Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 94/2006, 1-2 November,  2006

Editorial

SPAIN, GAMBIA AND THE ESTRANGED YOUTH
Poverty is the scourge of the 21st  Century. Governments have agreed to 
reduce it by half under the Millennium  Development Goals by the year 2015, which 
is 9 years from now.
In the Gambia  69% of the population are living in abject poverty despite the 
claims that the  economy grew by 8% in 2005 and by 5% in 2006. The projection 
for 2007 is infact  more fanciful. 
Gambia’s poverty however affects the youth who constitute 60%  of the 
population more than any other sector. 
Needless to say, since most  parents can no longer take care of their 
families, it is the older children in  the families who are now taking care of the 
young ones. This is precisely why  pressure is on the youths to become income 
earners. The lack of employment  possibilities have compelled many youths to 
migrate to Europe in search of  greener pastures. This often require huge 
investments to get visa, passports,  air tickets or pocket money to travel by land. 
Relatives who have succeeded in  going often send 3000 to 5000 dollars to 
finance such enterprises. Parents with  compounds, cattle or other assets often 
sell such assets to finance such trips.  Hence when a person is deported a whole 
life time asset perishes and hopes are  dashed. What Spain is doing with 
governments like the Gambia, to the point that  our own officers travel to Spain to 
come with our nationals beats our  imagination. No government should restrict 
the freedom of movement of her  citizens. It is the government of another 
country, which may establish  conditions for lawful or unlawful entry into a 
country and establish guards to  enforce their own laws. Migration from one 
country into another is as old as  human civilization. The very United States was 
founded on the migration of  Pilgrim Fathers from Europe into the land of the 
American Indians. Hence,  policing is not the answer. The real answer is 
collaboration to fight  poverty.
This requires enlightened national and foreign policy that can  foster the 
type of free movement of goods and people from one country to the  other that 
are mutually beneficial. 
Before such an enlightened policy is  established, a laissez faire attitude 
to the movement of youths is the best  policy. In this way those who are 
deported will not transfer their anger to  people at home. They will see it as a 
by-product of their struggle to escape  poverty. They may draw the lesson that 
instead of getting frustrated, it is  better to also take part in building a 
society that can guarantee them  prosperity and one that can be respected in the 
world to the point that her  citizens will be able to move freely.

FORMER BAC FINANCIAL  CONTROLLER IN THE DOCK
By Modou Jonga

The trial involving Mr. Fafa Kuyateh, the former financial controller of  the 
Brikama Area Council is adjourned to the 6th of November 2006. The case is  
adjourned due to the absence of Lamin Jobarteh, the counsel for the accused  
person. The accused Fafa Kuyateh has been charged for obtaining an account of  
D230,000 (two hundred and thirty thousand dalasis) from one Babucarr Cham by  
false pretence over a piece of land that is said to be located at Nemakunku  
Village. The presiding Magistrate is E.F Mbai and the police prosecutor is 413  
Sanyang of the Yundum Police Station.

NIA DIAMOND CASE IN  PROGRESS
By Fabakary B. Ceesay

The protracted legal battle involving the state and six ex-officers of  
National Intelligent Agency (NIA) continued at the Kanifing Magistrate Court on  
Monday, 30th October 2006. The case was presided over by principal magistrate,  
Kebba Sanyang. Continuing his testimony, the ninth prosecution witness, Borry  
Touray, said he received the statement of the Germans. He said the statement 
was  written in the German Language and a note was attached to it. Touray said 
the  statement contained Dr Mahler’s signature. He said the statement was 
translated  from German to English, and that the translated version was sent to 
the office  of the Vice President, the German consulate in Banjul and to the 
panel of  investigators at Police Headquarters in Banjul. He admitted that the 
translated  version of the statement was not signed. The original version of 
the statement  and the English version were admitted in evidence as exhibits F 
and G. The case  is adjourned to 8th November, 2006.

TRIAL OF LAMIN DARBOE AND CO  ADJOURNED

The trial of Lamin R. Darboe (The UDP candidate in the Kombo East  
By-election) and others is adjourned to Tuesday 14th November 2006 by the  Brikama 
Magistrate Court. The case is adjourned due to the absence of the  presiding 
magistrate S.B Tabally, who was said to be sick.
Readers could  recall that the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the 
charges that are  preferred against them. The accused persons are charged with 
assault
The case  allegedly happened in Pirang.

NADD FLAG BEARER ON THE  ELECTION
PART 8

In my view, NADD is not a party designed to promote the specific ideology,  
principles, policies, programmes and practices of a given political party. It 
is  a united front, which embraces principles, programmes and practices that no 
one  in the left or right of the political spectrum can object to. It is 
designed to  give the country a democratic political gene from which a healthy 
democratic  organism we call the Gambian state can emerge. In this respect, I 
cannot object  to their resolution to retain NADD as a point of convergence for 
the opposition  in the Gambia. 
However, five years is a long period in politics. Many people  can emerge who 
can best lead NADD to victory. Another alliance may emerge. Hence  I can only 
accept to be a caretaker flag bearer to give it focus. I will be  willing to 
stand back whenever the executive deems it necessary. The reason for  my 
position is simple.
The developments since our July 4th and July 5th 2003  meetings in Atlanta 
are instructive.
I went to Atlanta in 2003 not to be part  of an alliance but to promote 
PDOIS, which had won 2 seats out of five in the  2002 elections. My mandate was to 
win over the crowd and proceed on a tour of  the US to raise funds and come 
back to the Gambia to build PDOIS branches all  over the country. I still 
believe that if I had done this a PDOIS Presidential  candidate after four years of 
consolidation would have had more votes than I now  have. I still wonder how 
the UDP would have come out of its boycott to contest  the Jarra West by 
election of 2004 if there was no discussion about an alliance.  
The situation would have been more favourable to PDOIS’ Fadera who was  
already very popular in the area.
Fadera gave way to Kemeseng and we put all  our finances to help him to win 
not because of any desire to promote PDOIS. In  that regard 20,000 dalasis is 
still owed to my constituency development fund as  a result of Kemeseng’s first 
By-election. We spent time, energy and resources  not to promote any 
individual party but to ensure that we could have more  opposition seats in the 
National Assembly to check the overwhelming power of the  APRC, which was being 
abused in amending the constitution. We contributed  immensely in resources for 
the launching of NADD, the Njau and Nianija by  elections.
All these resources could have been utilized for my constituency  projects 
and that of Sidia and for PDOIS if we wanted to promote a PDOIS agenda.  Suffice 
it to say, the only trip I took on behalf of NADD led us to many states  in 
the United States and when I came back I gave account of a sum of 2,165  
dollars. 1,000 dollars came from the Movement for Democracy in New York. 565  came 
from the Raleigh group. In Seattle Mr. K gave me 300 dollars for personal  use, 
which I put it in the NADD account. Mr. J of Seattle, and his brother plus  
Mr. M of New York gave me a combined sum of 300 dollars for personal use. I put 
 it in the NADD account. The treasurer should have issued receipts to all 
such  people but because of the split the treasurer left. Other than this no 
money had  ever passed in my hands from abroad except 200 dollars, which was sent 
through  somebody’s father by his son in Minnesota for the elections. All 
monies  contributed locally or externally towards the by elections in 2005 did not 
 finance my own campaign but went to benefit other campaigns. I financed my 
own  campaign during the 2005 by election.
I have received no personal benefits  because of my association with NADD. I 
have spent time, energy and resources  that could have been devoted elsewhere. 
I am stating this without any regret  just to confirm that we were moved by 
duty and not by any desire for power or  personal gain. 
Needless to say, up to the eve of nomination I was trying to  put NADD 
together so that only one candidate would contest.
Finally, I took  the decision that if there was no enthusiasm shown for my 
candidature after my  nationwide tour as NADD’s flag bearer I will at least 
withdraw my  candidature.
There is no doubt that if I withdrew my candidature after the  rapturous 
reception I received everywhere in the country I could have been  easily accused 
of being bribed to withdraw without any credible means to defend  my integrity. 
History has therefore done its will. It is now left for posterity  to judge. 
I am however very convinced that the worst political move I could have  ever 
made is to encourage NADD to support a UDP or PDOIS or PPP or NRP or NDAM  led 
alliance. The objective of NADD was not to put any particular person or  party 
in power but to empower the Gambian people. I have always made it clear  that 
I was ready to be an instrument for the empowerment of the people and not  an 
instrument to help a person or party come to power for its sake.  NADD  was 
indeed the strategic instrument to liberate the country. We missed the  
opportunity. 
The way forward is clear. As a caretaker flag bearer I have no  option but to 
create a new foundation for opposition politics in the country. No  one 
doubts that in my speech after my nomination I had shown my determination to  
confront the APRC regime with my bare hands and risk death if they wanted to  
intimidate my supporters not to vote for me. Now, no stretch of the imagination  
could enable me to win a presidential election with 23, 473 votes. In this  
regard, I have no moral authority to claim that I am mandated to liberate a  
people who had all the power to entrust their voices and authority for me to  speak 
on their behalf but decided not to do so. Yes we have talked about many  
anomalies such as underage and foreign voters, suppression of voters’ cards  
through tricks by Yai Compins, intimidation, tribalism, inducement and some even  
coming to vote with voters’ cards without their names being found in the  
register or the counter foil but were rejected. However, this can only be of use  
for electoral reform.
In this respect, the only opposition that is  permissible for me to be a flag 
bearer of is one that accepts to function under  the MOU that all politicians 
signed under the auspices of President Obasanjo and  the Commonwealth. 
The preamble states that the parties do recognize that “ a  peaceful and 
stable political environment underpinned by a transparent, plural  and democratic 
political dispensation is vital for the future prosperity and for  the 
happiness and well being of its people; that they do recognize, “the  legitimacy of 
the present government and its right to govern, within the  constitution and 
the laws of the land on the one hand and the rights of the  political opposition 
to operate freely and to hold the government to account on  the other hand.”
In this respect, NADD will move away from squabbles, monitor  the policies 
and practices of the APRC government and the party. We will  consult, give 
advice, scrutinize and criticize where necessary. We will do so by  seeking 
audiences with members of the executive and the various officers of  their party 
apparatus. We will issue letters, statements, press releases,  cassettes so that 
an alternative voice of sanity will remain ever present in  this country to 
help promote our collective awareness to guide our collective  destiny. We will 
try to conduct ourselves in accordance with the standards of  best practice so 
that we earn national and internal respect. We will try to have  weight to put 
a stop to impunity and promote respect for fundamental rights and  rule of 
law. We will serve as the conscience of the state by being involved in  anything 
that a people who love their country and people should be involved in.  we 
will provide examples by precepts and practice. 
To conclude I wish to  thank all those who have taken part in cash, kind or 
spirit to work day and  night to promote our common aspiration to create a 
Gambia that we can call our  dear motherland because of the protection it gives us 
to live in liberty and  prosperity. Of course I am not satisfied with the way 
we were abandoned by The  Gambian community abroad. We can all fold our 
hands. Who then will save our dear  motherland? If 400 Gambians abroad were to 
contribute 200 dollars each we would  have had all the T-shirts, flags, transports 
and mobilisers we need to conduct a  successful campaign in addition to our 
resources. May be they will respond to  the National Assembly elections. If not 
they should partly accept responsibility  for any quasi one party state that 
may emerge. All this blame should not go to  split, lack of support is another 
cause. 
That all people must one day live  in liberty and prosperity free from 
oppression and poverty is the verdict of the  human conscience and will. This 
verdict is irrevocable. The just conscience and  will are always outraged by 
injustice and degradation. Such conscience and will  always yearn for dignity and 
self worth. This is why hope must never be lost.  Hope will never be lost!! Hope 
never dies where the just are alive. Behind all  the dark clouds the golden 
sunlight is waiting to shine. The future is  bright.

Notwithstanding, we wish to express special appreciation to  the 27 people 
who gave their support to NADD, especially the few members of the  STGDP who 
kept their promises, the Minnesota Group.
Long live NADD!
Long  live Democracy!
Long live the people!

THE PROBLEMS OF POVERTY  (SOS GAYE DILATES)
By Annia Gaye

Mr. Mousa Gibril Bala Gaye, Secretary of State for Finance and Economic  
Affairs has noted that poverty is the most serious and endemic problem that  
governments and peoples face in most part of sub-Saharan Africa. Hon Gaye was  
speaking at the opening of a 10 day national project implementation workshop  that 
is being held at Kariaba Beach Hotel. The theme of the workshop is  “National 
project Implementation and Poverty Reduction.”
Mr. Gaye further  described poverty as the root cause of disease, instability 
and conflicts. He  said the most striking challenge facing the world today is 
the alleviation of  endemic poverty worldwide. 
He stated that poverty is widespread and endemic  in The Gambia. He however 
noted that there is evidence of decline in certain  areas of the country. He 
further stated that The Gambia’s second Poverty  Reduction Strategy Paper 
(2007-2011) has been adopted as the framework for  bringing together national policy 
programmes, projects and development  assistance for realizing the Millennium 
Development Goals (MDGS), the Poverty  Reduction Goals and the Governments 
Vision 2020.
Hon Gaye pointed out that  the training workshop is one of the concrete 
actions organised to ensure that  the projects adhere to the Bank Group 
disbursement and procurement notes and  procedures. On this note, he said the training 
will serve as one of the effects  in their joint efforts to improve the 
soundness of the Gambia portfolio, as  other complementary plans are ongoing.
He further revealed that his  department has undertaken a restructuring and 
recorganisation exercise that is  aim at building capacities and improving 
project management and the Aid  coordination Directorate. He underscored the 
various areas of project’s  implementation, such as procurement and disbursement, 
which are based on a  prescribed set of rules and procedures that government 
should  follow. 

WOMAN COMPLAINS OVER DUMPSITE
By Isatou Bittaye  

A resident of Latrikunda German, Aji Mama Sillah has complained of a  
deplorable dumpsite at her immediate surrounding. She said the pungent odour  coming 
from the dumpsite has made life difficult for her. She said she lives at  a 
water logged area and that when it rains in the past, the water use to pass  
through that area, but the creation of the dumpsite has affected the free flow  
of water and this has caused flooding in her compound. Aji Mama indicated that, 
 she has lived in that place for many years, but it is only of late that she 
is  facing these problems. She said that after every rainfall, the water and 
rubbish  settled in her compound and this affects them. She indicated that 
people from  Latrikunda and Kanifing South always came with vehicles to dump their 
rubbish at  the area and whenever she complained, they always insult her. She 
indicated that  she has complained to the K.M.C, but nothing has been done to 
solve the problem,  noting that the K.M.C has visited the area once and 
promised to do something  about it, but they are yet to do something about it.
“ I am desperate and  tired with this problem. I have done everything to 
address the problem,” she  remarked. When contacted the K.M.C cleansing service 
manager, Mr. Edrisa Njie  said that the women has lodged complaint to the K.M.C 
and they visited the area.  He indicated that the K.M.C cleared the area in 
2003, and people redumped refuse  there. She said the woman reloaded her 
complaint recently.
He said the K.M.C  promised her that they will clear the area. He was quick 
to say that he does not  know when his institution will clear the area because 
they have lots of problems  to address. He said the K.M.C does not have enough 
facilities. He lighted that  the community has a role to play in waste 
disposal and  management.

UDP STALWART STILL IN DETENTION
By Fabakary B.  Ceesay

The members of the family of Kanyiba Kanyi, a Stalwart of the United  
Democratic Party, have told this reporter that their loved one is not released  by 
the authorities.
According to them, Justice Monagen has ordered the  unconditional release of 
their family member but they are still waiting for his  release. They pointed 
out that they do not know the necessary steps they should  take to facilitate 
the release of Kanyiba Kanyi. They also indicated that they  are yet to 
establish the whereabout of Kanyiba Kanyi.
They noted that, they  are very concerned about his health. Readers could 
recall that Kanyiba Kanyi was  arrested on the 18th September 2006, at his home 
at Bonto, Kombo East. He was  later granted bail by Justice Monagen, but he is 
still in  detention.

BRITON MURDER TRIAL DEFERED AGAIN
By Modou  Jonga

The murder trial involving Kate Afori and Co has been deferred to Tuesday  
14th November 2006 by the trial magistrate E.F Mbai on Tuesday 31st October 2006 
 at the Brikama Magistrate Court upon the application of the prosecution.
In  his application for an adjournment, the Chief Police Prosecutor Western  
Division, ASP Tijan Badjie told the court that all the four accused were not  
present in court, noting that they were being held in remand. He also told the 
 court that the British Police are still helping the serous crimes unit of 
the  Gambia Police Force on the scientific aspect of the case.
Going further, ASP  Badjie, said, he was informed by one superintendent 
Kinteh, that the latest  piece of evidence from the scientific investigation 
carried out by the British  Police were supplied to the serious crimes unit on 
Monday and has been duly  forwarded to the Attorney General’s Chambers, who the 
prosecutor said, are  presently handling the case file for legal advice.
Based on the above, an  application was sought by the prosecutor which was 
granted by the presiding  magistrate without objection by lawyer Camara, counsel 
for the first accused  Kate Afori West and lawyer C.O Secka counsel for the 
fourth accused David  Bathran.

DEFENCE COUNSEL LAMENTS DELAY IN HAKIM’S CASE

Lawyer Sourahata Semega-Janneh, the defence counsels representing Mr. Wally  
Mahmoud Hakim, who is charged with firearms offences at the High Court, 
lamented  the delay the case had suffered. Hakim is charged with two counts of 
criminal  offences, on count1, he is facing the charge of “possession of the 
firearms  without authority,” contrary to Section 8 of the Arms and Ammunition Act,  
Cap.21:01 vol. III Laws of The Gambia 1990. According to the statement of  
offence, Wally Mahmoud Hakim, on or about the 17 February 2005, in Kerr Serign  
in the Western Division, had in his possession firearms without proper  
authority.
On count 2, he is charged with, “ Importation of firearms into The  Gambia 
without import licence,” contrary to section 6 of the Arms and Ammunition  Act. 
He was alleged to have imported into The Gambia, firearms without an import  
licence duly granted by the prescribed Authority. He had, however, denied the  
charges.
When the case resumed on Monday, October 16, before Mrs. Justice S.  Monageng 
of the High Court in Banjul, Principal State Counsel Mr. A.S. Umar  appeared 
for the state. The case could not proceed as the prosecutor asked for  an 
adjournment. He told the court that at the last adjournment date, the NIA  officer 
involved in the investigation was then part of the AU Summit Security  
Personnel, and that after that summit; the said officer was not available.  
According to Umar, the officer is out of the jurisdiction and is not with the  NIA 
now. He said the defence had produced photocopies of documents to show that  
Hakim had licence for the firearms, and they said the originals were with the  
NIA. So, he said the prosecution was trying to confirm whether the documents  
were with the NIA or whether they should continue with the case or not.
The  prosecutor further said that only two officers were involved in the  
investigation, but he said he could not disclose certain things before the  
court. He therefore craved the court’s indulgence for an adjournment, noting  that 
the prosecution is aware of the health condition of the accused. He said  they 
would be willing to take any adjournment that would suit the accused.
In  reply, Senior Counsel Janneh said: “ My Lord, I did not doubt the 
sincerity of  my learned friend, but I must say that I doubt the sincerity of the 
system.” He  informed the court that the case had started at Bundung since 2005 
and nothing  was done there. He said the case was then transferred to the High 
Court where,  according to him, nothing is done. He lamented that Hakim has 
suffered mentally  due to the burden of the case and his business also had 
suffered. Janneh said  they have shown ample evidence that the accused is seriously 
ill and due to the  nature of the illness, he had to go to the Unites States 
for treatment on three  occasions but he came back. That the counsel stressed, 
that that showed that  Hakim is clean, saying the case has no basis. He said 
if the prosecution is not  ready to proceed he would ask for the case to be 
struck out or the accused be  discharged. Justice Monageng, in her ruling 
expressed her concern regarding the  inability of the NIA to produce the original of 
the document. She added; “ We,  legal people should show concern to the 
plight of people in our custody.” She  gave the prosecution the last adjournment to 
proceed, failure of which, she  said, she would discharge the accused.
The Judge also said she was concerned  that only one person could produce the 
said document at the NIA.
Meanwhile,  Hakim himself had spoken to the court on his ailment, saying he 
was to undergo a  serious surgery. The case was adjourned to November 2. It 
would be recalled that  Hakim was arrested following the brutal assassination of 
a prominent journalist,  Deyda Hydara, by unknown assailants, but he was 
subsequently released. 
 

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