Issue No. 142/2007, 3 December - 4 December 2007
Editorial
Match Words With Deeds
In his address to the legal fraternity at yesterday’s commemoration of the
start of the new legal year the president emphasised that he had no hand in
the intimidation of any lawyer. He stated: “I will not condone any intimidation
of lawyers… if you are intimidated go to the Press and even the Chief
Justice.” He stressed that there is no need for antagonism between the executive
and the legal fraternity. He suggested that it was detractors that are trying
to tarnish the image of the Gambia government by falsely indicating that it is
not abiding by the rule of law. It is evident from the speech that the
President strained himself to show that he is committed to the rule of law.
He should now take a bold step by ensuring that he practices what he
preaches. First of all, he should either release or take to court the following
people that are still detained:
Chief Ebrima Manneh, Kanyiba Kanyi, Alieu Lowe, Foday Barry, Hamadi Sowe,
Haruna Jammeh, Mersey Jammeh, Jissaja Kujabi, Former Chief Modou Lamin Nyassi,
Ndongo Mboob, Alfusainey Jammeh, Yaya Bajinka, Sergeant Sam Kambai, Abdoulie
Kujabi.
The Constitution is very explicit on detention without trial. It stipulates
in Section 19 subsection (3)(b) that “Any person who is arrested or detained
upon reasonably suspicion of his or her having committed, or being about to
commit, a criminal offence under the Laws of The Gambia, and who is not
released, shall be brought without undue delay before a court and, in any event,
within 72 hours.”
Some of the people mentioned above have been in detention for more than a
year and have not been taken before any court of law to face trial.
Furthermore, court orders have been flouted. The same goes with the order for the
release of Rambo and Kanyiba Kanyi, and the reinstatement of Mayor Jeng who was
unlawfully removed from office. This is the first point to note.
Secondly, the President did make reference to the budget of the judiciary,
by indicating his willingness to assist the judiciary. It is important to note
that in order to maintain the independence of the judiciary the constitution
does give power to the judiciary to some how determine its budget. In short,
Section 144 subsection (1) of the Constitution states: “The Chief Justice
shall submit the annual estimates of expenditure for the Judicature to the
President for presentation to the National Assembly in accordance with the
Constitution. The President shall cause the estimates to be placed before the
National Assembly without amendment , (our emphasis) but may attach to them his or
her own comments and observations.” It is evident from this that the
President cannot interfere with the budget of the judiciary but can only comment.
The decision lies with the National Assembly, another arm of the state. This is
the second point to note.
There was also reference made to the refusal of the President to appoint
certain people who were recommended by the Chief Justice as Magistrates. This is
a very strange procedure because Section 146 of the Constitution stipulates
that the power to appoint Magistrates and other judicial officers shall vest
in the Judicial Service Commission. The Judicial Service Commission comprise
the Chief Justice as Chairman, a judge of a superior court, the solicitor
general, a legal practitioner, one person appointed by the President and one
person nominated by the National Assembly.
It is the President who has power to appoint a judge though he has no power
to remove a judge from office. Any such action by the President would
tantamount to a breach of the Constitution for which he can be impeached. In a word,
the President has nothing to do with the appointment of Magistrates and if he
continues to do so, he will be acting contrary to the constitution and the
law.
To conclude, it must be pointed out that the challenge to maintain the rule
of law and consequently a stable, peaceful and democratic Gambia, is not only
a challenge to the executive but to the judiciary as well. An independent and
impartial judiciary can serve as a stabilising factor even where the
executive shows lack of respect for the constitution and the rule of law. If the
judiciary is independent and impartial and ensures that its decisions are
honoured, the populace will place their confidence on it and there will be no need
for litigants to leave this country to seek for redress abroad.
Increase in the Price of Bread
By Musa Barrow
As from today, Monday 3 December 2007, the price of bread known to many as “
senfour” will increase from D2.50 a loaf to D3.00, a statement from the
bakers revealed. In the same vein, the price of a dozen loaves of bread has also
been increased from D25.00 to D30.00. According to bakery owners, this increase
in the price of bread has been triggered by the sudden dramatic rise of the
price of a bag of flour from D480 to D700. Reacting to this move by the
bakery owners, one Alpha Jallow, who heads the operation of his father’s bakery
located at Tallinding, said although their bakery will increase their price of
bread immediately, he does not rule out a further increase in the price in
the coming days.
Mr Jallow also remarked that the increase in the price of bread is genuine,
as bakery owners would end up having nothing if a price increase is not
effected. According to him, his price increase was prompted by what he called the
surging price of flour. Another bakery owner who does not want his identity
to be revealed, said the price of flour has suddenly increased throughout the
globe. According to this man, who is apparently Lebanese, the dramatic
increase in the price of bread was prompted by the fact that flour is being used as
a bio-fuel in some countries. As a result, he said, the demand for it is
high. The man further noted that the increase in the price will not in any way be
able to recover their losses. As he put it, there has been a 60 percent
increase in the price of flour. He also stated that the increase in the price of
bread is quite justifiable. It is not effected just to exploit the poor. He
said if the bakers had any malicious intentions of exploiting the poor they
would have done so in the month of Ramadan when the demand for bread was high.
When this reporter went to various shops to check the price of a bag of
flour, it ranged from D650 to D800. In a survey of food prices conducted by
Foroyaa at different periods the following results were obtained for the price of
flour: February 2006 = D500; January 2007 = D550; October 2007 = D650.
2007/2008 Legal Year Opens
By Bubacarr K.Sowe & Saikou Ceesay
The 2007/2008 Legal Year was officially opened at the Law Courts Buildings
in Banjul. Declaring the legal year open, the president said the 1997
constitution introduced significant changes regarding the judiciary and comprehensive
provisions were provided to facilitate its autonomy.
President Jammeh said, “The Judicial Service Commission was enlarged to
include members of the legal sector. The Cadi Court system was redefined and the
Cadi Appeals Panel established to hear appeals and sanitise the system of
ensuring efficiency and expediency. Further legislative changes resulted in the
establishment of other adjudicative bodies dealing with specific issues.
These include the Children’s e drug court and rent tribunal, among others.” He
said the government has an agenda to indigenes the bench by 2011. “We hope to
do this by providing attractive, sustainable and conducive conditions and
working environment. As you already know the process of indigenisation has
commenced with the appointment, two years ago, of the first Gambian to head the
judiciary and of course the recent appointment of three Gambians as high court
judges.”
The president said with the attainment of the of the country’s development
aspirations, there is in place, an effective judicial and legal system that is
very clear in its vision and strategy and that “would ensure access to
justice, uphold the rule of law and guarantee human rights,” he noted.
President Jammeh said, “My government has therefore adopted the legal sector
strategy 2007/2011 as an integral part of the Gambia Poverty Reduction
Strategy Paper (PRSP) to drive the sector vision. The main focus of the sector
strategy is on the people, on values, on reforms, on quality services and public
relations.” The key result areas of the strategy are “…sector institutions,
its human resources, the legal and regulatory framework, legal services and
education, use of ICT and infrastructure development.”
The president called on the members of the legal fraternity and all other
stakeholders to renew their commitment and rededicate themselves by redoubling
the efforts towards the development of the legal sector, “to advance the
course of justice and the rule of law by ensuring free, fair and speedy
dispensation of justice by an independent judiciary and efficient justice delivery
system with highly trained and committed staff that will command the support and
confidence of the people.” The president said that there will be no common
ground at the judiciary since the objective of his government is to jail
criminals and the objective of lawyers is to free them. He assured lawyers that
he or his government would not intimidate them. He added that if they had
been ever been intimidated that had never got his blessing, noting that if that
should happen let the lawyers gather the necessary facts and report it to the
press or the Chief Justice.
The Chief Justice Abdou Karim Savage said it is now time to ensure that the
vision of indigenisation of the judiciary is put into reality. Justice Savage
said one of those priorities is the establishment of high courts with
permanent judges in Basse and Brikama, adding that it will ease the availability of
witnesses to the courts. The Chief Justice also said the setting up of the
Children’s Court, the Drug Court and the recent establishment of the
Alternative Dispute Resolutions System are part of the significant achievements the
judiciary has made. He said a couple of years ago, in California, USA he
discovered that only a small percentage of cases go for litigation and the rest are
settled through alternative dispute resolution. Justice Savage urged members
of the Bar to join the bench, which he stressed, should be a sacrifice
because of the small money the bench earns. He said the president does not waste
time in endorsing new entrants to the bench, except on two cases.
Amie Bensouda, the president of the Gambia Bar Association, said there has
been some success in the past few years and the Bar has been supporting the
justice system in order to improve it. Mrs. Bensouda also acknowledged the
contribution of the alternative dispute resolution system in settling most of the
cases. She welcomed the establishment of a law department at the University
of the Gambia, which is drawing lecturers from the Bar, although they have
reservations because of the many constraints the programme is facing. The
president of the Bar hailed the High Court particularly the judges on technical
assistance.
The Attorney General and Secretary of State for Justice, Marie Saine-Firdaus
said in order to ensure an effective justice delivery system, the Attorney
General Chambers is establishing a secretariat for the alternative dispute
Resolution Mechanism. She talked about the reviving and publication of the
Gambia Law Report by the National Council for Law Reporting. Mrs. Saine-Firdaus
called on the Gambia Bar to continue supporting the judiciary. The Attorney
General also said that her department as the legal adviser to all the
departments and civil servants would not relent in their efforts to deliver justice.
She also paid tribute to the late Justice Wallace Grant. The ceremony was
attended by judges, magistrates, secretaries of state National Assembly members,
Cadis, staff of the judiciary, governors, members of security, civil
servants, members of the Judicial Service Commission, notaries public, justice of
peace, commissioners for oath, diplomats and members of the public.
World Aids Day Commemorated
By Yaya Bajo
The Gambia on Saturday, 1 December 2007 joined the International Community
to commemorate World Aids Day (WAD). The theme for this year’s celebration is “
Take the lead”, which gives the NAS an opportunity to advocate for model
leadership in the response against HIV/AIDS. The event was held at the Brikama
Health Centre, Western Region.
In his remarks, Governor Abdou F. M. Badjie, said HIV is a huge public
health and development problem. He added that evidence showed that since the
advent of HIV/AIDS, 50 million individuals world wide are living with the disease,
out of whom more than 36 million people are still alive and over 22 million
have died. He said half of the people who get HIV/AIDS become infected before
they turn 25 years and die before their 35-birth day. “This makes HIV the
most urgent problem for all nations and we need to collaboratively reflect on
this devastating disease,” he remarked.
Nestor Shivuti, WHO resident representative, said that the last five years
have witnessed a remarkable political leadership in Africa through the
mobilization of financial and technical resources to improve access to information,
HIV testing and counselling, prevention of mother to child transmission and
bringing life saving ARV drugs to people in need. “We must do much more to
reverse the trend of the epidemic,” he said. He said estimates showed that only
12% of the adult population know their HIV status. “In 2005, only 11% of the
total number of pregnant women infected with HIV received ARV drugs,” he said.
For his part, Permanent Secretary of DOSH, Sulayman Sambou who delivered the
keynote address on behalf of the president, highlighted that the HIV
pandemic is worsening in most parts of the world and it is not only a cause for
concern but a cause for prompt and concerted effort to stem the trend. He said
the recent UNAIDs figure showed that our continent has the brunt of HIV
pandemic where over 25.8 million people live with the epidemic. He added that in
some of the sister African countries 20 to 35 per cent of the adult population
are living with HIV.
Mr. Samba added that in the past five years, 5 million new infections
occurred with 3.2 million infections occurring in Africa alone. He hailed the
effort of the stakeholders for containing the disease through health education. “
In the Gambia, the rates of HIV infections are relatively and comparatively
low, but there is no room for complacency,” he concluded.
Other speakers included Lamin Ceesay, of the SYSS people living with
HIV/AIDS and Chief Bakary Santang Bojang. Mr. Bai Cham moderated the programme.
Training On Development Advocacy Wraps Up
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
Community Development Officers, Members of the Multidisciplinary
Facilitation Teams (MDFTs) and journalists on Friday completed a four-day training on
how to facilitate grassroots level sensitization on The Gambia’s Poverty
Reduction Strategy Paper II (PRSP II) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
at the Baobab Holiday Resort in Bijilo.
The training which kicked-off on Tuesday, November 27, was being facilitate
by the Strategy for Poverty Alleviation Coordinating Office (SPACO), the
Pro-Poor Advocacy Group (Pro-PAG) and the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP).
The trainees who dealt with different modules would serve as trainers at the
grassroots level in all the regions across the country by using a strategy
that would influence the understanding of the citizenry on the two-development
road maps- PRSP and the MDGs. The Chairperson of Pro-PAG, Adelaide Sosseh,
said the training would forge a successful national implementation in the
drive to meet the targets set for the MDGs by 2015 and a road map to appropriate
budget allocations.“This capacity building and dissemination process will
also set a centre stage for sustainable interventions aimed at expediting the
achievement of both the PRSP/MDGs,” Mrs. Sosseh said.
Sering Falu Njie, Director of SPACO said: “In order to promote ownership,
accountability and transparency of poverty reduction actions, participation in
public management needs to be strengthened at both the national and local
levels through reforms designed to enhance public sector good governance.”
Sheikh Lewis, administrative officer of Pro-PAG said the strategy would
further address areas where national or local capacities could be strengthened so
as to “Optimize existing capacities that are strong and well placed.”
Almamy Camara of the UNDP described the training as “timely,” adding, it
comes at a time when the country is on the implementation process of the MDGs
and the PRSP II.“It is an important initiative and UNDP will work with
government and the citizenry to implement this initiative,” Mr. Camara said.
FOCUS ON POLITICS
1988 CORRUPTION SCANDALS
JAWARA’S INACTION AFTER JUDGMENT CREATES UPROAR AND TRIGGERS MEDIA WAR
We have been focusing on politics in general, and Gambian politics, in
particular. This is what motivates us to follow the narration of historical events
from the pre-colonial period to post independence era.
We have now reached the year 1989. We have narrated the trial of Editor
Sanna Manneh, where he was charged of defamation of three cabinet ministers of
Sir Dawda’s administration.
We have stopped where Manneh was acquitted and discharged by the court, but
instead of the ministers resigning or the president taking action against
them, the state appealed the case at the Supreme Court.
Let us now continue from where we stopped.
The reaction of the Foroyaa, the organ of PDOIS, to the president’s
interview with the BBC stringer, Babucarr Gaye, was that he (Jawara) was hiding
behind the phrase that because “the legal process had not been completed” as the
reason for his inaction. Foroyaa maintained that the legal process was
completed and went on to show the various steps that need to be taken through the
court process for the legal process to be completed. Foroyaa argued that that
was done.
The Foroyaa’s position, however, did not go down well with both the state
media, The Gambia Weekly, and the PPP Organ, The Gambia Times. The ensuing
encounter triggered what could be termed as a media war.
The Gambia Weekly with a caption entitled “A CASE STUDY OF IMPOVERISHED
JOURNALISM” wrote, “The arguments whether or not the legal process is complete,
are not applicable as they refer to procedures within a particular court. The
process indeed becomes incomplete as far as an appeal was lodged within the
required period.”
The Gambia Weekly continued, “There is no gain-saying that those who
practise journalism in this country have enjoyed, and continued to enjoy, unlimited
freedom of expression to a remarkable degree as, for example, abuse on the
highest office in the country, wallowing in intellectual pretensions and
arrogance, and resorting to deliberate provocation.”
The paper went on;
“Ofcourse party newspapers have too much a tendency for propaganda and the
scoring of political points but such pursuits affect their objectivity.
For this reason it is always prudent to listen and read critically what they
have to say albeit in the name of public enlightenment. These numerous
accusations of guilt, dereliction of duty and disregard for law are supported by
spurious arguments that cannot really pass any litmus test. For example, many
of the statements that are being made in the aftermath of the Sanna Manneh
case are full of misinterpretations and inconsistencies.”
In response to articles carried in The Gambia Weekly of 14 April 1989 and
the Gambia Times of 28 April 1989, the Foroyaa commented that it is important
to mention that The Gambia Weekly did not address Foroyaa directly by name;
that the Gambia Times was more direct in its attack. Foroyaa however said the
publication of The Gambia Times could not be taken seriously because no one
claimed responsibility of the article. Foroyaa opined that an article, which no
one is proud to claim to write, should be expected to contain endless
subterfuges, tirades and irresponsible remarks of all sorts. It wrote “Despite
these facts, we will waste our precious time to take up issue with both
publications for the public interest.”
Foroyaa however stated that if they were President Jawara, they would have
questioned the sincerity of the people who write such articles. They asked,
how could a person be taken seriously if he/she writes an article without being
proud to claim ownership of it. Are the writers wolves in sheep clothing?
Foroyaa asserted that those who know that their views would earn public
disapproval would therefore wish to save themselves from shame by writing under
cover; that with such people, the reputation of the PPP could never be defended.
Foroyaa noted that they want it to be known that such people are afraid of
the Foroyaa because they know that it comes down hard on the opinions of
dishonest critics. It stated that common sense teaches that if one is a dishonest
critic it is better to hide and say whatever thrashes one wants. However , it
added, the same common sense teaches that such thrash will not take them
anywhere. Truth, the Foroyaa added, is authority that asserts with confidence
and dignity; that this is why those who write the truth are proud to put their
names on articles they write.
Foroyaa attacked the editorial of the two papers and said it is a case
study, which lends insight into the lack of professional honesty, which
characterized the conduct of those public servants who put posts before their
professional integrity. Those people, it wrote, have the tendency to behave like party
secretaries carrying out party directives rather than professionals
demonstrating the finest expression of their professionalism through their works.
Foroyaa opined among other things that The Gambia Weekly could have
published the issues and arguments Foroyaa had raised in their supplement and then
interview president Jawara, the Attorney General or the minister of information
on the substance of their argument; that this approach would have given the
public a balanced picture and thus enhance the reputation of the newspapers;
that it was unfortunate for a state organ to try to distort their position (
Foroyaa) and then employ baseless subterfuges and tirades to try to tarnish
their image and thereby reducing itself to the position of being a mouth piece
just like The Gambia times, the PPP organ. Such an attempt they opined
constitutes a gross professional irresponsibility and dishonesty.
Foroyaa observed that when they compare the article, which appeared in The
Gambia Weekly and the one in The Gambia Times, one would not fail to see that
the one in the Weekly is a summarized version of that in the Times.
Foroyaa maintained that those who were charging them of arrogance or being
disrespectful to president Jawara are those who have tyranical mentalities or
those who can be subservient to tyranny. It argued that in democratic
principles and existence, such vocabulary and mentality do not apply in the
relations between an opposition party and a ruling party; that their relations maybe
characterized by heated struggles or consultations but all depends on the
demand of the time.
In this heated polemics, Foroyaa wrote that they understand that the person
who had written the editorial maybe a servile and petrified civil servant who
may even find it difficult to lift his head infront of his Director not to
talk about a minister, not to talk about a president. They said such are the
people who hide like petrified rats in a hole discussing so that no one will
hear and then ask : ‘who will bell the cat?’
Foroyaa concluded, among other things, that whatever meaning is attached to
the president’s view that the legal process has yet to run its full cycle, it
must be borne in mind that it is his constitutional prerogative to appoint
and remove ministers. In Foroyaa’s view it is certainly not serious to
suggest, as has been repeated, that the ministers concerned should resign and if
later exculpated be invited to serve again. The Foroyaa however asserted that
there must surely be better ways of running a government.
Foroyaa concluded that in their report of the judgment, they did not make
any declaration or demands; that they simply stated what went on and concluded
as follows: “Away from the court room, within the four corners of the state
house a new scene of life’s historic drama is being expected to emerge. As we
don’t want to appear to find joy in the tragedy of others we will not ask
what the next issue will entail, whether a comedy or a tragedy, a musical play
or a somber one. All we can do is to wait and see. Time will tell for all to
hear. One thing, however, is certain, the trial has enriched the people a lot.
A real culture of popular justice entailing a battle against ignorance and
apathy and a struggle for awareness is emerging. It is a healthy sign of
growing political maturity.”
To make matters short, the Supreme Court sat again on 15th June 1989 but
adjourned the case till a later date in November 1989.
This was a very difficult period for both the ministers and the president.
Their morale appeared to remain extremely low. This was why The Nation
newspaper, in one of its issues, observed that after the libel case The Gambia
Weekly carried a photograph of the Minister of Information and Tourism, Dr. Lamin
Saho, in many of its editions for it to serve as a moral booster. The Nation
asked whether Dr. Saho wanted to use the paper to boost his image after the
libel case against the Torch when his image may have plummeted to the lowest
ebb. The editor however disagreed that having one’s photograph on a newspaper
could do any good to one’s image. The Nation dubbed the phenomena of using
public resources as a ‘Fankung-Fankung’ Syndrome, “each one for oneself and
no one for the nation.” “The egocentric attitude must stop if The Gambia is
to march forward,” the Nation warned.
See next edition of Focus as we delve into narration of events for 1989.
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY
‘TUMAL’ (ACCUSATION)
Part 7
Victor Visits Emily
Victor visited Emily at her office in the university campus. She gave him a
cold reception as Victor tiptoed into her office. “I apologize for all the
pain I caused you,” he said timidly. “Ah Ha! After 18 years! What are you
apologizing for?” Emy questioned with coldness. She asked him out of her office. “
You were not the other woman. Neneh was,” Victor confessed. “Did you give
me the chance to tell you my side? No! You easily condemned me to death. Fate
saved my life. I could have been dead by now. Your cruel family also
crucified me. Go out of my life for good. I have healed my wounds. I am whole again.
Get out of my life. I don’t need you again in my life.” Victor stooped
down. “If not for me consider our daughter, Emma. She is very concerned,” Victor
begged. “Did you consider Emma when she was only 3 months, unable to take
care of herself when you crucified me? Now Emma is 18, an undergraduate, she
will take care of herself. Victor! Leave my sight! You are a closed chapter.”
Emy continued doing her work. Victor went away with a heavy heart.
Reflections
Thoughts of her happy marriage life pre-occupied her mind. Victor was
everything a woman wished in her life. He was romantic, loving and caring. All
these fine traits were exaggerated when Emy was pregnant. Victor cooked the meals
and did every menial job for his wife. His friends called him names. Emy was
also labelled as a bad wife by her friends, who were jealous because they
were experiencing the opposite. Emy compared this side of Victor to what had
happened at that fateful day when he almost ended her life. She broke down and
cried vehemently.
Victor And Emma
Victor confessed to his daughter. He regretted the episode on that fateful
day. He commended his wife. “She is beautiful, compassionate, sympathetic and
emphatic. She is the best cook in the world and an easy learner. Mamma taught
her some traditional delicacies in our area and she became an expert on
them. Since she left me, I have never been whole again. I was pretending but I
can never get her out of my sub conscious mind. I was harsh to you because I
put you in her place.” Victor broke down. Emma gave him courage. “It will be
fine daddy! It will be fine!” “But how? Your mum hates me with a passion
after what I’ve done to her that fateful day. Beg her for me. You are her
daughter. She loves you. She will listen to you.” Victor begged her daughter. “I’ll
try daddy! I’ll try! It is my life.” Emma consoled her dad. They took their
fast food home.
With Her Politician Boy Friend
Alhaji Hassan is a politician and a widower. He lost his wife in a ghastly
motor accident. His only daughter is studying abroad. He wants to marry Emy.
But she hesitated because she heard many nasty stories about this politician —
his corruption, dirty deals, womanizing attitude and private death squad. He
is filthy rich and he lavished money on Emy but she was not impressed.
Alhaji is disappointed. “What else do you need Emy? I offered you a bungalow
at the porshest part of the suburbs, shopping anywhere in the world. I asked
you to name your price and you are still bluffing? Why don’t you want to
marry me? I am a Muslim but I hate polygamy. What is your fear in marrying me?”
Alhaji became impatient. Emy opened up. “My estranged husband reappeared
again. He is asking me back and my daughter is backing her father. I am sort of
confused,” Emy disclosed.
“Don’t be! Leave that fool. They don’t appreciate a jewel until they lose
it. Agree to my proposal and our wedding will become a talk of the century.
File a divorce. Let that fool know that he has lost his chance. Now is my turn,
I’ll not allow any fool to spoil it for me. I can’t wait for you to be my
wife.” Alhajj became excited.
Emy Files A Divorce Notice
An official from the courts brought a Divorce notice to Victor. He was
shocked. He thought Emy would soften but he experienced the opposite. Victor went
to Emy’s home and begged her to forgive him.” To err is human, to forgive is
divine. Forgive me my sweet heart. I was jealous because I love you. I am now
a changed person. I’ll forever adore and love you as I always do. Please
forgive me. Victor broke down in front of Emy. She ignored him and shut herself
up.
Emma And Her Mum
Emma spent the weekend with her mum. She met her cooked a delicacy. She
commended her at the dinning. “Mummy! You know what? Dad said you are the best
cook.” Mum ignored Emma. She protested. “I have lost my appetite mom. You
cannot keep snubbing my dad. The man has become an emotional wreck. He said he is
sorry. Don’t we annoy God and ask for his mercy?” Emy reacted. “Get out of
this. You are my daughter and I love you. Don’t let my problem with your
father get into our relationship. I love you E. I love you very much but I can
never go back to your dad. He has hurt me badly. Moreover I am already involved
with another man. I’ll be going to London to get married. You have to get
used to separate parents.” Emma rushed to her home very depressed. Emy is in
turmoil. She did not want to see her lovely daughter depressed.
To be contd.
INTERVIEW WITH MUSA H. CAMARA, PRESIDENT ELECT GAMBIA STUDENTS’ UNION
By Lamin A. Darboe
Following the amalgamation and harmonization of the four sister schools of
the Gambia College – Education, Agriculture, Public Health and School of
Nursing and Midwifery of the College in September this year, to form one main
union of the four departments of the Gambia College which will oversee the
activities and welfare of the students in Brikama Campus and Banjul, students of
these four departments on Friday 23rd November, 2007 turned out in their large
numbers to elect their leaders.
For the Presidency, two tough giants – Samuel Gomez and Musa H. Camara gazed
for this position, but the majority of these students put their trust and
confidence on Musa H. Camara whose motto is – “Humanism for Peace, Force and
Joy”. Shortly after the declaration of the final result I managed to catch up
with Musa H. Camara who was raised shoulder high by his supporters.
Foroyaa: Mr. Camara, congratulations for your victory.
Mr. Camara: Thank you, it’s a wonderful pleasure.
Foroyaa: Can you briefly explain your background to us?
Mr. Camara: I was born on the 21st February 1981 at Demfai Village in Sami
District, Central River Region. I attended Demfai Primary School. In 1996 –
2002, I did my junior secondary education at Bansang Junior. Then in 2002 –
2005, I did my senior secondary school at Nusrat Senior Secondary.
Foroyaa: Mr. Camara, what inspired you to contest for this portfolio?
Mr. Camara: My brother, I have been a youth activist from the early days of
my schooling. I served in various capacities. Prominent among them are:-
Secretary General and Coordinator, Humanity Assistant People’s Choice (HAPC)
sponsoring twenty six Gambians across the country. I was the president of the
science and maths club at Nusrat in 2002; the outgoing President of Public
Health sub –union before the amalgamation and harmonization. I am also the
President of the Nusrat Ex- Students Association of the Gambia College, to name just
a few.
Foroyaa: How do you feel about your victory?
Mr. Camara: I feel very proud. This is proof that people have voted for
themselves as I put it to them because my tenure in office is going to be a
different one. As decisions are going to be made by the people and its
implementation is going to be made by the people they have elected.
Foroyaa: In your manifesto, you have emphasised that you will promote peace,
unity and solidarity, amongst the four sister schools, already there seems
to be a barrier, how are you going to break this barrier?
Mr. Camara: Let me inform you, this is very easy, as you know, we are all
Gambians, it does not matter whether we are of different programmes, but the
most important thing for us all, is to bear in mind that we are all Gambians,
one people, one nation and we are all having one dream, that is to see the
Gambia successful. We all applied to come to the Gambia College so as to become
productive citizens of tomorrow. We have come to learn so that at the end of
our programme, we can be able to go and serve our people. So my number one
principle is the eradication of biasness. As a leader you have to be exemplary.
Therefore, I will make sure that I attend to every problem of the students
and every need of the students with impartiality. Then, I would encourage and
not tolerate any biasness and I would also institute a strong bond of
brotherhood and sisterhood with the help of our advisers and other representatives in
the Secretariat. You may not know what a secretariat is, like each of the
portfolio been voted for is going to have a group of people like two for each
portfolio in addition to the elected candidates, so we will use those
nominated members to make sure that people have a strong sense of sisterly –
brotherly tie and backed up by impartiality, we will succeed. As I have mentioned in
my manifesto that, our problems are numerous, some of them are cross cutting
issues that do not spare any student. We are all either affected or have our
brothers and sisters affected. This we cannot afford to leave unsolved, as we
are out to struggle and overcome our sufferings for generations yet unborn.
These problems together would be addressed. With the help of my colleagues,
we will revive the sinking picture of this college of our motherland. Also,
like I promised the electorate the top of my agenda is the issue of the
dormitories from which we have been unlawfully evicted, for reasons best known to
the authorities, yet they are being occupied by foreigners. Brother it is sad,
indeed sad that people from foreign lands are in our dormitories enjoying
when we are renting in town, in homes without electricity and pipe borne water,
worst still, the rent we pay comes from our little stipend and this coupled
with feeding we are left with nothing. We were promised stipend increments but
yet still nothing is done. This is another issue we would look into and make
sure that justice is done. We will tackle the issue of the dormitories
together to see that live in campus resumes and we will explore all avenues
possible to see students live together in peace and harmony as in the good old
days.
Foroyaa: During the campaigning you were bitterly contesting with an
opponent, and now you have won the race, what would be your reaction towards your
opponent? Are you going to incorporate him in your union?
Mr. Camara: Yes! Yes! Yes! Why not? I tell you, I am hundred percent
democratic and I think he is also democratic. Despite the fact that we were
contesting against each other, we have a good jovial and friendship tie, that is not
a problem. He will be included and like I said, it is the tenure of the
people. He will be included. I see no reason why someone should be left out
because we were contesting for the same portfolio. Definitely we will work together
to improve the condition of the general student body in the college.
Foroyaa: What is your final message to the electorate who bestowed their
trust and confidence in you by massively voting for you?
Mr. Camara: I thank each and everyone of them especially those who voted for
me and even those who did not vote for me. For the fact that they were ready
and have voted for themselves as I put it to them because, this is a tenure
with a difference, a tenure of impartiality and accountability and is a
tenure of democracy, transparency and probity. And is a tenure in which people are
going to be given a chance to decide for themselves in making decisions that
affect their social and academic life. So as a result, I thank them. Once
again I hope they will be ready for us to work together so that all our dreams
turn into reality.
Amen!
Former Mayor’s Awaits Fresh Charges
By Saikou Ceesay
The former mayor of Kanifing Municipal Council, KMC, Alieu Momar Njie, whose
trial for allegedly stealing four million dalasis from the Gambia Scouts
Association during his tenure as Scout Commissioner was cut short due a nolle
prosequi, is to appear before the court again to answer to fresh charges. The
Police PRO has said everything is now ready for the former mayor to appear
before the court this week on fresh charges against him. Lawyer Badou Conteh
is the defence counsel for the accused person. Since his discharged Mr Njie
has been reporting to the police but he has not been charged, according to his
counsel.
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