RE- BRITON JAILED FOR CONTEMPT

Surely a friendly fine would have been less grim?

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> From: [log in to unmask]
> Date: 2007/03/17 lö PM 05:20:03 CET
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> Ämne: Fwd: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue No. 3 2/2007, 16 ? 18 March  2007
> 
> Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
> Issue No.  32/2007, 16 ? 18 March  2007
> 
> Editorial
> 
> MR.  ATTORNEY GENERAL, CAN YOU INVESTIGATE?
> THE PEOPLE OF SANDU ARE  WAITING
> Many people in Sandu have been anxiously waiting for the outcome of  the case 
> of the chief of Sandu who has been taken to Basse Police Station after  
> accused of causing willful damage to the property of one Saikou Jawara. The  
> transport, a car with registration number BJL 62240D is still parked pending the  
> outcome of the envisaged court case. One Foday Sanyang and Mawdo Sisawo were in  
> the transport. Any observer who examines the transport would realise that 
> those  in it could have suffered severe injuries if luck was not on their side. 
> The  victims, as well as members of the Independent Electoral Commission, have  
> already made their statements. Some people have already been saying, ?There 
> is  no justice in the country and nothing will come out of this.?
> Mr. Attorney  General, is there justice in the country? Is it guiding the 
> action of law  enforcement agencies? 
> Do people have to resort to private suits to get  justice or will the state 
> take the bull by the horn and allow just retribution  to accompany willful 
> transgressions.
> Mr. Attorney General, if proper  investigation is not done and appropriate 
> charges preferred, many people in  Sandu will lose faith in the justice system 
> in this country. This is what gives  rise to complaints to international human 
> rights organisations and international  exposures. Some people in the 
> Executive would then accuse those who expose such  wrongs as being unpatriotic. The 
> time to act is now. Failure to act will give  strength to impunity. Nobody has a 
> right to take the law into one?s hand. None  other than the members of the 
> judiciary have powers to judge. This is why we are  urging for the due process 
> of law to be adhered to in this case. Otherwise the  victims should seek 
> redress through civil suit to combat impunity.
> Foroyaa  will keep the people of Sandu, in particular, and all those who are 
> opposed to  impunity informed of developments.
> 
> MARKET VENDORS TO BE  EVICTED
> By Modou Jonga
> According to sources close to the Brikama Area  Council, some market vendors 
> behind the GPTC depot will soon be evicted and  relocated. The area currently 
> occupied by the vendors is to be developed into a  cold store for the vendors.
> The proposed store is a project conceived by the  Department of State for 
> Fisheries and is to be constructed by a Taiwanese  Company and it will be managed 
> by the Brikama Area Council.
> Many of the  vendors, businessmen and women who spoke to this reporter have 
> confirmed that  they were informed of the plan to evict them, but they lamented 
> that this will  have a negative effect on their businesses.
> When contacted, the Public  Relation Officer, PRO, of the Brikama Area 
> Council, Mr. Serigne Modou Joof,  confirmed that the vendors will be relocated. Mr. 
> Joof clarified that the said  land is not sold to any company, but it is a 
> project to improve the Brikama  Market.
> Mr. Joof said Brikama Area Council does not have the capacity to  single 
> handedly develop the Brikama Market. He said that if a portion of land in  the 
> market is needed by the BAC, vendors will be evicted to pave way for  meaningful 
> projects.
> The BAC Public Relation Officer said that the relocation  will be coordinated 
> by the Council. PRO Joof has said that the vendors will not  be compensated. 
> 
> ADJOURNMENT DEBATE
> If You Cannot Maintain  A College Campus, How Will You Maintain A University 
> Campus? Asks Sidia  Jatta
> 
> The President of the Republic, speaking in Kanilai indicated  that in the 
> next five years Gambia will witness a development that will surprise  everyone. 
> At the National Assembly MPs gathered that a new assembly complex will  be 
> built. However, at the Gambia College where those who are to help develop our  
> human resources, students, are waiting for their fate. 
> During the  adjournment debate, Sidia Jatta told the august body that the 
> plight of the  students at the Gambia College warrants consideration. He informed 
> the house  that campus life at Gambia college has always contributed to the 
> development of  many prominent Gambians; that campus life is vital for an 
> educational  institution of that standard. He informed the National Assembly that 
> government  has intention to put an end to campus life at the Gambia College 
> and push the  students to rent in Brikama. He questioned the rationale. He 
> mentioned that if  the government cannot maintain campus life at Gambia College, 
> the oldest  tertiary institution, how can it convince anyone that it can 
> maintain a  university campus?
> Editor?s Note
> This is the challenge of the Secretary of  state for tertiary education and 
> the new National Assembly committee on  Education.
> They should conduct a joint investigation of Sidia?s allegations  and issue a 
> public notice on what efforts they are making to ameliorate the  situation. 
> If they fail to provide a conducive environment for students who are  going to 
> be our teachers, then no one can take their promises of making Gambia  an 
> economic superpower seriously. No country can become an economic superpower  
> without human resource development.
> Nobody can develop human resources  without providing conducive learning 
> environment.
> Needless to say, the key  factor in learning is to have motivated and well 
> trained teachers. Eyes are now  on the executive and the assembly. 
> Foroyaa will tell what the developments  are.
> 
> DETECTIVE RE-APPEARS IN VOIR DIRE
> By Bubacarr K.  Sowe
> Lamin Cham, a police detective, attached to the major crime unit of the  
> Gambia Police Force, on Wednesday re-appeared at the High Court for cross  
> examination in the voir dire of Tamsir Jasseh, Omar Faal Keita and Demba  Dem.
> During cross examination with defence Counsel Lamin Jobarteh, Cham said  that 
> no statement was taken from the 7th   and 8th accused persons  (Omar Faal 
> Keita and Demba Dem) at the Banjul Police Station in connection to  the March 
> 2006 foiled coup plot. Cham also told the court that the police  officers 
> obtained voluntary statements from the 7th and 8th accused persons at  the State 
> Central Prison in Mile II when the major crime unit was moved there.  He stated 
> that nowhere in the statement is it indicated that they were obtained  at the 
> police headquarters in Banjul.
> Cham denied knowing the movements of  the accused persons, saying that he 
> only investigated into the matter. The  detective added that he only met the 
> suspects at the Major Crime unit allocated  to them at Mile II. He also said that 
> the 7th and 8th accused persons were  brought before the panel of 
> investigators. Cham insisted that he is a very  truthful witness to the court and that he 
> has said all what he knows in court.  The trial continues next week.
> 
> BRITON JAILED FOR CONTEMPT
> By  Fabakary B. Ceesay and Bubacarr K. Sowe
> Magistrate Pa Harry Jammeh of the  Kanifing Magistrate Court on Tuesday 13th 
> March 2007, sentenced a Briton   to one month in jail with hard labour for 
> contempt of court.
> Micheal  Rossel Vante, was sentenced for lack of morals and respect for the 
> court and  towards the bench. Mr. Vante is standing trial for defrauding one 
> Baboucarr  Dicko. He has pleaded guilty. He has so far spent 4 months in jail. 
> When he  appeared in court on the aforesaid  mentioned date, Magistrate Jammeh  
> informed him that the complainant has informed the court that he intends to  
> withdraw the case. He also informed him that he wants to set him free.  
> Magistrate Jammeh said, ?I think your 4 months in Mile Two will make your  
> ears open, desist from defrauding people by telling them that you will take them 
>  to Europe when you don?t work for the Visa industry, and I learned that you 
> are  also involved in a similar case in Bundung, try and stay away from 
> trouble.?  Mike said, ?I doubt the evidence against me in this case because there 
> was no  witness to say that I defrauded  people. I don?t ask people to give me  
> money to take them to Europe, but everybody keeps on asking me to take them 
> to  Europe, even these people,? pointing his finger at the lawyers. At this 
> stage,  lawyer Badou Conteh stood up and addressed the court, saying, ?My lord, 
> we have  all studied in England, including yourself, we all know how to behave 
> in court.  We all know how accused persons behave in court in England. This 
> man cannot come  here and disrespect our court, I think you have to teach him a 
> lesson.? In  delivering his ruling, Magistrate Jammeh told Mr. Rossel that as 
> far as he has  no respect for the court, he will send him to Mile Two with 
> hard labour for him  to learn the repercusions for the lack of respect. Jammeh 
> added, ?In view of the  circumstances that surrounds this case and more so your 
> behaviour towards the  bench, I?m sending you to a mandatory jail term of one 
> month with hard  labour.? 
> 
> GLOBAL ENERGY ENGINEER ARRAIGNED IN COURT
> By  Modou Jonga
> Miko Berben, a 46 year old Dutch Engineer at the Global Energy  Company Ltd, 
> was arraigned before the Brikama Magistrate Court.
> The Dutch  Engineer is charged with stealing contrary to section 252 of the 
> Criminal code.  The accused is alleged to have stolen three generators sometime 
> last year at  Kanilai and Bugine villages, respectively. in the Western 
> Region. The three  generators which are valued at D1,665,000.00 are said to be the 
> property of the  Kanilai Farm Ltd.
> The accused who pleaded not guilty to the preferred charge  was granted bail 
> on 7th February, 2007 in the sum of two million dalasi  (D2,000,000).
> On Wednesday 14th March, the prosecutors, namely ASP Jammeh,  CSP Dibba and 
> 629 Saine, applied for an adjournment to enable them advise  themselves on the 
> case. The application was granted by Magistrate E.F M?bai. The  case is 
> adjourned to Wednesday 28th March for  continuation.
> 
> ?PROSECUTE ACCORDINGLY? MAGISTRATE URGED  PROSECUTORS
> By Modou Jonga
> Magistrate Edrissa Fafa M?bai of the Brikama  Magistrate Court has urged 
> prosecutors to be extra committed to proving their  cases beyond reasonable doubt.
> Magistrate M?bai made these remarks on  Wednesday 14th March, 2007, following 
> the adjournment of an alleged false  information trial involving one Momodou 
> Alieu Jallow and the state. The said  case was adjourned due to the absence of 
> the prosecutor, who was said to be on  an official AU peace keeping mission 
> examination.
> It is easy to arraigned  accused persons in court but it is difficult to 
> prosecute them, Magistrate M?bai  remarked Magistrate M?bai thus urged 
> prosecutors not to prosecute accused  persons who are under police investigation pending 
> the completion of  investigation, as this could mar and subsequently delay 
> court  proceedings.
> According to Magistrate M?bai, an accused is innocent in the eye  of the law 
> before proven guilty. Magistrate M?bai further stressed that  mentioning fresh 
> cases and not proceeding with cases to the ultimate point of  prosecuting 
> only leads to subsequent adjournments.
> The said Magistrate M?bai  has earlier on expressed his views to prosecutors 
> in his court who, at   times, fail to proceed with cases and prove them beyond 
> reasonable doubts. He  further decried the re-arresting of discharged accused 
> persons by the police.  This, he said is as a result of the prosecutor?s 
> dissatisfaction of the said  discharge.
> 
> AZIZ TAMBA AND CO TRIAL POLICE OFFICER TESTIFIES
> By  Fabakary B. Ceesay & Bubacarr K. Sowe
> Corporal Amadou Camara, a police  officer attached to the serious crime unit 
> at the police headquarters in Banjul,  has testified in the ongoing criminal 
> trial of the former APRC deputy mobiliser  and two others at the Kanifing 
> Magistrate Court.
> Officer Camara told the  court that he met one of the accused persons, Famara 
> Colley and had a dialogue  with him and later cautioned him. He said that he 
> also obtained a voluntary  statement from him, but the cautionary statement 
> was made in the English  Language and that the accused person has put his 
> signature in the statement. The  cautionary statement was tendered and marked as 
> exhibit (D). Mr. Camara said  that he asked Mr. Colley to say all that he knew 
> about the whole thing. He said  that Colley told him that he was brought to the 
> company through the help of Aziz  Tamba and Mustapha Bojang without any 
> appointment letter. He added that Colley  told him that he was given the 
> responsibility of the Kanifing Warehouse.  Corporal Camara said that Famara told him that 
> at the time of his appointment to  the Kanifing Warehouse, there was a 
> consignment of rice taken to that warehouse,  adding that some trucks were loaded 
> with rice for other outlets. He said that  Famara told him that he does not know 
> whether those rice trucks reached the said  outlets, because he did not 
> escort the trucks. Corporal Camara indicated that  Colley told him that the monies 
> received from the rice proceeds are kept in his  office or normally at the 
> bank. Camara said that Colley told him that Aziz Tamba  normally comes to him and 
> ask for money claiming that it was the request of the  president. He said 
> that Famara told him that when he (Famara) requested for a  written document from 
> Aziz to back his claims, Aziz would say, ?am in a haste  until I come back.? 
> Corporal Camara said that Famara Colley also told him that  sometimes Aziz 
> used to bring a written document but not always. Camara concluded  that Famara 
> told him that he (Famara) was not aware of any missing monies at the  company.
> During cross examination by the accused persons Mr. Famara Colley  put it to 
> the witness that he told the witness that anytime Aziz Tamba and  Mustapha 
> Bojang co me to request for money, he ask them to sign but that they  sometimes 
> signed and sometimes they do not. The witness replied that it was true  that 
> Colley told him that he used to ask Aziz and Mustapha to sign to indicate  that 
> they have received the money. Mustapha Bojang also put it to him that he  
> (Camara) was not the one who recorded his statements, Camara replied in the  
> positive. For Aziz, he told the witness since he was not the officer who  recorded 
> his statement; he has no questions for him.
> Famara Colley, Mustapha  Bojang and Aziz Tamba are standing trial for 
> allegedly stealing 19,589, 779, 34  dalasis being employees of Kanilai Family Farm 
> between 2005 and 2006. They all  pleaded not guilty. The presiding Magistrate is 
> Pa Harry Jammeh of the Kanifing  Magistrate Court. The case has been assigned 
> to a new prosecutor OC Ebrima  Dibba, the then prosecutor was 1748 Momodou 
> Kinteh. Hearing continues.  
> 
> UN FORUM ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN
> Amie Sillah Reporting
> The  51th Commission on The State of Women and Girls was held in New york 
> from  February 26th to March 9th 2007. This year?s theme is ?The Elimination of 
> all  forms of Discrimination and Violence Against the Girl Child.? 
> The Commission  on The Status of Women was established in 1946 by the United 
> Nations Economic  and Social Council (ECOSOC) Resolution II (2) with the 
> objective of promoting  the principle that men and women shall have equal rights. 
> The Commission  recommends and reports to ECOSOC on the promotion of women?s 
> rights in the  political, economic, civil, social and educational fields and 
> also addresses  problems affecting women that require immediate attention.
> The Expert Group  Meeting addressed four issues related to the Girl Child: 
> (a) protection of  girls; (b) girls in especially vulnerable situations, (c) 
> empowerment of girls;  (d) and institutional arrangements to accelerate the 
> elimination of  discrimination and violence against the girl child. The 
> recommendations  include:
> (a)        Empowering girls to  realize their human rights; 
> (b)         Creation of safe and supportive girl friendly spaces and  
> environments;
> (c)        Building girls?  social assets;
> (d)        Provision of  education, information and skills building for  
> girls;
> (e)        Empowerment of female  teachers to serve as role models and  
> mentors;
> (f)         Provision of  Alternative education for those living in difficult 
>  circumstances;
> (g)        Engaging men and  boys as allies in questioning traditional and 
> discriminatory gender  socialization.
> The overarching conclusion: To adopt an integrated and rights  based approach 
> for the elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence  against the 
> girl child, including ratification of international  instruments.
> Also to increase support and funding to gender responsive  research to 
> identify groups of girls at high risk of discrimination and  violence, using a 
> life-cycle approach. This years International Women?s Day  Focus on Ending Impunity 
> For Violence against Women and Girls. The Gambian  delegation comprised of 6 
> participants, 2 represented African Centre for  Democracy and Human Rights 
> Studies in the persons of Mrs. Mrs. Amie Sillah Sarr  and Mrs. Yvette Phillot; 
> Action Aid The Gambia represented by Mrs. Haddijatou  Jallow Baldeh and Mrs. 
> Agnes Kalleh Campbell; The Gambia Government was  represented by Mrs. Yamundow 
> Jagne Jobe and Ms Maria Dacosta. 
> Four of the  participants were sponsored by Action Aid, The Gambia. A 
> participant was  sponsored by UNDP and another by ACDHRS.
> 
> FOCUS ON POLITICS
> WERE  THE PEOPLE?S EXPECTATIONS MET?
> With Suwaibou Touray
> We have been narrating  the political history of the first Republic. We have 
> stopped where Mr. D.K.  Jawara got rid of many chiefs who refused to support 
> them in the 1959 to 1962  elections. Let us pick up from where we stopped. The 
> year 1973 had been a  difficult one Sir Dawda had a medical operation in 
> London which was shrouded in  secrecy, but when he returned to the Gambia on 23rd 
> June 1973, he received a  tumultuous welcome from the people.
> Many opposition politicians competed as  to who would join the P.P.P first, 
> until there was hardly any thing left of the  United Party (U.P.) There was an 
> out-cry from the general public, who then gave  support to the U.P. People in 
> Banjul condemned them from left and right.
> For  example, in 1973, a Mr. Sename who was a popular figure in the U.P.  and 
>  represented Banjul Central, won his seat in 1966, and was returned but   
> according to the ?Progressive? Newspaper, at the time, this M.P had what the  
> paper described as the largest rostrum in the land available to him; that as a  
> back bencher in the opposition, this enhanced his position as agitator for  
> public good all the more. But  according to the ?Progressive? 1o and behold  
> his dynamism, if not this genuine interest in the public cause, seemed to have  
> deserted him.? What was worse, the paper said, ?was his stand on public 
> issues  became lukewarm, if not down right hypocritical, and the U.P had been 
> utterly  disappointed with him,? The paper stated.
> So as you can see, at the time,  some people felt that Sename had betrayed 
> the UP when the life of parliament of  which he was a member ended only to 
> joined the P.P.P. On the other hand ?others  were convinced that his switch to the 
> PPP was a  manifestation of sheer  opportunism and not something that sprang 
> from a genuine motive,? said the  progressive. The people refused to return him 
> in the following election which he  lost to Mr. J.R Forster. Since then, 
> Gambians became disgusted with  cross-carpeters and branded  them all as selfish 
> and opportunistic, but  Foday Minteh and a few others like Gibou Jagne 
> struggled in the U.P.
> Because  of the vacuum created by the inactivity of the U.P. as the majority 
> opposition  party in the Gambia, a number of independent candidates sprang 
> into the 1972  elections and made surprises. All of them put together polled over 
> 21,000 votes  but the independents who had no close connection later 
> complained bitterly of  the lack of fairness and freeness of the elections. They 
> alleged that the  elections were rigged in the sense that campaign period was too 
> short; that  Government monopolized the media; that voters cards were 
> suppressed and or  bought; that chiefs and civil servants played a decisive role; that 
> storage and  transportation of ballot boxes were unsatisfactory; that 
> intimidation was rife;  that registers were unsatisfactory and so on and so forth. Mr. 
> M. E Jallow was  part of these independent candidates who were not linked to 
> any party at the  time. Many however anticipated that the independents might 
> come together to  register a formidable political movement. Many  also thought 
> that since Mr.  Dibba was expelled but later joined the PPP when he was 
> Minister of Finance, and  a Yusupha Samba and Lamin Mboge were all expelled but went 
> back to the party, it  was also possible for the independents to either join 
> or form their own party.  Many however went to the PPP but Mr. M.E Jallow 
> instead continued with his union  activities. 
> Even though Mr. P.S. Njie maintained his seat, he at one stage  refused to 
> attend sittings of the Parliament and the PPP majority decided to  amend section 
> 66 (1) (g) of the constitution against absenteeism,? that if he is  absent 
> from two consecutive meetings of the house without having obtained before  the 
> terminations of either meeting, from the speaker, permission to be or to  
> remain absent there from, and any person vacating his seat under the provisions  of 
> this paragraph shall not be qualified to be nominated for election to the  
> house of representatives or appointed as a voting member or a nominated member  
> during the period commencing with his vacating his seat and ending with the  
> first dissolution of parliament thereafter.
> Mr. P.S Njie who appeared not to  have noticed what was going on later 
> explained to the people when he was  confronted by them. He said his reason for 
> being absent from the house was  because of the fact that he could do very little 
> as a lonely voice because as he  complained. Whatever he had done in the past, 
> in or outside of parliament was  blocked without members giving due 
> consideration to the merits. He then called  on Gambians to support the U. P. and move 
> the country as everybody wants it  irrespective of ethnic origins. His exit 
> however effectively wiped the U.P of  the political scene. The prediction of 
> public opinion however was that it would  take some serious hard work before the 
> PPP organisation could be beaten.
> By  1973, life was not all well with the ordinary Gambian. The Gambia workers?
>  union  continued their militancy by continuing their strikes for better pay. 
> For  example there was a strike meant for the pay increase of night watchmen 
> and  another one for the dock workers. The price of rice, Gambia?s staple food 
> was  going up not steadily but drastically. It was increased from D30.75 
> (Thirty  dalasis seventy five bututs) to D43.05 (Forty three dalasis five bututs). 
> This  was a time when the average house-hold earner earned D75 a month. Sugar 
> too was  increased from D25 to D45. Many Newspapers wrote stories of people 
> sleeping on  the floors of the then Royal Victoria Hospital.
> Because of these and many  things people applauded the mechanism of the price 
> control unit and its work.  Farmers also complained about the price of 
> groundnuts which was D230. 40 per ton  for decorticated nuts. The Cooperative Union 
> and the Gambia Produce Marketing  Board (GPMB) were doing well, but then the 
> re-evaluation of the dalasi in terms  of Pound Sterling and the high price of 
> rice had to be tackled.
> At this  stage, Mr. Lamin Saho and Dr. Momodou S.K. Manneh arrived newly as 
> graduates and  were seen to be very critical of the P.P.P. administration. They 
> used what the  ?Progressive Newspaper? called bombastic of the queen?s 
> language. Many young  people followed them to hear what they had to say. It did not 
> take long for them  to be absorbed into the P.P.P.?s magnet. 
> THE BUTUT SCANDAL
> Within this  period or shortly before this period, a brother of Mr. S. M. 
> Dibba, one Kutubo  Dibba, was said to have been caught with a lot of Gambian 
> Butut coins with S.  M?s Public vehicle in Senegal. The coins were said to have 
> been used for  earrings etc. which the scandal said was being sold in Senegal. 
> The pressure of  public opinion was so intense that it could not be ignored; 
> Mr. Dibba had to  resign which he did. Nothing clear was explained to the 
> people, but it  eventually cost Mr. Dibba his cabinet post. He was later reinstated 
> as  ambassador Extraordinary and plenipotentiary with special responsibilities 
> on  the European Economic Community. But his reinstatement to such a high 
> position  of international importance beat the imagination of many an intellect 
> not to  talk of critics.
> What was the motive? Was Jawara afraid of losing Dibba? Many  critics 
> afterwards considered him weak and inconsistent. Before July 1974,  rumours were 
> already rife that Jawara was going to reshuffle his cabinet and on  Wednesday 10th 
> July 1974, the President reshuffled his cabinet, as  follows:
> 1.         Hon. A.D Camara,  Vice President and Minister for Local 
> Government, Land and  Mines.
> 2.         Alh the Hon. Yahya  Ceesay, Minister of Agriculture and Natural  
> Resources
> 3.         Alh the Hon.  Kalilu Singhateh, Minister of Health, Labour and 
> Social  Welfare.
> 4.         Alh the Hon. A.  B. Njie, Minister of External  Affairs.
> 5.         Alh the Hon. I.M.  Garba-Jahumpa, Minister of  Finance.
> 6.         Alh the Hon. M.L  Saho, Attorney General.
> 7.          Alh the Hon. Sir A.S. Jack, Minister of Works and  Communications.
> 8.         Alh Hon.  M.C Cham, Minister of Education Youth and  Sports.
> 9.         Hon. B.L. K  Sagnia, Minister of Information, Broadcasting and  
> Tourism.
> 10.       Hon. S. M Dibba, Minister of  Economic Planning and Development.
> 11.        Hon. K. N. Leigh, Minister of State at the President?s Office.
> See next issue  for more on the emergence of the NCP.
> 
> US CONSULAR CHRIS ZIMMER  SPEAKS TO THE PRESS
> By Sarjo Camara-Singhateh & Amie Sanneh
> The  Consular at the United States Embassy, Mr. Chris Zimmer, held a media 
> tour of  the Gambian Press on the 14th of March 2007. Mr. Chris Zimmer said the 
> reason  for this tour is to inform the public that visa application has now 
> been  switched to online electronic application which applicants can use to 
> apply by  visiting the Embassy?s website on www. Usembassybanjul.gm.
> He stated that the  following are required: passport valid for at least 6 
> months after arrival in  the US; completed application form D5-156 and form 
> D5-157; one passport size  photograph, size 5*5cm, full face with a light 
> background preferably (white); a  receipt for the non-refundable visa application fee 
> of US$100 paid in Gambian  Dalasis at Standard Chartered Bank.
> He said the additional requirements for  suggested documents are listed by 
> visa type on the reverse side. ?The suggested  documents are often useful to 
> show that applicants have strong ties to The  Gambia that would compel them to 
> return home after a temporary stay in the US,?  he said. He said other documents 
> required by visa type that non-Gambians must  present are Gambian residency 
> documents at the time of interview. Those  applicants must bring expired 
> passport for review.
> He said in most cases, the  consular office can make a decision on 
> eligibility for a non-immigrant visa at  the time of interview in a few cases, however, 
> applicants might be requested to  return with additional document before a 
> final decision can be made. 
> He said  once the Consular Office reaches a final decision, one of the 
> following would be  communicated to the applicant:
> (a)         You qualify for a visa and are asked to return the next day to 
> collect your  passport and visa.
> (b)        You do not  qualify and you receive a letter that explains the 
> reason for your ineligibility  for a visa and your passport is returned; you may 
> always reapply for a visa at a  later date.
> Mr. Zimmer said that in 2005-2006 about 6036 applications applied  for a US 
> visa but only 2737 succeeded. He said about 33 people were caught using  faked 
> identities in the past year. He said the most popular destination for visa  
> applicants are New York, Maryland, Seattle, Atlanta, Detroit and. He said the  
> records they have on students are as follows: in 2002, 1056 visa issued; 667  
> students lost or abandoned their students status; 349 students still in school? 
>  55 students completed a course of study and only 6 students who they verify  
> returned to The Gambia.
> The Consular spoke on numerous fraud cases which he  said, he is working 
> closely with the immigration and the police to halt. He  further stated that some 
> women do obtain visa on other grounds while in the real  fact they just go to 
> deliver their children in the US which is not acceptable.  He said other 
> frauds include marriage fraud, inappropriate business activities,  concealing 
> American children or family members, to name a few.
> Mr. Zimmer  urged Gambian parents with American children to educate their 
> children. He said  many a time a child of 17 years does thump print their 
> forms/passports without  the ability to sign, which he said is very ridiculous. In 
> response to the  question from the press the consular said, his office is here 
> to facilitate easy  travelling of American citizens, and for Gambians who have 
> good reason to travel  or to go and read skills that cannot be easily found in 
> The Gambia.
> He urged  Gambians with US Citizenship to register them to the Embassy. He 
> said his office  gives two types of passport to US Citizens that is the 
> Emergency passport and  the National passport. He said the Emergency passport is for 
> Repatriation Child  Abduction, Warden Messages, arrests, deaths and evacuation.
> The consular  further stated that the non-refundable fees are used to 
> facilitate all the  expenses of the Consular Department and its programmes. The Visa 
> Assistant, Ms.  Mary Rose Gomez, did a demonstration on how to fill the visa 
> application on  line, to the press.  
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 

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