Tourism ministry declares reports 38.5 million dalasis was stolen are false
The Ministry of Tourism and Culture has declared that reports over 38.5 million dalasis was pilfered by officials of the ministry are ‘totally’ false.
Reports attributed to a group that calls its Save Tourism Association earlier this month said a project to improve tourism upcountry was created but the funds of over D38.5 million dalasi disappeared. The reports pinned culpability on tourism minister Hamat Bah and his PS Kordu Jabang Senghore.
The tourism ministry however said in a statement on Tuesday: “The Ministry of Tourism and Culture wishes to inform the public that rumors circulating on social media of a 38.5-million-dalasi scandal is totally false and unfounded. These amounts are part of funds set aside for the construction of five eco-lodges strategically located on the banks of The River Gambia, planned before the advent of Covid-19. The eco-lodges will be located in the North Bank Region; Kunkiling Forest Park, Central River Region, Sotuma Samba in the Upper River Region, Nyana Bantang and Arafat in the Central River Region. The process has already commenced, and the projects once completed will be visible to the public.
“The contract was processed and awarded by the Gambia Tourism Board following a vigorous bidding process. The Ministry therefore, disassociates itself with any form of misinformation geared towards personal defamation of character of credible and reputable personnel. The Ministry of Tourism and Culture is also not aware of the Save Tourism Stakeholders Association who seem to be keenly and maliciously pedaling false information online about senior staff and the disappearance of funds.
“The eco-lodges will have four-star comforts and will set the standards in up-country tourism facilities. Upon completion, the eco-lodges are expected to generate hundreds of direct and indirect employments to the youth and will further harness the tourism potential of The River Gambia, such as the use of river craft to access the eco-lodges in order to revive River transport.
“The eco-lodges fit neatly into the policy of the Ministry as envisioned in the National Development Plan (NDP) 2018-2021 which emphasizes “Promoting an inclusive and culture-centered tourism for sustainable growth” and situates culture-centered tourism a pride of place.
“The public is also kindly invited to note that the GT Board Act grants administrative and financial autonomy to its independent Board of Directors and as a result, it is in no way controlled or managed by any individual. We therefore assure the public of our commitment to national development and wish to reiterate that in all the two periodic reviews of the NDP made so far, Tourism and Culture has come out as the best performing sector as far as the goals of the NDP are concerned.”
‘We will name you’: Health ministry threatens to name quarantine fugitives if they fail to return
The ministry of health said on Tuesday four people fled quarantine following their arrival into the country via an SN Brussels flight on Monday.
“The Ministry of Health regrets to inform the public that four (4) passengers out of the One Hundred Forty (140) who arrived in the country on the 22nd June 2020 with the SN Brussels flight escaped from quarantine. Of the four (4) escapees, one (1) surrendered himself to the health authorities. The second fugitive was reported by a neighbour and subsequently picked up together with her boyfriend who smuggled her while logistic arrangements were in progress,” the ministry said in a statement.
It added: “Unfortunately, this incident happened at a time when the health officials were working on the safe and orderly transfer of all passengers from Banjul International Airport to the various standard Government-funded quarantine facilities within the Greater Banjul Area. Unlike other countries that use school halls and stadia for quarantine during public health emergencies, The Gambia Government rents standard hotels as quarantine facilities.
“Here in The Gambia, persons taken into quarantine are provided with full boarding and accommodation for the duration of the 14-day quarantine. The Government Regulation on mandatory quarantine for Gambians and Non-Gambians arriving from COVID-19 hotspot countries will be quarantined without exception remains valid.
“Furthermore, the Ministry of Health would like to call on all those who travelled from Belgium through SN Brussels flight to Banjul and absconded from the quarantine centres are strongly urged to report to the health authorities or call 1025 for the necessary actions to be taken failure of which their names will be announced over the media to be followed by arrests from their homes. Persons that escaped quarantine are reminded that the health authorities are in possession of their passport details and addresses.”
Breaking: Government says it has no plans to unban homosexuality as it breaks silence on vexed issue
The Gambia government has come out all to pooh-pooh reports it is engaged in pro-homosexuality efforts.
The Gambia government has been heavily bashed in some quarters over its silence amid a huge homosexuality debate that has swept the country.
Some accused the European Union of sparking the debate following a social media post in May.
The National Human Rights Commission’s report earlier this month also added greater steam to the debate as the government came under criticism for staying silent. There have been reports the government is mulling unbanning homosexuality.
Government spokesperson Ebrima Sankareh said in a statement on Tuesday the Gambia government “continues to be guided by the values and norms of its people, existing laws and has no plans to either decriminalize or even entertain a review of laws on homosexuality”.
He said: “In the wake of the simmering controversy surrounding gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender (LGBT) in The Gambia, The Government of President Adama Barrow wants to make it absolutely clear that neither President Barrow himself nor any member of his government, its envoy, agent or representative has ever signed, consented to, participated in or even pretended to support any deal, package, programme or agenda for the promotion of LGBT rights as is being falsely reported on news and various social media platforms. In fact, at no time had The Gambia Government ever been faced with the option to accept donor funds as bargaining chips or a conditionality for the relaxation of LGBT rights.
“Therefore, it is not only baffling but worrisome to hear some opposition and religious leaders engage in crude speculations or indulge in insinuations and wild innuendoes that cannot be substantiated. Since assuming office in 2017, President Adama Barrow has been working tirelessly to strengthening our democracy, upholding the rule of law and promoting the values of, press freedom, constitutional due process and the independence of the judiciary as evident in the most recent high-profile cases.
“Regrettably, some elements within society have seized this democratic space to sometimes indulge in malicious fabrications against the Government and then peddle these falsehoods on social media to potentially create confusion and distrust among citizens. We therefore urge the Gambian people to remain steadfast against the spread of misleading information and always with respect to Government actions, to verify their accuracy with the relevant authorities.
“Significantly, while the Barrow Government respects and protects the fundamental human rights of all citizens as circumscribed by law and enshrined in our Constitution, it is patently false to suggest that it has been corrupted, compromised or preconditioned to accept European funds to accommodate LGBT rights in our laws. This is false political propaganda orchestrated to score cheap political points.
“Accordingly, The Gambia Government continues to be guided by the values and norms of its people, existing laws and has no plans to either decriminalize or even entertain a review of laws on homosexuality.”
Ecowas leaders hold summit on Eco – and President Barrow tells meeting Gambia is committed to achieving the Eco single currency goals
President Adama Barrow has told his colleague Heads of State and Government that The Gambia remains committed to achieving the goals of the ECOWAS single currency, the ECO, according to State House.
President Barrow on Tuesday attended a virtual meeting organised for Member States of the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ).
The Gambian leader said while the ECOWAS Authority has made progress on the proposed introduction of the ECOWAS Single Currency by the year 2020, the Francophone countries in ECOWAS, through its West African Economic and Monetary Union, UMOEA, also recently announced a similar programme with opposing exchange rate monetary policies within the same region, according to State House.
“There is need, therefore, to review these decisions in line with Article 15 of the 48th Ordinary session of the Authority of the Heads of States and Governments of 16th December 2015,” President Barrow told the meeting, attended by Presidents of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea, Ghana and Nigeria, State House said in its press release.
Since 2017, The Gambia has constantly achieved three of the four primary convergence criteria, missing only the Budget deficit criterion; similarly, on the secondary convergence criteria, The Gambia has consistently achieved one of the two criteria, missing the public debt-GDP ratio, State House said.
The Gambian President urged that the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Zone should provide guidance on this crucial issue, calling for a review of the parallel monetary programmes in the West Africa sub region.
“I will emphasise here that The Gambia remains committed to the revised roadmap of the ECOWAS Monetary Cooperation Programme. This commitment has been translated into sustained improvements on achieving the set of macroeconomic convergence criteria,” he said, according to State House’s press release.
Tuesday’s meeting Chaired by the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, H.E Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone concluded with two propositions: convene an emergency Summit of Heads of State to discuss a way forward for the two monetary unions’ decision on the ECO [and] call on UMEOA community not to go ahead with the launch of the ECO pending the proposed meeting of Heads of State of the ECOWAS.
Flight carrying ‘150’ passengers lands at Banjul International Airport
By Fatou Camara
An SN Brussels flight Monday evening landed at Banjul International Airport with 150 passengers onboard, despite the border closure and international travel ban due to Covid-19 pandemic.
A health worker on the ground Dawda Jarju confirmed to The Fatu Network that the 150 people would be taken straight to the quarantine centres.
“We received signal that they are 150 and will be in quarantine for 14 days. They will be in quarantine. No one is going home and the quarantine centre are Badala Park , Sun Beach and Bambo and Cora as well so these people are not going anywhere. They are directly inside and all the ambulance are inside with the vehicles sent by the ministry of health so they are all inside no one is coming outside, they are not even allowed to see a relative,” Jarju said.
Alieu Bayo a concerned Gambian The Fatu Network met at the airport expressed fears about the arrival of the flight.
” I am not happy with the way we are dealing with our health . We do hear and see the deadliness of coronavirus and Gambia is too small for that. I don’t deny a flight coming [sic] into the Gambia, I just want the government to take a deep look at our health system and security. Look at this place, there is zero social distancing,” Bayo said.
Gambians and non-Gambians that want to leave the country stormed the airport in an attempt to get into the plane that scheduled to make a return trip to Brussels.
A white lady Brita was among those trying to leave the country and she said: “I came to The Gambia to help something for the people but am a kind of confused for a fact that I want to go back home but non of the airlines I write to replies to emails and the worst part is the security here are not polite. We are very nervous.”
Kombo – My Land, My Life, My Economy
To: Cousin Malamin Jammeh, South Korea
Date: June 23, 2020
Dear Malamin
Kombo will never be the way it used to be 30 years ago. This is because of globalization, demographic changes, the capital city effect and migration among others. For Kombo to maintain its political and economic base in the long term, it must own and control resources, particularly land. I would therefore focus my letter on individual and group initiatives for the future of Kombo. On the government land grab, I won’t focus on that because the Kombo Yiriwa Kafoo (KYK) has adequately dilated on that in their open letter to the President.
Yes, some are complaining that our Kabilos are selling their land, that’s true…but what are we doing in return? Are we all dead? Abandoned Kombo and travelled to mars? Or found a comfortable life in “sugar candy hills “? Let’s remember people have rights to their properties and economic choices.
In the past, there were two economic seasons- the farming season and the non-farming season. So, our grandparents were freer after the farming season. But today, every day is the beginning of another farming season because of the gradual disappearance of farms, formal employment, land grab, migration, travels, and commercialization of land just to name a few has increased pressure on land availability.
Today our diet has changed, the type of houses we build and live in has also changed as well as our interpersonal relationships and utilities. All these requires money to sustain our quality of life. Consequently, these have become some of the push factors why our own brothers are selling our land.
Malamin, on the recent developments in Kombo, my friend Ensaring of Gunjur Sey Kunda told me that Gunjur Nyaabada and Sambuya coastline are sinking and women of Sanyang are not getting much from harvesting their fields because of mining. Bonga fish is beyond the means of many Cham, Camara, Touray and Jammeh families because “Pigs Life Matter” in China. My uncles in Mandinaring were in desperate need of fresh air because of pollution from gasoil refineries. Before I forget, do you remember the singing of the parrots in Salaji, Nyambia and Brikama Gidda- Kembujeh forest parks? The parrots are singing no more because their homes are being destroyed and some are even threatening to go “back way to Europe” as their food security is no longer guarantee. Am sure Chief Sanjally and Sir Dawda will not be happy with us for not doing enough to enforce the spirit of the Banjul Declaration for the protection of flora and fauna. The last time I checked Kerr-Fatou, Uncle Ousman Mayaa was saying, “they fried him with his own oil”, meaning they will take a hectare and pretend to compensate with 20 by 25 meters in his own land which he could not even access. Fatou Jaw also said, “they rob Peter of his land to pay Paul in the same community, Sukuta.
The good thing is that some politicians have started talking about it but is not enough. Kombo needs solutions now, before the 2021 elections as the orphans and widows of Faburama urgently need roof over their heads. The government should compensate the victims of land grab, return forest to communities and repeal the unconstitutional State’s Land Act as they did with the “Age Limit”. The State’s Land Act has been robbing the people of Kombo their land for a very long time while the rest of The Gambia keep theirs. But am I too optimistic?
In conclusion, I encourage some of you wealthy Kombo natives including the diaspora to buy land and invest in agriculture, industries and housing (individually or partnership) in addition to the current strategies used by the KYK. If you don’t do this, others will do, and they will collect rent from our children.
May Allah bless Kombo
Your brother
Lamin Bojang, Sukuta born US resident
Andersen Global Enters Key Market in The Gambia
Press release
Andersen Global announces its entrance into the Gambian market by way of a Collaboration Agreement with Fajara Chambers, a law firm based in Fajara, continuing its rapid expansion in Africa which serves as an integral part of the organization’s global presence.
For more than 25 years, the firm – led by Managing Partners Ann Rivington and Malick F. M’bai, along with a staff of 11 professionals – has operated as a full-service law firm with industry competence in litigation, general business law, telecommunications, real estate, banking and tourism. Fajara Chambers has also been consistently recognized by Chambers Global.
“It is a privilege for Fajara Chambers to collaborate with Andersen Global,” Malick said.
“This collaboration reflects our commitment to providing high-caliber legal services to private as well as corporate and commercial clients, and our willingness to serve their interests not only in the West African sub-region but throughout the international business community. We are looking forward to working with like-minded individuals and continuing to build a practice that is a formidable competitor in the Gambian market.”
Andersen Global Chairman and Andersen CEO Mark Vorsatz added, “Our Africa platform is already one of the largest providers for legal services on the continent and building a benchmark organization in the region is a key element in our strategy. The addition of Fajara Chambers enhances our global offering significantly. Malick and his team bring substantial experience and expertise, and their commitment to independence and stewardship will further enhance our capabilities in The Gambia and beyond.”
Andersen Global is an international association of legally separate, independent member firms comprised of tax and legal professionals around the world. Established in 2013 by U.S. member firm Andersen Tax LLC, Andersen Global now has more than 5,000 professionals worldwide and a presence in over 177 locations through its member firms and collaborating firms.
The Republic, Democracy and Rights
What is a Republic? The basic dictionary meaning is that it is a state in which power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected president rather than a monarch. This definition is more clearly espoused in the 1997 Constitution, under Section 1 which established the Gambia as Sovereign Republic. The section went further to state that the sovereignty of the Gambia resides in the people, from whom all organs of the Government derive their authority and in whose name and on whose welfare and prosperity the powers of the Government are exercised in accordance with the Constitution.
Therefore, it is clear that sovereign power resides in only the people. That all citizens are equal in that sovereignty and that there is no superior and inferior citizen or majority and minority tribes or religions or groups such that such status will accord any citizen or group any power over others. This means no one citizen or group can claim to determine the manner of governance, policy, development or way of life in this country.
In the Constitution a whole chapter is also dedicate to the establishment and protection of human rights and freedoms to which all citizens are equal. Those rights are citizens’ sovereign rights. This chapter did not say some citizens will enjoy more rights than others or some citizens can prevent others from enjoying their right in anyway. Rather all citizens are equal in rights hence equal sovereignty of all. The Constitution places absolute obligation on the State to ensure that these fundamental rights and freedoms are protected without any favour or ill-will or for and against any citizen because of tribe, religion, culture, sex, age, region, or any other status including sexual orientation.
The question that Gambians must therefore confront is what kind of Republic do we want? Currently our Republic is a democracy. It is governed according to the Constitution which was made by citizens to set the guidelines as to how we live in this society. That Constitution has established democratic governance as the political system for this society. This means the Gambia is not a theocracy or an oligarchy, a plutocracy, one-party sate, communist or capitalist or an atheistic state. The kind of Gambia we have is what has been spelt out in the Constitution.
There is no doubt that in this Republic the citizens belong to different religions, mainly Islam and Christianity. Some citizens are female and others male. There are several tribes and regions. There are communities and families. All these individuals and groups have their various values and worldviews according to their beliefs, cultures and other orientations and philosophies based on their education, experience and exposure. That notwithstanding, the Gambia as a nation-state is not governed by any particular religious belief, or the culture of any tribe or the worldview of any single citizen. In other words, the Gambia is governed according to the 1997 Constitution which also accords all citizens to have the fundamental right to practice their faiths and cultures under the protection of that Constitution.
The Gambian Constitution can be considered as a big road on which all citizens are traveling to their various destinations, dreams, objectives and destinies. What the Constitution therefore provides is that while we may all not agree on the same idea or perception but there is space for all to walk on this road without having to step on each others toes. Those who wish to pray can pray. Those who wish to drink alcohol can do so. Those who wish not to belief in any religion can also do so. This, is both the beauty and disadvantage of Democracy that citizens must contend with if we are going to have a Republic in which we can all live in peace, security and justice.
That is to say, we all have equal rights as citizens and no one must attempt to damage, limit, deny or seize another citizen’s rights just because in your view or according to your culture or your religion or personal values you do not consider that right to be worthy of enjoyment.
This point is important to recognize because ultimately it is this point upon which the very foundation and the existence of the Republic and the freedom of all citizens stand. Otherwise if at any moment one citizen or group of citizens feels because of their personal values or religion or culture this or that particular right must not be enjoyed by others rest assured that one day another group could also rise up over there to say another right must not be enjoyed. In that case what we will witness is conflict among ourselves leading to self destruction.
For example, there is no doubt that Islam and Christianity have prohibited many sins. One of those sins is homosexuality. Other sins include adultery, fornication, lying, cheating and corruption in general among others. A believer is required to uphold the precepts of one’s faith such that one would avoid committing any sin. Therefore, the current debate about LGBT has been erroneously made into a religious debate when it is not. This is because no one can deny that homosexuality is a sin in Islam or Christianity. I do not think there is anyone who is seeking to change that fact.
The issue of LGBT is therefore a human rights issue which, if viewed from the point of a Democratic Republic would be seen to be a non-issue if indeed believers would adhere to the principles of their faith. Let imams and priests preach the faithful to uphold their religious values. But let none of them say no one should enjoy a particular right simply because that is a sin in this or that particular religion. After all, a Muslim or Christian man or woman who decides to be gay must have already known what his or her religion says about that. Therefore, it is between him and God to address. But as a Democratic Republic the right to a different sexual orientation is just one right among many other rights that some citizens may like or dislike, but none must stop another citizen from enjoying the right.
It is obvious that lot of sins, contrary to Islam and Christianity are committed in this country everyday by men and women who claim to be Muslims and Christians. But the Republic cannot create a law to ban those sins so long as they do not infringe on the right of the other person. Usually where sins are criminalized such as lying or stealing it is because one is under oath in the case of lying or it means one has illegally taken a property that does not legally belong to you hence depriving someone’s right to property and personal liberty in the case of stealing or corruption in general.
This means sins are now left to the believer to commit or avoid based on his or her piety. Otherwise let us declare the Gambia an Islamic Republic or Christian Republic or if possible combine them into an ‘Islamic – Christian Republic of the Gambia’. In that case we can now criminalize adultery, fornication, drinking alcohol, eating pork, lying, stealing, cheating, failure to care for a mother, children, wife or husband or perpetuating injustice, discrimination, backbiting, hypocrisy, arrogance and failure to share with the needy or failure to care for the environment, the old, children, women, orphans and the society at large. Who is for that kind of Republic? Raise your hand!
For the Gambia Our Homeland
…………………………………………….
Madi Jobarteh
Skype: madi.jobarteh
Twitter: @jobartehmadi
LinkedIn: Madi Jobarteh
Phone: +220 9995093
A case of enough is enough? Gym owners arrested after they opened their gyms in defiance of lockdown rules
By Lamin Njie
Some gym owners in the country have been arrested after they opened their gyms in defiance of lockdown rules.
Gym owners have been feeling the full pinch of the restrictions placed on ‘non-essential’ public-place businesses under the state of public emergency.
Some then took matters into their own hands after their efforts for their businesses to reopen fell on stony ground. They were then then arrested.
One of them told The Fatu Network: “There’s are some whose landlords want to kick them out because they can’t pay their rent.
“We have written to the government through National Sport Council and we met them [NSC].
“Since the lockdown, we have tried by all means to comply with the rules but it’s now been three months. We have families to feed. And this is why some of us decided to open our gym.”
Police spokesman Lamin Njie (not the author of this story) said some gym operators in the Kanifing Municipality and West Coast Region were indeed arrested.
“They have been charged with offenses contrary to the emergency powers regulations,” Superintendent Njie said.
He added: “We are also receiving reports that some video clubs have started operations. We wish to urged them to continue adhering to the regulations until such times they are officially lifted.
“Video club owners found wanting of violations will equally be prosecuted accordingly.”
Drivers drop strike after summit with nation’s top civil servant
By Lamin Njie
Drivers have suspended their sit-down strike after a meeting with the nation’s top civil servant.
Noah Touray met with leaders of the country’s drivers at State House on Monday as a sit-down strike by the drivers caused travel chaos across the country.
High on the agenda of the summit was the number of passengers a commercial vehicle is allowed to carry under the state of emergency regulations.
A Gambia Transport Union official told The Fatu Network they have suspended their strike on the deal the government would agree to their demand to restore their vehicles to their normal numbers.
“There’s a taskforce that has been set up to look into our demands,” the official said.
A government source has told The Fatu Network the government has ‘agreed to allow’ the commercial vehicles return to their normal passenger numbers.
Gambia’s coronavirus cases jump to 41 as four people including six-month-old test positive for disease
The nation’s coronavirus cases have jumped to 41 following the registry of four new cases.
The ministry of health said on Monday four people including a six-month-old baby tested positive for the deadly disease.
The ministry said: “Case 038 is a 24 year old male, Nigerian national who was ordinarily resident in Senegal until he ventured to seek for employment opportunities in The Gambia and arrived at the border on the 17th June where he was picked up and taken into quarantine. A sample was collected from him and a positive test result came out on th 20th
“Case 039 is a Gambian antenatal mother with an elaborate travel history.
“Case 040 is a 6 month old male Gambian national who (with his mother and sister) came back from Senegal on the 19th June and was picked from the border and taken into quarantine the same day. While both his traveling companions tested negative for COVID-19, his test returned positive on the 21st June.
“Case 041 is a 42 year old male with dual citizenship (Gambian & Senegalese) who came back from Senegal on the 19th June and was picked from the border and taken into quarantine the same day. His sample was collected on the 20th June and a positive test result for COVID-19 came out on the 21st June.”
The new cases come two days after a marabout died from the virus bringing the number of deaths to two.
Gambian Talents cameraman released after arrest by police over video he took of PIU officers
Police have released Ebou N keita following his arrest on Monday, the Gambia Press Union has said.
The Gambian Talents cameraman was arrested by police at Tabokoto Monday morning ‘whilst shooting images of altercations between police officials and drivers’.
“He was taken to Abuko police station and later transferred to Bundung police where upon hearing the news the GPU Secretary General Saikou Jammeh with some GTTV staff met him,” Gambia Press Union said in a statement.
It added: “He was released with no charges filed.”
Gambian Talents earlier on Monday issued a statement saying Keita was arrested around 8am by the PIU Officers for ‘taking a video of them while they arrests drivers at the Coastal Road Junction in Tabokoto’.
Police spokesman Lamin Njie could not immediately comment on the matter.
KEBBA NANKO – OPINION: National Human Right Commission should not be dissolved
Calling for the dissolution of the National Human Rights Commission is an outrageous idea, but I am calling on the commissioners to withdraw their report and write a new one. Gay and lesbian rights are not an issue in The Gambia and I cannot fathom why the human rights commission would put it in their report in the first place. Issues that are of paramount importance are the rights of Gambians and that is what they should have focused on not gay and lesbian rights. Therefore, they should blame themselves for the public backlash.
The National Human rights Commission probably needs an experienced media team that will be vetting their messages for them before making them public. Information in a democracy must be vetted by reading it aloud before publication. The Gambia is a conservative nation when it comes to universal human rights, so they should take issues in piecemeal and the focus must be on the protection of rights of Gambian citizens as they are established to protect and promote human rights issues in The Gambia.
I am very sorry for Imam Baba Leigh, who happens to be the sacrificial lamb in all this debacle. My advice for Imam Baba Leigh is to ignore the politicians calling on him to resign and continue serving in the commission. Imam Leigh stood against injustices when the going was tough; I am very proud to call him my favorite Imam. He should advocate for his commission to consider withdrawing the recommendation they sent to the National Assembly on this subject so that this matter can be settled, and the National Assembly and the government must disregard the report in its totality, and focus on issues that are relevant to Gambians. We did not have Gays or Lesbians in the Gambia, therefore we have nothing to protect.
The Mandinka proverb rhetorically asks: “Word, why did you speak about me when it is not the right time to speak about me?” This is the dilemma the human rights commission finds itself in. The commission should be there to protect Gambian cultures, values, norms, and so forth, as the human rights for Gambians. The commission is established primarily to protect and promote the rights of Gambians, not the world, although one may argue that the Gambia is not an island, so we must adhere to universal human rights issues in the world, but certainly, in my opinion, that is not the role of the national human rights commission, their role and focus should be to protect the rights of Gambians, that is to do with anything that the Gambia is known for as people.
They should be protecting the Gambians values by advising government as to which laws are customary to The Gambia and which laws they should consider when it comes to universal human rights, but in this case, they appeared to be undermining the culture, and values of Gambian people by stating something in their report that is very irrelevant in the present Gambia.
My advice to fellow Gambians is to distance themselves from this topic because the more we talk about it, we will essentially be empowering and promoting LGBTQ issues in The Gambia without knowing. Even in the West, it is not universally accepted, but we should always remember democracy is a complex issue and should understand in a democracy where your rights stop is where someone else’s rights begin.
President Barrow was once asked this question in 2018/2019. He gave the best answer and was very precise. He said: “LGBTQ rights are not an issue in The Gambia, hence there are no Gambians one can pinpoint as gay or lesbian, and therefore, it is not an important issue”. We must desist from playing political expediency into this. We are making our society very vulnerable to having such a discussion in front of our children which could have a serious impact on their lives. The persistent debate and discussions on this topic are a win for LGBTQ advocates.
I understand there is a lot of intellectual dishonesty in this debate, which is driven by so many factors. The NHRC report never mentioned the legalization of Gay or Lesbian Marriage or decriminalizing the anti-LGBTQ law. I didn’t understand why the National Human Rights Commission is been accused of promoting same-sex marriage or promoting their rights. It is illegal in the Gambia; if anyone found doing the act of homosexuality in the Gambia he/she could face life imprisonment. Essentially, what the human right commission was saying they must not be subjected to mob-injustices or torture, but they must be accorded right to innocent until found guilty by a competent court.
As a country, our focus should be on how to fight poverty and pray for a bumper harvest in the coming raining season. May God protect The Gambia and its people from all kinds of evil deeds and give us the wisdom and the unity to protect our culture, values, and norms.
Kebba Nanko wrote from United States
Mambury Njie and World Bank chief sign 1.7 billion dalasis grant to support Gambia’s efforts to improve effectiveness in fiscal management
Finance Minister Mambury Njie and the World Bank Country Director Nathan Belete on Monday signed a $35 million (1.7 billion dalasis) grant to support the country’s efforts to improve effectiveness in fiscal management for better public service delivery.
A statement by the World Bank Gambia office on Monday said the Fiscal Management Development Project will support the government’s National Development Plan for 2018-2021 by “restoring fiscal discipline, improving public sector efficiency, fiscal risk management and reporting, as well as helping the country transition to a digital economy”.
“The project builds on existing reforms to enhance the financial viability of telecom sector, as well as transparency and governance framework of the state-owned enterprises,” said Elene Imnadze, World Bank Resident Representative, according to the World Bank statement.
The operation will strengthen the capacity of the Gambia Revenue Authority to collect revenues, including through digital transformation of tax administration.
It will also introduce electronic procurement for more efficient and better-quality public procurement system.
In addition, the project will provide incentives and technical assistance to strengthen fiscal risk management, corporate governance and public accountability of the state-owned enterprise sector and pursue critical reforms to enhance financial viability in state-owned telecom assets.
“In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, this operation becomes even more relevant as it contributes to building capacity to ensure the Government’s business continuity and resilience,” said Maimouna Mbow Fam, Task Team Leader, according to the World Bank’s statement.
NPP’s Seedy Njie says Mamma Kandeh is ‘scared and paranoid’ – then declares ‘it’s sad’ GDC leader is using death of Demba Sowe to politic
By Lamin Njie
National People’s Party’s Seedy Njie has shot back at Mamma Kandeh saying the GDC leader was preying on the death of Demba Sowe politically.
Mamma Kandeh last week told The Fatu Network operatives of President Barrow’s NPP took motorbikes to Niamina West as the constituency mourned the death of its lawmaker Demba Sowe.
“They [NPP] were measuring [roads], bringing motorbikes even before the man’s death reached 40 days. They were going round campaigning, with the belief they could mislead people,” Mr Kandeh said.
NPP’s Seedy Njie fired back on Monday telling The Fatu Network: “It is disappointing and his statement is million miles away from being the truth. The truth of the matter is that government under President Adama Barrow is committed to delivering services to the people of the republic of The Gambia, and road construction is one of the key priorities embedded in the national development plan.
“Mamma is scared and paranoid. He thinks because President Barrow’s government delivering services to the people of Niaminas would serve as a threat to his political interests. As such, he’s paranoid and his statement is purely based on jealousy and his hatred for the people of Niamina to access development from government. It is disappointing.
“He lost a member of parliament from Niamina West and as such, he should have hailed government where it is due, and for government to usher in development in the Niamina West only for him to use the death [of Demba Sowe] as politicking. [It] is very sad, it’s unfortunate. But we want the people of Niamina West to know that Mamma Kandeh doesn’t wish them well and Mamma Kandeh doesn’t wish for government to usher in development in Niamina West.”
Parks stripped bare of cars as huge drivers’ strike begins
By Matty Senghore
Car parks in the Greater Banjul Area have been stripped bare of cars amid the commencement of a huge strike by drivers.
Drivers have been complaining about the government’s state of emergency measure that slashed the capacity of a commercial vehicle by half. The drivers want the government to restore the original capacity of their vehicles.
On Monday, the drivers came through on a vow last week to embark on a two-day strike if the government didn’t bring their vehicles back to their original capacities.
At the Bakoteh tippa garage, no commercial vehicle could be seen conveying travellers as the strike kicked in Monday afternoon. Dejected travellers could be seen hanging around while many were forced to abandon their trips.
At the Senegambia garage in Serrekunda, no commercial vehicle can be seen except some taxis.
21-year-old Senegalese-Gambian shot and killed in UK
A Senegalese-Gambian has died after being shot in the head in UK, sources close to his family have told The Fatu Network.
Sheriff Taal, 21, died in hospital on Sunday after being shot on Saturday while attending a street party in Manchester. His friend was also killed.
Sheriff’s mother is Suwaidou Sanyang a daughter to first republic minister Kuti Sanyang. His father is Musa Taal of Senegal whose mother is former Senegalese dancer Ndey Haddy Niang.
‘They drive million-dalasi cars’: Musa Batchilly says Barrow is surrounded by pocket reformers
By Lamin Njie
GAP chief Musa Batchilly has said President Adama Barrow’s aides are only there to ‘reform’ their pockets.
“I respect Mr President Barrow but his surrounders are surround by corporate greed who ain’t care about Gambia, just their own pocket [sic]. They call them reformers. What are you reforming? Your pocket. For the betterment of your kids. They drive million dalasis cars,” Mr Batchilly told The Fatu Network.
The GAP leader joins the likes of Mai Fatty in savaging President Barrow’s advisers. The latter had asked the president to sack all his advisers.
According to the Batchilly, Jammeh’s government is ‘far better’ than the Barrow government, calling on Gambians to come together and kick out President Barrow.
“It’s high time for you to rise up in a positive way to remove these people by what? Next election,” he said.
MINISTERS TAMBADOU & FAYE ON PUBLICITY ESCAPADE
I was last week vaguely informed by a colleague that Defense Minister Shiekh Omar Faye submitted a defense bill to the national assembly for ratification, a cheerful surprise until its details revealed how it had merely been about the three-decade-old-defense assistance rendered by the Turkish government since the PPP days. It obviously looked like a propaganda stunt pulled by the minister to mislead the Gambians about defense agreements with foreign nations being finally and transparently brought before the National Assembly (NA) at a time when skeptical Gambians demanding more candor over all the defense treaties signed between Presidents Mackey Sall’s and Adama Barrow’s governments in 2017 gains increasing momentum.
I don’t know what the terms and conditions of the original agreement between the PPP and the Turkish governments were and whether or not it was over the years ever ratified at the NA level, but since its enactment in the early 90s, one can attest to its uninterrupted continuation regardless of the three regime changes in the country and has always served its intended purpose. Which indeed has been to enhance the technical and tactical capacity of the 1982 Senegalese-founded Gambia National Gendarmerie by providing the detachment with the desired educational, material and moral support. So other than a publicity feat I find nothing special in the whole exercise of bringing the matter forward to the NA. What we now expect and deem more consequential from the defense minister is to submit to the NA for both scrutiny and possible ratification the classified 2017 defense treaties signed between Senegal or ECOWAS and the Gambia that indefinitely prolongs the presence of two foreign forces in The Gambia; i.e., ECOMIG and the Senegalese troops compounded by the perplexing question over why France is so committed to funding the costly mission. No sane person will subscribe to the postulation that the French are paying D700,000,000. 00 per annum to the occupying forces for the mere love of Gambians and the Gambia. I will always remain steadfast in my assumption that the whole French/Senegalese scheme is hinged on a broader and rather stealthy political and economic objective, until proven otherwise. It is only another crafty venture by the French and Senegal with the Barrow government that had twice been undertaken with the PPP and APRC governments but with unfavorable ramifications.
A similar political ruse was equally clinched by Justice Minister Baa Tambadou when he presented another insignificant so-called extradition bill between Senegal and the Gambia, as if the whole deal was a groundbreaking achievement by the new government. Far from it, I stand to be corrected that if not perverted by underlying political wrangling, extradition covenants formalized or not between the two countries have always existed, mostly perpetuated by commonsense and reciprocated-neighborly obligations. For instance, despite the prevailing impediments between President Abdou Joof and President Sir Dawda Jawara, at the time, following the unceremonious disintegration of the confederation in 1989 and the subsequent replacement of the senegalese forces in the Gambia by Nigerian troops in 1992, when Pape Samba Mboup accused of shooting and killing Maitre Babacar Saye, Senegal’s vice president to their constitutional courts in 1993 fled to the Gambia, the PPP government wasted no time in apprehending and extraditing him to Senegal. That ultimately led to the freedom of then opposition party leader Abdoulaye Wade and three of his party associates arrested and charged with complicity in the murder case.
Also when Farafeni Barracks was attacked by Kukoi’s Liberian-groomed mercenaries in 1996 and the three-rebel assailants of eight of our gallant soldiers, John Dampha, Sulayman Sarr and Essa Baldeh escaped to Senegal, President Abdou Joof’s government upon locating their hideouts immediately arrested and flew them back to our custody for prosecution.
Another point of reference, done perhaps out of embarrassment from the incursion of Gambian dissidents, L. F. Jammeh, Alieu Bah, Jarju and Cham who were granted political asylum in Senegal after fleeing the 1994 bloody abortive coup but decided to return and overthrow the APRC government in 1997 by assaulting Kartong Barracks and killing three GNA soldiers before being apprehended, the Senegalese government impulsively invited us to Dakar and handed over eight members of Kukoi’s mercenaries, captured in Tambakunda and incarcerated for about a year without ever letting us know about them. Consequently, and as stated, if not swayed by any political bone of contention, we have always respected some form of extradition treaty on each other’s undesirable elements. Notwithstanding, I sure don’t have any problems with formalizing such extradition treaty at the NA, be it for the first time or not but parading it to look like the first of a kind of special achievement is what looks to me like a political disinformation.
The justice minister and defense minister could have done the concerned Gambians a special favor of adding to the two negligible bills the latest cardinal defense accords discreetly signed with Senegal and ECOWAS including the laughable hot-pursuit protocol ostensibly being concealed from the entire nation. I think those are today the conventions of greater concern to Gambians.
I have scanned through the entire 179 pages of the new draft constitution and amazingly found nothing mentioned about the foreign forces occupying the Gambia. If for nothing, I think it was a theme the CRC should have exhaustively covered, given our past deplorable experience with occupying foreign troops since 1981. The confederation of Senegambia Armed Forces, the Nigerian Army Training and Assistance Group and of course the ECOMIG/Senegalese forces have all been occupation forces with the first two tryouts not at all ending well and should have served as perfect lessons for the consideration of including statutes on at least where we are heading with the ECOMIG/Senegalese occupation troops. Bearing in mind that the foreign forces had arrived in the country well before the CRC was appointed to carry out the task, I found it inexcusable to exclude the subject from the draft. Unless it boils down to the unfortunate allegation that they plagiarized the Kenyan constitution in which the East African drafters couldn’t have remotely contemplated the possibility of foreign forces to ever meddle in their internal political affairs that would warrant adding such ignorant clauses in their constitution. Trust me, Gambia is and will remain the only guinea pig in this global experiment.
As we are now all aware, in 2017 several Gambians including a bunch of APRC government judases shamelessly sanctioned the dangerous and dumb campaign waged by President Mackey Sall to wage war in the Gambia in order to oust the APRC government. Thank God, sanity prevailed over reckless sentiments compelling Jammeh to leave and stopping the intended mayhem.
Since then the forces whose presence in the country is progressively becoming a major concern to most Gambians is indeed scaffolding political uncertainties while we advance towards the 2021 national election. Yet to my horror, our constitutionalists failed to address the issue. The simplification that the members of the armed forces were invited to help with recommendations on defense matters but did not is a disgrace. The presence of foreign forces in the Gambia had always been the prerogative of the executive branch of government and therefore the burden of including the subject in the draft constitution rests squarely on the shoulders of the president and his cabinet. I wonder what they have been thinking to endorse the draft without fixing the critical omission.
Doesn’t it appear like a paradoxical precedence for ECOWAS/Senegal to intervene in the internal political affairs of the Gambia in 2017 where there was no violence and without first exhausting all peaceful options of settling the dispute but dare not apply the same principles in Guinea Conakry and Mali where current internal political turmoils are wasting uncountable number of the lives of peaceful civilian protesters?
However, given that government remains secretive about the troop’s mandate and particularly about how long they should stay in the country, I believe our constitutionalists should have incorporated the subject in the draft to formally let Gambians understand at what point in the future our political or electoral dispute will again require the intervention of foreign forces for settlement. I guess that will also have to depend on the party with the “perfect” narrative or lies to sell to the international community; and without doubt, Senegal or Nigeria must always be factored in the overall equation.
Future military interventionists must be governed by clear cut mandates, clarifying their responsibilities, rights and limitations.
In short, laws must be enacted to preside over their stay in the country and on what the Gambians must know when they break the country’s laws and under whose jurisdiction lies the investigations and discipline of lawbreaking troops.
They have killed Harona Jatta in Foni, an unspeakable subject by the authorities but still haunting the family of the victim.
Come 2021 without any illumination in who controls them, I am afraid their presence could grossly jeopardize the political or smooth process of the national election.
Since they are forces created for the Gambia alone, I think they should have by now been withdrawn and perhaps maintained somewhere close by and permanently renamed The-Gambia-ECOWAS-Intervention force, awaiting for the political party to be declared winner by IEC chairman Alieu Momarr Njie in 2021. If Barrow wins they roll right back in to protect him; likewise if another party wins and Barrow starts acting funny they do exactly what they did before and move in with full force to send him to exile and protect the new government. Is that not the modus operandi so far? After all, our national security forces, especially the Gambia Armed Forces have been rendered useless and show no sign of recovering from their alienated position.
Thanks for reading. Till next time.
Samsudeen Sarr
New York City