A 52-year-old Gambian woman has tested positive for coronavirus following her arrival in The Gambia from UK.
A SN Brussels flight carrying 140 passengers arrived in the country last Monday despite the borders being closed.
“She had her sample collected on 24th June and tested positive on 25th June,” the ministry of health said.
However, according to the ministry, the woman is asymptomatic but has an underlying health condition – hypertensive.
The Gambia, our homeland’s revolution, and liberation from 22 years of Yahya Jammeh dictatorship is farcical and nothing less than a major pseudo-event. In communication and media philosophy, a pseudo-event is a deliberate and elaborate creation of perception of reality where reality is indeed nonexistent. In a nutshell, it is faking it to look legitimate which is what our government under Adama Barrow is doing to mask its legitimacy, change and development.
Dear readers, take a mental detour with me to a time and place in The Gambia 2017 when Barrow was ushered in by hopeful and now hopeless Gambians to a global celebration of a so-called revolution. Solo Sandeng, many Gambians voted and died for a change that is still quite never a change. A year is too far away and 4 years too deep into a five-year presidential term for Gambians to wait for real change in the 2021 elections. Saul Alinsky in his book entitled Rules for Radicals captured the state of dysfunction in our land. He observed that there can be “no darker or more devastating tragedy than the death of man’s faith in himself and in his power to direct his future”. We need a revolution for real change NOW. Here are five WHY’s we need a revolution now. Not yesterday, today, or tomorrow but NOW!
POOR HEALTHCARE AND TOO MANY AVOIDABLE DEATHS
I was moved to tears this evening as Pa Modou Bojang narrated the death of a young Gambian girl, Kaddyjatou Trawally who was suffering from kidney disease and unfortunately her promising life was tragically cut short thanks to poor health care and the indifference of our leaders to the life of an average sick Gambian. When Barrow came to power, our healthcare was a mess after years of neglect under both Jawara and Jammeh. He has gone on to appoint two ministers of health and yet our health care system continues to be a death mill as we pay lip service to it. People are dying cheaply and avoidably. The Gambia’s current minister of health who interestingly drew praise for his competence is a failure as a minister and a guardian of our health care system. If The Gambia still had to send most of her seriously sick citizens to Senegal, India and Turkey, then Minister Samateh is a major failure and needs to make way for a minister who will institute and see an end to too many young, avoidable deaths in our country.
INCOMPETENT LEADERSHIP
President Adama Barrow and his government are the very personification of incompetent leadership on the African continent. As Gambia slides into executive anarchy and kakistocracy our government moves from one disaster to another without ever taking a minute to sit down and reflect on better ways to really serve the very Gambians they pretend to work for.Sierraleonean president Julius Mada Bio since coming to office has set his eyes on developing and enhancing the human capital of Sierra Leone by inviting educated Sierra Leone Diaspora to come and serve their nation. Sierra Leone’s super minister of basic and secondary education David Moinina Sengeh is a PhD graduate from MIT and has made major strides in making Sierra Leone a hub for technological development and education. What did Barrow do in The Gambia since coming to power? Please don’t take my words for it, check his incompetent ministers and advisers, and then like a tweeting bird, tell me about the confusion, incompetence, and pandemonium you see.
FINANCIAL GLUTTONY AND ECONOMIC MISMANAGEMENT
Some time back in March 2019, the Janneh Commission after two years of sittings, over 50 million Dalasis in expenses of taxpayers’ money submitted the report to Barrow. The commission’s report indicted the current minister of Finance Mamburay Njie, Alagie Ceesay, Chief protocol of the president among many notables in Adama Barrow’s government. Instead of implementing the recommendations of the commission, he disagreed with some of its findings and went on to implement it selectively while surrounding himself with the very people who were indicted for helping Jammeh pilfer our resources. What a very tragic and wasteful way to spend our taxpayers’ money. Interesting Jammeh’s seized properties were secretly sold between cronies and Banjul mafia for far less than the fraction of what they are really worth. And guess what, a court ruling has rendered the sale of Jammeh’s properties and Janneh commission recommendations unenforceable for now. Fire on the mountain but this is a topic for another day.
OLD WINE IN A NEW BOTTLE
Change is good they say but transformation is even better. And what did our clueless and mild intellectually retarded president do with our change? He changed or revolution into a regret. We have regretted and he used our change to put over us lords we voted to change. no system change, he killed our coalition and the principles of our coalition. He will go on to recycle former Jammeh enablers to help him master the ways of his predecessor. Jammeh’s men are running the state one more time. George Orwell’s timeless Animal Farm classic captured it thus: “nearly the whole of the produce of our labour is stolen from us by human beings. There, comrades, is the answer to all our problems. It is summed up in a single word–Man. Man is the only real enemy we have. Remove Man from the scene, and the root cause of hunger and overwork is abolished forever”.
INCOMPETENT ADVISERS
Barrow upon arrival at the seat of power committed a great wrong. Instead of hiring advisers from Gambia’s pool of highly educated and respected experts, he went on to hire as presidential and government advisers the brainless and clueless quartet of Siaka Jatta, Dou Sanno, Henry Gomez and Saihou Mballow as a political compensation for whatever they did for him. These quartet do not even know the terms of references of their employment. They have nothing to offer and that’s one reason they keep verbally assaulting anyone critical of Barrow and our government. In their cluelessness they didn’t know it is not their job to defend Barrow against political opponents but to advise him on policies. They are failing unquantifiably because they have no education or governance experience to offer.
DISAPPERING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE YOUTH
Youths make about sixty percent of Gambian population, yet our country has nothing to offer them than a failing country with no decent jobs. The few that can manage decent government jobs earn less than 300 Dollars a month which is never enough to sustain them and their many poor dependent families. No wonder many Gambians are still dying in 2020 in fruitless efforts to make it to Europe for better life and opportunities while our president spend millions building mansions and NDP offices all over the country. For The Gambia it is Jammeh 2.0 and the only difference is that that the head quarters in now in Mankamang Kunda instead of Kanilai.
WE NEED TO TAKE TO THE STREETS NOW
Henry David Thoreau, the American transcendentalist philosopher posited: “All men recognize the right of revolution; that is, the right to refuse allegiance to, and to resist, the government, when its tyranny or its inefficiency are great and unendurable”. Gambia needs a new, proactive Gambian. A Gambian who will use radical means of fighting for his rights and effecting change. Gambian youths need to pour onto our streets now to call for real reforms now. We want:
Alhassan Darboe is a Gambian Communication scholar, consultant, and Real Estate businessman. He writes in from his base in U.S.A. He is currently a graduate student at Arizona State University’s Hugh Down School of Human Communication.
By Sarjo Brito
Business owners in the leisure and entertainment sub-sector of the country’s hospitality industry have formed an association of their own called ‘The Gambia Bar, Restaurant and Nightclub Association’.
This came following accusations of nepotism and non-inclusiveness in the first association dubbed ‘The Restaurant, Bar and Nightclub association of The Gambia’, which was allegedly formed by foreigners.
The saga prompted a petition to the GTBoard, demanding that the plight of the RBNA be ignored until due process is followed.
The disgruntled business owners have since formed their own association after negotiations with the RBNA to nullify their association and go back to the drawing board prove futile.
“We made a proposal to them and we said nullify the current RBNA, nullify the executive and open the invitation. I engaged their chairman and ultimately correspondence came that they are not willing to let go of what they have started. That is when the decision was taken to form an association that is more representative,” Benjamin Roberts of the newly formed The Gambia Bar, Restaurant and Nightclub Association said.
Mr Roberts who is an adviser to the newly formed association said the new association is to see that all bona fide players in the sub-sector are brought together, irrespective of nationality.
According to Roberts, membership to the newly formed association currently stands at 120.
Concerned youth leaders on Friday called for the reversal of the sacking of Lamin Darboe.
Darboe was earlier this week dismissed as acting executive secretary of the National Youth Council by the Ministry of Youth. No reason was given in his sacking letter.
At a press conference held at TANGO on Friday, youth leaders demanded that he is restored, as they unveiled their game-plan.
Lala Touray said: “We’ve been called radicals before for taking onto the streets to protest for our rights. We’ve been labelled and called names for exercising our democratic and constitutional rights to protest and freedom of assembly and association. So what we are going to do this time as civil society, as youth leaders…
“We might not take on the streets and protest. But what we’re going to do if the government does not take a stance to reinstate Lamin Darboe, if the government does not take a stance to work with us amend the act that gives them the power to interfere in the institution of the National Youth Council, as civil society we’re going to boycott the National Youth Council. We will not have anything to do with the National Youth Council, we will not work with the National Youth Council…”
The chairperson of the National Youth Council Dembo Kambi on his part said: “We (council) have met and we have taken the decision that we’re going to provide leadership in this whole entire issue and we are also going to write and we implore on all the young people of this country to remain steadfast and to remain calm.
“We’re going to provide that leadership and we are going to reach out to government to negotiate, to talk to them to ensure we bring sanity back to National Youth Council.”
Marie Sock has distanced herself from tribal comments by a woman believed to be her sympathiser.
An audio recently emerged online of a woman conversing with Sock during which the former insulted Mandinkas. It angered members of the public who then asked Ms Sock to condemn the comments.
Sock in Facebook live address on Friday said: “That should never have happened no matter what. We’re one in this country. We inter-marry and we’re all related one way or the other. In that regard, I Marie Sock sincerely condemn that this should never happen again as we do not tolerate tribalism, bigotry and diversion.
“The Gambia is a blessed nation with beautiful people from rich diverse tribes, cultures and traditions. Therefore, we cannot afford to be divided in the society, our country and in Africa as a whole.”
Abubacarr Tambadou on Friday said ‘personal reasons’ triggered his resignation as attorney general and minister of justice. His exit after three and a half years in the role has divided opinion. The Fatu Network brings you what Gambians have been saying about the nation’s former AG.
Dr Ismaila Ceesay:
“Baa is the man who helped shape and drive the Gambia’s Transitional Justice project. He did a good job despite the challenges. However, I would have preferred for him to have stayed and guide the whole process to conclusion.
“His decision to leave now at this crucial stage has the potential to jeopardise the entire process. It’s akin to a captain abandoning his aircraft in mid-air. I wish him the best of luck in his new role at the UN.”
Abubacarr Tambadou on Friday said ‘personal reasons’ triggered his resignation as attorney general and minister of justice. His exit after three and a half years in the role has divided opinion. The Fatu Network brings you what Gambians have been saying about the nation’s former AG.
Dou Sannoh:
“I had excellent relations with him. He was among those people who were with the President to ensure the country’s new-found democracy is nurtured and fostered.
“Nobody is perfect and different things are being said by people about him but I have not seen anything he’s done that has imperiled the country.
“He left a job and going to do a job and wherever he is, they will say Gambia which we should be proud of. I wish him luck and pray that Allah protects him.”
Abubacarr Tambadou on Friday said ‘personal reasons’ triggered his resignation as attorney general and minister of justice. His exit after three and a half years in the role has divided opinion. The Fatu Network brings you what Gambians have been saying about the nation’s former AG.
Yankuba Darboe, a Three Years Jotna member:
“Adios to my learned friend Justice Minister Baa Tambedou, you have tried your best and served your nation! You will certainly be remembered by many for many reasons including my humble self!
“Mine will be bitter though, for I fear, I will not recollect your tenure fondly! For whilst you have championed the rights of the Rohingyas against the state of Myanmar, you have paid indifference to the grotesque violations of the rights of your fellow citizens in The Gambia for simply exercising their constitutional rights to freedom of expression and assembly!
“I will further remember you personally, for it is under your stewardship, that your state prosecutors opposed bail to my liberty for 30 days, just to keep me and my fellow members of the 3 Years Jotna Executives behind bars at the Mile 2 Central Prison!
“I will further remember you personally, for under your watch, the illegal executive orders were declared to terrify and already terrified nation emerging from a 22 years brutal dictatorship of Yahya Jammeh, by restricting citizens rights to freedom of association with the 3 Years Jotna concerned citizens.
“Whilst I bear no grievances against you, but I cannot help wonder, if you had made a stand at that crucial moment in January 2020 to stand for your fellow citizens being abused, how remarkable that would have been! As a result, I think your resignation at present is simply six months late!”
Abubacarr Tambadou on Friday said ‘personal reasons’ triggered his resignation as attorney general and minister of justice. His exit after three and a half years in the role has divided opinion. The Fatu Network brings you what Gambians have been saying about the nation’s former AG.
Lamin Jassey of GFF:
“Ba Tambadou in my opinion is one of the best Attorney General the country ever had. He set new records, reform the criminal justice system and strengthened AG chambers.
“He positioned The Gambia in the limelight on the world stage for all the good reasons. Indeed history will remember him in favourable terms.”
Abubacarr Tambadou on Friday said ‘personal reasons’ triggered his resignation as attorney general and minister of justice. His exit after three and a half years in the role has divided opinion. The Fatu Network brings you what Gambians have been saying about the nation’s former AG.
Foni Kansala National Assembly Member Musa Amul Nyassi:
“Generally I ‘ve not seen the impact [of his time in office]. I’ve not seen any case he has won, of all the sensitive cases from against the government he lost all.
“We’ve also seen his misleading information that the Janneh Commission shall have the mandate to sell the former president’s assets and his statement that Jammeh cannot own any asset in the country because he stole everything he owned.
“All in all, he only exhibited inefficiency.”
Abubacarr Tambadou on Friday said ‘personal reasons’ triggered his resignation as attorney general and minister of justice. His exit after three and a half years in the role has divided opinion. The Fatu Network brings you what Gambians have been saying about the nation’s former AG.
Momodou Sabally:
“And therefore Gambians must thank God that the worst Attorney General and Minister of Justice in our history has abdicated his office.
“It is a well calculated egocentric move aimed at scoring maximum benefit for himself and nothing else. But it is indeed good riddance of a corrupt and inept pseudo-Lawyer with no track record of professional excellence.
“What ought to be done right now is to set up a commission of enquiry into how Ba Tambedou handled the shady disposal of Yahya Jammeh’s assets. Such a commission would have had as principal witnesses, Ba Tambedou, Alpha Barry and a certain fair coloured lady.
“But Barrow is not interested in truth or justice. Ba Tambedou has freed the jungulars, lost every single case brought against government during his tenure as Justice Minister.
“He set up the Human Rights Commission and led them to be the first institution to recognise and promote homosexuality as a right in our country.
“Now the UN has rewarded him with a job for promoting LGBT rights in The Gambia.
“Good riddance. But let the National Assembly ask Ba Tambedou to present a bank statement of the account into which proceeds of the sale of Jammeh’s assets were lodged. This is a very critical assignment that needs to be done before Ba Tambedou leaves the shores of our country.”
Abubacarr Tambadou on Friday said ‘personal reasons’ triggered his resignation as attorney general and minister of justice. His exit after three and a half years in the role has divided opinion. The Fatu Network brings you what Gambians have been saying about the performance of the nation’s former AG.
Sheriff Bojang Snr:
“Minister Tambadou has been one of the most consequential ministers. He has done a sterling job in the transitional justice process in The Gambia. And in taking Myanmar to the International court, he has taken the fight to that Burmese genocidal regime and helped check their excesses. When few or none including Saudi Arabia or Egypt, stood up to defend Muslims, Ba Tambadou put his head over the parapet and said Gambia will. For that alone, I have been his No. 1 cheerleader.”
I recall the days when Dawda Jallow was the head of programs at the NCCE where he had traversed the length and breadth of the country educating citizens about their civic rights and duties. Dawda was a constant face and voice on the airwaves on television and radio. I used to know Dawda as an honest man, smart, open and critical minded. With this hindsight I am elated that he is now the Minister of Justice.
Indeed, Abubacarr Tambadou had generated a lot of trust and confidence in this Government for the many achievements he registered despite many shortcomings as well of his Ministry and the Government as a whole. The fact that he led the transitional justice process the hallmark of which is the setting up of the Janneh Commission, TRRC and CRC indicates his invaluable contribution to the building of the new Gambia. Furthermore, the several legal reforms he has recently embarked upon, albeit long overdue, as well as the efforts he made to make the country honour its international obligations such as the enforcement of ECOWAS Court decisions to compensate journalist victims and to ratify critical international human rights instruments all point to the fact that Tambadou was indeed a crucial figure in the pursuit of justice and accountability in this country. I cannot fail but recognize his efforts as well in the opening of illegally closed radio stations in the wake of the Three Years Jotna protest at the beginning of the year. It is also noteworthy to remember Tambadou for his leadership to own up and then correct the legal mishaps that had taken place in this Government such as in the attempted constitutional amendment to the age requirement for president and judges. Above all Tambadou deserves commendation for his unequivocal stance to pursue former Tyrant Yaya Jammeh to face justice.
What the above indicates is that Dawda is indeed inheriting a ministry that is already hugely engaged and indeed in the centre and front of the building of New Gambia. In other words, the Ministry of Justice is a critical institution in the drive for system change. Therefore, Dawda has all of the opportunities necessary to make him take the baton from Tambadou to reach the finishing line with sterling success. Failure is not an option.
However, Dawda is coming at a time when the generality of Gambians has lost hope in this President and his Government. For some of us, Pres. Barrow and his Government are no more a sweet dream but a nightmare because of his fantastically poor leadership characterized by rampant corruption, abuse of office, violations of the Constitution and ineffective public institutions that are neither transparent and accountable nor effective and responsive. In a nutshell the Barrow Government needs a turn around for which the Minister of Justice is a key pillar to make that happen.
Therefore, I wish to inform Dawda Jallow that Gambians have both high hopes and apprehension in his appointment. We have noted that his predecessor tried to remain apolitical, independent and focused on the job, despite his shortcomings. I hope therefore Dawda will avoid the trappings of political office to realize that he is the Chief Legal Adviser to the Government as well as the Chief Law Enforcement Officer in the Gambia.
In the first place I expect Dawda to bring about better organization and leadership in this Ministry in terms of the transitional justice process. Already there is huge disappointment in the way and manner the Janneh Commission and its Report were handled. The controversy around its Report is already a subject of legal wrangling in the courts. Dawda needs to fix this issue. For that matter, as we look toward the conclusion of the TRRC it is expected that Dawda will prevent the mishandling that took place with the Janneh Commission Report and make sure the White Paper that will follow the TRRC will not be biased as the White Paper on the Janneh Report.
It is noteworthy that the final draft constitution is being gazetted after a considerable delay. The key concern of Gambians is the protection of the draft from interference by lawmakers. I would therefore urge the Minister Jallow to do everything to protect the integrity and content of the draft constitution from interference for political objectives. Minister Jallow should bear in mind that what Gambians desire is to hold the 2021 presidential elections under a new constitution. Therefore, he needs to focus on electoral reforms, support the IEC to conduct voter registration and then hold a transparent referendum to usher in the Third Republic.
As we transition to democracy it is noteworthy that Tambadou had started the building of many accountability instruments and institutions such as the National Human Rights Commission, while the process for the creation of laws to combat corruption, to ensure access to information, and the prevention of torture are ongoing. The effective implementation of these instruments and the independence of their respective institutions that will be set up would require strong support from the Minister of Justice so as to further enhance democracy and good governance in the Gambia. In this regard let me inform Dawda Jallow that there is no DPP in his Ministry which is a requirement in the Constitution and a crucial pillar for justice. The sooner he causes the President to appoint a DPP the better.
It is also necessary to remind Dawda that he needs to make lawmaking an inclusive, participatory and transparent process which has never been the case in the Gambia. Currently we have seen dozens of laws being reviewed but citizens have no input in this process because the Ministry of Justice does not create the opportunity for popular participation. Therefore, Dawda should change the current system by ensuring that bills are shared with the general public and relevant stakeholders for their input before they are placed before the National Assembly. After all these laws are for the people hence the people have a right to take part in their making.
In this regard, Minister Jallow must make his Ministry accessible by creating an interactive and functional website where bills, acts and other legal documents will be posted for easy access by citizens. For example, until now the Janneh Commission Report is inaccessible to the majority of Gambians simply because limited copies are printed which are expensive for most people. Also, the laws that have been already enacted or amended are not accessible by the majority of Gambians because they are not made public. Hence uploading these documents on its website serves the general public well.
The Ministry of Justice has been supportive of victims of the APRC Tyranny. This support needs to increase beyond the D50 million already provided. I would urge the new Minister to therefore make a strong case in Cabinet for more resources to be provided to victims to address urgent needs. In this regard, I urge Dawda to stand on the position Tambadou took that Yaya Jammeh must be brought to justice. I urge Dawda to go further by engaging the Government of Equatorial Guinea to demand them to either try Yaya Jammeh in Malabo or extradite him to the Gambia for trial or send him to Ghana for prosecution, as required by international law. In this regard, there is need for his Ministry to also re-engage UN, AU and ECOWAS and some other instrumental governments to back him up to ensure that Yaya Jammeh faces justice immediately.
Speaking about Yaya Jammeh, it is necessary for Minister Jallow to also put a huge amount of interest and commitment to the prosecution of rape and sexual violence in the Gambia. Since Toufah Jallow broke the barriers in June 2019 to speak out about her ordeal at the wicked hands of Yaya Jammeh we have witnessed lot more women also cry of rape perpetrated by public officials. We have also noted that sexual harassment is rampant within the Government including inside the Ministry of Justice itself as attested to by a witness at the TRRC. It is necessary that the Minister of Justice takes a definitive stance to combat this menace. Minister Jallow must make it clear to the IGP that the police must take a more determined, proactive and professional stance in investigating and prosecuting rape. Currently this is not the case. Furthermore, Minister Jallow must engage the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare and other stakeholders to develop a sexual harassment policy for public institutions to detect, prevent and punish sexual harassment.
The Gambia is at a critical stage given the constitution building process and the forthcoming presidential elections. I wish to urge Dawda Jallow to always advise Pres. Barrow to always abide by the Constitution and the rule of law at all times. For this reason, Dawda needs to rise above political intrigues and focus on the law and justice as required by the Constitution.
Finally, I need not tell Jallow that ultimately the issue is about his legacy, integrity and destiny. It is up to him to decide what and how he wants the Gambian society to remember him. The ball is in his court. But let me say that history is recording and what he sows today is what he will reap tomorrow. But before he reaps his harvest, let him rest assured that the members of the civil society will not spare even a feather to confront him in order to ensure that he remains on the path of the Constitution, legality, justice and the national interest. Therefore, I advise Dawda Jallow to remain faithful at all times to his conscience, the national interest and the Constitution of the Gambia and natural justice.
For The Gambia Our Homeland
……………………………………………..
Madi Jobarteh
Skype: madi.jobarteh
Twitter: @jobartehmadi
LinkedIn: Madi Jobarteh
Phone: +220 9995093
Abubacarr Tambadou will be working at the United Nations as the registrar of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, The Fatu Network understands.
The United Nations Secretary-General will on Monday announce Mr Tambadou as the Registrar (Assistant Secretary-General) of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, to be based in the Hague, Holland.
The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (“Mechanism”) organisation of the United Nations is mandated to perform a number of essential functions previously carried out by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (“ICTR”) and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (“ICTY”), according to information available on the Mechanism’s website. The Mechanism operates across two branches: one branch in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania, and the other in The Hague, the Netherlands.
The Registrar heads the Registry department of the organisation which provides administrative, legal, policy and diplomatic support services to all organs in both branches of the Mechanism.
According to the organisation’s website, the Registrar is appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and is the head of entity to whom the Secretary-General has delegated the managerial authority over the Mechanism’s human, financial and physical resources.
By Lamin Njie
Abubacarr Tambadou has said he’s aware his ‘principled’ position on former President Jammeh has not endeared him to the former leader’s supporters and sympathisers.
“…and to them I say, Jammeh belongs to the past, so wake up from your dreams of a Jammeh political comeback and move on with your lives,” Mr Tambadou said on Friday at a news conference where he spoke on his resignation as attorney general and minister of justice.
During his three and a half years in the role, no group of people or political entity lambasted him more than APRC.
The party has always blamed him for all its woes, most times accusing him of witch-hunting.
But on Friday, Mr Tambadou provoked a fresh war with the party by saying sympathisers of the former president should move on with their lives.
He said: “He (Yahya Jammeh) has caused too much pain and suffering to the people of this country throughout his 22 year reign of terror as the TRRC keeps revealing.
“He has during this period destroyed the innocence and soul of Gambian society with the sheer brutality of his crimes, and for this, he will be brought to account someday here or abroad. He will surely have his day in court.”
By Lamin Njie
Abubacarr Tambadou said on Friday he resigned as attorney general and minister justice due to ‘personal reasons’, as he mounted the justice ministry podium for the last time.
At the news conference where he declined to take questions from reporters, Mr Tambadou said “it has been an honour and unique privilege for me to serve my country in such high office under His Excellency President Barrow”.
“I owe him immense gratitude for the privileged opportunity given to me to contribute, even if modestly, to rebuilding our country after 22 years of unquantifiable damage. I am grateful for the trust and confidence he had shown in me by my appointment as the first Attorney General and Minister of Justice in a post-dictatorship new democratic Gambia. I thank him for his constant and continuous support to me and the Ministry of Justice throughout my tenure as AG over the last three and half years. I owe him an eternal debt of gratitude,” Mr Tambadou who has been praised and criticised in equal measure throughout his three and a half years in the role added.
The Fatu Network 2020 Man of the Year said he had resigned since 1 June, meaning the move had been kept under wraps for weeks.
While Mr Tambadou used Friday’s news conference to tout his achievements, he also conceded ‘some things could have been done differently’.
He said: “Indeed, some things could have been done differently. In fact, some things can always be done differently, and there is always room for improvement.
He then added, in a clear riposte to critics: “”But those who are constantly looking for mistakes by this government will always find faults because of the unique circumstances in which we find ourselves as a country in transition.
“We inherited a system of governance where State institutions from the Presidency to the lowest levels were systematically dismantled over a two decade period; and where we found no culture or practice of State protocol in consonance with democratic practice.”
Mr Tambadou in a statement that was read over 40 minutes said a lot has happened over the past three and half years of the Barrow government.
On his part as attorney general, he said: “On my part, I have initiated and delivered on the key pillars of our transitional justice process which has now achieved global recognition by experts as being among the best models in the world particularly for its inclusiveness and originality.
“Some other milestones include the successful gazetting of a new draft constitution without amendment, the establishment of a Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission process which is currently underway, the establishment of The Gambia’s first National Human Rights Commission, and the establishment of the Janneh Commission to inquire into the financial corruption of former President Jammeh, and as a result of which the Government has been able to recover over 1.1 billion dalasis so far.
“And in all of these processes, we were able to put together a team of talented and credible Gambians, and I wish to thank them for their service to country.”
The United Democratic Party has said it has learned with ‘grief’ the sacking of Lamin Darboe.
Darboe was axed as acting executive director of National Youth Council on Wednesday. No reason was given.
UDP’s youth wing in a statement signed by President Kemo Bojang on Thursday said: “According to the dismissal letter from the Ministry of Youths and Sports, reason(s) of service termination were not indicted. The move by the Government, the Ministry of youths in particular, is a reminder of the system that we fought against in the 22 years of Yahya Jammeh’s dictatorial regime, where powers were abused.
“In this regard, the UDP Youth Wing wishes to express utter dismay and dissatisfaction in the manner Lamin’s sacking happened. It is our sincere belief that in the “New Gambia” such disrespect, abuse and disregard for due process of the law should not happen and people should not be victimised for political reasons.
“In light of the the above, UDP Youth Wing stands in solidarity with Lamin Darboe. The attestations from the youth fraternity since the sacking of Mr Darboe is a testimony that Lamin has been serving the country’s youths with distinction. He is known, both locally and internationally to be knowledgeable, experience and a determined young person. His stint as Executive Director of National Youth Council has witnessed unimaginable successes for the youth fraternity.
“We wish to make it clear, as the youth wing of UDP, we will not stand and watch the rights of individuals or groups violated especially within the youth population. We believe young people of The Gambia deserve better and the National youth council which is an act of Parliament that represents all interest of young people must not be used as a political tool.”
The United States Department of State Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo on Thursday released the 2020 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, upgrading The Gambia to Tier 2 Watch List.
“The report notes that the Government of The Gambia is making significant efforts in this important area but does not yet fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking,” a statement by the US government through its Embassy in Banjul said.
The United States government this time last year said The Gambia is not making significant efforts to fight human trafficking – as the country was placed in Tier 3 where it risked sanctions.
It prompted the Gambia government to make urgent moves including a two-day summit in January this year to analyse the situation of trafficking in persons in the country.
Six months down the line, the country has now been been upgraded to Tier 2 of the US TIP Report.
The US Department of State said: “The United States congratulates the Gambian government, the National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons, law enforcement and justice sector entities, civil society organizations and key partners in the advancements made this past year to combat trafficking. These modest advancements include increased investigations, identifying more trafficking victims, improving security at the Department of Social Welfare shelter, coordinating with international organizations to increase training for officials, and significantly increasing efforts to raise public awareness of trafficking, including of child sex trafficking. In addition, the government encouraged former president Yahya Jammeh’s victims of sexual exploitation to testify at the Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission. Many of these efforts were facilitated by the International Organization for Migration via a grant from the United States government, with an array of Gambian civil society organizations and international partners playing a vital role in promoting activities to combat trafficking and support victims.
“Despite these achievements, the government did not convict a trafficker for the third consecutive year, victim services remained inadequate overall, and some law enforcement officers allegedly requested bribes to register trafficking complaints.
“Under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, a country can remain at Tier 2 Watch List for only two years and must address identified deficiencies to progress fully to Tier 2 within that time or be automatically downgraded to Tier 3. The annual rating cycle begins on April 1 and ends on March 31. We encourage the Gambian Government to expand on the good work undertaken over the past year and redouble efforts in the following critical areas: direct and fund law enforcement to investigate all reported trafficking cases, including those brought forward by civil society; investigate those accused of taking bribes to do their duty under the laws of The Gambia; increase efforts to vigorously investigate, prosecute, and convict traffickers, including allegations of child sex tourism; cease using extra-judicial or administrative remedies to resolve human trafficking cases; develop and train government officials on comprehensive standard procedures to proactively identify trafficking victims, including among people in commercial sex and other vulnerable groups.”
State House has fallen short of saying why Abubacarr Tambadou resigned as attorney general and minister of justice.
Mr Tambadou’s resignation as the country’s justice minister emerged on Thursday. He was at State House on Thursday to see President Barrow and his vice president Dr Isatou Touray.
State House issued a statement Thursday evening saying: “The Office of the President of the Republic of The Gambia wishes to inform the general public that the Honourable Attorney General and Minister of Justice of the Republic of The Gambia, Mr Abubacarr Marie Tambadou, has submitted his resignation as Attorney General and Minister of Justice to His Excellency, President Barrow, and His Excellency, President Barrow has accepted same with effect from 30 June 2020.
“His Excellency, President Barrow would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Attorney General Tambadou for his patriotic and selfless service to country, for his steadfastness, honesty, professionalism and candour during his tenure as Attorney General and Minister of Justice. He has successfully initiated and diligently executed several of the Government’s key governance reform activities such as the establishment of the Constitutional Review Commission, the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission, the National Human Rights Commission, the Janneh and Faraba Banta Commissions of Inquiry, and several other legislative reforms. With his guidance, we have now transformed our judiciary in particular and the administration of justice system in general into a truly independent and robust organ of the State that all Gambians should be proud of.
“He also helped restore The Gambia’s regional and international image and leadership in the global human rights movement. Every Gambian should be proud of his achievements. Therefore, His Excellency, President Barrow, his entire Cabinet, and the Government of The Gambia wish Attorney General Tambadou well in his future endeavours.
“Consequently, pursuant to the provisions of Section 71(1) and 71(3) of the Constitution of the Republic of the Gambia, His Excellency, President Barrow, has appointed Mr. Dawda A. Jallow as Attorney General and Minister of Justice from 1 July 2020.”
SAMSUDEEN SARR – COMMENT: Spare me the baloney defense minister Sheikh Omar Faye
Am I the only one bothered by the question of how dumb the Gambia defense minister Honorable Shiekh Omar thinks we are to believe that sweet talking will always achieve him his objective no matter how well-informed his audience is? The humiliation he subjected retired Colonel Ndow Njie, former commander of the Gambia National Army (GNA) in the National Assembly’s (NA) ultimate rejection of his appointment to the Gambia Armed Forces Council (GAFC) by a vote of 27 to 22, generated two probabilities in mind:
On the flip side did Hon. Faye purposefully orchestrate the whole gambit in a payback tactic to humiliate the former army commander, an instinctual prediction from the whole unnecessary drama, especially in his attempt to justify the lousy resume submitted by the colonel to the NA? The appallingly-prepared resume at best unveiled the caliber of a senescent rather than a brilliant contender. After Colonel Ndow Njie’s negligence of missing some of the silly blunders noted in his resume such as spending only 3 years instead of 6 years in primary school and passing his GCE ‘O Level exams twice in June and August of the same year with different results and no explanation attached for doubters, I think Minister Faye should have prevented the presentation of such document to the NAMs for scrutiny. Unless the document was sent directly without his perusal which would still be attributed to his carelessness as the principal initiator. But knowing the guy I believe he was all along banking on his wooing skills to get the necessary votes of which I must give him some credit for convincing 22 NAMs to vote for his motion against 27 opposing members. But with no credentials attached to the ridiculous resume, and Minister Faye still adamant on persuading the NAMs into recognizing the colonel’s exceptionalism merely compounded the problem to its failure. While cajoling the NAMs live on TV, fact checkers and those who knew better were probably sending text messages to their colleagues disputing most of his unfounded rhetoric. For instance, the retired colonel and former commander never ever attended any military academy in Pakistan but the minister confidently claimed that he did. Furthermore, I believe the Armed Forces Council responsibilities are not about soldiers with best results in Annual-Personal-Weapon Test (APWT) or about arithmetic wizards; but for suitable talking points, Minister Faye had to exaggerate the commander’s outstanding sharpshooting and accounting skills. Hey minister, the job is about grounded knowledge on military policies at the highest level requiring the best brains and not about the best marksman or ledger keeper. However, if the whole exercise was to payback on what the former commander did to him in 1991, he deserves special commendation for a job well done. I hope I am wrong in this prognoses but exploiting the brouhaha now to literally tell the world that Colonel Ndow Njie as army commander at the time had no constitutional right to terminate his service as a commissioned officer and captain, looks like a low blow to me. He just can’t have it both ways, by acclaiming the former commander for building and administering a perfect army from nothing to something and then turned around to delineate him for not pretty much knowing what the heck he was doing as an administrator. That he was not even empowered to dismiss a sublieutenant much more a captain of his rank but still forgetting that the BATT commander Colonel Jim Shaw was the Colonel Njie’s principal advisor throughout that period who was also mortally against his reinstatement imposed by the political elite. Anyway sorry Colonel Njie, I think it was a big mistake to accept the convoluted offer; and mark you, your withdrawal from the process came rather too late after your humiliating disapproval at the NA for not, among other things, providing your credentials. Minister Faye finally said that you lost them in your regular relocations. Really in 2020? Hmmmm!
Notwithstanding, being what I believe is the first time of its kind to submit names of such potential appointees for approval at the NA, I will recommend the possible adoption and adaptation of the American-congress method of conducting such critical evaluations and endorsements. In that even if the candidate provides all necessary credentials with impeccable resume, coupled with broad experience he or she ought to be invited before a vetting committee for questioning and answers. People out of government business for three decades especially in areas requiring expert knowledge and robust thinking should be subjected to thorough interviews to determine whether they still have what it takes or not. Meaning that a person like even Mr. Yusupha Dibba with all his credentials satisfactorily produced should have still been invited and quizzed over his beliefs on national and international defense issues, hot pursuits pacts, ECOMIG or the Senegalese forces in the Gambia and the whole nine yards about the country’s current defense concerns. How would anyone know if a dormant candidate out of the system for over thirty years is not partially senile now or lacks the ability to pass basic aptitude test without subjecting the individual to a live interrogation?
That said, let’s further look at the oxymoronic assertions of the defense minister in his attempt to bamboozle the NAMs into believing everything he uttered. Didn’t he sound inconsistent for saying that the government signed certain defense treaties of which he was a witness to in Senegal, expected to be ratified soon by the NA but cannot answer the simple question of what the terms and conditions of opting out of the bargain were if the assembly eventually found them unfavorable to the Gambia’s national interest? In his response, he of course simply confirmed how he was a signatory to an agreement he was barely familiar with its specifics or don’t understand what he definitively signed. Likewise when questioned about the rationale behind the deployment of Senegalese troops in Foni he as habitual, without a clue on what he was talking about asserted that that Foni detachment was a component of the broader ECOMIG force. Wondered why nobody challenged him for that incorrect statement. After all, was it not publicly announced by the Ghanian ECOMIG spokesman in the wake of the last national outcry about the hostile activities of those Senegalese troops, that they were not a part of the original West African forces but deployed later on an exclusive agreement between Presidents Adama Barrow and Mackey Sall ? Yes, even the European Union representative Mr Lajos did at the time confirm the spokesman’s statement and further added that the EU was nevertheless paying them along with the ECOMIG force; however, it was not until recently that France started financing both contingents. Minister Faye was either ignorant of the Ghanian-ECOMIG-spokesman’s statement or just could’t explain the unratified treaty already implemented illegally by the Senegalese as he again manifested in his weak simplification and inconsistency over the so-called hot pursuit agreement. In fact he talked about the hot pursuit agreement at the NA as being already signed in Dakar in March 2020 awaiting ratification after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic; however, after perhaps realizing later that the Garawol incident where the Senegalese troops unlawfully crossed into the Gambia to shoot and arrest an innocent Gambian, Mr Trawalleh happened well before the Dakar meeting, he since changed the signing time to March 4, 2017 when “I was not yet the minister of defense”. Quintessential shifting of the goalpost in the middle of the game!
I also distinctly remembered journalist Omar Wally of the Fatu Network once asking him about the Garawol incident soon after it happened and the minister exhibited a pamphlet from which he said the Senegalese justifiably relied on such agreement, signed between the two countries in Dakar in his presence. So telling the NA that the hot pursuit protocol is yet to be ratified for implementation is just a reflection of the minister’s lame attempt to deny and invalidated the argument that the Senegalese are totally in charge of our security orbit while President Barrow hired him as their mouthpiece or second fiddler to defend their indefensible behaviors. Amazingly in his last interview with journalist Mr. Njie of the Fatu Network the minister for the first time seemed to acknowledge that the Senegalese security forces made a mistake in that illegal incursion to Garawol adding that it is currently being addressed by the two governments. However, after seeing and hearing all, one never knows what to believe anymore about statements coming out of the mouth of our defense minister. Only God knows what is true or false on them.
In the end, I am tempted into believing that the defense minister doesn’t necessarily pay much attention to what he says or is somehow inflicted with a poor memory incapable of even remembering what he had had for breakfast in the morning. But don’t get me wrong, he can effectively woo the naive into submission if provided the slightest chance.
Thanks reading. Till next time.
Samsudeen Sarr New York City.