By Lamin Njie

Director of Press and Public Relations at the Office of the President has said President Adama Barrow ‘cannot just go out and speak’, as she responded to criticism against the Gambian leader over his handling of the coronavirus crisis.

President Barrow has been savaged that he isn’t taking the crisis seriously. The president spoke to Gambians only once since the crisis started – an eight-minute address on 17 March. Many Gambians have insisted he should speaking often in respect of the crisis.

But Amie Bojang Sissoho told The Fatu Network on Thursday: “There can never be enough for anything and anybody but as head of state, he has responsibility.

“To be able to make a decision, you need to get the right type of information and from the right sources and those information processing, they go through a lot of processes in terms of from the technicians until it reaches the policy meeting level.

“It’s okay for people to desire for the president to come [out] and talk. But they have to know that talking goes with responsibility and those responsibilities include having the right type of information.

“Because if the president comes out and speaks to the nation, that means it’s an authoritative voice that is speaking. So he cannot just go out and speak when he has not gotten the right information at the right time to be able to do so.”

By Sarjo Brito

GDC’s National Assembly Member for Niamina East Omar Cessay has criticised the Gambian President for going MIA amidst the coronavirus crisis.

Honourable Ceesay in an exclusive interview with The Fatu Network said trying times like this is when the president must come out and be a beacon of hope to his people. The GDC NAM said this is not the time for press releases from the President as he expects full-on engagement with the public and relevant stakeholders.

Even though the President pulled a runner, we must applaud the efforts of our health officials, Honourable Ceesay added.

Honourable Ceesay argued that the crisis could have been averted if government was more pre-emptive during the early stages of the outbreak, adding that the recent decision to shut down the country’s entry points was long overdue.

The young NAM said politics must be put aside during this period and urged President Barrow to follow in the footstep of our neighbouring Senegal, where President Macky Sall has engaged with opposition leaders as part of efforts to combat the deadly virus.

The novel coronavirus has so far claimed at least ten thousand lives globally. The Gambia has registered three known cases, one of them a 70-year-old Bangladehsi who have died as a result of the virus.

By Lamin Njie

The Constitutional Review Commission announced Thursday the draft constitution has been finalised and will be submitted to President Adama Barrow on Monday 30 March.

“This follows a series of consultations with Gambians at home and abroad as to how they wish to be governed in the new Draft Constitution. It could be recalled that, the CRC made a promise to Gambians at a press conference held on Monday 27th January, 2020 that it will submit the final Draft Constitution to the President not later than March, 2020.

“It is gratifying to note that a lot of effort was invested by Gambians from all walks of life to ensure that the Commission produces a Constitution that will stand the test of time and become a model for not only the African continent but the World at large,” the commission said in a statement on Thursday.

A new constitution has been a major preoccupation of President Barrow’s government since it came to power in 2017.

By Lamin Njie

The ministry of health has expressed dismay over stigma being directed at an individual who has undergone coronavirus test.

The ministry said while the person tested negative for coronavirus, people were still running away from him.

The ministry director of health promotion Modou Njai told reporters at a news conference on Thursday: “There was also somebody who have gone through the process and tested negative and the person now in the community, people are running away from the individual.

“We want to appeal to the people: this guy’s already been tested and it’s negative. Why do we need to run [away] from the individual? We are trying to discriminate them, we are trying to isolate them. That is something the public should be mindful of.”

By Lamin Njie

The travel companion of the 70-year-old Bangladesh national who died after contracting coronavirus while on preaching mission in The Gambia has started developing mild pneumonia-like symptoms, the ministry of health has said.

“Cumulively the country still has a total of three confirmed COVID-19 cases and one probable case at the moment. The probable case is the co-traveller of the second confirmed case, has started developing mild-pneumonia-like symptoms,” the ministry’s Modou Njai told reporters in Banjul on Thursday.

According to the World Health Organisation, pneumonia is one of the symptoms of COVID-19.

The ministry said the ‘probable case’ is a 47-year-old male Bangladesh national who travelled to The Gambia alongside the 70-year-old who died of the virus. He is currently on quarantine.

PDOIS leader has called on Gambians to form a united front against coronavirus, warning the deadly disease is trying to commit genocide against ‘us’.

Mr Sallah said in an address to the nation on Tuesday: “Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures. Thinkers say; the sum of the parts is not equal to the whole. We cannot continue to use fire brigade measures to deal with a pandemic. To wait until there is fire, then we raise alarm to try to fight it. We are told by the WHO that this pandemic starts in China; a nation of over a billion people. But now it has spread all over the world and Gambia is no exception.

“The fact that the illness is found all the way in Numuyel, shows very clearly that; the whole world is a small world. From France to Numuyel, confirms to us that; we are not isolated on the illness and from the world and from the sources of infection.

“We must be prepared. But how are we to be prepared? Those who are entering the country from areas where the illness is prevalent must develop the maturity to be ready to be subjected to observation. That is the way to protect ourselves. That is the way to protect their families.

“It is also important for the State to know that when a person is discovered to have the symptoms, the person must be taken care of by someone. Who? The health workers are the front-line fighters of the pandemic. They must be provided with adequate outfits so that when they handle those with the illness, they would not have any fear. That is the primary task that must be handled with the 500 million that is allocated to deal with the pandemic.

“It is important for us to also understand that, preliminary clinical observations is just one phase. You must have clinical test to be able to fully come to terms whether the person has the illness. We must therefore equip the observatories; the disease control centres, so that they will be able to handle the pandemic. It is also important to sensitize the citizenry so that the sources of infection could be handled. Cleanliness; the washing of the hands is deemed to be one way of preventing the illness. All these actions require resources.

“Therefore, the Gambian people as a whole must be ready to act as one person to be able to handle what is now urgently a crisis of monumental proportion. It is therefore important that each of us is ready to take one’s responsibility so that through concerted actions, we would be able to defeat an enemy that is ready to commit genocide against us.

“This is a battle for our lives. The lives of our children. The lives of our children’s children. So, we must not allow ourselves to be complacent and this is why this message is to you, to me, to everybody that; We must act together to live, to defeat COVID-19. We must act to defeat COVID-19. We must act to defeat COVID-19.”

By Lamin Njie

The URR man who tested positive for coronavirus has reportedly rejected official MRC results he has the disease.

The 71-year-old had previously refused to be tested for the deadly disease prompting police to intervene.

It has now emerged the man is rejecting any MRC official results he has the virus. Other reports say his family are trying to get him out of isolation.

The minister of health Dr Ahmadou Lamin Samateh reacted to the reports during a news conference in Banjul on Wednesday.

He said: “Sometimes in disease presentation, people could have denial. That happens sometimes, when people are diagnosed of diseases. Because they would have thought the disease is too far away, they would have thought this disease is not for them.

“Even the shock of just being told, ‘ you have a disease that everybody is now talking about’. People do tend to have denial.

“Because there is no way he could have confirmed that he had the disease or not. The health professionals have the potential to do that, which they did and confirmed he has the disease. Probably, he’s in the denial phase.”

By Adama Makasuba

The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education has dismissed claims 35 million dalasis have been issued by the ministry for the 21-day e-learning project for students of lower grades.

The ministry said: “The 35 million is just an estimate of how much it may cost Government to put all the appropriate infrastructures in place to ensure every household benefit from distance learning.”

According to the ministry, they may not be able to mobilize all the amount now “but it doesn’t mean we should not plan for it and start looking for money to implement the idea as we get the resources”.

“In such situation, the Ministry is required to make a plan and cost the plan increase some partners want to support. It is always advisable to think big when making a plan. You then start implementing the plan as you get the resources”

“This is an emergency and there is no money lying down for this activity. The government budget has been done and all the monies are already attached to certain activities,” the ministry said.

The Ministry on Monday introduced a new learning method that involves students taking lessons through radio and television stations in the country. It comes on the back of the shutting down of schools due to the coronavirus pandemic.

By Lamin Njie

The Supreme Islamic Council has asked imams across the country to suspend business in their mosques to help check the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

The Gambia’s coronavirus cases currently stands at three, two men and one woman. One died.

SIC president Muhammad Lamin Touray said on GRTS on Tuesday mosques across the country needed to shut for the safety of all Gambians.

“When a problem such as this comes, it’s about being careful… And so when their is an order from the country’s leaders in a bid to prevent someone who’s sick from transmitting it to others…

“Just day before yesterday, there was a country where it killed 700 people in just one day. So Supreme Islamic Council is here today to plead with all imams for all of us to close our mosques and adhere to the government’s order,” Imam Touray said.

Prince Charles has coronavirus and may have been contagious just 24 hours after last seeing his 93-year-old mother the Queen, who is well but has been taking medical advice since her son fell ill, it was revealed today.

The Prince of Wales, 71, tested positive yesterday and is in self-isolation on the Balmoral estate in Scotland with his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, who is without any symptoms of the virus, which has killed 435 and infected 8,000 more in the UK so far.

A royal source said Charles’ doctor’s most conservative estimate was that the prince was contagious on March 13 – 24 hours after he last saw his mother. A Buckingham Palace spokesman has said: ‘Her Majesty remains in good health. The Queen is following all the appropriate advice with regard to her welfare’.

MailOnline has plotted the prince’s movement over the past fortnight – the incubation period for coronavirus – and he attended at least six public engagements meeting hundreds of people including a string of Britain’s biggest stars at his annual Prince’s Trust awards.

Charles is said to have ‘mild symptoms’ that started over the weekend and has fallen ill after meeting coronavirus-stricken Prince Albert of Monaco, who tested positive five days ago after he sat opposite the Prince of Wales at a WaterAid event in London on March 10.

A Clarence House spokesman said: ‘The Prince of Wales has tested positive for Coronavirus. He has been displaying mild symptoms but otherwise remains in good health and has been working from home throughout the last few days as usual.

‘The Duchess of Cornwall has also been tested but does not have the virus. In accordance with Government and medical advice, the Prince and the Duchess are now self-isolating at home in Scotland. The tests were carried out by the NHS in Aberdeenshire where they met the criteria required for testing’. (DailyMail)

By Lamin Njie

President Adama Barrow has signed an order that could see traders who hoard and overcharge citizens for basic food commodities such as rice arrested and fined.

The president signed the executive order on Monday 23 March as fear mounts over hoarding and price gouging amid the coronavirus crisis.

The president has also set up an ‘Essential Commodities Control Committee’ to supervise the enforcement of ‘these new regulations’.

The committee comprises eight members among them the inspector general of police and head of the state intelligence service.

The committee is empowered to appoint inspectors that may ‘without prior notice and at any time’ enter and inspect all premises in the occupation or under the control or possession of any wholesaler or retailer. They could also ‘examine’ any books, accounts or other documents relating to the stock levels and prices of a wholesaler or retailer.

A person that breaches a provision of the new regulations could be fined D500,000.

The new regulations will affect essential commodities such as rice, flour, meat and sugar.

Meanwhile, the president has set a new price ceiling for the essential commodities. Below is the breakdown;

By Lamin Njie

Police intervened to ensure a 71-year-old man underwent coronavirus testing, it has been been revealed.

A 71-year old Gambian, of URR origin (Numuyel Village), who recently returned from France has been tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the number of COVID-19 cases in the country to three. One of them died.

The ministry of health said the 71-year-old arrived in The Gambia from France 17 March at “13:31hrs by TUI Arkefly (TFL458) and travelled to Numuyel”. Fifty-nine passengers were onboard the flight, the ministry said.

According to the health ministry, the man began showing symptoms on 20 March.

“[He] first reported to the OPD of Basse District Hospital with symptoms such as abdominal and chest pain in the early hours of the 21st of March 2020,” the ministry said.

The ministry then added: “[He] was escorted to the hospital by two escorts who brought him on a motorcycle.

“He initially resisted sample collection.

“Sample was collected on the 21st March after the intervention of the Police Intervention Unit.

“Sample sent to MRCG at Fajara for testing on the 22nd March.

“Positive test result received on Monday 23rd March.”

By Lamin Njie

Former secretary general Momodou Sabally has ramped up his call for Dr Ahmadou Lamin Samateh to be dismissed as health minister if the country were to succeed in its fight against coronavirus.

Sabally had on Monday stunned the nation by calling on President Adama Barrow to sack Dr Samateh, who the Gambian leader had only appointed into the role in March last year.

Sabally said Dr Samateh did not have what it takes to take the country out of the coronavirus woods.

A lot of Gambians disagreed with the former presidential affairs minister but Sabally has now returned insisting Dr Samateh needed to go home.

He said: “If Dr Samateh cannot do the right thing to admit that he cannot do the job and resign, then Barrow PORG should be #bold enough to relieve the Health Minister of his appointment, redeploy him and hire a better candidate for the job…

“In these trying times, we need a health Minister who can provide the needed #leadership : Properly coordinate the activities of the different units of his Ministry, #unite the team and provide them with the necessary #energy to deliver us from this #evil.”

By Sarjo Brito

The Minister of Lands and Local government through his Permanent Secretary has dismissed allegations of corruption and abuse of power. The allegations came after he was said to have allocated part of the New Jeshwang women’s garden to his own brother.

In an exclusive interview with The Fatu Network, Permanent Secretary Buba Sanyang said the Minister have had a prior engagement with the people of New Jeshwang where he assured them that the state would not give priority to any individual over the public.

And when asked on whether the Minister allocated a part of the land to his own brother, Sanyang said: “That was true, the Minister told them that. Because they wanted to know that man and the Minister told them, ‘yes, I know that Mr Jawara and he is part of my family and I in fact approved that plot’.”

Mr Sanyang insisted that even though the land was allocated by the minister, the right procedures were followed. He reiterated the need for Gambian to stop personalising issue saying

“Let’s not try to personalise issues. Being a Permanent Secretary of this Ministry, does that deprive all my family the rights to land to be allocated in this Ministry. Our concern should be whether people follow the right procedure. The files are there for people to confirm,” he said.

By Lamin Njie

Former special adviser to President Adama Barrow Mai Ahmad Fatty has called on the Gambian leader to exhibit decisive leadership over the coronavirus crisis that is threatening to run the whole world over.

Mr Fatty spent most of last year advising President Barrow before leaving the role last October.

On Tuesday, the former interior minister returned with some pieces of advice to the president over coronavirus.

He wrote on his official Facebook page, at times directly addressing the president: “I commend the Government for the initiatives thus far. Yet we are not doing enough. President Barrow, work with the National Assembly and declare a State of Emergency without delay. Impose a sensible curfew regime with other effective measures to enforce new public health directives. Deploy microscopic monitoring of the 500 million Dalasi emergency fund, ensuring that monies are being prudently spent to curb the novel corona virus pandemic.

“Reach out to businesses and NGOs for partnership and exploit our international goodwill to secure urgent help for our country. Engage and involve municipal councils, as veritable partners in grass-roots community containment and prevention measures. Put politics aside. Lives are at stake.

“Hospitals, clinics and healthcare workers are still poorly equipped. Communities are still without auxiliary support. The peril intensifies with each passing day. The fact that we do not know how and where the first corona casualty contracted the virus is dangerously troubling. We do not know how many people may have been infected by him with the multiplier effect.

“There could be more infections out there. We shouldn’t wait for more fatalities. With the typical nature of Gambian society, we need more measured response and utter decisiveness. This is a time for bold leadership. Act Mr. President. Declare a State of Emergency. Impose a sensible curfew that is both realistic and enforceable. This is a time when citizens must be protected against themselves.”

By Lamin Njie

Former secretary general Momodou Sabally has insisted The Gambia was better off in the fight against coronavirus if Dr Ahmadou Samateh wasn’t at the forefront.

Health minister Dr Samateh has been the country’s health chief since his appointment into the role by President Barrow last year.

The coronavirus pandemic has taken the world by storm and The Gambia now sits at the edge following the death of a Bangladesh man who became the country’s second COVID-19 case.

Sabally said on Monday Dr Samateh wasn’t the man to lead the country out of the crisis.

He said in a post on Facebook: “And surely one of the most effective moves that could help us contain this corona pandemic is for President Barrow to fire his Health Minister.

“I love Dr Samateh but he doesn’t have what it takes to provide us with the proactive #leadership that we need to survive this menace…

“I am not saying that Samateh should be kicked out…

“But Barrow can #relieve him of his appointment and redeploy him elsewhere with the same salary and benefits to protect our health/lives.”