By Sarjo Brito

A plane carrying a group of Gambians who have been deported from Germany will land at the Banjul International Airport Wednesday afternoon, the spokesman of the Gambia Refugee Association in Europe has said.

Concerns have been mounting over the past weeks as German authorities set to carry out more deportation of Gambian illegal immigrants.

And confirming the news to The Fatu Network, the spokesperson of the Gambia Refugee Association Yahya Sonko said his association has been contacted by Gambians held at the deportation prison in Germany to confirm that they are set to depart Germany January 27, 2021 and estimated time of arrival at the Banjul International the same day at 4pm GMT.

‘’As an Association, we can confirm receiving calls from Gambian detainees at the deportation prison. They confirmed that they will be deported today 11am German time and will arrive in Gambia at 4pm. Two families have also contacted me from the Gambia, confirming to have received calls from their loved ones who told them they will be deported today,” Sonko said.

Following news of this deportation, Sonko said he had tried reaching out to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comments regarding the matter but got no response so far. The activist said he had also tried reaching the Gambia Immigration Department to confirm if a landing permit has been issued “but all efforts to get the authorities to talk continue to prove futile”.

The subject regarding mass deportation has recently sparked anger among Gambians as government is accused of ignoring the plight its citizens abroad. Allegations of the Barrow Administration signing a deal with the German government to deport Gambians has been touted by some activists for some time, with many asking government to come out and set the record straight.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saikou Ceesay was contacted for comment who said he would find out. He later did not pick repeated calls.

A court in Senegal on Wednesday asked six people to jointly pay 50 million CFA to the family of Hiba Thiam, the popular young woman who died of drug overdose at a party for rich kids last year.

Dame Amar, Papa Diadia Tall, Alia Bakir, Fatoumata Jacqueline Rigal alias Choupette, Djibril Ndiogou Bassène alias Nekh and police officer Lamine Diédhiou all ran into trouble following the fatal passing of Thiam.

They were charged with various offences ranging from criminal conspiracy, drug use, failure to assist a person in danger, violation of the law on the curfew in Senegal and corruption.

Dame Amar, Papa Diadia Tall, Alia Bakir, Fatoumata Jacqueline Rigal alias Choupette, Djibril Ndiogou Bassène alias Nekh were sentenced to 6 months for possession of drugs and failure to assist a person in danger, according to Senego on Wednesday.

Police officer Lamine Diédhiou who helped them violate the curfew was sentenced to six months suspended jail sentence, for corruption.

The Supreme Court has said it will in ‘due course’ disclose the reasons for why it held former junta official Yankuba Touray is not entitled to constitutional immunity.

The nation’s top justices led by Chief Justice Hassan B Jallow dismissed on Wednesday morning a claim by Touray the constitution shields him from prosecution for any commission or ommission during the two-year military transition between 1994 and 1997.

In their terse ruling, the three men and two women justices said the high court had turned to the Supreme Court to determine whether the accused person is entitled to constitutional immunity from prosecution of the murder of Ousman Koro Ceesay “pursuant to paragraph 13(1) (3) (4) and (5) of the Second Schedule of the Republic of The Gambia, 1997”.

“This court, having considered the oral submissions and written briefs of learned counsel for both parties and of the Amicus Curiae admitted by the court, finds and holds that the accused Yankuba Touray is not entitled to constitutional immunity from prosecution for the alleged murder of Ousman Koro Ceesay pursuant to paragraph 13(1) (3) (4) and (5) of the Second Schedule of the Republic of The Gambia, 1997. Reasons for the decision will be delivered by the court in due course.

“Accordingly, the High Court (Jaiteh J) is hereby directed to proceed with the trial of the accused person as charged,” the justices said.

Mayor Rohey Lowe returned to work on Wednesday after being away for weeks on leave – as a guard of honour is mounted and staff line to welcome the return of the elected top local government official to work.

Mayor Lowe had been on leave since December 21.

But on Wednesday, Banjul City Council staff led by the security unit under the Leadership of Commissioner Jarjue welcomed the mayor back, according to a statement on Banjul City Council official Facebook page.

Mayor Lowe seized the opportunity to implore all the staff of the city council to be more committed to the quality service delivery for the city in the year 2021, the statement said.

The National People’s Party will invite United Democratic Party through its leader Ousainou Darboe to its launching billed for this Saturday.

NPP supporters led by President Adama Barrow will converge at the Independence Stadium on Saturday for the launching of the party. The party was formed a little over a year ago.

Political parties including UDP will be invited to the massive event, according to Saihou Mballow who is a member of NPP as well as an adviser to President Barrow.

“We are going to invite Ousainou Darboe and we hope Ousainou Darboe will come because this party is a splinter of the UDP. So we expect Ousainou Darboe to come there and see that his brother or his son or his ex-executive members like Saihou Mballow, Lamin Cham and others are working…,” Mballow told The Fatu Network.

NPP and UDP will be the two biggest antagonists in the presidential election later this year. President Barrow and Darboe appointed each other son and father but their spectacular falling-out in 2018 has seen each gone their separate political ways.

Former junta leader has lost his bid to nullify his trial for murder after the Supreme Court threw out his claim of immunity on Wednesday morning.

Touray has for the past three months been at the nation’s top court for arbitration after he repeatedly insisted he was immune from prosecution in his murder trial. He said the constitution bars it.

Lawyers last month took on each other for nearly two hours with the former army captain’s lawyer insisting the entire time immunity is a shield.

But the Supreme Court on Wednesday morning ruled against Mr Touray which means his trial at the high court must now continue.

“[It] makes it clear immunity can’t be relied on when charged with a criminal offense. Doing so would encourage impunity,” top attorney Gaye Sowe who led a group of lawyers in the case as friends of the court told The Fatu Network of the unprecedented Supreme Court judgment.

Yankuba Touray is standing trial for the 1995 murder of former finance minister Ousman Koro Ceesay.

His legal trouble came after he appeared at the TRRC in June 2019 but refused to testify. His behaviour then saw the then minister of justice Abubacarr Tambadou vowing to ‘set an example’. He was arrested by police shortly after and charged with the murder of Koro Ceesay.

An East Harlem man with an aversion to hard work was looking at hard time Tuesday after fatally shooting his mother, police said.

Mom of eight Fatoumata Danson was gunned down by her son inside their apartment after a morning dispute over his refusal to find a job, according to cops and the victim’s brother.

The unemployed and unhinged Musa Camara, 22, was tasered and arrested after allegedly shooting his mother in the head and then firing a shot at a stranger on the street after fleeing his family’s NYCHA building, police said.

Danson, 40, was found with a fatal gunshot wound near the door of their home in the Lehman Village houses on E. 108th St. near Park Ave.

“The son don’t want to work,” said his uncle Yankuba Sangarie through tears. “He’s very lazy. He wants the mother to take care of him all his life. … He don’t want to go to work or get a place for himself. That’s the reason that he shot the mom.”

Camara was taken to Metropolitan Hospital for a psychiatric evaluation. Police sources said the suspect has a history of mental illness.

Police responded to the apartment multiple times in the past to stop fights between the suspect and his mother, sources said.

“They said he was smoking weed before everything happened,” said the gunman’s cousin Fataumata Sankareh, as devastated family members gathered outside the New York City Housing Authority building to mourn the victim. “I’m still shocked … confused. I first heard it, I fell to the floor. I can’t believe it.”

Cops were called to the building about two blocks from Central Park about 9:20 a.m., with neighbors reporting the son had just shot his mother and fled the scene. At about the same time, cops were summoned to the corner of E. 110th St. and Park Ave. after Camara allegedly opened fire on a 29-year-old stranger.

The victim was not hit, and cops quickly took the slain woman’s son into custody. Once inside the 23rd Precinct stationhouse, the suspect began acting out and stripping off his clothes before he was hospitalized, authorities said.

“I want him to go to life in prison,” said Sangarie, mourning his slain sister. “No mercy for him. He killed somebody lovely in the family.”

Danson, a Gambian immigrant who worked as a home health aide, was remembered by her brother as a “very sweet person” who came to New York in search of a better life for her family and instead died at the hands of her own child.

“She don’t have a problem with anybody,” said Sangarie. “She’s a hardworking lady, taking care of her eight children. Everybody loves her. She’s a good sister, a good family member.” (New York Daily News)

The ministry of health has asked escaped coronavirus patients to report surrender themselves with ‘immediate’ effect or risk serious consequences which could include having their identities made public.

The health ministry said on Tuesday afternoon 40 people are mingling with members of the public even after they tested positive for coronavirus.

“Several efforts have been made in the past month by the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 Response Team to reach and/or convince the abovementioned individuals to voluntarily comply, however all efforts have turned out futile,” top ministry of health official Modou Njai said in a statement.

Njai added: “The Ministry continues to treat these matters with utmost and grave concern and thus, the Ministry is hereby giving an order and ultimatum to all those concerned, that they are required to report themselves to the health authorities with immediate effect and failure of which will lead to serious consequences, including the publication of names and identifying information of all those at large.

“Therefore, all positive cases should self-report by calling the following numbers (1025; 3011261; 3632098), and those travelers who entered into the country and are yet to undergo sample collection must immediately report to Metzy Hotel or call the aforementioned numbers for further clarification.

“The Ministry would like to stress that this serious and ruthless misconduct will no longer be condoned under any circumstances. Anyone found not willing to cooperate with COVID-19 regulations will have their names and identifying information published on the media and thereafter, drastic measures will be taken against anyone that is non-compliant.

“Accordingly, the public is hereby reminded that the Public Health Emergency Act (Dangerous Infectious Diseases) Protection Regulations 2020 empowers the Minister or Officers acting under his authority to take strict measures as to when and where necessary.

“We urge the public to become more cautious and adhere to the advised safety precautions especially that with regard to social distancing, wearing of face masks in public and avoiding large gatherings.”

A host of the regional channel of RTS Fatick killed himself by hanging in his native village, Waxal Jam, in the commune of Patar, not far from Niakhar, according to Senego on Tuesday.

Sémou Diouf hanged himself from a tree near his family house after closing from work on Monday night.

He was in his 40s and leaves behind a wife and three children. No reason was immediately known for the suicide.

By Fatou Camara II

Police are looking for the family of a man who was hit by a car near Neme Green House on the Coastal Road highway.

Police are scrambling for clues about the admitted man as no documents were found on him. He was reportedly hit by a car between 11am and 12pm on Tuesday.

He is admitted at Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital.

Anyone who recognises him can call 3969424. See man below;

National People’s Party big-shot Seedy Njie has been applauded over his ‘mature’ handling of an interview with a Paradise TV reporter.

Njie pushed back at Madinding Ceesay after she appeared to have charged NPP for drug trafficking. The reporter later apologised and the interview continued to its logical end.

The Fatu Network has now understood a number of people called Njie to applaud him over the way and manner he handled the awkward situation.

One person who spoke with the politician said Njie handled the situation with maturity and he thus called him to applaud him.

Njie himself confirmed speaking with a number of people over the issue.

ECOWAS has thanked former president of Nigeria Dr Goodluck Jonathan for agreeing to ‘facilitate’ dialogue among the country’s stakeholders over the draft constitution.

Jonathan flew into the country twice in a bid to end a huge stalemate over the draft constitution following its national assembly collapse.

ECOWAS leaders including President Barrow converged virtually over the weekend for the 58th ordinary session of their authority.

“On The Gambia, the authority takes note of the political divergencies in the country regarding the revision of the Constitution as the country prepares for presidential and legislative elections at the end of 2021.

“It commends H.E. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for agreeing to facilitate dialogue among national political stakeholders on the contentious issues surrounding the draft Constitution, which is due to be put to a referendum in June 2021 before the presidential elections in December 2021,” a statement by the leaders said.

They also said: “The Authority welcomes the progress made and calls on all political stakeholders in The Gambia to build consensus on the draft Constitution.

“It calls on the relevant authorities to maintain dialogue for the adoption of the Constitution and the compliance with the electoral calendar.”

Fatou Camara II

Coronavirus patients at Bambo Hotel have alleged they were asked to pack and be moved to a different hotel because President Adama Barrow is visiting the area.

“This morning we are told to move to Lemon Creek because Barrow is visiting the area. That all of us should pack up and that they are told to move us to Lemon Creek,” one patient told The Fatu Network.

“We think that its grossly unfair because we are not here for free, we have paid for it, we are tested positive for a virus that spread like God knows how. People tested positive and now you want to put them in a vehicle and start transporting them and even just moving them is risky.

“Nobody seems to care about us. We are just dumped here and forgotten, no medication nothing, no monitoring nothing . This is the situation here so I thought it’s fair to let Gambians know about what is going on here.

“If President Barrow is supposed to have a meeting here, it is not our concern we are not supposed to go anywhere because under quarantine you dont go out. So if Barrow is going to have a meeting somewhere here it is not our business,” the patient said. Another patient confirmed the development.

The Fatu Network contacted Dr Abubacarr Jagne of the health ministry who dismissed the complaints coming from the patients in the centre .

“We don’t have staff for all the multiple centres to look after people at the same time. So we prefer to put them in one centre and apparently Lemon Creek has agreed to that service.

“They have 54 rooms that are ready to accommodate our staff. The reason is I’ve got lot of problems with Bambo and his management for patients and their care and that is the reason we have to look for an alternative so we have no intention or nothing to do with the president or wherever he is travelling. I am not aware even where the President is going to. Am not sure that would be my motivation to move them from there,” Dr Jagne said.

The ministry of trade has said the coronavirus pandemic has caused a reduction in the supply of rice and other food commodities causing a rise in prices along the way.

“These increments are caused by both the exogenous and some local factors,” the trade ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

Findings by The Fatu Network have shown how prices for food commodities have jumped sharply in recent weeks. There is shortage of chicken leg in the country and the trade ministry is saying there is a price increase for the product by up to 18%.

The trade ministry said: “Exogenously, the general increase in the prices particularly for rice and edible oil is a global phenomenon as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“These products are mainly from South East Asia such as China, Malaysia, Pakistan and Thailand, some of whom have import export restrictions. This has resulted to reduced supply of these aforementioned commodities and thus the resultant price increase.”

According to the trade ministry, recent months have also seen a price increase in the global container market from an average of $2,000 per 40ft container to up to $9,000 from Asia to Europe as of January 18.

As a result, the shipping lines operating in The Gambia have increased the freight cost to Banjul since November 2020 from $5,000 to $11,000 per 40ft container, according to the trade ministry.

By AFP

The coronavirus pandemic took a huge toll on global jobs last year, the United Nations said Monday, with the equivalent of more than a quarter of a billion lost.

In a fresh study, the UN’s International Labour Organization (ILO) found that a full 8.8 percent of global working hours were lost in 2020, compared to the fourth quarter of 2019.

That is equivalent to 255 million full-time jobs, or “approximately four times greater than the number lost during the 2009 global financial crisis,” the ILO said in a statement.

“This has been the most severe crisis for the world of work since the Great Depression of the 1930s,” ILO chief Guy Ryder told reporters in a virtual briefing.

Since surfacing in China just over a year ago, the virus has killed more than 2.1 million people, infected tens of millions of others and hammered the global economy.

The UN labour agency explained that around half of the lost working hours were calculated from reduced working hours for those remaining in employment.

But the world also saw “unprecedented levels of employment loss” last year, it said.

Official global unemployment shot up by 1.1 percent, or 33 million more people, to a total of 220 million and a worldwide jobless rate of 6.5 percent last year.

Ryder stressed that another 81 million people did not register as unemployed but “simply dropped out of the labour market”.

“Either they are unable to work perhaps because of pandemic restrictions or social obligations or they have given up looking for work,” he said.

“And so their talents, their skills, their energy have been lost, lost to their families, lost to our society, lost to us all.”

The lost working hours last year shrank global labour income by a full 8.3 percent, the ILO said.

That amounts to a drop of some $3.7 trillion, or 4.4 percent of overall global gross domestic product (GDP), it added.

The emergence of several safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19 has raised hopes that the world will soon be able to rein in the pandemic.

But the ILO cautioned that the prospects for a global labour market recovery this year are “slow, uneven and uncertain.”

The organization pointed to the uneven impact the crisis had had on the world’s workers, affecting women and younger workers far more than others.

Globally, employment losses for women last year stood at five percent, compared with 3.9 percent for men.

Women are more likely to work in the harder-hit sectors of the economy, and also have taken on more of the burden of, for instance, caring for children forced to stay home from school.

Younger workers were also far more likely to lose jobs, with employment loss among 15-24-year-olds at 8.7 percent globally, compared with 3.7 percent for older workers.

Many young people also put off trying to enter the labour market given the complicated conditions last year, the ILO found, warning that there was truly an “all too real risk of a lost generation”.

Monday’s report also highlighted the uneven impact on different sectors, with accommodation and food services the worst affected, showing a drop in employment of more than 20 percent.

By contrast, employment swelled in the information and communication fields, as well as in finance and insurance.

Looking forward, the ILO called on countries to provide particular support to the hardest-hit groups and sectors, and also to sectors likely to be able to generate numerous jobs quickly.

It stressed the need for more support to poorer countries with fewer resources to promote employment recovery.

The report sketched out three recovery scenarios for 2021, depending on support measures provided at the national and international level.

The pessimistic scenario saw an additional 4.6-percent drop in working hours, and even the most optimistic scenario anticipated that working hours would contract by a further 1.3 percent this year, corresponding to 36 million full-time jobs.