Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue   No. 120/2007, 12 - 14 October, 2007   
Editorial
Rulers and  Leaders
The Sovereignty of the People in Question
Sovereignty of the  people simply means that authority to govern is derived 
from the political will  of the people and exercised to promote their liberty 
and prosperity. Where the  sovereignty of the people is absent representatives 
are transformed into rulers  who expect the led to behave like subjects and 
regard all exposure of wrong  doings as subversion of authority. Such rulers 
react to any expression of  dissent by enlarging the jackboot of oppression and 
stand on the neck of the led  until they yield to total submission to their 
rule. In this way they spread the  yoke of tyranny and alienate themselves from 
all those who love freedom and  justice or are yearning for the protection of a 
free and just society.  Ultimately such rulers deprive themselves of popular 
will and are discarded into  the dustbin of history.  
On the other hand, where the Sovereignty of  the people reign supreme 
representatives become leaders who react to all  exposures of wrong doings by 
engaging in self reflection and contemplation to  provide  redress to grievances.  In 
this way they nurture popular  expression of grievances and enlarge freedom 
and democracy. Such leaders become  the humble servants of the people and 
because of such service are seen as guides  in the struggle of the people to carve 
a destiny of liberty and prosperity. They  therefore enjoy love of most and 
respect from even those who are opposed to  them. 
The Gambia needs leaders and not rulers after 37 years of Republican  
existence.  All those who love truth and justice especially those among the  elders 
who will visit the president on the day of the coming feast in the Gambia  
should ask him to release all prisoners of Conscience who are simply detained  
without charge and trial before an independent and impartial tribunal. They  
should ask him to set up a complaints unit at the Attorney General’s Chambers to  
receive all grievances regarding human rights violation and injustice for  
investigation and redress. The recommendations of such a department should be  
honoured without any regard to political expediency.
In our view the case  dealing with the Amnesty Internatioanal staff, chief 
Manneh and other  Journalists, who are the victims of delayed justice like Fatou 
Jaw Manneh   should be swiftly handled in a judicious manner and concluded: 
Only a weak and  immoral government will defy just criticisms and 
recommendations just to give  the impression that it is not bowing to pressure. A 
government of the people  takes pride in bowing down to enlightened public opinion, be 
it national or  international.
The Gambia has existed as a Sovereign Republic for 37 years.  Foroyaa has 
existed as a Newspaper with the primary motive of defending the  sovereignty of 
the people for 20 years. As we give solidarity to victims of  injustice we must 
equally call on all Gambians to make 2008 the year of  consolidation of the 
Sovereignty of the people.
Foroyaa is older than the  APRC administration. We survived the first 
Republic, the coup and the Second  Republic. We have exposed all the inadequacies of 
the First and Second Republics  and are convinced that they can never be 
addressed until we redouble our efforts  to raise the awareness of the people and 
consolidate the democratic culture of  the sovereignty of the people. Foroyaa 
in collaboration with the People’s Centre  for Social Science Research, Civic 
Awareness and Community Initiative shall  intensify this civic education in the 
coming year. We are not interested in  amassing wealth from the paper. We 
will, plough back every butut we earn from  the paper to enlighten the Gambian 
people. We will help consolidate the culture  of the sovereignty of the people 
through songs, drama, poetry, arts and  literature.   The People’s Centre will 
establish a Pan African  Library  and a high grade research centre to produce 
learning materials for  those literate in the official language, the local 
languages and those of the  African Union. 
To make the Gambian people to be among the most enlightened  people on earth 
has been Foroyaa’s  strategic objective. We therefore call  on the Gambian 
people in particular, at home and abroad, and just humanity at  large, especially 
the youth who have more to gain and more to lose, to join us  in this urgent 
indispensable and noble task of human civilization; the task of  enlightening 
the people so that Sovereignty or power would truly reside in them  and thus 
create an impregnable fortress for democracy, liberty, dignity and  prosperity 
on our soil. The future  is bright for those who are ready to  shape it by 
having a vision and mission to facilitate and consolidate the  sovereignty of the 
people as the cornerstone of an open, free and  democratic  society.

Lawyer McCarthy Nearly Sent To Jail
By  Fabakary B. Ceesay
Principal Magistrate Moses Richards of the Kanifing  Magistrates Court, on 
Thursday 11 October, nearly sent senior legal  practitioner, Mr. Tubalo McCarthy 
to mile prison for contempt of court.  
Lawyer McCarthy was representing a defendant before Magistrate Richards. The  
complainant wanted to withdraw the case from the court, but the defendant has 
to  sign a certain document for the withdrawal to be effected. Magistrate 
Richards  asked the parties, including Lawyer McCarthy to discuss the matter in 
order for  them to strike an agreement. Mr. McCarthy insisted that his client 
would not  sign the document and that he intends to proceed with their defence. 
Magistrate  Richards adviced him to do something to free his client from 
custody since he  was granted bail by the court but could not meet the conditions 
of the bail.  There was a push and pull between Magistrate Richards and Lawyer 
McCarthy. Mr.  McCarthy was cautioned to behave himself or else he would be 
sent to jail for  contempt of court, but he responded that he would not heed 
the advice and that  he does not mind to be sent to prison with his client. He 
was shouted at the top  of his voice and Richards ordered for his arrest. He 
was arrested and detained  in the company of the accused persons in court, but 
Mrs Merley Wood and Njammeh  Jallow, the two state counsels, together with 
Lawyer sissoho and other police  prosecutors intervened and pleaded with the 
Magistrate not to send him to jail.  Magistrate Richards insisted that he would not 
tolerate Mr. McCarthy coming to  court drunk and disrupt the court sitting. “
Why should he appear before me when  he is drunk? I will not allow it in my 
court,” said Magistrate Richards.  Magistrate Richards rose and entered his 
chamber followed by the two state  counsels and Sissoho. They returned after a 
while and asked Mr. McCarthy to go  home. Mr. McCarthy is a South African Lawyer 
who has been practicing law in The  Gambia since 1981.

SOS For Trade Clarifies
By Bubacarr K.  Sowe
Abdou Kolley, the Secretary of State for Trade, Industry and Employment  has 
promised that there will be no restrictions to anyone who wants to venture  
into the 2007/2008-groundnut trade season.
Speaking to Foroyaa on Monday, Mr.  Kolley said the “groundnut sector is 
liberal like any other “product.” He said  groundnut has ever been liberalized. 
He said the sector  sometimes have one  or two operators and the people tend to 
have the impression that it is  limited.
“The groundnut sector is liberal. Any investor, who wants to come  in, can 
come. Be it in production, processing, buying and selling. There is no  
restriction,” the Secretary of State said. He added that as far as the groundnut  
trade is concerned, the Department of State for Trade would collaborate with the  
Department of State for Agriculture and the Department of State for Finance to 
 create an enabling environment for the operators.
On the issue of buying nuts  on credit basis by operators in the past years, 
Mr. Colley said there has been  government intervention through frameworks and 
this year too he is hoping that  the same thing would happen. “But I can sit 
here today and say to the farmers  there is going to be no credit buying. As I 
speak now I do not know what is  going to be put in place, it has not been 
finalized yet.” 
He said there is  criteria put in place for operators to make sure that 
farmers are paid on the  spot of buying and any operators who do not satisfy those 
criteria will not be  eligible to participate in the trade season. 
On the sale of other products  such as cotton, sesame and cashew nuts, the 
Secretary of State assured the  general pubic that there are no barriers against 
possible investors.  

A I Demands Unconditional Release of Staff
Amnesty  International today called for the immediate and unconditional 
release of its  two delegates and a local journalist who was detained with them in 
the  Gambia.
No charges have been brought against the Amnesty International  delegates or 
the local journalist.
The organization confirmed that while  Tania Bernath, Ayodele Ameen and 
journalist Yaya Dampha were conditionally  released yesterday evening, they are 
still not free to leave the Gambia.
“Our  delegates were on a public and official visit to investigate the human 
rights  situation in the Gambia, and the Gambian authorities had been informed 
of their  visit,” said Erwin van der Borght, Director of Amnesty International
’s Africa  Programme.
“It is completely unacceptable for any government to attempt to  impede the 
work of human rights workers and we are dismayed that our colleagues  and the 
local journalist have not yet been unconditionally released. We are  taking 
this up with the Gambian authorities at a senior level.”
The Amnesty  International delegates were in the Gambia looking into various 
long-standing  concerns the organization has about the human rights situation 
in the country,  including conditions of detention, arbitrary arrests and 
detentions without  charge.

Journalists And Scientists To Launch Malaria Research  Network
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
“The African Media and Malaria Research  Network (AMMREN), will soon be 
launched in The Gambia,” said Pa Modou Faal,  Country Coordinator of The Gambia 
Chapter.
“Plans are at an advanced stage to  launch it this month,” Mr. Faal told 
Foroyaa on Monday. He said that structures  are already in place and 
organisations such as the Medical Research Council  (MRC), The Centre for Innovation 
Against Malaria (CIAM), The National Malaria  Control Programme (NMCP) and the 
Media are among the partners.
“Our coming  together will reduce the Malaria toll on the public through 
vigorous campaign  and close collaboration with scientists and experts working in 
the area of  malaria,” Mr. Faal stated.
The AMMREN Country Coordinator went on to say that  their programmes will 
include the training of journalists on how to give  adequate attention to topics 
related to malaria. The network will be publishing  a quarterly magazine as 
well.
This body came as a result of a workshop on  malaria reporting for African 
journalists in November 2006 in Ghana.
It was  subsequently launched in Mombassa, Kenya on April this year at a 
follow up  workshop. According to Mr. Faal it was recommended at the Mombassa 
meeting that  the nine member countries (The Gambia, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, 
Gabon, Kenya,  Senegal and Nigeria) have AMMREN chapters.  

Army Warns  Civilians And Sister Forces
By Fabakary B. Ceesay
The Army  Spokesman, Lieutenant Alagie Sanneh, has warned the general public 
and other  security personnel in the country to desist from wearing military 
outfit. He  said camouflage uniform is for soldiers only and not other security 
officers,  much less civilians.
Lieutenant Sanneh said it had come to the notice of the  Army that civilians 
and personnel from other sister forces wear military  uniforms. He said some 
soldiers who are dismissed from the Army are also of the  habit of putting on 
military clothes so as to deceive the society that they are  still in the army. 
PRO Sanneh revealed that they do receive complaints from the  public that 
people dressed in military clothes have committed unlawful acts. He  explained 
that when such incidents are reported, they do conduct investigations  and often 
discover that the culprits are not soldiers, but impersonators.  “Nobody is 
allowed to put on military gears such as Caps, T-shirts and trousers.  The 
Armed Forces Spokesman said that the military police  are responsible  for 
confiscating military clothes from anyone who is not a soldier, but was  quick to add 
that while executing such a task they should not act in any  arrogant manner 
but rather with respect and discipline. He said they have piles  of military 
clothes that were confiscated from the ports before they entered our  markets. 
PRO Sanneh was informed of an allegation that a military police in  uniform 
entered a shop at the Serekunda market the previous week and seized five  sets 
of children’s camouflage clothes. In response, he said children’s clothes  
are not included because they cannot be used for the purpose of impersonation.  
PRO Sanneh warned soldiers to desist from such acts and promised to mount an  
investigation into the allegation and that if it turns out to be true, the  
clothes would be returned to the owner. He emphasized the need for a cordial  
civil - military relationship in order to facilitate their work. He said  
civilians and security personnel should not see each other as  enemies. 

Mental Health Day Commemorated
By Sarjo Camara  Singhateh 
October 10, every year, the world over, World Mental Health  Day is 
commemorated and this year’s  theme  is “Mental Health in a  changing world: The 
impact of culture and Diversity”. 
According to the  statements read by the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) 
Representative to the  Gambia, Dr. Nestor Shivute and the Secretary of State for 
Health and Social  Welfare, Dr. Tamsir Mbowe on the day, it is indicated that 
this year’s theme  further reiterates that fact that but with emphasis on 
bringing the world’s  attention to trans-cultural mental health services and 
treatment. The WHO  Representative said that World Mental Health Day is an annual 
campaign and a  golden opportunity for all of us, irrespective of who we are, 
where we are and  what we do, to reflect on the plight of the mentally ill, 
and to take the  necessary action for the promotion of the mental well-being of 
our  communities.
Dr. Shivute said the day is not only dedicated to awareness  raising on 
mental issues, but it is about taking the right decisions, putting  the right 
policies in place and taking the appropriate actions at all levels for  the 
prevention and control of mental and neurological disorders. Dr. Shivute  said The 
Gambia is in the forefront in mobilizing the much needed policy support  for the 
promotion of mental health in the country. “The development of a mental  
health policy and a strategic plan is a clear testimony of the Department of  
State for Health’s resolve to improve the mental well-being of the Gambian  
community”,  he said.
The WHO  Representative said what is now left  it to raise the necessary 
resources for the realization of the goals and ideals  contained in these policy 
document. He stated that it will be recalled that last  year we focused 
attention on Building Awareness-Reducing Risk, Mental illness  and suicide; that poor 
Mental Health Status of our populations can lead to  negative health 
implications.
Dr. Shivute, however, said it must be  emphasized that just as health is not 
merely the absence of disease, mental  health is also not simply the absence 
of mental disorder, but represents a  positive state of mental well-being and 
no meaningful health can be achieved  without positive mental well-being.
“We do not have to conduct any scientific  research to establish these facts 
as some of these changes are just at our door  steps,” he said. In the mental 
health care setting, culture impacts on how  people label and communicate 
distress; explain the causes of mental health  problems; perceive mental health 
providers, and utilize and respond to mental  health treatment.
On his part, Dr. Mbowe said understanding and tolerance of  all cultures and 
lifestyles is crucial in the delivery of competent mental  health care. He 
said in 1948, following the devastation of world war II, the  founding document 
of World Federation of Mental Health (WFMH) called for a world  community based 
on “respect for individual and cultural differences. It  proclaimed the goal 
of mental health as the ability to “live with one’s fellow  in one world”. He 
said by advocating equal treatment and opportunity for all,  regardless of 
culture, ethnicity or socio-economic status, and including  refugees, mentally 
ill persons and women, the new federation challenged the  values and practices 
of traditional and authoritarian societies. “The underlying  message is that 
health and well-being cannot survive either, the violation of  basic freedoms 
or the deprivation of basic needs,” he  noted.

Economics Is A Science; Lets Look Before We Leap
By  Suwaibou Touray
First and foremost, the Dalasi was pegged to the British  Pound since 
independence and it had been re-valued sometime in the late 1970’s  because of the 
strength of the British Pound.
The pound sterling is always  strong because a huge deposit of gold that 
Britain had accumulated has been  backing it since from her imperial days. The 
gold is historically used as a  medium of exchange in trade and this is why it is 
used as a valuable commodity  to back or serve as guarantor of currencies 
because the value of the gold hardly  depreciates.
This is precisely why many currencies are being backed by gold.  The problem 
with our currency is that it is not backed by gold anymore, since it  has been 
detached from the pound sterling in 1985.
The development of  economic science had made it easy so that now the Central 
Banks in developing  countries do not have to hold actual gold for Dollars 
worth .All that was  required is confidence in the currency .So if a country 
cannot buy Gold to back  its currency, it can achieve confidence by utilizing its 
currency to buy the  currency of strong economies such as Britain (the 
Sterling) which is backed by  Gold or the US Dollar which is popular in 
International reserves because of the  domination of the US over the World economy and 
ofcourse the fairly stable  history of its currency. Their currency is also 
strenghtened by the buying of US  Treasury Bills that can easily be converted to 
Dollar denominated Assets.  
According to the Secretary of State for Finance, the Gambia is paying its  
debts from the Central Bank reserves. In most cases, developing countries have  
only three to four months import cover just in case there is an emergency  
problem such as a disaster etc. Reserves help countries to manage the risks they  
face, and it builds up confidence in both the country and its currency.
In  economic terms reserves form a buffer against un- expected changes in the 
cost  of debt by an increase in interest rates. Reserves can also be used to 
manage  the exchange rate. Without Reserves the exchange rate can fall, often 
quite  dramatically, as speculators seeking profit or what they called 
currency  manipulators sell a country’s currency.
According to researchers, instability  in exchange rates can lead to enormous 
economic instability. It has also been  discovered that if a country engages 
in what they called countervailing; i.e.  buying the country’s currency when 
others are selling the country’s currency  when others are buying –Government 
can stabilize the exchange rate and thereby  stabilize the economy.
Mark you, this can only be done by selling dollars to  buy the local currency 
if they indeed have adequate reserves to sell .The danger  in this is that if 
you use your limited reserves in Dollars to buy your own  currency and should 
there be an emergency it can have a serious negative effect  leading to 
economic crisis.
So as you know by 1986 it was felt by the  government at the time that the 
Dalasi was over valued and therefore found  necessary to effect what they called 
a fundamental reform of the foreign  exchange system in order to induce 
efficient allocation of resources. As a  result, the Dalasi was floated through the 
introduction of a flexible inter-bank  system.
According to the government, one immediate result of this measure was  the 
curtailment of a thriving “Black market” in foreign currency, so that the  
margin in exchange rates between the “Black market” and Commercial Bank rate  
could be narrowed.
Since the Dalasi is not backed by gold, it can be made  strong only by one of 
three ways. 1. The Gambia must make effort to produce raw  materials as such 
as groundnut in good quality and in large quantity. This can  also be 
transformed into value added products leading to the production of more  commodities 
for export.
The Gambia also produces cotton, this can be ginned  and subsequently 
transformed into cotton wool, clothing etc, which can be  exported to other countries 
to generate the much needed foreign exchange.
The  country is also blessed with the ocean. If we are serious about the 
development  of our economy, the ocean can be utilized as a springboard to 
generate immense  resources by investing in this sector. Fish and fish products are 
required  everywhere in the world. So if we adequately invest in this sector, 
it can  employ quite a large percentage of the citizenry as well as generate 
foreign  exchange. It is these wealth and resources, which  go to back the 
Dalasi  and thereby make the economy not only stable but to grow as well.
It is the  resources and wealth of the European countries, which are terribly 
needed by the  world that we have to buy the Euro to buy those merchandise. 
Similarly it is the  merchandise produced in the Gambia that must attract 
outsiders to buy the Dalasi  in order to get those goods. The interesting thing is 
that despite the fact that  the Dalasi is not guaranteed by gold, despite the 
fact that the main foreign  exchange earner groundnuts and cotton have not 
fared well in 2007 and the  impression given to was that there is too much 
foreign currency in stock which  is not needed by anyone since there is no scramble 
over the Euro or dollar.  Therefore their rates have depreciated against the 
Dalasi. The other interesting  thing is that the Dalasi is appreciating against 
not only one but all the other  international currencies. This is what 
baffles many people.
Well, the  Dalasi can have periodic appreciation against other currencies if 
other  currencies fluctuate. For example, the Dollar has fluctuated recently 
because  the interest rates in America had gone down, reducing the scramble for 
the  Dollar. Other countries can also reduce the power of their currencies so 
as to  encourage business between them and other countries as it was done 
with the Euro  sometime ago. Right now the Euro countries are contemplating as to 
whether to  reduce the strength of the Euro for the second time to facilitate 
trade between  them and other countries. When that happens, smaller 
currencies can appreciate  against it.
Secondly, Central Banks or governments can re-value a currency  and peg it 
upwards just like they can devalue it. If they revalue it, it means  the value 
has gone up. For example, the value of D5 would be equivalent to D4  and what 
D5 used to purchase, D4 would be able to acquire that, and so on.  Revaluation 
however should not be done without the proper assessment of the  economy, just 
like the sort of assessment done to devalue the Dalasi in 1986.  Law should 
back this type of revaluation or devaluation.
It is however highly  unlikely as some opinions suggest that commercial banks 
may have a lot of  foreign currency in stock that is the reason why they are 
not willing to buy  foreign currency. The lack of foreign currency was what 
led to the high price of  the Dollar and the Euro. How will the banks be stocked 
with foreign currency  when the export volume of the country is at an all 
time low? However, we cannot  discount it because of the International Bank 
secrecy laws. They may do so just  to avoid bankruptcy        So as you can see  
the only two possible methods to stabilize the exchange rate in the absence of  
exports is for the Central Bank to utilize its reserves in Dollars to buy the  
Dalasi when people are selling it or to sell it when people are buying it. 
The  other method, which is unconventional, is for speculators to bring in huge  
amounts of foreign exchange and buy the Dalasi when people are selling it or  
sell it when people are buying it just for the sake of profit making. It 
however  remains to be seen how there can be a strong macro-economic stability 
without  exporting our cash crops and investing in the productive sectors of the  
economy
So as it stands it is very important that our economists undertake to  study 
our economy, which appears to be volatile, so as not to venture into non-  
conventional methods, which may not be sustainable in the long run by resulting  
to things such as capital flights or reduced investor confidence.
Mark  you; Gambia has to pay debts due for repayment and that too must be 
paid in  foreign currency not in Dalasi. We are a Highly Indebted Poor Country 
(HIPC)  which has taken loans from left, right and center .As a result of the 
IMF  conditions we will not be able to meet the basic needs of the citizenry and 
will  not be able to make the necessary investments which we must do if we 
are to grow  out of this poverty trap. So let us look before we leap or else we 
will  falter.
According to Stiglitz, the debt relief sought by HIPC countries is  done in 
ways that detract a country from acquiring other sources of assistance.  
According to him debt relief was a powerful tool for the IMF to compel such  
countries like The Gambia to go along with almost anything it demanded.  According to 
him some type of debts are incurred by Governments that are either  not 
democratically chosen or are civilian dictatorships, and the borrowed money  may 
even have helped a brutal regime to stay in power.
Researchers also  noticed that some lenders do give loans to countries either 
for political  reasons, such as to buy economic favour to gain access to rich 
mineral resources  or to gain support in the UN general Assembly, etc.
So as Stiglitz asserted,  it is even immoral to force the people of those 
debtor countries to pay such  debts.   

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY
Discrimination In  The Family
Part 2
News Of Her Appointment
Haja was not aware. She came  to work and continued her normal schedule. Co 
workers came to congratulate her.  “For what!” She exclaimed. “You are 
promoted to the rank of a Perm Sec. It is  being announced over radio”. They said. “
What? Unbelievable!” “No! it is not.  You deserve more. You are a deligent 
team leader. We wish you well madam”.  “Thank you”. She said. Then her mobile 
rank. The call was from the Secretary of  State (SoS). “Congratulations Madam! 
You have been promoted. Keep up the  momentum!” “Thank you Ma! Thank you!” 
She exclaimed with excitement.
Gives  News To Daughters
Bani was doing laundry at the backyard. Her mum called to  give the good 
news. Bani jumped up the sky. “What? Mum! Congrats! Let me inform  Zai. She is in 
her room”. “Okay! I am coming just now. We need celebration”.  “Thank you 
mum! Thank you!” Bani shouted Sai’s name. “Zainab! Zainab! Come good  news! 
Good news!” Zai came but rushing. “What is the good news? I am all ears”.  “Mum 
is promoted to the rank of a Permanent Secretary. Our class status is  
raised. Don’t you get it?” The two girls rejoiced and thanked Allah.
Mummy  Comes Home
Mum came to a happy home. They cooked a delicious dish, drank  juice and 
played music. “It is great!” They all exclaimed.
Transfer To New  Quarters
The family relocated to Government Quarters. Senior Servants have  
privileges. The family was very happy. Zai lamented missing the old house.  “Nonsense! 
Try to get and appreciate class. How can we stay at the old house  when Mum’s 
status have risen?” They started their girlish arguments again. Mum  stopped 
them. “Not again! New year new style. Forget about the old squabbles and  start 
all over again”. She advised. “Lets eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow  we 
may die”. She said.
New Style
Bani dressed to go to the shop. Mum  called her back. “Look at your dress! 
You look like a Slut at Red Light  District. You are making yourself a victim of 
abuse. Go back into your room and  change your immoral dress”. Bani defended 
herself. “I thought it okay. I am just  buying bread at the shop”. “Is the 
shop not in the street? Go in there and  change. I am not entertaining any 
argument”. “Okay!” Bani went back and changed  her dress reluctantly.
Zai With A Male Friend
A male course colleague,  Mustapha came to share notes with Zainab. As they 
were discussing, Mum entered  the compound. Zai was scared to death. She 
signaled Mustapha to leave. Mum  passed him on his way out. He greeted her but she 
refused to respond. “Who is  he?” She asked her daughter. “He is Mustapha, my 
course mate. He came for us to  share notes”. “Nonsense! I disallow and 
forbid it! Men are callous and mean.  They take advantage of naive fools like you. 
Take care of yourself. Be focus!”  “Okay mum!” Zai responded. She was glad to 
cool off the temperature. Mum asked  for Bani. “She is out mum”. Zai replied.
Transfer To The New House
They  are now officially transferred to the new house with an official car 
and orderly  to escort Haja Oumu around.
High Class Life
Haja criticized her gateman.  “Come here Musa! What is this?” She examined 
his dress. “Your shirt is torned  and rumpled! Have you quarrel with iron? Look 
at you shoes! You wore slippers to  manage my gate? Go and change your dress 
and wear sandals. If I ever see you  dress like this again, you’ll be sacked! 
Get out of my sight”. Mose went to  change to secure his job. 
Meeting Heads Of The Various Regions
Haja  called a meeting of the Educational Heads of Regions. They all 
attended. She  gave her sets of rules. One officer tried to rectify her but she 
blasted him.  “Shut up! No one interrupts while I speak. You have to obey my 
instructions  without any hesitation. I worked in the field for forty years. I know 
what is  there. I did an exemplary work at Region one. That’s why I was 
recalled to  handle Region Two before my present promotion. Do as I say. I was there 
before  you. Okay! Go back to your various regions and implement my orders. 
Understood!”  “Yes ma!” They responded. Before she left a lady raised her hand. 
“Yes!” “Madam!  We cannot make any observation or comment?” “It is 
unnecessary. I have spoken.  Good day!” She left. The heads of Regims shook their 
heads. “She was rude and  disgusting!” they exclaimed.
Taking To SoS
As Haja talked to SoS you  noticed total submission. She became a humble 
servant. “Yes ma! I understand.  Okay! Consider it done. Bye-bye”. She put down 
her phone. SoS was asking Haja to  do an errand for her. If you look up, you 
have to look down.
At Home
Saul  came to visit his girl friend. The orderly announced that a visitor is 
asking  after Zai. “Who is he? Has he a car?” “Madam! I don’t know him. He 
came on  foot”. Let him come in”. Haja said nonchalantly 
Visitor Is Questioned  
Saul came in and greeted Haja. She answered snobbishly and refused to give  
him a seat. She called Zai. She came into the sitting room. She was excited to  
see Saul. As she went to greet him Haja stopped her. “Stop! Sit down! Don’t 
go  to him”. Zai sat down. She felt embarrassed. Haja started her questioning. 
She  belittled and discriminated against Sulayman. “Who are you? Who are your 
 parents? Where do you work?” She did not give him time to answer the 
questions.  Zai protested. “Offer him a seat for Allah’s sake. Why are you 
embarrassing my  friend with all these irrelevant questions?” “Nonsense! Shut up! He 
has to  answer before he is welcomed in my home”. “Well! My name is Sulayman 
Faal. I am  an accountant working at the Continental Bank. My parents are poor 
peasants  living at the village”. “You are below our class. You cannot marry 
my daughter.  Get out of my house!” Zai wanted to follow him. “Stop! Go into 
your room”. Haja  ordered.

West African Workshop On Spectrum Management Ongoing
By  Annia Gaye
The Gambia Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) in  collaboration 
with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) are jointly  organizing a 
five day West African Workshop on Spectrum Management at the  Paradise Suite 
Hotel. The workshop commenced on the 8 of October and would end  on the 12 
October.
In delivering her keynote address, the Secretary of State  for Communication 
and Information Technology Neneh Macdouall Gaye said the  Government of the 
Gambia through her department of state is determined to push  the agenda of a 
liberalized market for telecommunications and allied sectors.  This, she said, 
means that they are encouraging and promoting competition,  putting in place 
the needed policy, legal and institutional framework so as to  attract 
investment, especially in the technology intensive sector. This, she  said, is vital to 
the transformation of knowledge, economy and integration in  the global 
economy. She noted that the workshop would provide an opportunity for  member 
states of ECOWAS to cooperate and collaborate in ensuring that  qualitative 
spectrum standards are maintained and the incidence of interference  minimized so 
that it would not affect flexibility and economic  efficiency.
“As this workshop focuses on technical efficiency, let us all  look for 
sustainable solutions and the need to tackle a host of related  problems, such as 
the use of faulty or non-standard equipment, the need to  assist each other in 
dealing with unauthorized or illegal use of frequencies,  handling the effects 
of spillover signals from neighbouring jurisdictions, using  appropriate 
levels of power and pooling of resources and finding the optimum  location for 
antennae against the back ground of increasing environment and  health and safety 
concerns”, she said.
She reiterated that spectrum is a  national resource whose efficient 
management at national level and harmonization  at the international level are 
required if they take optimum advantage of its  potential so as to facilitate and 
enhance communication and development. She  informed the gathering that, the 
Gambia has started drawing up a National  Spectrum plan based on the ITU’s 
regional location. She said the coordination of  spectrum management is a shared 
responsibility between the regulator and the  policy maker. SoS Gaye urged the 
participants to look at the plethora of ongoing  work and issues such as WRC 
recommendations, The International Technology  Agreement (ITA) with its commitment 
to remove tariffs on equipment imports Basic  Agreement on Telecommunications 
(BAT) and APEC’s Mutual Recognition Agreement  (MRA) for mutual equipment 
type approval procedures. She concluded by  challenging participants to make 
effective use of this forum towards the  achievements of these note objectives.

In GNTU  Forgery Trial  
Accused Cross Examined
By Modou Jonga
The  forgery trial  involving the former first vice president of The Gambia 
National Transport Union  (GNTU), Mr. Abdoulie Sosseh and the state, proceeded 
on Tuesday 9 October, 2007  with the cross examination of the accused by 
prosecutor ASP Camara.
While  being cross examined before Magistrate Njie, Mr. Sosseh reiterated 
that he is  the wrong person to be charged with the  preferred charge and that 
the  executive committee should have been charged with forgery. He noted that he 
was  part of the executive committee. Mr. Sosseh told the court, that the 
official  address of the Union was at ECOWAS Avenue in Banjul and that its 
membership  cards bear the signatures of the Union’s President and General 
Secretary.  
The accused agreed with the prosecution, that exhibit B bears his signature  
but that the official address on it is not his. Mr. Sosseh stated that the  
executive committee  decided to change the Union’s membership cards in  order to 
tap funds. 
The accused told the court that the signatures of the  union President and 
General Secretary were removed on the Union membership cards  because the duo 
were absent at numerous meetings despite attempts to have them  present at a 
time when the Union was moving towards organizing a  congress.
The accused agreed with the prosecution that any functional Union  should 
have minutes of their meetings kept. He noted that all the minutes of the  
meetings that resulted in the change of the letter head and membership cards  were 
taken. He noted that the said minutes were filed and put under the  
responsibility of one Assan Bojang. Mr. Sosseh agreed with the prosecution that  the said 
changes were meant to enhance accountability of the sales of the  membership 
cards. The accused stated that four branches of the Transport Union  and a 
group of workers who registered with the Union were supplied with new  membership 
cards and that he has record of the branches that were supplied with  the 
membership cards and the money generated from its sale.

Trial  of Suspected Senegalese Dissidents Deferred
By Abdou Jeli Keita
The trial  of the eight suspected Senegalese dissidents, did not proceed due 
to the absence  of the trial Magistrate B.Y Camara of the Banjul Magistrates 
Court. Principal  Magistrate  B.Y Camara’s absence was due to the fact that he 
was  bereaved.
The eight accused persons, Sidat Jobe, Ebrima Vieux’ Colley, Nuha  Jammeh, 
Lamin Teww Sambou, Tamsir Badjie, Joseph Jatta, Ansumana Jarju and Abdou  Salam 
Jammeh are arraigned in court on four counts of criminal charges, namely;  
conspiracy to commit felony, spying, receiving stolen properties and unlawfully  
possessing Gambian National Identity Card.
When all the eight accused persons  were arraigned, they all pleaded not 
guilty to the charges on counts one, two  and three, but on count four, all but 
the third accused (Nuha Jammeh) pleaded  guilty.

Outgoing Tallinding UBS Students Express Frustration
By  Musa Barrow & Madiba Singhateh 
Students who sat for The Gambia Basic  Examination Certificate (GABEC) at 
Tallinding Upper Basic School have expressed  their frustration  over the 
withholding of their results by the West  African Examination Council (WAEC). Talking 
to these reporters, the outgoing  Grade nine (9) students of the aforesaid 
school who are also the school’s second  batch of students revealed their utter 
shock over what they described as ‘an  unfortunate development.’
Speaking to this paper, one Lamin Tunkara, who is  one of those students 
caught in this limbo, said he was completely devastated  when he heard the news 
that his school’s results are being withheld. He also  explained that he and his 
colleagues are in a dilemma since they can neither  stay at Tallinding Upper 
Basic School nor progress to any senior secondary  school.  Tunkara told these 
reporters that he has been continuously going  to Tallinding Upper Basic 
School for two consecutive weeks with the expectation  that they would hear 
something about their fate, but this is always greeted with  disappointment and 
frustration and that nothing is being said or done about  their plight. He 
lamented that this seemingly endless ordeal put him and his  batchmates under immense 
pressure, something which he described as unfair  because they did nothing 
wrong. However, he gave several alternatives which he  believes can get them out 
of this ordeal. He first suggested that since the  subject under 
investigation is science, let the West African Examination Council  cancel their science 
grades and released their results on the other subjects.  Tunkara further 
suggested that if his first alternative is not workable, let him  and his 
colleagues be given the chance to re-write their papers. 
John Gomez,  also a student said the sheer frustration he and his colleagues 
found themselves  in is quite upsetting and needs to be addressed. 
It could be recall that the  West African Examinations Council issued a press 
release, a fortnight ago,  announcing the withholding of the results of  
Tallinding Upper Basic Grade  nine (9), the release stated that WAEC was 
investigation an alleged examination  malpractice linked to Tallinding Upper Basic 
School.
Furthermore, when, this  reporter contacted West African Examination Council 
(WAEC) for their comment on  the plight of these outgoing students of 
Tallinding Upper Basic School, he was  told by one Sherrif Touray that WAEC is not in 
a position to say anything about  the matter. Mr. Touray instead directed this 
reporter to speak to the Principal  of Tallinding Upper Basic School. 
When the principal of Tallinding Upper  Basic School Mrs. Fatoumata Ceesay 
was approached by this paper she declined to  comment and instead referred this 
reporter to the Permanent Secretary Department  of State for Basic Secondary 
Education. 

Sainey Nyassi Scores in  Revs Reserves
By Modou Nyang
Under – 20 starlet Sainey Nyassi scored for  the New England Revolution 
reserve team increasing his tally to two in the MLS  reserves league division.
Sainey scored to put the Revs back on terms after  trailing Chicago Fires 
when John Thorrington scored in first half to put the  ahead. Collecting a 
through ball from Andy Dorman, Nyassi worked the defenders  around with his 
trademark runs and beating the Fire’s substitute keeper Nick  Noble to the far post.
This is Sainey’s second goal for club New England  Revolution in the reserve 
division. He and fellow countryman and teammate  Abdoulie Mansally earlier 
scored in a 4-0 hammering of New York Red Bulls  reserves on 24th of September. 
The Gambian duo scored in the 80th and 90th  minutes to hand Revolution a 
convincing win. Sainey headed in Wells Thompson  cross and Mansally fired from 
outside of the penalty area when Nyassi’s cross  got tangled in defence.
The young youth internationals have already won gold  in their first season 
in the MLS league. New England Revolution defeated FC  Dallas 3-2 in the US 
Open Cup to lift their first ever trophy. And their stock  is on the rise as they 
continue to feature regularly on the substitute bench and  sometimes are 
given the nod to showoff their skills. 
New England Revolution  are second on the Eastern Conference league table 
collecting 49 points with only  two matches remaining. They host Columbus Crew 
tomorrow at the Gillette Stadium  before traveling to Toronto FC for their last 
match.  




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