Mr.Sidibeh,
          I did read thru your article and saw the good questions therein.As
far as i know applications for passports are usually processed at the
immigration dept in Banjul.The following have so far been part of the
challenges that the dept concerned has been going thru...

a)From 1997 or so the immigration dept attempted to computerise the latest
blue(ordinary passports)...Thus officer Gomez and others were sent on
training courses in that regard.However,the dept was faced with two major
challenges in that particular area,ie:the computerised passports were being
subjected to further scrutiny in european airports and elsewhere because of
the sudden changes-from the old (hand written) types to the computerised
ones!
So many Gambians went thru certain difficulties when transitting via other
airports(especially in Spain!).
The suspicion or doubts from those foreign immigration officials were (in
most cases)because of the appearance of the laminated page on the
computerised passports.This i believe was either because those who were
laminating it did so hurriedly or the foreign officials were yet to
familiarise themselves with the new type of ordinary gambian
passport.Usually countries all over the world do circulate latest specimens
of newly introduced passports worldwide before officially issuing them to
their citizens(and this i can bet was done!).Nevertheless not all
immigration officials in those countries can see these specimens at
once!thus that could have been one of the causes FOR SUSPICION...
Apart from going through the problems when transitting via other airports
another challenge for computerised passport holders/applicants was the fact
that errors on their passports were not easily rectified at embassy levels
thus they(those who stay abroad) resorted to sending them all the way to
BANJUL FOR RECTIFICATIONS IF ERRORS WERE ENCOUNTERED! This was/is indeed a
financial and 'moral' burden for those affeCTED.
Another additional challenge that applicants or those who posessed the new
blue(ordinary)passport faced was the fact that the former director OF
immigration did (verbally)inform missions that his team was going to embark
on renewing the old(blue hand written)to new computerised ones, for those
Gambians who were/are abroad.Therefore based on the latter he adviced that
renewals of any old ones to be reduced to a period of six months with lesser
charges.IE:that any passport that was brought to missions abroad for renewal
was supposed to be extended(renewed)for only six months pending the arrival
of the immigration officials.Unfortunately he(the x diretcor)was appointed a
minister during that period so the preparations were left pending.
This indeed was a challenge therefore some missions were faced with the
difficulty of either respecting that verbal suggestion or looking into the
immidiate needs of those who were surging to their doors in order to get
their p/ports renewed.
Most missions abroad chose to be extending the old hand written type for
more than six months because that WAS going to be to the advantage of those
Gambians abroad.Infact a case study was conducted and recommendations were
sent home to that effeCT.Thus the immigration dept was adviced to resort to
issuing the hand written type if the process of using the computerised ones
was yet to mastered! They heeded and resorted to the old system thus it
reduced the concerns of many within western europe etc.Ofcourse some were
still facing difficulties and that was being looked into as well.

The above obstacles and stratification of suggestions or plans that couldn't
solve the problem might have caused some delays here and there so the speed
of processing passport applications for some of us abroad was A BIG
challenge at some given time.
SO ON THAT NOTE I DO APOLOGISE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE CAUSED ON BEHALF OF THE
TEAM THATS RESPONSIBLE!



LEASING PLOTS AND THE TIME LIMIT.

This is a very important question which i find challenging!As far as i am
concerned am yet to come across a document where a time limit is stipulated
for the processing of such documents.Indeed i leased mine but that was way
back in 1990! Then it took me SIX MONTHS at the Brikama commissioner's
office.Therefore such difficulties being faced by applicants like your
goodself should be looked into with keen interest.
As it is encouraging to see someone abroad thinking of developing the
community back home! Likewise it is EQUALLY discouraging to see some
official within the four walls of an office delaying such applications for
no tangible reason!
MR SIDIDBEH i did respect you for refusing to corrupt nor to be corrupted!
So never ever givE any monies to someone underneath FOR WHATEVR REASON!Be it
back home or where u are.
Likewise its important to keep in mind that not all applications maybe
delayed for such reasons.For that matter i would advice that you adress your
complaint  or enquiries to:

MR BADARA JOOF
PERMANENT SECRETARY DEPT OF STATE FOR LOCAL GVT AND LANDS
THE QUADRANGLE BANJUL THE GAMBIA
WEST AFRICA.

I also promise that Mr.Joof will receive a phone CALL from my humbelself in
that regard without delay.
NB:If need be please send me some guidelines thus enable me to mount an
effective followup alongside your efforts.
MY APOLOGIES ON THAT ALSO FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE CAUSED.


BIRTH CERTIFICATES PROCESSING AND TIME LIMIT...
Well for the above, the process starts from the Alkalolou to the chief then
the dept of health.The time limit for that operation also i believe if
everything goes on fine cannot be or SHOULD NOT be more than a week or so.
From 1996 as far as i know, the issuing of passports,birth certificates etc
was decentralised to the divisional level.The intension was to reduce the
load on those poor villagers who travelled all the way to Banjul just to get
any of the said documents.Likewise reduce the load on the health
dept/immigration office in Banjul.
Indeed every system has its shortcomings therefore that 'biting' problem
should also be revisited now and again.

So as of now this is what i have to share with you please take note of the
fact that under normal circumstances the process of either  leasing a plot
or applying for a passport shouldn't take more than a month!
Because mark you, this process for certain administraive reasons cannot be
hurriedly done also! The same applies to a lot of systems in the
world(especially on the delicate issue of passports and other related
documEnts).USUALLY RENEWALS(P/ports) SHOULD BE FASTER!
Leasing may involve investigations ie:if the said area hasn't been sold to
different parties because prior to this regime and during its time Chiefs or
alkalos do make mistakes when allocating land or plots to some people.Such
mistakes usually stem from the go-betweens they have within their immidiate
circles.
We have also seen some surveyors being corrupted thus they establish maps
for the wrong individuals therefore the latter do rush and lease such plots!
The above indeed warrants some caution before signing lease documents.
Because lawfully, once signed such lease documents are valid for 99 years!

IF THESE REASONS ARE THE CAUSE THEN DELAYING AN APPLICATION IS JUSTIFIED AND
MAYBE TO THE ADVANTAGE OF THE APPLICANTS.Without doubt if the contrary
happens then YOU AND ANY OTHER APPLICANT HAVE THE RIGHT TO RAISE THE FLAG
AND REQUEST FOR AN EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION FROM THE DEPT CONCERNED.

Thank you! hopefully i tried giving in something useful as far as your
enquiries/complaints are concerned.If you need further clarity or if you
have more questions please do not hesitate to come forward.I will either try
to answer them or forward those that i find difficult to adress to the
officials under whose area of competence that falls.

YEROPULLOH.






"YEROMAMA PULORI GALO HAAWA BAROGEL N'DIMOU"
"Speak the speeches and let the speeches not spit you."


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