As we look forward to a bumper harvest and bumper tourist arrivals, The Gambia government is continuing to amaze its citizens with more infrastructural developments. The transparent, free and fair conduct of the recently concluded presidential elections and the President's excellent inaugural speech, gives us even more hope. The re-construction of the Badala Park highway from the SeneGambia Beach Hotel area, where it joins the Kombo coastal highway, to stink corner has now been completed and is truely a highway now. It now takes only a few minutes to drive to SeneGambia from Kanifing, Bakau and Fajara. Add to all these, is the British High Commissioner's reception of President Jammeh's inaugural speech. Culled from the Independent, please read on. Have a good day, Gassa. UNRESERVEDLY IMPRESSED WITH INAUGURATION SPEECH BRITISH HIGH COMMISSIONER APPLAUDS PRESIDENT JAMMEH John Perrott the British High Commissioner has applauded what he called “the right speech” by President Jammeh to reconcile differences among Gambians and look to the future with rekindled hope and confidence. Reacting to the president’s inauguration address delivered Friday at the Independence Stadium, High Commissioner Perrott said it had struck an excellent chord with the urgent need to reconcile the different political persuasions and steer the country on an agreeable path with the international community. Jammeh’s speech on the occasion makes us think of the future with confidence that things will be better” the British diplomat enthused, adding that he was looking forward to working with the president and all Gambians for a more fruitful Anglo-Gambian relation. He also said despite the long drawn out diplomatic standoff between The Gambia and Britain over the expulsion in August of the deputy British High Commissioner Bharat Joshi, it was an excellent appeal from Jammeh to get beyond the past and look towards the future. He said taking a cue from the president’s appeal for compromise with the rest of the world, Britain is more than prepared to bury past differences between the two countries although he said his country still maintains that the expulsion of Joshi was wrong. Mr. Perrott also said it was very considerate of President Jammeh to appreciate that 47 percent of the Gambian electorate who didn’t vote for him, are of different political persuasions, which must be respected as part of the genuine desire to foster goodwill among Gambians. The High Commissioner also applauded the granting of an unconditional amnesty to ousted president Jawara and his family, and the declaration of guarantees for their security should they return to The Gambia after seven years in exile. High Commissioner Perrott believes that this latest overture towards the former president signals practical evidence of President Jammeh’s concerns for reconciliation and cooperation to build The Gambia and foster lasting friendship with the rest of the world. High Commissioner Perrott also emphasised that it was remarkably positive of the president to affirm The Gambia’s support for the war against international terrorism. “He did not regard as Muslim those who back the killing of innocent people as an Islamic cause. His emphasis that Gambians could live as part of that broad coalition against terrorism, and that Gambia and the international community should not be divided but look forward and stop harping on the past was tremendously important” he said. He also said as always in the past Britain looks forward to working closely with The Gambia in all areas of international concerns one of which is terrorism. High Commissioner Perrott also spoke glowing about the ambience that attended the inauguration of the president. “Added to the mix of the old colonial ceremonial tradition, were the colour and vibrancy, which showed it was a Gambian and an African occasion. The inauguration of a president should never be a light affair”, he maintained. The High Commissioner also said he was impressed by the number of sub-regional leaders who attended the ceremony. He said it was reassuring that the occasion attracted what he called a “great blend of enthusiasm” from the region epitomized by the presence of Presidents Olusegun Obansanjo of Nigeria, Kumba Yalla of Guinea-Bissau, Ahmed Tejan Kabbah of Sierrra Leone and John Kufour of Ghana among other heads of state. _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>