FOREIGN MINISTER BLASTS JAMMEH'S GOVT-BLAMING THEM FOR NOT RESPECTING
TRANSPORT REGULATIONS
BY STAFF WRITER



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September 11, 2005
It seems that the Senegalese/Gambia border dispute is far from over, as
latest reports reaching the ALLGAMBIAN online Newspaper, speak of the
Senegalese Foreign Affairs Minister Cheikh Tijan Gadio blaming the Gambian
authorities for "not respecting the regulations governing transportation and
the free movement of persons or goods between the two countries.

A statement received by this reporter, quoted Foreign Minister Gadio as
saying that the action of The Gambian authorities in "introducing exorbitant
ferry tariffs was a total contravention of the ECOWAS protocol and all other
regulations government trade plus other moves that are geared to towards
integrating our economies within the sub regional."

Mr. Gadio's statement on the month long border impasse, followed the recent
visit of Gambia's government officials led by Foreign Affairs minister Musa
Balla Gaye to neighbouring Senegal, to mediate in the ongoing border crisis.

It was during a meeting with the diplomatic corps in Banjul that his counter
part in The Gambia informed the Senegalese charge d'affaires in Banjul about
this unilateral and or unfriendly move coming from the Gambia government."
said the statement.

Adding insult to injury said our source, The Gambian authorities after
taking this unfriendly move on the 15th day of august 2005 , did not budge
to inform Dakar officially until the 17th day of august.

This the statement went on, indeed did not go down well in Dakar, as "Gadio
did not mince his word therefore supported the move taken by the unionists
in Senegal."

Meanwhile, The Gambian authorities are still adamant in their exorbitant
ferry charges, which compelled the Senegalese transporters to boycott
traversing the Gambia via Yellitenda or Barra.

Following the declaration that emanated from Gadio's office said our
sources, the Senegalese Community both at home and abroad applauded what
they called as such a patriotic move taken by their government.

In another development, sources reaching us say the Banjul delegation which
recently visited Senegal experienced problems in meeting key individuals
instrumental in the border talks, as they were reportedly snubbed by Dakar.
Sources say the delegation had not yet reached any definitive agreement on
the border impasse, despite recent reports by the Observer that the said
borders had been reopened.

A highly placed source who spoke to us during the Weekend warns that if the
Gambia/Senegalese border dispute is not handled with care and maturity it
might degenerate to full blown border dispute, which our source say can
paralysed tiny Gambia economically.

The source also blames The Gambia government for its hostile relation
towards the people of Senegal, arguing that there is no justification for
government to impose such exploitative revenue collection tactics.



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