By Lamin Njie

United Democratic Party Thursday evening lashed out at an award given to former president Yahya Jammeh, saying it’s an ‘outrage’ and the ‘gravest insult’ to dignity of the victims of the former dictator.

Concerned Gambia Social Welfare Association on Wednesday 4 March awarded Jammeh its ‘peace’ award. The event was held at APRC’s bureau in Manjai.

UDP reacted to the development on Thursday saying its secretary general and party leader and the executive committee condemn in the strongest possible terms “this bogus ‘peace award’ to Yahya Jammeh”.

“For any Gambian individual, group or organisation to give an award to the most brutal dictator that the people of the Gambia have ever seen is an outrage and the gravest insult to dignity of the victims of Yahya Jammeh,” the party said in a statement.

UDP also reserved special criticism for the Gambian media over coverage of the award.
The party said: “The most disturbing thing to the UDP is the media coverage such a nefarious activity is receiving in the Daily Newspapers, Online and Social media like the Standard, the Voice and Fatu Network.

“UDP is urging all Political Parties, the Gambia Press Union, the Gambia Media Council and the Gambia Government to condemn this spurious award to Yahya Jammeh: because this may undermine the work of the TRRC and the whole reform agenda of the transition process of the Gambia from dictatorship to democracy.

“…the United Democratic Party urges the media fraternity aka the fourth estate to practice responsible journalism and to be sensitive to the pain and suffering of the victims of Yahya Jammeh and indeed the entire nation by not sensationalizing non-stories or publishing unworthy pieces of information through the formal media platforms.”

The family of a 35-year-old Gambian is calling for help to have his body flown back to The Gambia.

Ebrima Sanneh, from Serrekunda, died in Germany on Sunday 1 March in village called Neckartenzlingen in Germany. Sanneh is said to have been battling ill-health

His family is now calling for help to have his body flown back to The Gambia.

A gofundme has now been created and anyone who wishes to donate should click on the link provided below.

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gofundme.com%2Ff%2Fhelp-return-ebrima-sanneh-death-body%3Futm_source%3Dcustomer%26utm_medium%3Dcopy_link-tip%26utm_campaign%3Dp_cp%20share-sheet%26fbclid%3DIwAR1QmyWtMnUYyEIVjV2Y7YhUiTiG4dNcmuXeaNo_DmD0IFAs6I25NbjmVsQ&h=AT0hkun0-UrMx5iUbgg7_2-3-knZuXY0iCmgduZDZhI2zoooOrzAykysu9huo1AfSnzGt1Hbhu7PlVIh8O42f5dpCg2KNRmkZYuEqF_w1xtqSyuTF77BqqRqYJwP1Uat6wNW-g

Police have announced they will began an operation cracking down on vehicles whose licenses have not been renewed.

Police said in a statement on Thursday signed by its spokesman Lamin Njie: “The Office of the Inspector General of Police wishes to announce to the general public especially vehicle owners that, they should renew their vehicle license on or before Sunday 15th March 2020.

“The Gambia Police Force will commence an exercise to check on all vehicles that have not got their license renewed for 2020. This exercise will begin on Monday 16th March 2020 and vehicles that are found unlicensed will be impounded.

“To avoid any inconvenience, all vehicle owners are urged to ensure that their vehicles are properly licensed.

“Similarly, the Inspector General’s Office hereby advises all individuals who previously applied for number plates from the Police and have their valid receipts, vehicle ownership and national documents to visit any Comfort Quality Service number plate issuing outlet to get their number plates.

“They can visit the issuing outlets at Banjul Police Headquarters, Kairaba Police Station and Brikama Police Station respectively. Number Plates will be issued without extra payment as long as individuals are in possession of their valid receipt from Gambia Revenue Authority.”

Former presidential affairs minister Momodou Sabally has called on President Adama Barrow to cut short his URR trip and return to Banjul.

President Barrow has since last week been unveiling projects and holding meetings in URR, and the Mr Sabally is warning that crowds that the president is amassing could make The Gambia more vulnerable to Coronavirus.

In an open letter, Sabally wrote: “I salute you, Your Excellency, with utmost respect and wish you success in all your endeavours that would further the wellbeing of the people you lead, my people, our people.

“Mr. President, I have been mulling over starting this series on the above title (On the realities of our current situation: letter to my president (Part 1)) but paused for caution. The initial draft of the introductory part was authored months ago but I refrained from publishing it for fear that the excitement of the moments and prevailing political temperaments could make me to utter statements that would be unfair, or disrespectful, to you.

“I know that many people (perhaps including you) have opined that “Sabally talks/writes too much.” But actually I am very careful of my utterances and in terms of my writings and speeches I am actually operating below 50 percent of my capacity. Yet even if the critics still hold those views, then shall I not quote the words of Foday Musa Suso in the traditional song “Jooka” in response to them: “moolu ko ndaa siyaa ta. Nko daa la siyaa nyaa m-maa long. Moe lu bay la moe kumoe la; nteh nga n-na walaa taa, m-baa karanna.” (The people say that I am too takertive. But I don’t know how I can talk too much. For when the people were talking, I was busy with my slate learning.)

“Anyway, let me go straight to the purpose of this letter (part 1) for the introductory part will be published next week and henceforth, inshaa Allah, I shall be writing weekly letters to you on matters relevant to the progress of our country, The Gambia.

“Mr. President, of late I have received calls from various quarters to speak about our country’s position regarding the menacing Coronavirus. I had demurred because there are simply too many issues to highlight and health is not one of my areas of expertise.

“The first request came from an Asian man who saw me at a supermarket. He was worried that The Gambia was not making any moves to protect our citizens from the marauding Coronavirus and knowing that I have a voice, he advised that I start talking about this issue. I told him about a news story on QTV regarding a Gambian returning from China was allowed free entry into the country without any tests being run on him. This patriotic young man insisted that the health authorities screen him before he entered the country. I thought that was enough of an alert but the Asian guy insisted that I should speak.

“A brother of mine, Nfansu Marong who lives in Europe repeated a similar request and after ignoring it for a couple of days, I was inspired to write these notes after my ishaa prayers las night. My silence weighed too heavily on my heart because I fear that if disaster strikes (God forbid) I would be culpable for keeping quiet when Allah has blessed me with a voice.

“Mr. President, it looks like our country is at greater risk with the arrival of this danger across the border. I know that our health system is not robust enough to protect us; neither can we handle this menace if it enters our country. Whatever assurances your experts are giving you, I can assure you that we need to do way more than we are doing right now to protect our children, if not ourselves.

“Therefore I appeal to you to cut short your current provincial trip where you are amassing crowds, and thereby further making the country more vulnerable to this virus; please come back to Banjul and call up all the expertise you can summon both within government and outside of the public service.

“There are dozens of experts in the field of health who would be glad to be of service in these trying times. If you should need their names, I am ready to make some recommendation and none of them would turn down a request from me to serve the country without pay, inshaa Allah. We have retired international civil servants and former local public servants who could be of help in addition to the staff that are already engaged with their regular duties in the health sector.

“Please, let us take this matter a little bit more seriously because our state of preparedness is certainly not adequate. The facilities put up at the airport are not fit for purpose and the situation at the borders is too bad for even the health officials deployed to work there regarding this emergency.

“And one more thing Mr. President, I know all about resource constraints within the government but there are willing private individuals and foundations that would be ready to help at any time. Meanwhile, the least we can do as a country is to embark on massive sensitisation campaigns using both public and private media. Shall we start now, Mr. President?

“I hope this letter would be received in good faith as I write purely out of concern as a citizen of this country without regard to political orientation.

“Thank you, Your Excellency, for your kind attention and may Allah bless you and the country.”

By Lamin Njie

The ministry of health has installed a screening centre at the Amdalai border to screen travellers coming into the country from Senegal.

The world is going through a health crisis following the emergence of the deadly Coronavirus virus; the infection first emerged in China in December last year and it has so far killed thousands.

Senegal on Monday became the fourth sub-Saharan African country to be hit by Coronavirus, pushing The Gambia to the edge.

The Gambia’s coronavirus master plan has been a matter of speculation but the ministry of health has said it has mounted a screening point at the Amdalai border.

“As #COVID19 case increases in Senegal (4 confirmed as at now), Amdallai border post is been restuctured and screening point is now mounted right in front of the entry point as first contact to all travellers coming from senegal,” the health ministry said on its official Facebook page on Thursday.

By Sarjo Brito

The public relations officer of the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital has told The Fatu Network that the level of preparedness at his hospital is limited.

Kebba Sanneh admitted that even though the hospital has taken some measures to cater for any suspected cases, the hospital’s level of preparedness can’t be compared to the western world.

Despite the ESFTH being the main and only referral hospital in The Gambia, Sanneh said they have what he described as ‘a room or two’ where suspected patients can be isolated and diagnosed.

He also dispelled rumours that the hospital had a suspected coronavirus case. He appealed to Gambians, especially those on social media to stop spreading false information since the virus’s symptoms are very common symptoms and therefore must be properly diagnosed before making any assumptions.

It’s been two months since the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

The virus has so far claimed over 3000 lives worldwide. while Sub/Saharan Africa have not registered many cases yet, countries like Senegal and Nigeria have confirmed their first COVID-19 cases, prompting Gambians to call for tighter border control.

By Lamin Njie

President Adama Barrow should return to Banjul and address the nation over the deadly Coronavirus, a concerned citizen has said.

“Can someone please tell President Adam Barrow to stop his meetings and come to Banjul and address the nation about Coronavirus?” Ebrima Sowe said in a terse message he sent to The Fatu Network.

It comes a few hours after President Barrow inaugurated the Bansang hydrology complex on Wednesday.

The president said at the event: “The Bansang hydrological headquarters will directly address the needs of the country in terms of advising the relevant Ministries and stakeholders on the quality and quantity of both surface and groundwater available in the country.

“It will contribute also to achieving the goals stated in the National Development Plan. Its commissioning today is welcome news for the country.”

By Adama Makasuba

Mayor of Kanifing Municipality Talib Ahmed Bensouda has called on residents of his municipality to take precautionary measures.

Mr Bensouda made the call after Senegal confirmed its first case of Coronavirus on Monday.

He said: “There are no reported cases in The Gambia however given the recent news on one infected person in Sénégal, I urge residents of KM to take precautionary measures.

“The Kanifing Municipal Council is committed to working with communities and partners to respond to this outbreak and ensure containment.

“The Council will continue to work with partners and communities to acquire accurate information and make it publicly available for the well-being of residents.”

Senegal has since recorded a second case.

Experts are urging people to regularly and thoroughly clean their hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. They are also asking that people maintain social distancing and avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth.

By Fatou Camara Jnr

All 22 sacked officials of Food Safety and Quality Authority have started arriving at the Kairaba Police Station to surrender properties of the authority. The items include badges, laptop computers and motorbikes.

It comes a day after police stormed FSQA and removed nine officials who had been defying their sacking by reporting to work.

A sacked official Buba Ceesay had told The Fatu Network on Tuesday their removal was based on a directive that a top official of the authority said came from the Office of Vice President.

“The message for the vice president and Zainab is that threatening us is not going to do any good…,” he told The Fatu Network.

At least 20 staff of Food Safety and Quality Authority have their services terminated after they launched a campaign against Zainab Jallow’s leadership.

The staff last year wrote to the Vice President Dr Isatou Touray informing her that Jallow was sacking staff illegally and that she was engaging in corruption practices. Zainab Jallow denies the accusations.

In January, seven officials got dismissed after they held a press conference at FSQA saying their petition action against Jallow had been ‘frustrated’ – while calling for it to be implemented. More were fired soon after.

By Adama Makasuba

The opposition APRC have welcomed the idea of conferring a national peace award on former president Yahya Jammeh.

Concerned Gambia Social Welfare, a group whose members are mostly living in the diaspora will later today hand out a peace award to the disgraced former dictator. The event will be held at APRC’s political bureau in Manjai.

It comes more than three years since Jammeh suffered a devastating demolition at a presidential election held in 2016. He had since been living in exile in Equatorial Guinea.

APRC deputy interim leader Ousman Rambo Jatta told The Fatu Network bestowing a peace award on Jammeh “is a great achievement for the APRC.”

“The truth about Jammeh is surfacing to light. A group who ws once a critic of President Jammeh and later on come [and] decided to award him, is a big achievement,” he said.

“It means the truth is slowly but surely surfacing-the truth is coming to light about Jammeh,” he added.

The spokesman of Operation Three Years Jotna has told The Standard his group will continue to put pressure on President Adama Barrow to respect the coalition agreement.

“We will protest again to continue putting pressure on Adama Barrow to respect the [three years] agreement and call election in September in which he will not contest. We are committed to continue holding our political leaders accountable to the promises they made to the Gambian people,” Haji Suwaneh told The Standard in an exclusive interview.

Pressure group Operation Three Years Jotna has teetered on the brink of extermination following their 26 January protest which turned violent.

The protest saw nine leaders of the group arrested and detained at Mile 2 prison for nearly a month.

Haji Suwaneh told The Standard Three Years Jotna as a movement is still defiant and that they are following up the petition they sent to President Barrow.

“We believe by refusing to adhere to the Coalition 2016 agreement he has disrespected the Gambian people and we are not ready to watch him succeed in deceiving us,” he said.

By Fatou Camara Jr

A new housing estate has been launched making it country’s newest estate as the housing needs of Gambians continue to rise.

Barakah Estate is the product of a longstanding partnership between Global Properties and Swami India International, which officials say is a parternship of ‘husband and wife’.

The estate was launched last Thursday at a ceremony held at Barakah estate in Bakoteh attended by scores of Gambians from all walks of life.

And speaking at the event, Saul Frazer the chief executive officer of Global Properties said: “Since Global Properties started operations twelve years ago, our motto has been, ‘Deliver Innovative Property Solutions’ and having a vision of being the preferred choice for real estate solutions.

“With that mindset, we sought housing solutions that catered for all by offering a diversified portfolio. Along the way, we realised that partnership is the key in strengthening our objectives and accomplishing out goals.

“Together with out partners, Swami India International, we have not only achieved our goals in the last decade but superseded it.

“Looking back, we have built two of the most successful and popular estates in the country – Paradise Estate in Old Yundum, [and] Paradise View in Salagi.

“The demand for these types of housing estates continue to increase today as more and more people seek for quality and affordable accomodation. Our desire to satisfy these demands has now led us to our current project right here in Bakoteh. The more success gained in our previous projects, the more innovation we continue to generate.

“At Barakah, we have centralised access to housing with a great location right here in Bakoteh. In less than five minutes – just five minutes drive – Senegambia, Serrekunda and Kairaba Avenue are just around the corner. Convenience is all around.”

By Lamin Njie

The bad blood between Imam Bakawsu Fofana and Imam Abdoulie Fatty showed no signed of ending Tuesday after a new video emerged of the fiery cleric castigating the former State House imam.

“Abdoulie is a very dangerous person. He was leaning on Yahya Jammeh, and any time he touched anyone, his people would ask him to ignore it because he was leaning on the president,” Bakawsu said in a video posted to Facebook on Tuesday, where two machete-wielding students who were also dressed in weird costume stood either side of him.

“The useless among all Ustads of this age is Abdoulie Fatty. Even small Ustads who just started out are building schools and are benefiting people. Abdoulie Fatty had greater opportunity than anyone but he simply didn’t want to benefit anyone,” he added.

Bakawsu Fofana and Imam Fatty hold each other in great contempt spanning over a decade. The former last month appeared before the TRRC accusing Imam Fatty of engineering his falling out with former President Yahya Jammeh.

Imam Fatty on his part said it was Bakawsu who caused all manner of problems for him after helping the ‘kid’ out.

By Lamin Njie and Fatou Camara Jr

Police have arrested defiant sacked staff of Food Safety and Quality Authority amid a bitter row over Zainab Jallow’s leadership.

FSQA director general Zainab Jallow has found life difficult as leader at the authority as some staff have accused her of abuse of office and corruption.

The staff last year wrote to the Vice President Dr Isatou Touray informing her that Jallow was sacking staff illegally and that she was engaging in corruption practices. Zainab Jallow denies the accusations.

In January, seven officials got dismissed after they held a press conference at FSQA saying their petition action against Jallow had been ‘frustrated’ – while calling for it to be implemented.

More follows…

The First Lady of Sierra Leone Fatima Bio will be among distinguished personalities attending The Fatu Network Heroes Awards 2019.

On 14 March, 1000 people drawn from corporate Gambia, Senegal, Sierra Leone and elsewhere will gather at Coco Ocean for the maiden edition of The Fatu Network Heroes Awards. The annual event honours and recognises leading personalities who have rendered great service to The Gambia and to their communities.

The First Lady of Sierra Leone Fatima Bio will be a special guest of honor at the event, and she will be a presented a special award for her efforts in empowering women and girls in Sierra Leone and beyond. She is expected to arrive in The Gambia next week.

Madam Fatima Maada Bio is motivated by pan- Africanist ideals and she is a strong believer in women empowerment as key to sustainable development .

Born on November 27th 1980 in Sierra Leone, she pursued her passion for women empowerment as First Lady by staging a peaceful protest against gender based violence. It was a historic march, for the first time in history, First Ladies from different African Countries came together in unity and joined the peaceful protest march on the streets of Freetown in December 2018. This was the beginning of her very powerful campaign themed “Hands Off Our Girls”.

The chairman of the board of Global Voice Group Laurent Lamothe will attend The Fatu Network Heroes Awards 2019 scheduled to take place on 14 March.

Mr Lamothe, 47, successfully served his country as Foreign Minister and Prime Minister from 2011-2014, and contributed to unprecedented improvement to the fight on poverty and innovative financing mechanism for a developing economy.

Lamothe obtained a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Barry University in Miami and, in 1996, earned his MBA with honours from the University of St. Thomas.

In 1998, at the age of 26, Lamothe founded Global Voice Group SA (GVG), which today is considered a world-leading provider of ICT solutions for telecoms and fiscal authorities. He served as CEO of GVG until he stepped down to assume his public sector duties with the government of Haiti. And in December of the same year, Lamothe founded the Dr Louis G Lamothe Foundation in honour and memory of his late father.

Mr Lamothe had also in 2014 resigned as Prime Minister of Haiti and went on to found LSL World Initiative. The organisation is a global enterprise that provides solutions for governments of emerging countries to overcome debt and achieve sustainable development.

At the start of 2020, Lamothe launched R-Ventures, a venture capital firm, that will focus on investing in emerging market startups from the Caribbean and Africa.

Mr Lamothe will be among high-profile personalities in The Gambia and beyond who are set to grace The Fatu Network Heroes Awards 2019 to held at Coco Ocean on 14 March.

By Fatou Camara (Jnr)

Karpowership on Friday 28 February donated computers and books to the National Library’s branch in Brikama.

It comes hot on the heels of the refurbishment and extension of the complex by Karpowership in December of last year.

Karpowership in staying true to its corporate social responsibility as Nawec’s leading partner in electricity production in the country returned to the library to donate computers and books it had bought.

Speaking at the presentation event, Karpowership country manager Yankuba Mamburay said his company will continue to render much-needed support to Gambians.

“We are happy to be here once again. I think this is a location that is becoming a little bit familiar for us because we have been here just a few months ago, precisely on the 19th of December 2019 for the inauguration of the refurbished and extended library, Gambia National Library Brikama branch.

“That was quite an auspicious occasion and since then, our management from Turkey and our PR department saw the need to do something more for the library. And that’s why we are here today,” Mr Mamburay said.

Board chairman of the national library authority Professor Pierre Gomez also speaking at the event said: “We are pleased and honoured to receive Karpowership after they decided that they will share the little they have with the future generation of this country.

“That is the youths but also those who want to educate themselves, those who want to have information.

“So on behalf of the board and management, I want to thank Karpowership for the foresight, for their significant contribution to sustainable development .”