The article below is culled from the Observer. The nervousness of Jammeh's
people is once again showing. It seems that after defending Jammeh for years
they have come to realize that the Presidency is greater than anyone. They
are crying foul. When the Gambian people are crying to have justice done on
the killings of the innocent kids, the crude oil saga, they choose to defend
the President. Now that the table is turning, they have the gut to cry foul
and claiming that the presidency should be respected no matter who is in
there. What a hard lesson to finally admit? Good luck Mrs. Ceesay and your
President because you are all going to need it. And once again to all those
serving under this regime, you are all going to be held responsible for all
these.
Ousman Bojang.

STATE HOUSE ON JAMMEH'S ALLEGED SICK LEAVE

The director of press and public relations at State House, Fatoumatta Jahumpa
Ceesay, has described as "utterly incorrect", "unconfirmed reports" made in a
local newspaper yesterday that President Yahya Jammeh "is contemplating going
on an 18-month sick leave in the near future.".

Mrs Jahumpa-Ceesay said, "That misinformation was posted on the Gambian
webpage, Gambia L. I myself read it on the internet but how can the net be a
medium that can be used by anyone anyhow? The fact that something  appeared
on the net does not render it authentic.  It was posted on the net by someone
whom I have worked with at the Daily Observer who is none other than Ebrima
Ceesay now resident in Birmingham, UK.

Ebrima said his source is a permanent secretary at Quadrangle. How can
somebody be better informed than us in this regard?  There isn't the
slightest element of truth in it. The president is quite well and in a fit
physical and mental state to execute his functions."

She further queried, "It is rather unfortunate that while others use the
internet for advancement, some Gambians are misusing it to bash one another.
Again, I just repeat that those who want to see President Jammeh drowned
would decompose at the bottom of the sea first."

Mrs Jahumpa-Ceesay said the reporter who culled the story in the local paper
yesterday, "has failed in his capacity as a responsible journalist for not
clarifying the story with the relevant authorities before publication.

A section of  the private press is getting into the undesirable habit of
meddling into the president's life with little or no clue at all.

I think it would have paid to consult my office on the issue. Otherwise, the
government spokesman, SoS Sarjo Jallow, could have been contacted. In as much
as we want our papers to sell, we must equally exercise sincerity and
professionalism. All told, this is a cooked-up story and it is worth
remembering that the Office of the President should be awarded the respect it
duly deserves regardless of who occupies it," Mrs Jahumpa-Ceesay said.

Mrs Jahumpa-Ceesay said President Jammeh prefers going on leave during the
planting season.

Meanwhile, Yankuba Touray, the secretary of state for Youth and Sports, also
denied the story, saying, "The president is in good health condition. The
president is not going on sick leave. Even whereas the president was going on
sick leave, constitutionally, the vice president or the speaker of the
National Assembly should replace him and not Dr Sedat Jobe, the Foreign
Affairs secretary as intimated in the newspaper report."

Mr Touray said journalists should endeavour to report objectively and avoid
sensationalising their stories.

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