President Barrow calls for Senegal and The Gambia to be a model regional integration
Fajara, 10 October 2017
President Adama Barrow this morning received a special envoy from his Senegalese counterpart, President Macky Sall.
Senegalese Foreign Minister Sidiki Kaba delivered a special message to President Barrow, reiterating President Sall’s commitment to the spirit of friendliness and good neighborliness between The Gambia and Senegal. The message also included a formal introduction of Foreign Minister Kaba to the Gambian leader. Mr Kaba was appointed Foreign Minister last month, prior to which he was Senegal’s Justice Minister.
Mr Kaba and President Barrow discussed a series of bilateral issues to further cement the friendly ties between the two countries. President Barrow expressed gratitude to the Senegalese leader and his people for their contribution in making the change and freedom possible in the New Gambia. He commended the positive role President Sall continues to play in building confidence and strengthening their cordial relationship.
President Barrow said he and his Senegalese counterpart would continue to consult one another and engage in dialogue over issues. He called on both countries to work towards being a model of regional integration by facilitating free trade across their borders.
In March this year, The Gambia and Senegal signed several cooperation
agreements to promote trade, fisheries, peace and security for the mutual benefit of the two Gambian and Senegalese people.
Presenting a piece of African art to President Barrow, Minister Kaba said the choice of artwork was a representation of the freedom Mr Barrow brought to the people of The Gambia, and the pride that Africa derived from such achievement.
Gambian Foreign Minister Ousainou Darbo, the Senegalese Ambassador to The Gambia, His Excellency, Salieu Ndiaye and other senior officials from The Gambia and Senegal attended the meeting.
Mr Sidiki Kaba is a human rights activist. He has held several ministerial portfolios before his recent appointment as Foreign Affairs Minister. With his legal background, he is known to have committed his career to promote women and political rights, as well as freedom of the Press in Senegal and beyond.
INTERVIEW OF THE HONOURABLE MINISTER BY GRTS
GRTS: We learnt you were in Switzerland for official mission. Can you tell us what this trip was about?
Minister Fatty: This was a very important event. I was the 68th Statutory Executive Committee meeting of the United nations High Commissioner for Refugees. There were 153 countries that were represented. The meeting is held annually by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. Nations gather in order to review the work of the Standing Committee in the previous year. In this case, the Standing Committee’s performance over the last one year, The Gambia has a central role to play in that. So the main purpose of the meeting was to set the agenda for the next year; to review the state of refugees around the world; migration; for states to present reports that they have to be evaluated covering the past year; and also to make an approval of the budget of the Standing Committee for the next year. The Gambia participated because we have an experience to share with the world in terms of refugee and migration management. As you know The Gambia is a host country for refugee. We had almost 10,000 refugees living in The Gambia. The figures have gone down to precisely 7000 over the past couple of months and since this new government came into existence. We are contributing significantly towards the protection and management of refugees around the world
with this kind of refugee population on our ground. We have refugees who are fully integrated into Gambian society. These refugees live among communities and we know the figures because we have a very
comprehensive registration system. They are registered periodically. We have them profiled and we know where they live. We are working with UNHCR office in The Gambia and also the regional office in Dakar. We grant them documentation so that they can move freely in our country. The children are going to school. And so we have all the services. Refugees in The Gambia live like Gambian citizens.
GRTS: As we speak, our brother and sisters are currently in Libya and Italy mainly sweating for greener pastures while others who have failed to make it have voluntarily returned. What plans do you have to integrate them to society?
Minister Fatty: The government is not resting on its laurels. The government is working with international partners – the European Union particularly – to make sure migration can be managed properly. And we want it to serve the development interest of The Gambia. The President and the government believe that the long term approach to migration should encourage private sector growth in The Gambia. Businesses and enterprises have to be established that will help spur economic growth
enabling young people to have jobs.
GRTS: Can you tell us the current state of drug misuse or use in the country?
We have an institution under the Ministry of the Interior called the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency. It is a very strong and effective agency doing a tremendous job in terms of drug interdiction, interception, prosecution and preventing the abuse of drugs in the country. The drugs that are in the country come from other parts of the world but it’s being exaggerated. The amount of drug abuse seems to be a little bit on the rise since the coming into effect of the new government. And because of the
sense of freedom that Gambians feel, the young people in particular. But then the law is clear. Peddling in drugs and abuse of drugs continue to be illegal and the agents of the Drug Law Enforcement Agency together with the police and other law enforcement outfits will continue to clamp down on the trafficking and abuse of drugs
GRTS: Is drugs a health or criminal problem?
Minister Fatty: The problem can be viewed differently. The Gambia depends on its young people. The future of this country is in the hands of the young. If these young people are introduced into drugs, the future of the country will be mortgaged by drug dealers and peddlers. The Ministry of the Interior is intensifying its activities through the Drug Law Enforcement Agency and The Gambia government is committed and ready to put in more resources, in order to stem the flow of drugs into our country and also its abuse.
GRTS: The past government’s approach to drugs was criminal. With a new and democratic government place, are we expecting a new approach?
Minister Fatty: The way the new government sees crime is different. This is why prison reform is also coming. It’s going to be a different way of doing business. We believe that people can be rehabilitated.
We believe that when people get misguided, it falls upon society to bring them back on track. We have to have a humanistic and human rights approach. Much as the laws must be enforced, the approach of
this government centers on the human person; to make the human person a better citizen.
GRTS: What are the types of drugs that are threatening to destroy the cream of our society – the young people?
Minister Fatty: Most of the drugs that are usually abused in The Gambia are soft drugs. Cannabis, predominantly, is the drug that we are battling with. But we do have an incursion on hard drugs as well. Our law enforcement agents are very vigilant. We have very good seizures at the moment and prosecutions are also ongoing. The young people must understand that drugs is not the way. And I’m sending a warning to drug dealers that we will be on their tail.
GRTS: Finally, can you comment on the issue of passports and ID cards?
Minister Fatty: The issue of ID cards is not the creation of this
government. We did not create the problem of ID cards, we found it here. When this government came in, there were complexities of contracts and some are not in the best interest of the country. So we came in and we had to resolve just like many other issues. We have to give this country a national identification system that is consistent with international standards. We took time to look at it critically so that we can eliminate some of the distortions and fraud involved in it. The Ministry has concluded that it is time now to give Gambians a national identification system that they deserve. Cabinet has approved and a process is now in place. This process of consultation by the Ministries of the Interior and Finance and others will be completed very soon. Government will be engaging key stakeholders who are involved and a national identification system should be in place. And we hope this will happen between
November and December – if all goes well. I want to tell you that passports are being issued. We have not stopped the issuance of passports. We have terminated the issuance of MachineReadable Passports but the biometric passport production is ongoing and any Gambian who wants a
passport can get it.
Ethiene Silva conducted this interview on October 10, 2017
Turkish business interest to spur investment in The Gambia
Fajara, 11 October 2017
President Barrow today received a 14-member delegation of the Turkey–Gambia Business councils, led by Turkish Ambassador to The Gambia Ismail Sefa Yuceer.
The delegation presented specific proposals for alternative energy in The Gambia; the construction of a new children’s hospital and a general hospital; the establishment of a direct flight between Istanbul and Banjul; and the provision of Turkish scholarships to Gambian students. Ambassador Yuceer also expressed Turkish interest in broader construction and interior decoration.
Offering details on some of the proposed projects, the Chairman of the Turkey–Gambia Business Councils, Mr Aygun Karakas, said members of the two councils were ready to invest in a 40-50 megawatts solar project in The Gambia, contribute to healthcare services with a construction of a 150-bed pediatric and general hospital as well as commence bi-weekly direct flights between Istanbul and Banjul in the first quarter of 2018. President Barrow was informed that a team was already in The Gambia to carry out a feasibility study on the conditions for having regular direct flights.
In his welcoming remarks, President Barrow said Turkish investment in Africa was second only to the United States of America, but that The Gambia had not benefited much from it. He said: “Our spirit is very high. Development cannot happen without opening to the private sector.” The President also extended a welcome to Turkish companies interested in various fields, including fisheries. He assured them of his administration’s commitment to provide a democratic atmosphere, respect for rule of law, and a secure environment for business to thrive. He further assured them of the political will, which he said manifested through the setting up of an investment committee to review all serious business proposals. He encouraged them to work with the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and other stakeholders.
Apart from Turkish economic interests in The Gambia, the visiting delegation elaborated on specific social cooperate programmes to expand the scholarship package with the University of Commerce in Turkey, training of medical doctors, exchange visits with the University of The Gambia, and the provision of vocational training.
Both countries also envisage the further strengthening of bilateral cooperation through an upcoming capacity building programme for the security sector.
The Chairperson of the Turkish-Gambian Business Council (Gambian side), Mrs. Fatou Senghore attended the meeting. Also present were the President of GCCI, Mr. Muhammed Jagana, who is also Ambassador at large, the Coordinator of the Gambia Turkish Business Council Mrs. Aji Sally Sagnia Cham, and other officials.
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Let’s Stop Lambasting Our Women As Per Their Active Participation in Politics!
I feel very staggered, flabbergasted, bowled over, perturbed and provoked beyond all human endurance, when men use the key board to lambaste and attack our own women as far beyond the red sea.
At home they are to do all sorts of household work like cooking, washing, cleaning, harvesting , etc. In the early days women were seen as wives who were intended to cook, clean, and take care of the kids. They were not allowed to vote while men took care of having jobs and paying any bills that had to be paid. Soon enough it caught on that women should have a bigger role than what other people thought they should have.
Gender equality is, first and foremost, a human right. A woman is entitled to live in dignity and in freedom from want and from fear. Empowering women is also a vital tool for advancing development and reducing poverty. Empowered women contribute to the health and productivity of whole families and communities and to improve prospects for the next generation.
Today women are playing important role in all spheres of life. They are no longer confined within the four walls of their parents’ or husbands’ house.
They have come out of the kitchens and are working hand in hand with men in all the development programs of the government. By receiving higher education they are becoming pilots, doctors, engineers, hospitality professionals, teachers, administrators , etc. They have been able to prove their worth.
They not only do their household work but also work outside of their houses. They are contributing much to the economy of the country.
I discovered my life was 87% positively impacted by women! My full-time parent I learnt most from (Mom), my teachers right from kindergarten to university (8/10 have been female), all my advocacy
Campaigns were 64% women dominated!
Therefore, we need to amplify women’s voices out there, no matter how small their contribution is to society. The teachers, mothers, cooks, civil servants, employees, employers, leaders and more! Regardless of whom they are married to, background, looks and more! Women are the most vital part of our society and are to be celebrated. Every day, I choose to celebrate the women in my life, past and time to come.
When they’re in parliament, for example, they promote women’s rights legislation. When women are in sufficient numbers in parliaments they also promote children’s rights and they tend to speak up more for the interests of communities, local communities, because of their close involvement in community life,
The evidence shows that female leaders typically have more compassion and empathy, and a more open and inclusive negotiation style. This is not, of course, necessarily true of all women -- there are many different leadership styles. That said, modern ideas of transformative leadership are more in line with qualities women generally share: empathy, inclusiveness and an open negotiation style.
Today's global problems require leaders that have diverse skill sets and innovation that can only come from diverse ideas and players. Women bring the skills, different perspectives and structural and cultural difference to drive effective solutions. In short, female leaders change the way global solutions are forged.
But having more female leaders from politics to the boardroom is important for another reason, too. Simply having female leaders change the norms about who can lead and what qualities are necessary in leadership. Having women in leadership roles is breaking down cultural and structural barriers improving leadership around the world and showing everyone what women can achieve.
Women face several obstacles to participating in political life. Structural barriers through discriminatory laws and institutions still limit women’s options to run for office. Capacity gaps mean women are less likely than men to have the education, contacts and resources needed to become an
Effective leaders.
Now it has come to the realization that true development of the country is not possible keeping half of population idle at home. So it needs no telling that women are playing a great role in the socioeconomic condition of our country.
Therefore we have to give the women the room to showcase their talent beyond any imagination. It is the only way we can make The Gambia great once more again.
By: Saidina Alieu Jarjou
Blogger/Activist/Watchdog.
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Jammeh’s Rampant Corruption – Recovering the Stolen Millions
Like most Gambians, I am following the proceedings at the commission of inquiry looking into, inter alia, the business activities and assets of former president Jammeh.
Although I cannot claim to have watched all the testimonies, I have seen enough to discern the level of incompetence and corruption that existed during the Jammeh regime. I do not think that most of us who have been following the workings of the Jammeh regime during the past 22 years are surprised by the magnitude and extent of the corruption.
We have been lamenting about it for the past two decades. What is surprising and disappointing to me is the level of ineptitude exhibited by experienced and educated civil servants, who should have known better.
Almost all the witnesses who have appeared before the commission thus far have confessed to disobeying civil service rules and partaking in crimes, including theft. In other words, we are dealing with a bunch of criminals who conspired with, and aided and abetted Jammeh to steal money belonging to the Gambian people.
Thanks to Jammeh's impudence and the hubris of his mandarins, it should not be difficult for the current government to make a case against these criminals, hold them accountable, and recover the money they looted from public coffers.
It is sad and nauseating to watch these people admit that while the average Gambian was suffering from poor healthcare, lack of opportunity for the youth, lack of adequate food, water and electricity, they were busy stealing money from the Gambian people, and using the purloined assets to build houses, drive fancy cars, and finance the lavish vacations and education for their children. If I were any of these people, I will be ashamed to show my face in society today.
On the contrary, they shamelessly appear before the Commission and try to lecture us on the workings of government or how terrifying it was to receive directives from Jammeh. Give us a break! This was garden-variety stealing: taking something that does not belong to you. Period.
As mentioned above, the criminal prosecution of these people should be low-hanging fruit for this government. These people testifying before the Commission clearly broke the laws, and the defenses they are presenting are not credible. Many have appeared before the Commission and woefully failed to articulate the legal basis for their actions. They
apparently do not understand the probing questioning from the Commission’s counsel. To break things down, there are laws governing how money gets into government coffers and how that money is spent.
Anybody, including the president, who deviates from those laws is acting unlawfully, and potentially committing a crime.
Some are claiming that they were coerced into this criminal behavior. But none of them has given us an example of a situation where Jammeh jailed, tortured or killed someone who refused to help him steal money. He has humiliated and jailed those he thought were stealing from him. That is different from saying that Jammeh harassed civil servants who resigned. So, no one is buying this notion that civil servants or soldiers participated in these crimes under duress.
Matter of fact, they lobbied hard for their positions and in certain situations even counseled Jammeh to violate the law. Granted, some of the advice was given out of ignorance because they do not understand how government should work. But I do not need to tell anyone that “ignorance of the law is no excuse." They need to come up with more creative and credible defenses.
Since the Commission's terms of reference allow it to look into the assets of government servants and whether those assets were lawfully acquired, I respectfully urge the Commission to start focusing these mandarins on that issue as well, in order to build a complete record that will aid the Attorney General in his quest to recover the stolen millions. We cannot just trust that these people simply withdrew millions of dollars in hard currency and obediently handed the money to Jammeh.
Besides, that is not the threshold for legal culpability in these matters. By aiding and abetting Jammeh in his criminal enterprise, they are as blameworthy as he is; and unless they can prove that they delivered the money to Jammeh, they are responsible for the entire stolen amounts. If they acted solely on the directives of the President, then they themselves should not have benefited from any of the loot. And this is why the Commission should look into their own assets and make sure it is all properly accounted for.
The Commission should rely on its Asset Evaluation mandate to develop a record that will ensure that none of these criminals get to enjoy their ill-gotten gains. If they cannot account for their physical assets in the country, expensive vacations and tuition fees, their assets have to be confiscated and returned to the rightful owners, and people have to spend some time in jail. It is only in Africa that people will commit the most blatant crimes and then go scot-free in the name of reconciliation. But this government has to realize that one of the yardsticks with which it will be judged is how it handled the dispensation of justice for the crimes
committed during the Jammeh regime.
While I am not trying to preempt the Commission's report, I must point out that Gambians expect a firm response from this government once the Commission's work is completed.
Remember, some Gambians died untimely deaths, because of lack of hospitals and medicine. Some of our youths died in the desert or in the Mediterranean, on the treacherous journey to Europe to seek greener pastures, out of sheer desperation for the lack of opportunities in The Gambia. The list of miseries goes on and doesn't even get into the sorry state of the educational system in the country, the bankrupt economy, and the decimated civil service.
These tragedies and more can be traced directly to the criminal behavior being revealed at the Commission. It is incumbent on the Barrow government to hold these criminals accountable and at the very least make a concerted effort to recover the stolen money for the Gambian people.
In order to serve the Gambian people in this regard, it should be a no-brainer that the Barrow government ensures that the people who participated in these corrupt activities are removed from sensitive positions in this current government while these matters are being investigated. It also goes without saying that the current government should cease and desist from the culture of spending without legal basis, i.e. spending outside the mandates of the Constitution and the Budget and laws passed through the parliament. But as I alluded to above, we cannot expect a different outcome if we have the same clueless and lazy mandarins holding sensitive positions in the government.
Muhamad Sosseh, Esq.
Washington, DC
October 9, 2017
UDP Press Statement: Tribute To Our Fallen Heroes
We humbly ask The Gambian people to join us in praying for our late colleague and brother Lamin Manjang who passed away two weeks ago.
Mr Manjang was...