Gambia-L:
I am forwarding an e-mail sent to me by one of my sources in the Gambia on
Yaya Jammeh's Presidential aircraft.
Amadou Kabir Njie: Two of my sources in the Gambia told me yesterday on the
phone, that they really admired your "sincerity". They said they did not
know you in person, but judging by your writings, it was clear to them that
you were/are very genuine/sincere and committed. They asked me to tell you
to write regularly on the L because you postings are always powerful.
Ebrima Ceesay
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Hello Ebrima,
Yahya Jammeh's presidential aircraft, which he proudly calls "suma Abiong
bi" is a 32-year-old USSR-made Illusin (please check my spelling) which he
"bought" from a South Africa outfit that has some Libyan connections.
This company sells aircraft and arranges for its registration outside the
owner's country of residence. In the case of Yahya Jammeh, the plane is
registered in Bangui, Central African Republic (CAR).
However, the President of CAR had threatened to impound the plane in
Libreville a couple of months ago, because it (the plane) flew the red,
white and blue CAR flag.
But the aircraft has since received a fresh coat of paint to remove the
offensive CAR emblem. The price tag: US$10 million. In other words, the
plane cost US$10 million dollars. There is dispute as to whether or not the
10 million dollars has been fully paid. But knowing Yahya Jammeh, I am
convinced that the deal is probably full of potential legal entanglements.
Anyway, the ageing aircraft has started to develop problems and the
associated high maintenance cost. Ebrima, the maintenance for aircraft is
draining our finances. To maintain the plane in good flying condition, the
Gambia Government is spending a lot money and you really wonder whether
Jammeh should have bought it.
And mark you, he claimed that it is his own plane, and not that of the
Gambian people, whose tax money was stolen to buy it. The pilots also have
to be careful where they fly the aircraft to, to avoid impoundment by the
CAR government whose President is still insisting, and reasonably so, on
having ownership verification checks conducted, and its subsequent
de-registration from Bangui.
Thanks as ever!
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