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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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