Mr. Jaiteh,

A Free-Trade Zone: may be.  A joint Senegalese-Gambian Transportation Authority is absolutely out of the question.  The Senegalese are the most dishonest, corrupt, unreliable and incompetent human beings I have ever met on this planet.  They are simply uncomfortable with an independent Gambia that strategically divides their country two incompatible halves.  The last thing that a Senegalese leader wants to see is a strong leader in the mold of Yaya Jammeh who coincidentally happens to be Jola.
Laye Wade prays for a weak government in the Gambia and exploits the Gambian opposition parties and former military officers for that end.  Jammeh should also start reaching out to the Casamance resistance movement and arm them to the teeth.  If the Senegalese instigate any instability in Gambia, then the Gambia armed forces shall join forces with Casamance and liberate Casamance from Senegal for good.  The Senegalese elite don't give a damn about their own people much the Gambians.


Ebou Jallow

Malanding Jaiteh <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
This is from the Daily Observer.
I believe President Wade's public comment on this very important issue
is a very good first start. There is no doubt that the two countries
must learn to live together.

Perhaps he got his ideas of Ferries, Tunnels and Bridge all at once from
his few days in New York . With combined population of Gambia and
Senegal less than that of New York Metro, and a combined GDP of 20
billion US Dollars (5% of NYC GDP) you wonder whether going for tunnel,
bridge and ferry service is not an over kill. My advice is to start
negotiations the following modest goals:

1. A joint Senegalese-Gambian Transportation Authoriy. This would be
responsible for purchase of and managment all ferries and (any future)
bridges across the two major crossing points (Banjul-Barra and Bamba
Tenda-Yeli Tenda) and the major trunk roads in each country. This
Authority must be authonomous. The goal is provide service at all people
at all times and be accountable to the customers.

2. A Senegambia Free Trade Zone. This means unrestricted movement of
people, goods and transportation anywhere anytime within Senegambia. To
prevent it from being another ECOWAS treaty, both governments must be
required under the treaty to conduct atleast 5 years of intensive public
education campaign of their people on their rights of passage and trade
across both countries. Also setup joint mechanisms for addressing
individual claims for any violation of that right. eg give the common
man to take anyone or institution to court for interfering with his
right to free movement and trade.

Malanding Jaiteh







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