaded not guilty and was released on bail. The NIA has since then confiscated Ms. Manneh’s travel documents. Ms. Manneh’s defense lawyer, Lamin Jobarteh argued that the court did not have jurisdiction to hear the case as the alleged offences took place when Ms. Manneh was outside the Gambia, but was overruled on 11 April 2007. The articles Manneh is being prosecuted for include an interview she gave which was first published in the now banned bi-weekly newspaper The Independent in June 2004, and later published on several websites, including AllGambian.net in October 2005 (see http://www.allgambian.net/news-stories_263.html). In 2003 Manneh wrote an article for The Independent focusing on Gambia’s endemic poverty and corruption (‘Jammeh under the Microscope’) which resulted in the arrest and detention of the paper’s editor, Abdoulie Sey. The Independent was shut down by the Gambia government in March 2006 and has not been allowed to resume publication. PETITION We therefore humbly request that you and your organization put pressure on the Government of The Gambia to ensure that Ms. Fatou Jaw Manneh: •Is released without charge or; •Is accorded a fair, speedy and impartial trial; •Is not subjected to torture and other degrading and inhumane treatment; •Travel and personal documents are return in order that she can return to the United States and continue her education, work and be with her family. To the President of the Gambia President H. E. Yahya A. J. Jammeh Office of the President Private Mail Bag State House, Banjul, Republic of the Gambia Fax: 220 4227 034 e-mail: [log in to unmask] FOCUS ON POLITICS PDOIS’ 1989 ENLIGHTEN THE FARMERS TOUR; AN EYE OPENER TO MANY FARMERS “GOVERNMENT WAS MERELY A TAX COLLECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL MONEY LENDERS” Says Foroyaa. With Suwaibou Touray We have been focusing on politics in general and Gambian politics in particular. We have commenced the narration of significant political events from the pre-colonial to the post Independence epoch. We have extensively dealt with the first Republic led by Alhagi Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara up to the year 1989. The objective of the project is to help our young people to witness the happenings of the past, in print ,so as to empower them shape the future. Let us continue from where we stopped. Since the reports had indicated the dissatisfaction and disappointment of even those who had supported the PPP, POOIS saw the need to launch what they called “Enlighten the Farmers “Tour”, after the president returned, so that what was unclear to the farmers could be made clear to them. WHAT PDOIS TOLD THE PEOPLE. PDOIS explained how the local governments get money from the people through rates, cattle tax and other duties at the markets, car parks and roads. They were shown how the central government gets money through income tax, the national levy, passport fees, hospital charges, import duties, which require the importer to pay a given sum at the Customs only to pass it on to the cost of sugar, etc; that there is indirect taxation when the people buy anything and so on and so forth. It was therefore made very clear to the people that the money comes from them. Furthermore, they were told that according to Section 108 of the Constitution any loans taken by the government has to be repaid from the money collected from them by the government; that whenever they hear that a big loan has been taken by the government, they should also know that its repayment was going to come from their pockets. It was made clear to them that if loans are mismanaged it would be to their detriment. The farmers were told that the purpose of paying cattle tax is for the sum to be utilized to provide their cattle with drugs and so on and so forth; that they are paying rates so that services such as clinics, schools, a clean environment and so on can be provided. They were told that even though the price of their groundnuts declined from D1800 per tonne in 1986/87 to D1500 in 1987/88, then to D1100 in 1988/89 then to something unpredictable, the President and his ministers have increased their salaries and allowances as follows: The President: D250,000 yearly and an allowance of (D2400) per night, excluding imprest or pocket money every night he spends abroad; that Ministers received almost D96,000 yearly and £130 or (D1760), as allowance for every night they spend abroad. The farmers were asked whether the President was feeding them or they were feeding the President, his ministers and parliamentary secretaries, everyone accepted that they were feeding him and his ministers; that all the privileges they enjoy are derived from the tax money of the people. The people were told that the country is theirs that Section 60 of the Constitution gives them the right to have voter’s cards so as to determine who to make caretakers of the nation; that the people they elect are empowered under Section 56 of the Constitution to make laws for them; that they are empowered under Section 102 of the Constitution to make laws to take money from them to provide services to them; that if they elect the wrong people they will make laws without providing the circumstances that would enable them to get things like I.D. Cards, which would cost them undue hardships or would mismanage the money the people have paid by spending D72.8 million; that the present regime had agreed to pay D126 million in 1989 to finance debts for few Gambians and parastatals, which they had taken from the Gambia Commercial And Development Bank but have refused to repay. They were told that it is such people who have benefited so much from such bank loans and who come back to buy their votes during elections in order to sustain the present regime. When the salaries and mismanaged amounts were mentioned, some whistled, others bit their lips, others shook their heads, and others turned to see whether others have heard what they have heard. Everyone could see how they were being fooled since independence. On the gifts, the people were told that in countries, even capitalist ones, where governments attempt to show some political decency, laws are passed to make it unlawful for heads of state and other office holders to receive gifts, while performing their duties; that gifts to heads of state are considered state property; that such laws should have existed in the Gambia; that President Jawara should sell all the gifts and donate the money to students who are unable to pay school fees, patients who are unable to meet hospital-bills and so on and so forth. The reason why PDOIS militants take along their food and refused to take anything from the people was explained. They were told that traditional hospitality is not to kill chicken, rams and bulls for politicians who eat meat everyday when those offering the hospitality had neighbours and children who eat meat only once a year during the Muslim Tobaski feast, which is characterized by the killing of sheep; that even with that, many cannot afford to kill a ram; that they eat only what is given to them; that to deny the poor neighbours and families food they do not have and give it to those who have more than enough of it is not hospitality but self hatred. These comments drew tremendous applause and approval throughout the tour. THE PROBLEM OF CATTLE AND GROUNDNUTS When the cattle owners complained of grazing ground and drugs they were asked to sell their cattle by the president’s entourage. Foroyaa wrote that in fact the PDOIS were told that the people felt very much offended when the chairman of the tour told the farmers that Fulas love cattle so much that they cry for a day when their child dies but cry for seven days when a cow dies. Fula speaking cattle owners were highly offended by such a remark. PDOIS told the farmers that the money collected from them is not kept in the national treasury according to language groupings; that those who steal this money do not set aside the sum contributed by the language grouping they claim to belong; that what we have are honest and dishonest citizens who are found among all language groupings; that language is a mere means of communication, which is the property of anybody who masters it. They told them that tribal consideration has no significance to our national politics that they should be particular with issues that are of vital concern to them. This is why we proceeded to explain why they cannot have free drugs for their cattle and definite information about the price of their groundnuts. On the Marketing of Groundnuts. The farmers were told that The Gambia Cooperative Union received loans from The Gambia Commercial and Development Bank to expand the buying of groundnuts throughout the country; that the sum borrowed were so mismanaged that government had to accept to pay D32 million for Gambia Cooperative Union, in 1987; that despite this payment, the Union still owed D53 million by 1988; that the Union therefore had to close down many of it’s buying stations and dismissed many staff to reduce cost. Why is that the case? They asked. The PDOIS entourage explained to the farmers that the government is to take D476 million from the people this year to run the country; that they have been taking millions from the people yearly to run the country; that this money should have been utilized to promote industry and agriculture to enable the country to export more and import less so that foreign exchange may be earned to finance development projects; that this money however was mismanaged thus we exported less and imported more thus creating deficits which led them to take more loans to finance both the deficits and scattered development projects; these projects were also mismanaged thus preventing them from yielding funds to repay the loans. PDOIS explained that in 1984/85, the debts had grown to D2000 million; that the government could not pay even for imports not to talk about loans; that its creditors refused to give it loans until repayment starts. When government accepted to restructure the economy to repay loans, I.M.F. came to advise it; that the essence of the restructuring is to enable the government to save our tax money to repay debts. Realizing that the mismanagement of the Gambia Cooperative Union and G.P.M. B would mean more money from the government led the experts of the creditors to call for their restructuring so as to cut down on their cost of operation; that is why Gambia Cooperative Union had to close down buying stations and retrench staff, G.P.M.B. also had to close offices and retrench staff. Furthermore government had to retrench workers, sell government assets such as ferries, and introduce hospital charges to offset the growing cost, increase fees and cut down on sums given to high schools for staff just to save money to repay debts. According to the Foroyaa, PDOIS told the farmers that government used to utilize that tax money of the people to subsidize the prices of fertilizer and groundnuts; that is, government would give a certain amount to Gambia Cooperative Union or G. P.M.B to buy groundnuts at a given price or sell fertilizer at a given price; that to repay debts they had to stop giving such amounts; that in 1986/87 government was said to have given D83 million to G. P. M. B to support the price of groundnuts; that in 1987/88 the sum fell to D50 million in 1988|89, the sum was reduced to Dl0 million; and in that coming year there was zero support. They explained that support given by government was not added to the price of their nuts but went to enrich the groundnut buyers; that in the 1988/89 season even though government gave D10 million to G. P. M.B, the producer price of groundnuts was D1100 per tonne despite the fact that the market price was D2028. They told the farmers that if the price was so low when government said it added something to boost the price one could imagine what the prices would be when nothing is added. The farmers were told that few of them would be able to have 5 tonnes and the transportation to go to the 11 or so G.P.M. B. depots; that combining their crops would lead to questions as to whose crop is heavier or lighter, moreover transportation would pose problems; that this means that they would be at the mercy of middle persons who would set their own prices. The farmers were told that even if the G.P.M. B. puts depot price at D1300 per ton or so the middle persons would have to buy their nuts at cut throat prices to make profit. They were told that President Jawara wanted to distance himself from what was likely to have ill effect; that this may explain why he said that everything about prices was in the hands of the G.P.M.B. as if G.P.M.B, was not under The Gambia Government, that even though they produced 110,000 tonnes of groundnuts in 1986/87 only 67 tonnes of groundnuts were bought; ,that 119,000 tonnes were produced in 1987/88 but only 63,000 tonnes could be bought that; 98,000 tonnes were produced in 1988/89 only 24,000 tonnes could be bought. Foroyaa wrote that PDOIS emphasized that government’s debt repayments are getting higher and higher .D120 million in 1987/88, D166 million in 1988/89 and D174 million in 1989/ 90; that the government, would not spend anything on fertilizer; producer prices, drugs for cattle and so on and so forth; that it is merely a tax collector of the international money lenders, people pay taxes for it to pay loans which have not benefited them in any significant way. According to Foroyaa, the messages were clear, the topics were many and their encounters with the people like the Alkalo of Sambang Wolof were tough but later resolved. The Alkalo said at Dankunku during the president’s meet the farmers’ tour that PDOIS was ‘doyadi’ foolish and PDOIS went to his village to explain PDOIS programme and thinking that he has offended PDOIS said the party would not have a meeting at his village. This created some uproar but eventually he was made to understand that he did not have that right to deprive PDOIS of a meeting in his village; that even the president did not have that power. Farmers said they had never had such an enlightened message in all their lives. See next edition after the council elections in February 2008. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY “Too Late! He Lost Her” Part 4 With Amie Sillah Rugi and Isha Rugi confronted Isha. “I cannot understand you. Who do you come to? Me or Ismail?” “I come to you not Ismail. Are you not my closest pal?” “I am, but now a days, I see you getting closer to Ismail than me. I am jealous and I have reasons to me.” Rugi emphasized. “You cannot love my brother. I love you as a girlfriend not as a sister-in-law. My parents would disapprove. You’ll not be welcome in my home be rest assured of that. Ismail has a fiancée she is abroad. She can come anytime. She is Rose, a paternal first cousin. She is studying law in Britain.” Rugi tried to discourage Isha. Isha changed the topic to lectures. She was not interested in Rugi’s exposure. But all the same, she was sad and disappointed. Isha Confronts Ismail “How could you? Where is your fiancée Rose? Why did you lie to me? Why are you hurting me? “Isha shed emotional tears. “You are tearing my heart!” Ismail explained. “Is it your friend Rugi who told you?” Isha nodded her head. “I know it. She is jealous of our true love. She vowed to break it. Don’t mind the things she told you. She most of the time exaggerates to hurt you and to distance you from me. Yes, Rose was my fiancée. She is a paternal first cousin. The elders fixed it. From the onset I held my reservations but the family pushed it to the level of sending kola nuts and expressing intent. I was helpless. Both myself and Rose felt trapped. Since she went to the U.K she has not communicated to me. I don’t care. I let sleeping dog lie. I don’t know how Rugi explained it to you but that’s what has happened. I love you Isha! I love you with all my heart. Don’t listen to the detractors, the Rugis, they want to separate us. You have touched my soul the moment I set eyes on you. I don ’t know where the relationship will lead us but I hope to follow it to its logical conclusion.” Then Is gave Rugi a peck. “Smile now. I’ll handle the situation.” Ismail confronts Rugi “What’s wrong with you? Find yourself a man and stop mingling into your bro ther’s affairs! You are my junior remember! Why did you tell Isha about Rose?” Rugi defended her stance. “Our parents would not accept you marry a pauper, and you know that. Rose is your fiancée. Isn’t she? I would not allow you cheat on my friend. She is innocent. I’ll not allow you hurt her. She is a delicate person.” Ismail bang the table and stood up. “Cut crab Rugi! This is my life and I’ll live it as I wish. I’ll marry Isha Ishallah! No one can do anything about it!” “Isha is my friend not my sister-in-law. We shall see!” Rugi threatened! “Isha has a fiancé. You are a fool brother!” Rugi challenged. Ismail Proposes Marriage Ismail accompanied by Omar, his childhood friend went too see Isha’s parents to ask her hand in marriage unbeknown to Isha. Isha felt cheated. She protested vigorously for being uninformed. She rejected outright. Ismail was dismayed and felt hurt. Aunty Marie and Uncle Pa are diplomatic. They called Isha aside and spoke to her. “It’s okay darling. Don’t fuss too much about being uninformed. It has happened. It was a mistake but he has apologized. He is handsome and very polite. Please don’t reject him. Badara is not serious. Accept Ismail. You are a woman. Make hay while the sun shines. Our spirit accepts Ismail.” Her parents advised her. She remained adamant. “No uncle! No Aunty! I’ll not marry Ismail period!” Her aunt and uncle were displeased with Isha’s attitude. “It is abrupt. I have to learn more about Ismail. I don’t know him much. Rugi, his sister told me he is a womanizer. I have to take my time. I don’t want to mess my life.” Isha posited. Ismail’s Parents Rugi poisoned her mom’s mind against Isha. She described her as a gold digger. Ismail’s parents confronted him. Aja Rabbi, his mom spoke first. “My son! What am I hearing?” “What did you hear?” Is pretended. That you want to marry a gold digger into our family.” Ismail was hurt. “Mom! You got it all wrong. Isha is not a gold digger. She refused my marriage proposal on the ground that I did not inform her. If she was a gold digger as you have described her she would have quickly jumped at my proposal. That girl is real mom. She is my life. She is decent and I love her. I’ll pursue her love until consent. You, Rugi or anyone else can do nothing about it. Ishallah, God’s willing Isha will be my wife. Isha will become a medical doctor. She will not need anything from me.” Ismail argued. “I’ll not accept her into our family. To me she remains a gold digger, a nobody. Our choice is Rose. She is our blood, our kit and kin. Your father approved of her before he died. I remain by our decision. I’ll not betray a dead man’s wish.” Alhajj Yorro intervened. He inherited his elder brother’s wife, Aja Rabbi. He is a positive elder. “Islam discourages forced marriage. Your son is right. Allow him marry his wife to save your self future problems.” Uncle Yorro turned to Ismail and spoke to him, directly. “Try hard my nephew! Follow your heart. If she is your wife, Ishallah you’ll get her. Count me as an ally. Whenever she accepts we will meet her parents to ask for her hand in marriage.” Aja Rabbi protested. “You were not here cow Yorro. You spent the best part of your life in Saudi Arabia. Rose was betrothed to Ismail. He has to pay the pride price and then the knot will be tied.” Aja Rabbi explained. “No! No! No forced marriage! Give the young man a break. Even if my brother Alpha was alive I’ll ask him to count me out of such crude arrangement.” Alhajj Yorro defended his position. Amendments of Local Government Laws “Constitutional” By Bubacarr K. Sowe The recent amendments of the Constitution and the Local Government Act are in accordance with the constitution of the Gambia, the Attorney General- Marie Saine Firdaus, told the Supreme Court on Wednesday, January 9. She was replying on points of law to the submissions of Ousainou Darboe, counsel for the plaintiffs - The United Democratic Party (UDP), the National Reconciliation Party (NRP) and Momodou Sanneh - minority leader of The National Assembly. Replying to Mr. Darboe’s submission Mrs. Saine-Firdaus said that contrary to the plaintiffs’ claim of abuse of the process by the National Assembly, the amendments were enacted by the legislature exercising their constitutional powers. The Attorney General dismissed the citation of case laws which the plaintiffs ’ counsel, cited to support his argument against her preliminary objection. Mrs. Saine-Firdaus said that those case laws are court of appeal decisions which are not binding on the Supreme Court. On Mr. Darboe’s citation of provisions of the Elections Decree, she urged the court to disregard the submission of her opponent. The SOS maintained that the plaintiffs lack the locus standi (the right) to take the matter to court and the court too lacks the original jurisdiction to hear electoral matters. She argued that the National Assembly is a party to the suit because it makes laws that are being challenged, and should therefore be heard. Amie Joof-Conteh, the counsel representing the IEC, said the labeling of the IEC by Mr. Darboe as a public authority is incorrect, stressing that it is neither a public nor a private authority. Mrs. Joof-Conteh added that there is no cause of action against the second defendant because the statement of claim contains nothing of such and having it on the writ of summons is not essential since the statement of claim supersedes the writ of summons. The suit is challenging the recent amendments on the constitution and the Local Governm ent Act which the plaintiffs claim is done in excess of the constitutional powers conferred on the National Assembly and the president. The UDP, NRP and the Minority Leader (the plaintiffs) are asking the court to declare the amendment null and void which gives the President the power to remove elected local government councilors. These amendments also disenfranchise the electorates outside the Banjul and Kanifing Municipalities the right to elect their Local Government Chairpersons. The plaintiffs are at the same time seeking an injunction restraining the IEC from holding the January 24 Local Government Elections under the disputed legislations. Hearing on the substantive issues of the suit has to wait for the outcome of the ruling on the papers filed by the Attorney General objecting to the hearing of the suit. This verdict of the court will be delivered on Monday, January 14 by the Chief Justice, Abdou Kareem Savage. IEC Urged To Regulate Political Parties By Modou Jonga Mr. Dawda Jallow of the National Council for Civic Education (NCCE) has called on the Independent Electoral Commission to intensify it efforts in monitoring and regulating registered political parties to be acting in accordance with their respective constitutions. Mr. Jallow made this call to the electoral commission on Wednesday 9 January, 2008 while making a presentation at the end of a two day training workshop on Election Monitoring, coordinated by WANEP. Mr. Jallow noted that it is not a common conditionality for registered political parties in the country to call national congresses as required by their constitutions and make known to their members how they finance their operations. According to the National Council for Civic Education, officially registered political parties in the country rarely organise national congresses. He said regulating and monitoring parties is necessary to make parties accountable. Femi Peters Speaks By Fabakary B. Ceesay Mr. Femi Peters, the UDP nominated candidate for the Banjul City Council Mayorship, told this paper in an exclusive interview that he would try to initiate free education for the children, the leaders of tomorrow. He noted that Banjul as a city lacks many things which should be available in a city. He indicated that he would like Banjul to be transformed into modern city like Dakar. He asserted that there are lack of street lights, stand pipes and good tarred roads. Mr. Peters pointed out that there are many mosquito breeding grounds in Banjul especially at Tobacco road, which he said had been ignored by the city council. Mr. Peters also added that he would like to change the office of the council or rebuild the office to standard, noting that the office will have space for other activities. Mr. Femi Peters, who called himself a “bonafide” Banjulian,’ said many “ Banjulians” are now transferring to the Kombos; that he would try to form a committee on how to bring back those people together to be contributing to the development fund of their city. He pointed out that all Banjulians are proud to be from the Gambia’s capital and that they would be ready to maintain that. Mr. Peters indicated that he is very optimistic of winning the seat, noting that every household in Banjul knows him as a dedicated Banjulian and Gambian for that matter. He called on the electorate to make a wise choice when voting as their city is still underdeveloped. **************Start the year off right. 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