Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No.124/2007, 22 – 23 October, 2007
Editorial
What Do Women Have To Show By 2009
The APRC administration has adopted a National Policy for the advancement of
Gambian women covering 1999 to 2009. The policy period is almost coming to
an end.
Since the birth of the Women’s Bureau and the National Women’s Council
established by an Act of Parliament in 1980, the World Bank , the African
Development Bank, governments like that of Norway have pumped in millions to promote
Women development projects. At the time of adopting the policy, DFID was
collaborating with the Gambia Government to focus on gender and poverty related
programmes financed with a million pounds grant from the British Government.
Those who praise the APRC government on gender issues often ignore the low
representation of women in parliament, that is only 9.4 percent (less than one
out of ten), and the high incidence of poverty among them and instead
concentrate on the number of women in Cabinet as Secretaries of State who have no
security of tenure and who are hired and fired at will by the Executive.
The true success of a government is, first and foremost, measured by the
number of people it has succeeded in freeing from poverty and tyranny and
enabled to live in liberty and dignity. Others are secondary indicators.
The policy adopted in 1999 stated that women constituted “about 50 per cent
of the agricultural labour force, 70 per cent of the unskilled agricultural
labour force and 40 per cent of total agricultural production.”
In the area of crop production, the report added ”Women produce 3% of the
maize, 6 % of millet, 2% of sorghum, 3 % of course grains, 99% of upland rice
and 24% of groundnuts;”
The policy promised a review of the Labour Act, the General Orders and the
Public Service Commission regulations to protect women. It promised “to
promote the use and maintenance of appropriate technologies by women;” that “
initiatives will be taken “to promote markets , storage facilities and
transportation for women’s produce and products;” to facilitate “ basic needs such
as food, shelter, clothing and education” and “ help increase the access to
and availability of appropriate technologies aimed at reducing the burden
/workload of women.”
It is abundantly clear that the poverty of the women is on the increase.
Poor women in the urban and rural areas lack basic food shelter and clothing.
Their burden is increasing as their children become as poor as they are
instead of easing their suffering. Girls are coming out of school in the tens of
thousands without any prospect for employment or marriage. Those employed as
uncertificated teachers are terminated annually and have no access to
maternity leave or pension claims. They are producing without adequate market for
their produce. Transport costs are increasing and women who engage in the retail
trade are finding it more and more difficult to earn enough to maintain
their trade and finance the upkeep of their families. It is amazing to see them
leave their homes at dawn to go to the gardens and farms or to run after
truck loads of goods in order to have a means of income only to end up with
pittance. The lives of poverty they live, sleeping on grass mattresses infected
with bed bugs and lice do not seem to prick the conscience of those who have
escaped the clutches of poverty. Foroyaa wishes to inform its readers that in
the New Year it will establish a women’s column to be known as the Women’s
Platform. The column will do a survey of all women projects which had been
initiated in the Gambia since the first Republic, note the sums involved and
access their impact on the lives of the women. It will interview women farmers,
workers, public sector employees and their associations to enable those who
administer the society today and those who want to change the society for a
better tomorrow to hear the voices of the women and know their real plight. This
is the way forward.
“African Swine Fever Drastically Reduced”
By Yaya Bajo
Dr. Babucarr Jaw, Director for the Department of Veterinary Services told
Foroyaa that the African Swine Fever outbreak that struck the country sometime
ago has been drastically reduced. In an interview with this reporter on
Thursday 18 October, he said when the outbreak occurred the only strategy they
employed was improvement of the management system. He said the pig breeders
were urged to strictly apply standard bio-security measures and that they were
also provided with booklets and audio cassettes which contained relevant
information on the control measures of the disease.
“We built their capacity through sensitization and we also liaise with
authorities from the sub-region as the disease is trans-boundary,” he disclosed.
Dr. Jaw added that when the outbreak occurred, their plan was to stamp out the
pigs and compensate the owners, but it was not easy as the social dimension
was looked into. He said pig breeders were also advised to restrict the
movement of the pigs and to properly dispose off the carcass. He said this can be
done by burning or burying the pigs between two layers of white lime to avoid
the spread of the disease.
The Veterinary Director noted that pig farms should be properly disinfected
and left empty for at least six weeks before introducing sentinel pigs ( i.e
introducing one or two pigs into the farm and observe them for at least
another six weeks). He added that at the end of the period blood samples should be
taken to ascertain whether the virus is still circulating or not and if the
samples are negative then pig breeders can be adviced to re-stock, but the
animals must be from flocks that are confirmed free from infection.
Dr. Jaw further spoke on the Technical Cooperation Programme Proposal
Submitted to the FAO for funding. He said the programme will look at the holistic
issue of the African Swine Fever. “I have also engaged in discussion with
Animals and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS) which is a branch of the
United States Department of Agriculture to provide us with test kids as well as
capacity building for our laboratory staff,” he divulged. He added that they
would soon send them a team of experts to kick-start the project.
Dr. Jaw said they are in constant touch with the pig breeders association,
adding that the association is currently on a restructuring process with a
view to properly address the needs of their members. “We also exchange sanitary
information with regards to all trans-boundary animal diseases,” he said.
Dr. Jaw defined African Swine Fever as a trans-boundary animals disease and
that the virus’ capacity to spread is high and it is highly contagious. He
added that symptomatically, the disease show high mortality, refusal to eat,
difficulty in moving with legs and diarrhea are some of the signs. “The disease
can be transmitted from animal to animal through direct or indirect contact
(ie through food, equipment and human beings). It has no treatment and it
does not have any vaccine to prevent it from occurring,” he concluded.
Rambo In Court, But…
By Fabakary B. Ceesay
Ousman Jatta alias “Rambo” the councillor of Old Bakau and Cape Point Ward
who was called by the police to appear before Kanifing Magistrates Court on
Friday 19 October, came to court only to find out that there was no case for
him in court on that day.
Rambo came to court escorted by a large crowd of family members, supporters
and sympathizers. Dressed in a Friday gown, Mr. Jatta appeared confident as
people came to greet and shake hands with him as a sign of solidarity to him.
His counsel, Mr. Ousainou Darboe, went to make consultations with court staff
and later informed Mr. Jatta and his entourage to return home, as there was
no case for him that day.
Interview with Halifa Sallah
On the Exchange Rate of the Dalasi, ECOWAS Court on Ebrima Manneh and
Other Burning Issues
Foroyaa: What is the way forward?
Halifa: This would have been a good opportunity for any government which
had not relied on any opportunistic manipulation of the exchange rate regime
in place to cause the disequilibrium, to put its financial institutions on a
solid foundation.
Foroyaa: Do you believe that the current exchange rates are not market
determined?
Halifa: I will be able to give an unequivocal answer if the Central bank can
give answers to the following questions:
What is value of the dalasi notes which are currently in circulation or are
reserved in the coffers of the Central bank?
Are the commercial banks experiencing any shortages of dalasi deposits in
their buying of foreign currency?
What is the value of each of the foreign currencies which had been traded up
to the time of the exchange rate instability?
Who determines the exchange rates, the banks or the Central bank?
Foroyaa: Why are these questions relevant?
Halifa: They are relevant because exchange rate instability has primary and
secondary causes? It is common knowledge in economics that if you print more
paper money than goods and services required to be exchanged the value of
the currency will depreciate and inflation will skyrocket On the other hand, if
the currency available falls far short of the requirements for the goods and
services to be traded it will experience an appreciation in value. The
object of monetary policy in industrialised export oriented economies and non
industrialised import dependent economies are different.
In short; an industrialised export oriented economy could get its Central
bank to intervene to devalue its currency and contain inflation, thus making
imported goods more expensive than locally produced goods. Devaluation of
currency in an industrialised country can be linked to the stimulation of demand
for local goods by nationals and importers who would be able to buy more goods
from the foreign money they possess: In a non industrialised import
dependent economy depreciation of the value of the local currency can lead to
inflation and appreciation of the currency can undermine investment and create the
type of uncertainty which drives away importers and causes scarcity of goods
which are not produced locally. Shortages of goods are likely to cause
inflation. The monetary policy suitable for developing countries is the maintenance
of exchange rate stability.
Foroyaa: Some readers may wonder how there can be shortage of local currency
when government can just print money as it wishes.
Halifa: It is not that simple. Shortage can be artificially caused by
simply hoarding money or it can be caused by the quick wear and tear of money
without raising the money to pay for the printing of new money. This is the
primary responsibility of the Central Bank.
Section 161 of the Constitution states: “The Central Bank shall be the only
authority to issue the currency of the Gambia.” The minting or production of
currency is a very expensive enterprise. The currency requires security
features to distinguish it from counterfeit. Hence shortages of currency can
occur if old ones go out of circulation without enough new currencies being
produced. I am not sure whether that is the case but one has to go to a bank to
withdraw money from an account to discover that the money available is a
health risk because of its decay:
Foroyaa: Finally how is exchange rate stability maintained?
Halifa: Section 161 subsection 4(a) of the Constitution states:
‘’The Central Bank shall promote and maintain the stability of the currency
of the Gambia.’’ The primary task is for the Central Bank to ensure that
the value of the dalasi in circulation does not fall short of the actual
demands for dalasi in all transactions in the economy. Secondly, the Central Bank
must ensure that enough foreign currency exists to carry out all the
transactions required in the economy. Where there is foreign exchange in excess of
what is required the Central Bank should implement fiscal policies which will
enable it to mop up such foreign exchange to put it in its reserves or advise
the banks to deposit it in their foreign reserves. Furthermore the Central
Bank should keep track of the wear and tear of the local currency with a
view to putting out of circulation by environmentally friendly means monies
which are no longer fit for circulation and raise the necessary funds to replace
them without any delay. Where there are dalasis in circulation in excess to
what is needed in all the transactions in the economy the Central Bank must
adopt monetary and fiscal policies to mop up the excess liquidity or encourage
the banks to expand more into development banking by investing in foreign
exchange generating projects to ensure a balance and proportionate growth of the
foreign exchange requirements of the country in the absence of speculators.
With exchange rate stability the banks will derive slow but sure profit from
investments in the productive base while maintaining the balance between
supply and demand in the currency market. The primary role of the Central bank is
precisely to adopt policies which will enable it to facilitate a balance
between supply of and demand for the Gambian dalasi, on one hand and supply of
and demand for foreign currency, on the other hand. Once it is capable of
doing this there will be exchange rate stability.
Foroyaa: What is your last word on this issue before we move to the issue of
Chief Manneh and the ECOWAS Court ?
Halifa: If I am wrong I stand to be corrected by the Central Bank, the other
Banks, the Department of State for Finance and Economic Affairs or the
Chamber of Commerce through granting an interview with the paper Foroyaa or the
Daily Observer.
Foroyaa: How do you see the detentions without trial of Chief Manneh,
Kaniba Kanyi and others and the proceedings before the ECOWAS Court?
To be continued
]
Ecomansa Holds Seminar On Appreciation Of Dalasi
By Gibairu Janneh
Following the appreciation of the dalasi against foreign currencies many
thought that the price of basic commodities would also be reduced. This is
however not the case yet. The foreign exchange rates have dropped yet the prices
of commodities are still high. This situation of the economy prompted the
Economic and Management Studies’ Association of the UTG to organise a seminar on
Wednesday on the theme “The appreciation of the dalasi and its effects on the
domestic economy” held at the Girl’ Guide Headquarters in Kanifing.
The main speakers at the seminar included Dr. Buhari Sillah, Head of
Economics Department, Mr. Lamin Bittaye, a part time lecture in Economics and Yaya
Jallow a Graduate Assistant, Mr. Jallow explained what is meant by foreign
exchange. He said that the foreign exchange rate of a country is determined by
the amount of foreign currency surplus reserves that a country has based on
the supply. He added that a country’s foreign exchange does have an influence
on the countr’s trade, unemployment and its general level of economic growth.
Mr. Bittaye said the appreciation of the dalasi was due to the positive
measure taken by the Central Bank; that from 2004, The Central Bank embarked on
reserve building which led to the dalasis’ appreciation. He further stated
that other measures by the Central Bank, such as the control of inflation,
reduction in Bank charges, staff monitor programmes were all measures that
facilitated the growth of the dalasi.
For his part, the head of the Economics Department, Dr. Buhari Sillah,
analysed the general situation of the country’s economy and concluded that with
time the prices of commodities will be reduced. He however noted that this
reduction will be gradual as other factors are also involved.
Brikama Area Council CEO Sacked
By Modou Jonga
Reliable reports reaching Foroyaa have it that the Chief Executive Officer
of the Brikama Area Council, Mr. Balla Musa Cham was recently relieved of his
duties by the authorities. The sacked CEO is said to be replaced by Mr.
Momodou Jallow,the CEO at Jangjanbureh who reported to work yesterday.
According to sources at the Brikama Area Council, Mr. Cham received his termination
letter on 16th October. Sources stated that no reason was advanced for the
sacking of the BAC Chief Executive Officer.
When this reporter visited the Brikama Area Council, two BAC officials who
preferred anonymity confirmed the story .
When contacted the Public Relations Officer of the Brikama Area Council, Mr.
Joof confirmed that Mr. Balla Musa Cham was relieved of his duties on
Tuesday 16 October and that no reason or reasons were advanced for his sacking. He
also said that he is replaced by Mr. Momodou Jallow, Current CEO of the
Jangjanbureh Area Council. Efforts to speak to the sacked CEO proved futile.
GAMLISA Celebrates 20th Anniversary
By Saikou Ceesay
GAMLISA, originally founded as GAML (Gambia Library Association) was
established in September 1987 and one of its aims was to unite all persons engaged
or interested in library and information services in The Gambia.
In presenting his paper at the 20th Anniversary of the organisation, Mr.
Abdou Karim Sonko, representative of the Secretary of State for ……said GAMLISA
is currently carrying out sensitization campaigns to create more awareness
about the profession in the country and also to seek technical and financial
assistance to enable them organise educational programmes for practitioners and
users. Mr. Sonko considered the three-day Book Bonanza as very timely and
the theme which is “Information for Development” as appropriate Mr. Sonko said
“when we talk about information we are referring to what is being
communicated and the mode in which it is communicated”. He said the main concern of
GAMLISA, is to influence the policies that affect the availability and access or
otherwise to information for the Gambians populace. Mr. Sonko promised that
GAMLISA will allows applaud and appreciate whatever steps are taken by the
Department of State for Information of state in particular, and the government
in general to enable them as professionals, provide the necessary services to
influence access to information for everyone.
Mrs. Elie Bahoum, an Executive Member of the Gambia Library and Information
Services Association (GAMLISA) said this avails them the opportunity to meet
and discuss issues relating to information science in its widest connotation.
Mrs. Bahaum said since then, the Association, under various stewardships,
has grown from strength to strength registring many success stories, such as
being affiliated to international sister organisation, setting up of
documentation centres, conducting training programmes for its personnel among others.
Mrs. Jainaba Faal attended on behalf of the Director of National Aids
Secretariats (NAS). She stated that everyone, rich or poor, young or old, is
affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic are the most vulnerable. Mrs. Faal assured her
organisation strong conviction that GAMLISA would continue to pioneer HIV/AIDS
prevention, information dissemination amongst their target groups, notably
the youths and students utilizing their various facilities (libraries) across
the country. Mrs. Faal indicated that GAMLISA has joined the wagon of
contributing in HIV/AIDS interventions. She assured GAMLISA of her organisation’s
unflinching support in this national and international concern.
Adama Cupah from African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights also shed
light on the GAMLISA’s untiring efforts to unite all persons engaged in library
and information services in The Gambia and abroad.
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY
Discrimination In The Family
Mom Rings Her Friends, Aja Bintou, Aja ‘B’
Mom rang Aja B and explained the situation to her. She calmed her down. Aja ‘
B’ is above her status. She is married to a business tycoon, Alhaji Musa.
She is blessed with two girls in the marriage. Her eldest daughter, Fatima is
married to an oil tycoon based in Saudi Arabia. Isha, her youngest daughter is
married to a UN Diplomat. Fatima is a surgeon, also practicing in Saudi
Araba. Isha is a computer guru, running her IT business. Aja ‘B’ is also a
businesswoman specializing in wedding gowns and wedding accessories. She has
influence over Haja Oumu. She tells her home truths. “Zai rang yester night”. “
Oh! That’s great. Where is she?” Aja B asked. “She would not tell”. Haja Oumu
explained. “Well! Take it easy. At least there is a break through. She called
after a month’s silence. I’ll come over to your place”. “Thank you Aja ‘B’
. You are really a sister”. Haja Oumu commented.
At Her Office
She told her Secretary to cancel all calls. “I don’t want to talk to
anyone. Take important messages only”. “Okay Ma!” said Khadijah her Secretary.
Sulayman And Badara
Badara is Saul’s best friend. He travelled to Europe. He has just arrived.
He found him in a sorrowful mode. Saul explained his problem with Haja Oumu. “
What about your girl? Is she still focus?” Badara asked. “She is excellent.
She has no problem. She loves me with all her heart and soul. Her mum is the
only problem”. Saul confirmed. “Has her mum have any influence over her?” “
No! She has no influence over her. Infact, she is rebelling. And is not living
with her family at the moment”. Saul explained. “Fine! Give her all your
support. Get her positive blood relatives on your side and move on”. Badara
advised. “Take the bull by the horn and marry your babe. Lean on me. I’ll carry
you on, all the time! Cheer up!” Badara shook up Saul.
Bani And Her Mom
Bani told her mom some home truths. “Mom! I cannot understand you. You used
to be a warm, kind, accommodating and compassionate person. You never
discriminated against any body. You were a team leader and love working in a team.
But no more mom! You are different. You hate, scorn and loath the poor and
the needy. All because of your promotion! You are climbing the success ladder.
But he careful mom! Be careless! The old adage says when you are climbing up
don’t malice those you pass on the ground. In case you start falling down
they will hold you high up not to come crashing down! I am fed up with
everything. Zai left became of your nagging. I might leave as well! This house is
becoming too hot for me!” Bani threatened. “Shut up foolish girl! If you want to
leave, leave, but not use anyone as a escape goat. Your cases are different.
Zai challenged my authority and decided to leave by herself. Your case is
different but if you want to leave, take at the way!” She pointed towards the
door.
Three Months On
Zainab appeared. Musa, the gateman first welcomed her. He was excited to see
his small madam. “Welcome Miss Zainab! We all miss you”. “Thank you! Is
anybody in?” Zai asked. “Yes! Madam is in”. “Thank you!” Zai walked towards
the big house. Musa exclaimed with amusement. “Oh Miss Zainab! Madam will be
happy. She is worried to death!”
Mom Meets Zainab
Mom met Zainab as she entered the sitting room while Zainab came in. Mom
cautiously greeted her. She is scared for her to leave again. Zainab returned
her greetings in a polite manner and went into her room. Mama changed her tone
and became more accommodative. She talked to herself and expressed self pity.
“I want to better their lives. You’ll not kill me! Life is very short!” she
grumbled.
The Pregnancy
Zainab gave the shocking news. “I am pregnant!” She explained. “Preg what?
For who?” Mama asked. Zainab refused to talk.
Saul Enters The House
Mom threatened to kill Zainab. Then Saul entered the sitting room. “You’ll
not accept him mom but he is my choice the father of my child!” Zainab
confessed. “You have to abort that bastard in your womb! You cannot bring shame
into our family. I have nothing to do with this pauper or his unborn child. You’
ll have to abort it or else I’ll commit two murders”. Then she left and went
into her room in a rage. Bani gave Zai solidarity. She caressed her. “It’s
okay sister! I’ll talk to her”. “Thank you!” Sulay responded, Zainab nodded
her head. Saul cuddled Zainab into his arms and consoled and reassured her.
Zainab cried over his arms.
Mom Pays A Visit To Haja ‘B’
Mom paid a quick visit to her best Pal, Haja ‘B’. She announced that Zai
have returned home. “Allah be praised! That’s good news”. Haja ‘B’ announced
with excitement. “Wait a minute! It is not like that”. “What is it again?” “
Zainab is pregnant for him!” “What?” Haja Bintou consoled her friend. “
Nature has a way of solving it’s problem. If the two are meant to be no one can
put them asunder!” “What do you mean?” Mama asked “Let them be! What else
do you want to do?” Haja Bintou asked. “She has to abort the pregnancy and
give up her relationship with Saul!” “But that is impossible and you know it!
It is against our religion, even the pregnancy before marriage. I am sorry.
Your refused to join the two lovers you cause it. Now! You must repent.
Repent your ways! Give the youths their chance, let them be! Zainabou is over 18
years. By law she can take care of herself. Please my dear friend! Let your
children be. When she delivers her baby, let Saul marry her”. Mama jumped up.
“Over my dead body! I’ll not allow it. You are selfish. Do you ask what
type of work Saul does?” She roared. “That is immaterial! What Saul does for a
living is left to him and his wife”. Haja Bintou defended her point. “What
about if he is an armed robber?” Mama asked. “Saul is not! And you know it!
He is a decent guy working as an accountant at the Continental Bank. I bank
with his institution. “Haja defended her point. “He is an ordinary accountant.
A human counting machine! I’ll not allow her marry my daughter. How about
your two daughters Fatima and Isha who are married to an oil tycoon and A UN
Diplomat respectively?” Mama challenged Haja ‘B’. Did I Bintou. She laughted
at her. “Choose their spouses? You know I didn’t leave your daughter. Let her
be! And please don’t do any stupid thing. Forgot about abortion. That is out
of it. Abortion is dangerous. You daughter can lose her life and get barren
for life. I do not support abortion unless it threatens the lady or the mother
”. Haja Bintou emphasize her point. Mama was very angry with her friend and
mento. They did not see eye to eye. Angrily, she left Haja Bintou’s house and
went back home.
FOCUS ON POLITICS
THE 1987 SUPPLEMENTARY REGISTRATION;
PDOIS CLASH WITH PPP AGENTS
We have been focusing on politics in this column. We have traced the
political history of the Gambia from Pre-Colonial to Post-Independence era. The
narration of events is meant to help the youngsters to know the past so as to
understand the present in order to enable them shape the future.
In the last issue we have dwelt into issues raised by a political party
(PDOIS) in the first ever-National Education Conference. We have stopped where we
said Mr. Araba Bah replaced Mr. M.E Jallow as leader of The Gambia Workers
Union and was subsequently appointed by the President as a nominated member to
the House of Parliament. We then asked whether he would be able to genuinely
serve trade union interest in the house even where it conflicts with
government interest.
Let us continue from where we stopped.
The 1980s were the painful years not only for the ordinary Gambians but even
so for elites. Despite these difficult times, there remained some genuine
elites who refused to run or hide from the difficulties and stood their ground
and tried to participate in the democratic struggle by establishing
progressive newspapers with a view to help enlighten the masses and enable them take
positive decisions. But this did not happen without a price.
In their bid to organize to get some recognition and protection from the
state, the independent press in The Gambia struggled for almost four years
between 1983 to 1987 to have what they called “A National Press Council” but
their struggles bore naught. This was why at a Press Conference held with the
President at State House, Mr. Dixon Colley, editor of the Nation told Sir Dawda
that they the Press had been clamoring for the state to pioneer a National
Press Council since 1983 but as he said nothing tangible has happened since
then, eventhough he told him, “you have always promised to look into it.”
In his reaction, the president called on the new Minister of Information to
address the problem.
It was in this light that the new Minister Lamin Nafa Saho, met the Local
Press on Friday the 8 of July 1987 to discuss the proposed National Press
Council (NPC). In that meeting, the following people who mattered were invited;
Mr. M.L Auber, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Saja Taal, the Under Secretary and
Mr. Marcel Thomasi, Director of Information and Broadcasting. The minister
after his welcoming remarks delved into the purpose of the meeting and quoted
the question raised by editor Dixon Colley of the Nation Newspaper and the
president’s response to that question. The minister said after thinking about
the matter, he had new ideas, which he said he wanted to experiment with. He
however admitted, according to reports that he was a layman in media affairs and
that he was subjected to correction. He again emphasized that the need to
establish a press council was indeed felt.
Mr. A.A Njai, Secretary to the study group elected by the Gambia Press Union
and the department reported that he had informed the outgoing minister and
even wrote two reminders to keep the issue continuously alive but as he said
there has not been any response. According to reports, as the discussion
ensued the minister proposed that a seminar be organised at the end of which NPC
maybe established. This, the reports said was unanimously accepted by all and
sundry.
According to the Nation, Pap Saine of Reuters also suggested that lawyers
and writers be invited for their resourcefulness. This suggestion too was
accepted by all except Dr. Taal, the under Secretary at the ministry but according
to Dixon Colley, that was not a problem. The problem was that the under
Secretary intervened in such an outburst that could be described as “uncontrolled”
emotion. The reaction of Mr. Colley in the Nation report showed how
hysterical he was about the whole thing. So what did the under Secretary said that
created such rancor amongst media practitioners?
Dr. Taal, according to reports said he could not take the issue seriously
because as he said, the Gambian press was full of “untrained” “unorganized”
and “unprofessional” journalists. Mr. Taal described certain pressmen as disc
jockeys and others as the “devils” advocate’, and so on and so forth. Dixon
who later responded to the under Secretary’s out bursts in the Nation
described the action as immature sentimentalities; that Taal should know when and
where to display it and of course to whom. Dixon fired back and said, he was
surprised by the behavior since Mr. Taal was a public administrator who
claimed to have been a trained journalist and who was one of the fierciest, radical
and most importantly critics of the regime during his Kent street Vour days.
He expressed surprise that Taal was now operator of a system he used to
detest and denounce so savagely. He asked whether this was not a disappointment
to the minister. He also urged Secretary General Langley to speak to Taal to
avert future embarrassments to the Government in the future and so on and so
forth.
Many journalists at the time felt that the regime was not serious about
creating National Press Council; that the true feeling of the state was in fact
coming through an Under Secretary that the meeting was just a smokescreen.
Many wondered why highly certified intellectuals act in ways that do not serve
the interest of the people but appeared to favour the state.
An African historian Paul Tiyambe Zeleza who studied the predicament of the
African intellectual at the time described the period in his book “
Manufacturing African Studies” as thus, “The economic crises that hit many African
countries from the mid 1980s further compounded the problems of intellectual
production and reproduction, that the social sector targeted for retrenchment
by the structural adjustment programmes SAPs ostensibly adopted to rectify the
crises, had affected education and intellectuals in general, forcing many
intellectuals to resort to what he described as moon lighting, or sought to
exercise their entrepreneurial skills in the nebulous world of the “informal”
sector whilst others tried to endear themselves to the state for lucrative
appointment.”
PDOIS COMMENCES RESEARCH ON REGISTRATION
Supplementary Registration of voters took place throughout the country in
late 1987. The PDOIS, which had as its agenda to research into the electoral
system bought caloi bicycles for its militants to monitor the registration.
They took the task never to miss any single day of registration. So each
registration team had a monitor attached to it. The team in Banjul was the first to
discover the tactic of the PPP agents in their attempt to dominate the
registration process.
The First Encounter
The PDOIS militants insisted that election officers follow the instructions
of the supervisor of elections, which was a requirement by the election Act.
It was also a requirement of the Act for the supervisor of elections to
enforce on the part of all registration officers “fairness, impartiality and
compliance with the provisions of the election Act.
The PDOIS militants claimed that they have discovered that PPP agents were
the ones issuing claim forms which they said was the responsibility
expressedly assigned to registration officers by rule 2 paragraph (3) which stated that
“the registration officer shall on application supply a form of claim free
of charge to a claimant.
The PDOIS executive said they wrote numerous petitions to the supervisor of
elections and contacted the deputy for redress without delay. All
administrative channels they said had been exhausted to no avail. These petitions were
made public by publishing them in Newspapers as open letters to the supervisor
of elections without any reaction. The PPP Agents led by Pesseh Njie
insisted that it was a custom for their party militants to issue claim forms and
they were only out to help people to register. They however insisted that it was
the law that should prevail not tradition.
When the struggle intensified, the PPP Agents who had no moral strength to
hang on to decided to place their tables adjacent to the registering officers
so that claimants would think that the PPP agents were one and the same with
the registering team. The PDOIS claimed that that was sending a wrong
impression to the masses that everything was under PPP control. Secondly failure to
go to the PPP table could give an indication of how the person intended to
vote, which could lead to victimization. They argued that the arrangement
nullified the climate of impartiality, which would characterize the election
process from registration to the declaration of results. The PDOIS claimed that
the practice undermined the very principle of free and fair elections; that it
must cease.
. As the tension increased, it was a big surprise to find that the PPP
agents began to hide forms under their tables. This was the time it became clear
that the PPP’s Election machine had its foundation in the crude registration
system, the Foroyaa commented.
It was at this time that a clandestine publication was discovered in
circulation against PDOIS captioned “A Banjul Political Observer writes to enlighten
public on PDOIS.”
Asset Awards Craft Competitors
By Isatou Bittaye
The Association of Small Scale Enterprises in Tourism (ASSET) has awarded
four winners of the Arts and Craft Competition 2007 on Thursday 18 October at
the ASSET Cultural Encounter at Timbooktoo Bookshop, Bakau.
In declaring the competition open, the Director General of Gambia Tourism
Authority (GTA), Mr. Kaliba Senghore said the competition was aimed to improve
the quality of art and craft products and ensure responsible tourism in The
Gambia. He added that it is all about partnership and promoting responsible
tourism in The Gambia. Mr. Senghore said the first competition was held in 2005
at the Alliance Franco Gambinne the current one was but done at the ASSET’s
Cultural encounter. He added that the competition will be held yearly in
ensuring fair and responsible tourism. He said ASSET aims to encourage its
members to be more innovative and develop small scale tourism. Mrs. Binta Jobe,
Director of Quality Control and Lincensing (GTA) said ASSET is taking the lead
in ensuring that responsible tourism is achieved. She congratulated the
participants and thanked ASSET for the good initiative. The winners of the
Decorative category are Malick Ceesay and “Monkey Business”. They were awarded each
a cash prize of D7,500.00 and a certificate. The first winner of the
practical category is Equi-Gambia who received a cash price of D10,000.00. They were
followed by Paper Recycling Skills Project who got a cash price of
D5,000.00. The judges were Lamin Marenah, Anna of Top Shop, Karri from Marouns
Supermarket and Mr. Goerge.
Escaped Convict Gets Extra-Two Year Jail Term
By Saikou Ceesay
Soriba Kondi, believed to be Guinean national who had previously been
convicted and
jailed on 3 April to ten years imprisonment for his implication in an armed
robbery, was on Thursday 1 1th October sentenced to four years imprisonment
for escaping from lawful custody.
The accused Soriba Kondi had absconded from prison vehicle while in lawful
custody on their way to Bundung Magistrates court with six prisoners.
Soriba Kondi is said to have a separate pending case against him at the
Bundung Magistrates Court. The prosecution called two witnesses. During cross
examination PW1 Abdoulie Njie, a police officer attached to the Banjul Police
Station, presented the cautionary statement obtained from the accused at the
station. He explained in detail that the statement tendered with thumb print
before the court, is the accused person’s statement. He narrated that he is not
aware of anyone that beat the accused to obtain statement from him. During
cross examination PW2 Essa Keita a police officer attached to the Bundung
Police Station maintained that the accused person stamped the door with his foot,
and allowed other prisoners to escape from lawful custody. Police officer
confirmed that he didn’t allow the prisoners to escape.
In his defence the accused Soriba Kondi: said his sister gave fifty thousand
dalasis to prosecutor Sergeant Omar Jaharteh to secure his escape. In short
he insisted that his sister Adama Kondi gave the said amount in the pretence
of Adama Jallow and Muhammadu Darboe both prisoners serving at Mile Two.
Delivering his judgment at the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court, Magistrate Moses
Richards said “having looked at
the evidence, before the court,” it is now pertinent for him to look at the
law. Moses Richards interpreted section 108 of the Criminal Code of the Laws
of the Gambia and asserted that the evidences before the court are clear and
detailed. He ruled that the accused escaped from lawful custody between State
Central Prison and Bundung Magistrates’ Court. He said the accused
complained of being beaten by the investigators but didn’t provide any witnesses,
citing that he perverted justice.).
In this mitigation the accused begged for forgiveness. He was finally
sentenced accordingly. Count 1; two years w1ili~out option of a fine and Count 2;
two years without option of fine for his admission that he had paid D50,000
for escape. Both sentences are to run consecutively at the Jangjanbureh Prison
with hard labour. Altogether Soriba Kondi is to serve fourteen (14) years,
with pending charges at the Bundung Magistrates Court.
Training For West African Journalists Calls Off
By Fabakary B. Ceesay
The planned two day training workshop for West African Journalists slated
for 19th and 20th October in Banjul has been called off at the eleventh hour
without any reason advanced from the organisers. The proposed programme was
organised by the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) in
collaboration with the open society initiative for West Africa (OSIWA).
A commission’s member pointed out that they received orders indicating to
the Commission that there could not be any possibility of hosting the event in
The Gambia. “We were told that the workshop cannot take place here,” he
said. Dr.Feyi Ogunade, Senior legal officers of the commission in charge of
promotional affairs said, “now that the event cannot take place here, it will be
rescheduled to another country.” Dr. Ogunade declined to comment on where such
an order came from. It should be borne in mind that six Gambian Journalists
with participants from Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali,
Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo were to benefit from the training.
Gambian Journalists were only informed of the development shortly before the start
of the programme. It was also brought to their attention that their
counterparts, who were due to come from other countries were informed to cancel their
fights. They were said to have already bought their air tickets to and from
Banjul.
Land Palaver At Sohm
WR Governor Declines To Comment
By Modou Jonga
Foroyaa is reliably informed that a land tussle erupted in Sohm village in
the Kombo East District. Reports indicate that the district chief, Basiru
Jarju, sold a piece of land to two American Nationals, Brian and Ayondele Carson
to the tune of D100,000 dalasis.
Sources noted that for more than five months no valid official receipt or
other relevant land transfer documents has yet been issued, relevant
authorities such as the Governor of Western Region, and National Assembly Member for
Kombo East were approached to facilitate the issuance of the said official
receipt but the authorities are yet to intervene directly to solve the land
palaver. However, the authorities are said to have talked with the district chief.
Sources noted that following the sale of the said land to the new owners,
the once cordial relationship between the Americans and the Chief has turned
sour. The Americans are also said to be bullied, threatened and harrassed
systemically at Sohm. Sources told this reporter, that the Americans are also
threatened with deportation by the said district chief, if they continue to
demand the said official receipt.
Speaking to this reporter Brain and Ayodele Carson confirmed that they are
yet to be issued with a receipt by the chief and that they are often harassed
and threatened following their demand for the said receipt. They noted that,
they came to settle at Sohm because they were convinced when they were in the
United States of America by a resident of Sohm who is based in the United
States of America to come to Sohm. The duo stressed that their bright dreams of
settling at Sohm was dashed due to the current hostile atmosphere they found
themselves in with the said concerned authorities in the said land case.
When he was contacted, Basiru Jarju, Chief of Kombo East noted that the said
plot of land is not sold to the American. He added that the plot land is
given to the Americans gratis by the people of Sohm. Chief Jarju vehemently
said the allegations of harassment and intimidation against the duo is
unfounded. On his part Mr. Lamin Bojang, National Assembly Member for Kombo East
confirmed the said land palaver but noted that he had an audience with the
concerned parties in order to solve the dispute. Mr. Bojang noted his resolve to
solve the said standing dispute. The Governor of the Western Region Abdou F. M
Badjie on his part urged this reporter to contact the said district chief and
further declined to comment.
Timber Dealers Decry Forestry Ban
By Modou Jonga
Barely a month after the coming into effect of the ban on all forestry
activities by the President of the Republic, numerous timber dealers are lamenting
that it is unbearable and detrimental to their survival. The timber dealers
at Brikama expressed their frustration with the ban on timber cutting, in an
interview granted to this reporter.
Abdoulie Tinn, a timber dealer noted that the ban completely halted his
business and that the ban should be lifted because it is unbearable. The ban on
forestry activities, noted Mr. Tinn, is seriously affected his income
generating capacity in taking care of the basic needs of his family. While urging the
government to revise the circumstances of the said ban, Mr. Tinn has
lamented that he has lost over ten thousand dalasis due to the ban and logs of
timber left uncollected in the forest.
Another desperate timber dealer, Landing Nyassi, said he has been in the
timber business for ten years and that he is finding it extremely hard to make
ends meet. We are at a lost to understand the reasons for the ban on forestry
activities”. He stated that the scarcity of saw dust due to the ban has also
affected woman who produced the ‘Soda Soap using materials including saw
dust. He lamented that he has 22 logs of timber left in the forest uncollected.
Sedio Sonko noted that the ban has halted his timber business. “The scale of
the felling and marketing of the red timber has necessitated the ban, “ he
posited. According to Mr. Sonko he had one hundred and fifty dalasis worth of
timber uncollected in the forest and has lost an amount of ten thousand
dalasis due to the recent ban. Another timber dealer, Ousman A. Jammeh, said he is
desperate. Mr. Jammeh urged the relevant authorities to furnish them with
sufficient information as to what gave rise to the forestry ban through the
mass media.
More than thirty timber dealers who spoke to this reporter have lamented
about the adverse economic effects of the benon them due to the said ban. They
reiterated the call on the government to reconsider and lift the ban in due
course.
Brikama Art. Turf to Develop Football
By Modou Jonga
The artificial surface being constructed at the Brikama Box Bar mini stadium
will contribute in the development of football, said Lamin King Colley.
King Colley, chairman of the Western Region Sports Committee was speaking
during a tour of the project by the FIFA consultant Dr. Eric Harrison. Colley
said the project represents a hallmark in the development of football not only
in the Western region but the country as a whole. “The project will enhance
the development of Gambian players”, he added.
Brikama is the beneficiary of the first artificial surface in the country.
The project is being funded by FIFA through the Gambia Football Association
GFA at a reported cost of D10million.
Dr. Harrison the project’s consultant in appraising the state of the project
talked of FIFA’s desire in developing football infrastructures. He also
called on those that will be tasked with the management of the facility when it
is ready to perform their tasks efficiently, and revealed that seminars will
be organised to educate them on how to maintain the facilities.
Also present during the tour were the Director of GFA’s Technical Training
Center, Bakary Terema Dahaba and the project contractor.
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