Tuesday, December 28, 2010
The three-week Inter-Security Services Drill and Sports Competition organised by The Gambia's security apparatus came to an end Monday evening in a grand final held at the July 22nd Square in Banjul, with the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) emerging as champions.
The event, which commenced on December 7th was meant among other things to strengthen collaboration, understanding, camaraderie, discipline, and so on amongst the security forces. Tuesday's final was presided over by the president of the Republic and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh. Their Excellencies, the First Lady, Madam Zineb Yahya Jammeh, and Vice President Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy were also in attendance.
The winners, GAF, secured a total of 831 points from all the various activities combined. They were awarded a giant trophy and a cash amount of D50,000. The Gambia Police Force (GPF) which came second with 791 points, received a trophy and a cash amount of D30,000. The third position went to the Gambia Immigration Department (GID) which secured 582 points. They also received a trophy along with a cash amount of D20,000. All the prizes were courtesy of President Jammeh. In the same vein, individual and special awards were given out to outstanding personnel and teams from different service institutions in various sporting disciplines such as football, volleyball, and athletics.
Speaking briefly after presenting the trophies to the winners, President Jammeh, who served as chief judge in the competition congratulated the security forces for what he called wonderful performances and show of patriotism, as well as camaraderie. The Gambian leader remarked that the objective of the initiative is to ensure that the security forces work together as members of the Gambia's security services, and told them that it is their collective responsibility to make this country peaceful and stable so as to ensure that development is sustainable.
The president, while reminding the service men and women that there must be a winner and loser in any competition, pledged 21 bulls for all the participants of the 2010 Inter-Security Services Drill and Sports Competition. Also speaking at the occasion, the vice president and minister of Women's Affairs, who is also the chairperson of the National Security Council thanked the service men and women for their participation, describing the initiative as very commendable. She underscored that the competition creates the opportunity for the service personnel to know each other better in view of the fact that they are one family for a common goal. She noted that it would be difficult for them to know each other without this kind of event, which she pointed out, brought in discipline, camaraderie and understandings.
To this end, VP Njie-Saidy thanked President Jammeh for what she described as a laudable initiative, and the service chiefs for implementing it. She said: "I am sure from now on it would become a permanent activity because it is very important. All the other sporting activities are critical because some of you – the GAF and the Police I am aware do participate in our national teams here." She further observed that competition brings the security services closer to the civilians, while stressing the need to nurture and build upon the civil-security relations in view of the fact that service personnel are part of the community. The vice president, while declaring all the participants winners envisaged a more stiff competition in the next edition.
Speaking earlier, the chief of Defence Staff of GAF, Lt. Gen. Masanneh Kinteh, disclosed to the gathering that the competition is one of the by-products of his training directive for the Armed Forces. He was however quick to state that the idea of organising such a great competition involving the entire security forces of this country was the brainchild of President Jammeh. He stated that the competition had afforded them the opportunity to meet and interact amicably in an atmosphere of camaraderie, mutual respect and understanding.
CDS Kinteh explained that the sports segment of the competition was aimed at assisting the security personnel to achieve and maintain the highest possible standards of physical fitness, and thus develop unit morale and esprit de corps in the services. He added that this would strengthen comradeship and understanding among service personnel. The CDS described drill as the foundation of discipline in the security services, stating that Monday's event marked another milestone in the realisation of their ardent goal and desire of transforming the armed and security services into highly disciplined entities that will guarantee peace, stability and development in the country.
He concluded by commending President Jammeh for his continuous support and encouragement to the entire security apparatus of this country, pointing out that under his visionary leadership, the security forces collectively were able to provide the conducive atmosphere for peace, stability and development.
The event, which commenced on December 7th was meant among other things to strengthen collaboration, understanding, camaraderie, discipline, and so on amongst the security forces. Tuesday's final was presided over by the president of the Republic and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh. Their Excellencies, the First Lady, Madam Zineb Yahya Jammeh, and Vice President Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy were also in attendance.
The winners, GAF, secured a total of 831 points from all the various activities combined. They were awarded a giant trophy and a cash amount of D50,000. The Gambia Police Force (GPF) which came second with 791 points, received a trophy and a cash amount of D30,000. The third position went to the Gambia Immigration Department (GID) which secured 582 points. They also received a trophy along with a cash amount of D20,000. All the prizes were courtesy of President Jammeh. In the same vein, individual and special awards were given out to outstanding personnel and teams from different service institutions in various sporting disciplines such as football, volleyball, and athletics.
Speaking briefly after presenting the trophies to the winners, President Jammeh, who served as chief judge in the competition congratulated the security forces for what he called wonderful performances and show of patriotism, as well as camaraderie. The Gambian leader remarked that the objective of the initiative is to ensure that the security forces work together as members of the Gambia's security services, and told them that it is their collective responsibility to make this country peaceful and stable so as to ensure that development is sustainable.
The president, while reminding the service men and women that there must be a winner and loser in any competition, pledged 21 bulls for all the participants of the 2010 Inter-Security Services Drill and Sports Competition. Also speaking at the occasion, the vice president and minister of Women's Affairs, who is also the chairperson of the National Security Council thanked the service men and women for their participation, describing the initiative as very commendable. She underscored that the competition creates the opportunity for the service personnel to know each other better in view of the fact that they are one family for a common goal. She noted that it would be difficult for them to know each other without this kind of event, which she pointed out, brought in discipline, camaraderie and understandings.
To this end, VP Njie-Saidy thanked President Jammeh for what she described as a laudable initiative, and the service chiefs for implementing it. She said: "I am sure from now on it would become a permanent activity because it is very important. All the other sporting activities are critical because some of you – the GAF and the Police I am aware do participate in our national teams here." She further observed that competition brings the security services closer to the civilians, while stressing the need to nurture and build upon the civil-security relations in view of the fact that service personnel are part of the community. The vice president, while declaring all the participants winners envisaged a more stiff competition in the next edition.
Speaking earlier, the chief of Defence Staff of GAF, Lt. Gen. Masanneh Kinteh, disclosed to the gathering that the competition is one of the by-products of his training directive for the Armed Forces. He was however quick to state that the idea of organising such a great competition involving the entire security forces of this country was the brainchild of President Jammeh. He stated that the competition had afforded them the opportunity to meet and interact amicably in an atmosphere of camaraderie, mutual respect and understanding.
CDS Kinteh explained that the sports segment of the competition was aimed at assisting the security personnel to achieve and maintain the highest possible standards of physical fitness, and thus develop unit morale and esprit de corps in the services. He added that this would strengthen comradeship and understanding among service personnel. The CDS described drill as the foundation of discipline in the security services, stating that Monday's event marked another milestone in the realisation of their ardent goal and desire of transforming the armed and security services into highly disciplined entities that will guarantee peace, stability and development in the country.
He concluded by commending President Jammeh for his continuous support and encouragement to the entire security apparatus of this country, pointing out that under his visionary leadership, the security forces collectively were able to provide the conducive atmosphere for peace, stability and development.
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