BY PA NDERRY M'BAI


President Yahya Jammeh's Ramadan transport good will gesture extended to
the Senegalese Community has be been rejected by Senegalese transport
unionists, who vowed not to travel via Banjul again amidst border crisis
between the neighbouring countries, The ALLGAMBIAN online Newspaper
gathered on Wednesday.

A leading independent radio station in Dakar called RFM  monitored
Wednesday reported that transport unionists in Dakar and Casamance both
rejected the  ferry tariffs recently reduced by The Gambian authorities.
The RFM reporter in Casamance Abdoulie Sambou reported that  transport
unionists in southern province of Senegal described the ferry tariffs
reduction as unacceptable. A spokesman of the transport union says The
Gambian Ramadan transport good will gesture was nothing but a joke,  as
the Gambian authorities were  yet to meet their demands.  Consequently,
the spokesman says they will go ahead with their border transport boycott
no matter what tariff reductions Banjul offered to them.

Meanwhile, in Dakar today transport unionists also rejected the GPA
tariffs reduction. They told RFM radio, which is owned by Senegalese
"ndaga star" Yussu Ndour that nothing will make them to accept the Gambian
offer. The spokesman added that even though if Banjul should offer them
free ferry passage, they will not accept it.  "We are okay with their
offer.  We just don't want to travel via Banjul again.  From now on, we
will ask our colleagues to travel via tamba and not Banjul."said the Dakar
transport unionist spokesman.

The Spokesman who appeared uncompromising urged the Wade administration to
construct good roads for them in Tambakunda and Casamance.  "We are done
with Banjul. There is nothing that can change our position on this state
of affairs."said the spokesman.

Dakar rejection to Gambia's so called  transport good will gesture
followed months of border impasse between the two neighbouring countries.
Nigerian President Obsanjo this week decided to mediate in Gambia/Senegal
border impasse. While the outcome of the Lagos meeting is yet to be
declared, in what could be described as a major set back in the peace
negotiations had emerged. Observers say  parties involved in the dispute
are likely to go back to the drawing board,  in view of  today's
declaration made by Senegalese transport unionists.

The Gambia,  a former British colony is said to have suffered a great
economic loss as a result of the border impasse.  Hundreds of vehicles
stranded along the Gambia/Senegalese border during the hills of the border
dispute.  It also paralysed economic activities of both countries.

¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface
at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html

To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l
To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
[log in to unmask]
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤