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HISTORY IS MADE IN SIERRA LEONE, AS FIRST LADIES JOIN PROTEST

The Office Of The First Lady, in collaboration with The Ministry of Gender and social welfare staged a peaceful protest against sexual violence on Sat 15th Dec. in Freetown, Sierra Leone. This is the first time in Africa, that we have First Ladies coming together to support their counterpart by participating in a peaceful protest. The procession started at the Supreme Court Building at Cotton tree, to Aberdeen Junction 8km away. The Protest is part of the program to Launch the First Lady’s 2019 – 2022 strategic plan themed: “Hands Off Our Girls”.
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Usually, these kind protests aimed at empowering women and dealing with social issues, are initiated and carried out by non-governmental organisations. Our unconventional First Lady is taking the lead on advocating for women and children because she is passionate about issues concerning them.
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Before the commencement of the protest, The Minister of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs, Hon . Baindu Dassama , read the position paper she submitted to the Minister of Justice at the front of the supreme court building. Hon. Dassama is not happy about the state of affairs concerning violence against women, this she said should be carefully examined and justice should prevail. The Attorney General and Minister of Justice; Hon. Priscilla Schwartz, responding to the document, made it clear, the issue will be treated with the seriousness it deserves.
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The First Lady did not pull punches. She stated that rape will not be tolerated. She was down-to-earth , as she addressed the over 600 persons present at the submission of the Position document .
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The peaceful protest started as The First Ladies from Chad, Gambia and Niger joined. The First Ladies were very energetic and made it clear that violence against women will not be tolerated in the continent. The protest started with about 1 thousand protesters at cotton tree, as at the time the procession got to Congo cross, there were over two thousand protesters.
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What made the demonstration unique, was the support by the Police, the Military, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Justice, they all joined the peaceful protest. Lawyers came to show support by participating in the protest, though the Lawyers did not have the “Hands off our Girls “ T-shirts, they joined the demonstration in their suites.
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H. E. Fatima Maada Bio, believes this protest is an important avenue to bring about the much desired change in the society. Awareness created by the peaceful protest will put the spotlight on organisations meant to protect our women, and create a sense of accountability.
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Strategic Communications Division
Office of The First Lady
[email protected]
+232 303 68273

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Donors Pledge $14.6 Billion Towards President Sall’s 2035 PSE Blue Print

The work of the Paris Consultative Group that took place in Paris on December 17th 2018 concluded with a sweeping win for Senegal, with donors pledging $14.6 billion (7300 billion CFA francs) towards President Macky Sall’s 2035 Plan Senegal Emergent (PSE) blueprint.

The amount far exceeds the 2850 billion CFA francs originally targeted. The announcement was made by Louise Cord, the World Bank’s director for Senegal.

This will be a huge boost for President Sall, who is up for re-election in two months. The funds are to be utilized for the phase 2 of the PSE. Sall’s second term manifesto is to focus on the following:

5 major initiatives in the areas of:

— Youth empowerment
— Social and solidarity economy
— Inclusive digital economy
_Agro-ecological transition ____Industrialization.

3 sectoral programs:

—Zero slums
—Zero waste (environment)
— Creative cities and consolidation of achievements in the areas of water, electricity, basic social services, mobility and infrastructure.

This huge commitment by the international community shows the trust they have in Sall. Sall is quickly gaining a global reputation as a reformer with a vision of creating a better Senegal. This reaffirming of their trust at the last hour of his presidency speak volumes.

Gambia Gov’t Asked to Do Something about Gambians Languishing in Jail in Angola

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By Lamin Njie

Gambians living in Angola have called on the President Adama Barrow government do something about Gambian immigrants who are currently languishing in prisons in Angola.

It comes as the Gambian consul in Angola, Haji Jawara, early November told The Fatu Network that Gambians were being arrested in that country.

A Gambian immigrant in Angola speaking to The Fatu Network on Monday said “three Gambian citizens are arrested and been imprisoned in a province in Angola called Malange.”

“These Gambians have been arrested since October 3. We are really concerned about them since they have no one to stand up to their case,” the Gambian immigrant speaking on condition of anonymity said.

According to him, the Gambian consular to Angola is aware of the issue but has so far failed to take any steps.

“Mauritanians living in Angola were faced with a similar problem but their government has intervened. We want our own government to come to our aid,” he said.

Basse is Beginning of ‘Great Things’ – Barrow

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By Lamin Njie

President Adama Barrow on Monday said the 50 kilometres road and four bridges he flagged off in the Upper River Region is the beginning of a ‘lot of great things that we shall achieve together.’

President Barrow at the weekend travelled to Basse, URR where he presided over the official commencement of a number of developmental projects among them roads and bridges. His supporters say the projects once completed will turn around the country’s fortunes.

“A 50KM road and four bridges for Upper River Region! This is the beginning of a lot great things that we shall achieve together. Join me in building a GAMBIA FOR ALL!” the President said on his official Facebook page on Monday.

The president’s Monday comments come after a number of speeches he gave at various meetings held in the Upper River Region.

‘WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND’: OJ Asks APRC to ‘Thank God, Keep Quiet’

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By Lamin Njie

Leader of People’s Progressive Party Omar Jallow has urged members of opposition APRC to thank God and keep quiet.

“I did an interview some time ago in response to Yankuba Colley and I said ‘if I were an APRC, I should thank God and keep quiet. Because if they talk about press freedom, in the last 18 months how many journalists have been detained in this country? How many journalists have been imprisoned or tortured in this country? How many journalists have run away to be refugees in other countries? During Yahya Jammeh’s time, that was the norm under APRC,” Mr Jallow speaking at a press conference organized by PPP on Monday said.

Opposition APRC at the weekend accused the President Adama Barrow-led government of seizing their properties even as they called for former President Yahya Jammeh’s ‘unconditional’ return.

But reacting to the APRC’s claims on Monday, Mr Jallow who served as a minister in the Barrow government said “I think only Gambians who have lost their memories can go and support APRC.”

“Gambians are forgiving people but let them not push people to the wall. For I have said I have forgiven him after being imprisoned for 22 times, after losing my left eye through torture. And so many other things they have done in this country. For Fabakary Tombong Jatta to stand there… When they shot 14 students in this country, armless students where were they?” he said.

Mr Jallow also said what goes around comes around as he reacted to the APRC’s claims that their properties have been seized.

“Sometimes they say he wants to come back, that they seized their property… [But Jammeh] six vehicles of the PPP and gave it to his party. You’re telling me about seizing your property? Come on man, what goes around, comes around,” he said.

Ex-President Jawara to Attend PPP Congress

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Former president Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara will attend the People’s Progressive Party’s national congress to be held later this month, party officials have said.

PPP will hold a three-day elective congress starting December 28 with about 530 delegates including senior party officials expected to attend the event, party leader Omar Jallow told journalists at a press conference held at the party’s office in Latrikunda on Monday.

According to Mr Jallow, ex-president Jawara, 92, will attend the event alongside other past leaders of PPP.

They will discuss the party’s future and also elect a new national executive.

 

BREAKING: PPP Appoints Date for Congress

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The People’s Progressive Party will hold a three-day elective congress later this month, the party has said.

About 530 delegates including senior party officials will meet at YMCA in Kanifing for a party congress that will start on December 28, party leader Omar Jallow told journalists at a press conference held at the party’s office in Latrikunda on Monday. They will discuss the party’s future and also elect a new national executive.

According to Mr Jallow, the event will be the first of its kind since a ban that was imposed on the party by the military junta was lifted.

Jimara NAM Accuses Gambia, Senegal Soldiers of Campaigning for Barrow

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National Assembly Member for Jimara constituency Alhagie Sowe has said that he has learnt with ‘great shock’ the political campaign currently embarked upon in some villages in his constituency by some members of the ECOMIG forces believed to be Senegalese soldiers and also some Gambian soldiers attached to the security of President Adama Barrow’s mother, Aja Juma Jallow.

“This is not only a professional misconduct from the soldiers (both ECOMIG and Gambian soldiers) in this practice but also a provocation to us as politicians responsible for the Constituency, Mr Sowe who is an opposition lawmaker said in a statement made available to The Fatu Network.

Jimara constituency is in the Upper River Region and it’s where President Adama Barrow comes from.

Mr Sowe: “Gambian soldiers and ECOMIG forces must stop the campaign immediately without delay. They are assigned by their superiors and the authorities responsible to provide security only for the president’s mother but not to assist her in campaigning for her son, the president of the Republic.

“In my capacity as the Honourable National Assembly Member for Jimara, I condemn the act and urged the concerned soldiers to desist from such practice immediately. Soldiers in general especially ECOMIG forces should not interfere in our country’s politics.”

Barrow Replies Darboe, Others over his Youth Group

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By Lamin Njie

President Adama Barrow has vowed to engage a controversial socio-political group that has been set up in his name.

President Barrow Youths for National Development was set up in February 2018 to help push President Barrow’s development agenda. However, the group continues to face severe criticism in some quarters. Supporters of the United Democratic Party accuse members of the group of trying to undermine their party. Leader of UDP Ousainou Darboe earlier this month said his party will not recognize any other group or movement aside the party’s youth wing in what was a sly dig aimed at the group.

But speaking at a meeting in Foday Kunda, Wuli East on Sunday, President Barrow said he will do anything he could to support President Barrow Youths for National Development.

“Be aware that we are pleased with you and we will stand by you since you are not doing anything that is against the law. You have been building boreholes for people. You have been delivering gardens for people. You are constructing public toilets for people. You are providing grinding machines for people. That only complements the efforts of the government,” Mr Barrow said.

“So anyone who criticizes that, then you have another agenda. You have another agenda because all the organizations in this country are many. Every community you see has an organization. Every party you see has an organization. Every ethnic group has an organization. We have all these organizations but it’s only one organization that they mention, that they smear so as to dismantle it which is President Barrow Youths for National Development.”

Bojang Calls on Justice Minister Tambadou to Refuse to be Used by Politicians

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By Lamin Njie

The president of the Gambia Press Union has called on Minister of Justice Abubacarr Tambadou to refuse being used by politicians.

“Interests are there but your conviction as a human rights defender, your conviction as a somebody who believes that every Gambian right matters, every Gambian life matter, I expect and I have no doubt in my mind that anything for press freedom you will safeguard that and hopefully if politicians say no that, we will see you tendering your resignation again and then this time not even Barrow will stop you from walking out,” Sheriff Bojang Jnr told the Justice Minister at a press conference held at Tango on Sunday in commemoration of the 14th anniversary of the death of Deyda Hydara.

Deyda Hydara is a Gambian journalist who was assassinated on December 16, 2004 as he returned home from work.

Mr Bojang commenting on the life of Mr Hydara said “we should keep on fighting for those draconian laws to be completely wiped out from our law books so that we have conducive atmosphere to operate as journalists, to live as journalists, to live as Gambians but also to keep the hopes of Deyda Hydara alive.”

“At Gambia Press Union, we will not relent. We will work with partners, with stakeholders. The government is not our enemy. We work together based on mutual understanding, based on mutual respect, based on mutual interest,” he said.

Don’t Come to the Airport to See Me Off When I’m Travelling, Barrow Tells Gambians

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The presidency on Sunday said President Adama Barrow would like to excuse members of the public from attending the usual airport ceremonies anytime he travels

“Going forward, seeing off the President at the Banjul International Airport shall be limited only to the following officials; Speaker of the National Assembly; The Chief Justice; Cabinet Members; The Chief of Defense Staff and other Service Chiefs; The Dean of the Diplomatic Corps.” A terse statement from the Office of the President said.

“While President Barrow would like to express gratitude to all and sundry that take personal initiative to accompany him to the airport, the public is kindly urged to adhere to this measure.”

BREAKING: APRC Declares Jammeh ‘Chairman, Supreme Leader’

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By Lamin Njie

Former president Yahya Jammeh has been named chairman and supreme leader of opposition Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction, APRC.

It comes as hundreds of delegates converged on Fatima Senior Secondary School in Bwiam for the 6th national congress of APRC. It’s the first time the party is holding such a high profile event without its founder, Yahya Jammeh.

The event which started on Saturday also churned out a new leadership with delegates agreeing to maintain Fabakary Tombong Jatta as the party’s interim leader. Mr Jatta returns to a position he has been in since former president Jammeh abandoned it.

Delegates have also voted to maintain Ousman Rambo Jatta deputy interim leader.

A special committee has also been set up by the congress to revisit the APRC constitution.

COALITION MOU: Jatta Tackles Barrow, Darboe, Others over 3 Yrs Agreement

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By Lamin Njie, in Bwiam

Fabakary Tombong Jatta has said that the APRC doesn’t want Gambians to be misled with regard to the coalition’s memorandum of understanding.

In 2016, seven political parties came together to form a united front to take on President Yahya Jammeh in the December presidential election. The alliance was brought about after the parties agreed that anyone they choose as their leader would contest as an independent candidate and serve for only three years. The parties are now at loggerheads over the deal.

Speaking at the APRC’s national congress in Bwiam on Saturday, Mr Jatta who is the interim leader of the party said “the coalition team now looks to be in fragments with some of its composing political parties no longer seeing eye to eye.”

He said: “The coalition has now completely disintegrated. Some key figures who were engaged as the voice of the coalition no longer believe or trust in the coalition administration and do not form part of the executive now. The reshuffle of the cabinet is a clear indication to an Adama Barrow-controlled government.

“This was confirmed in a speech where he addressed the press stating that he does not need anyone or any political party in completing his five-year term mandate as stipulated in the constitution. This goes against the Memorandum of Understanding which stipulates a three-year term and we as a party… Yes the constitution talks about five year term, a limit of five years.

“But we don’t want Gambians to be misled. It does not mean that when you are elected you cannot serve less than five years. President Adama Barrow can resign today. It’s not in violation of the constitution. So what we are saying is… Nobody forced them. They said to Gambians, ‘we are coming for three years, at the end of three years we are going to elections.’

“Then we were not in agreement with them. They told Gambians. That’s why you see us taking the back seat a little bit. But what we do know is it’s no escape to say the constitution says five years. The constitution says five years but it does not say you cannot leave before five years. If he says he is going for three years, it’s constitutional. He can go away and we go into elections.”

APRC Demands Jammeh’s Return

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By Lamin Njie, in Bwiam

The interim leader of the opposition APRC Fabakary Tombong Jatta has called on the government of President Adama Barrow to let former president Yahya Jammeh return to The Gambia.

Mr Jatta made this call on Saturday as hundreds of party delegates gathered at Fatima Senior Secondary School in Bwiam, Foni Kansala for APRC’s sixth national congress. The congress which will hold across three days will churn out a new leadership for the party for the next two years. It’s the first of its kind since ex-president Jammeh left The Gambia for Equatorial Guinea in January 2017 following his shock electoral loss in the December 1, 2016 presidential election.

The party’s interim leader Fabakary Tombong Jatta addressing delegates as he declared open the congress said “the involvement of national and international bodies made the peaceful departure of our party leader through self-exile to Equatorial Guinea.”

“A joint declaration was negotiated with the government, Ecowas, AU, United Nations and representatives of President Jammeh and agreed upon. Therefore, we call on all parties to honour and respect the MOU. And we call on the government of President Adama Barrow for the unconditional return of the former president and to unfreeze and return to him all his assets,” Mr Jatta said.

Mr Jatta also said the Barrow government has not stopped at freezing the ex-president’s assets, it has also frozen assets that belong to the APRC.

He said: “We also call upon the coalition to return and unfreeze all APRC assets and bank accounts. And our APRC accounts don’t belong to president Jammeh. They are accounts that I contribute to, all national assembly members contribute to, all the executive contribute, all party supporters contribute. We do our fundraising. It has nothing to do with President Jammeh.”

2018/2019 FISCAL YEAR: Finance Minister Tables D25Bn Budget

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By Lamin Njie

Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Mamburay Njie on Friday said the Gambia government remains committed to prudent macro-economic policy management.

Mr Njie stated this as he tabled the national budget for the 2018/2019 financial year before the National Assembly. The 2018/2019 budget amounts to 25 billion dalasis.

“The Gambia has registered some positive economic gains during the period under review. However, our fiscal position remains critical. Maintaining macro-economic stability continues to be our main objective going forward which will require aligning our expenditure strictly with the budget and the financial regulations,” Njie said in his budget speech.

According to him, “as we recover from a difficult transition, macro-economic stability becomes a pre-requisite anchored towards national development objectives as enshrined in our national development plan.”

“Currently, our public debt to GDP is about 88 percent highlighting an unsustainable trajectory. This requires close attention to bring it down to a level that meets the potential limit of 40 percent which is the desirable position for a developing country. It is therefore important for all the relevant stakeholders associated with revenue collection to be more efficient in the tax collection,” he said.

 

Barrow Leaves for Basse

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President Adama Barrow has departed departed Banjul for Basse to lay the foundation stone for a 50KM road and four bridges in the Upper River Region.

The road and bridge projects for Basse-Koina road, Basse – Wuli and Fatoto–Passamas crossings, Chamoi bridge, and Suduwol,  respectively, constitute the first major infrastructural development project of the Barrow administration, following months of institutional reforms and empowerment of the transitional justice mechanisms of the country.

This landmark development project, which would enhanced easy and fast communications between URR North and South as well as the rest of the country, forms part of the government’s policy of rebooting regional economies and fostering an all-inclusive development for all and sundry. The project, once completed, would have a positive ripple effect on the socioeconomic welfare and wellbeing of the people of the region, by boosting trade and facilitating easy access to social and economic services.

The URR Road and Bridge project is a grant from the friendly government of the People’s Republic of China in the tune of USD50 Million.

While in URR, President Barrow is expected to hold a gathering in Foday Kunda to galvanize support for his development agenda, as well as preside over the opening of a teacher training college in Basse.

GPU to Remember Murdered Journalist

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Press Release

The Gambia Press Union and the family of Deyda Hydara are pleased to announce that all is set for the commemoration of the 14th anniversary of the murder of Deyda Hydara, a former president and one of the founders of the Gambia Press Union.

Mr Hydara, also a co-founder of The Point Newspaper, was assassinated on December 16, 2004. Fourteen years on, the killers of the prominent journalist have not yet accounted for their crimes.

Every year, the GPU marks December 16th in various forms, including procession and public lectures; to take a solemn look at the Life and Times of Deyda in order to keep alive his memory. The event also provides a platform to discuss issues affecting the journalism industry and to promote greater sense of responsibility and solidary among media professionals.

This year’s event will feature a series of activities, including a joint press conference on Sunday by the GPU President, Minister of Justice and Minister of Information. It will also feature the official launch of the Media Council of The Gambia and Professional Journalism Card Scheme.

The GPU President, Mr Sheriff Bojang Jnr., said: “Nothing is more fitting than launching the Council in honour of Deyda, knowing how hard he fought against the then National Media Commission and the fact that he paid the highest price.”

The main event will be held on Sunday December 23rd at the Djembe Beach Hotel, starting 4:00pm. It will feature the Memorial Lecture Series, which will be delivered by Dr Baba Galleh Jallow, the Executive Secretary of the Truth Reconciliation and Reparations Commission. The theme is: ‘Safety of Journalists: National Response to End Crimes against Journalists.

Another important highlight of the commemoration will be the launch of the Media Council of The Gambia by the Minister for Justice, Honourable Ba Tambadou and the launch of the Professional Journalism Card Scheme by Minister for Information, Honourable Ebrima Sillah.

Both created by the GPU, the Media Council is a self-regulatory body for the media industry, charged to handle complaints against media while the card system introduces proper identification framework meant to facilitate the work of journalists.

The commemoration will bring together more than 200 media professionals and those concerned with press freedom and safety of journalists, including the government, civil society, students and members of the public. The events are being held in partnership with the Hydara Family, United Nations Democracy Fund and Westminster Foundation for Democracy.

On the Audacity of Fiscal Profligacy: Letter to the Minister of Finance

Honourable Minister,

It has been a couple of days since I wrote to you seeking answers to a few questions regarding the prudence (or the lack thereof) of your proposed 50% salary increase for civil servants in the 2019 fiscal year. As foretold in that epistle, you never responded. Even tough you didn’t respond, I thought the reflections in that missive would have helped in making you and your team at the Ministry of Finance to think twice before coming up with any other alarming policy proposals in the public domain. Alas, what was to follow is nothing but a demonstration of bravado in the disingenuous practice of Fiscal Profligacy.

To come up with a massive request for additional resources in the last 3 weeks of the year intended to cover shortfalls of funds in the budget for the current year while projecting further fiscal expansion in 2019 despite an outcry against your 2019 numbers is akin to the classic ‘ndongo’ response in Wolof: ‘Maa tei!’ But the old saying is as real as gravity: “the road of I don’t care leads you to the city of had I known”. Verify I am worried about the potential impact of your current policy steps on our cities in 2019 and beyond.

Let me clarify, before proceeding, that I do not share the views of those in blanket opposition to the  Supplementary Appropriations Bill. I actually believe that an SAP (within the legal remit) could be reasonable as well as necessary, given the realities of  our challenging macroeconomic environment in which domestic policy is driven more by external policy prescriptions of our development partners than what we desire as a government. But having said that, the foregoing caveat is not an excuse to run amok with wastage of our meagre resources.

Honourable Minister, it is unconscionable to present an SAP of more than 1 billion Dalasis (twice the projected number for net domestic borrowing for 2018) in the second week of the last month of the fiscal year. Moreover, how can you present a proposal for a 50 percent increase in salaries for the 2019 budget and then only a few days after that is approved, you come back to the same National Assembly that approved that monumental jump in salary levels asking them to approve extra 203 million Dalasis to cater for a shortfall in funds required to pay for personnel emoluments in current year?

The above scenario reminds me of a Mandinka folk tale where a man goes to the bush to fetch firewood and when he was ready to lift the bundle of firewood unto his head to carry it home, he found that the bundle was too heavy; strangely what the man did was to untie the bundle of firewood and add more logs of wood to the same bundle, tied it again and tried to lift the bundle unto his head. What result would you expect?

With your current problems of late receipt of promised budget support and other myriad challenges, I refer you to my main question in my previous epistle, where will you get the funds to finance your proposed quantum jump in salaries starting next fiscal year?

Honourable Minister, what really worries me is that you have a lot of experience in fiscal management. Therefore such moves as you are proposing now really baffle me and I would like to know what is going on. We have had a lot of experience in terms of promised budget support not being realised as expected to the extent that at some point during me tenure as budget director we decided that we were not going to capture budget support numbers in the national budget ex-ante until the funds arrive because of the several disappointments we had with our development partners and the sometimes unreasonable triggers embedded in our agreements with them for fiscal support. So why did your institution bank on these same donors for budget support without serious contingency measures.

You stated that the quantum of resources  in  the proposed SAP would be sourced from the domestic money market, but are you sure that the market can handle your request. The very market that your current macroeconomic management team used and dumped, disingenuously crashing the key interest rate in the market without due regard to its obvious ramifications on the stability of our financial system? What is going to be the impact of such a jump in borrowing on our key policy variables?

Why are we borrowing money to fund an SAP who’s key planks are spending on embassies, funding new agencies that were created with the impression that they would be financed by donors? And finally (to keep this letter short) why is it that our payment of contributions to international organisations becomes an emergency? Didn’t  government know that we were going to join some more international organisations?

I did warn Gambians that some of these organisations that Gambia was rushing to join would not earn us a net gain but rather a loss. Despite the insults of the attack dogs of the status quo I did posit that our payment of contributions to certain international organisations far outweigh the benefits that we may gain from them; especially if you add  to the contributions, the per diem we have to pay our public servants to go attend unproductive meetings of some of these organisations. So when I saw the whopping some  of 226.36 million as part of the funds requested in your current SAP, I laughed! Now if you request 226 million as additional resources to pay for our obligations with international organisations, then what is going to be the grand total paid as membership dues to international organisations by the end of the fiscal year?

Unfortunately, the matter under discussion is not a laughing matter and the signs on the horizon do not bode well for our macroeconomic fundamentals. Therefore, I urge you, Honourable Minister, to go back to the drawing board immediately and make reasonable adjustments to your expenditure matrices as well as come up with some creative proposals to ameliorate the expected damage that your current dash into fiscal Profligacy is sure to create.

And lest I forget, I have just one more question: is it the case that the resources you seek in this supplementary appropriation were already spent and you are seeking retroactive approval? The question is necessitated by the trending discussion that you cannot spend a billion Dalasis in less than 3 weeks.

While wishing you good luck in your current undertakings, kindly  accept the assurance of my consideration and esteem.

Momodou Sabally

Former research economist and National Budget Director, Momodou Sabally has undergone extensive professional training in macroeconomics and public financial management at the IMF Institute, the Central Bank of England’s Center for Central Banking Studies, Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and holds a masters degree in Economics from Georgia State University in the US. During his tenure as Budget Director he also represented The Gambia in the ECOWAS Admin and Finance Committee, the body with oversight responsibility for the regional body’s budget formulation and implementation process.

The Meaning of the National Assembly Rejection of the Supplementary Bill

The Constitution allows the Government to seek more money from the Parliament if the budget provided for that year cannot meet expenses simply because of the emergence of unforeseen or urgent needs. In other words, if, during the course of the year the Government decides to create a new institution, or the country faces a disaster or some other emergency for which there was no budget, or the approved budget was not sufficient to cater for the new situation, the Constitution allows for Government to go to the National Assembly to ask for more money. This is what is called a supplementary appropriation bill as mentioned in Section 153 of the Constitution.

But the Constitution did not just allow this for free. No. Rather the Constitution said before a supplementary appropriation bill is to be created and approved there must first be a Contingencies Fund (Section 154) which has to be established through an Act of the National Assembly. The purpose of the Contingencies Fund is to allow the President, i.e. the government to spend from it when unforeseen or urgent need arises. It is when that Contingencies Fund runs out that a supplementary appropriation bill could be created. Hence you cannot talk about a supplementary appropriation bill without first having a Contingencies Fund which must have first exhausted to warrant a supplementary appropriation bill.

But until today there has been an Act of the National Assembly to create a Contingencies Fund since this Constitution came into force in 1997. This means all of the supplementary appropriation bills under the former APRC Regime which were approved were in fact unconstitutional.

Therefore, today’s decision by the National Assembly to reject Barrow’s attempt to disregard the Constitution as Yaya Jammeh used to do was significant in that it protected and upheld the rule of law. By upholding the rule of law, it means the National Assembly has performed one of the foremost functions of the parliament which is oversight, i.e. to check the Executive to ensure that they do not abuse power and plunder public resources.

The decision by the National Assembly is also significant in that it has proven that the much-needed system change that citizens yearn for is not yet in place. This is precisely because Barrow continues to appoint, bring back and retain former Yaya Jammeh enablers who are used to such abuse of power and disregard of the rule of law.

This National Assembly must therefore by highly commended for their principled stand against such abuse and disregard of the rule of law. They have indeed indicated that they are only guided by their conscience and the national interest as required of them in dealing with issues in the National Assembly as set out in Section 112(b) of the Constitution.

The National Assembly must still go further to address this clear abuse of the Constitution by the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs. The Minister knows very well the constitutional procedures laid down for the management of public finance. Yet the Minister decided to blatantly disregard the Constitution just to access public funds for wilful use. This is gross misconduct that the National Assembly must not let go.

Therefore, the National Assembly must invoke Section 75 by passing a motion of censure against the Minster for his removal by the President. The decision of the Minister to submit a supplementary appropriation bill when he knows that there is no Contingencies Fund in place, yet he wanted to circumvent this fundamental provision is a blatant abuse of power and the rule of law. Therefore Section 75 provides that if a Minister or the Vice President engages in such misconduct or violates any provision of the Constitution, the National Assembly could pass a motion of censure for his or her removal.

I therefore wish to call on the members of the National Assembly to further discipline the Minster hence all public servants by passing a motion of censure against the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs.

Furthermore, the National Assembly must subject the 2018 budget and all Government expenditures to investigation to determine exactly whether the Barrow Government did not spend any money for which they never got parliamentary authorization. It is not enough for the Minster to tell NAMs that the Government has not engaged in any unauthorised spending. It is for the National Assembly itself to scrutinise Government expenditures to ensure that there were no unbudgeted and unauthorised spending.

We can recall in September when the Minister of Finance went to the National Assembly to report on the state of Government Expenditure. He said in the first quarter, i.e. from January to April 2018 the Government spent D4,025,605,229. This was when he also told NAMs that over 200 million dalasi was spent on travels and soon after imposed a travel ban except for travels to statutory meetings. But since that report we never saw the Government present any more reports to the National Assembly for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarters. Why?

No to Financial Mismanagement and Indiscipline. No to Abuse of Power. No to Impunity.

For the Gambia Our Homeland.

First Lady Bah-Barrow Meets Gambians Living in Sierra Leone

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By Lamin Njie

First Lady Fatoumatta Bah Barrow has called on Gambians living in Sierra Leone to continue exhibiting the exemplary behavior that Gambians are known for wherever they are.

“I have no doubt that wherever a Gambian goes to, a Gambian will be embraced because of the way we are back home,” Mrs Bah Barrow told the Gambian community at a meeting in Freetown on Thursday.

First Lady Fatoumatta Bah Barrow is currently in Sierra Leone at the invitation of her counterpart Madam Fatima Jabbi-Bio for the launch of the latter’s 2019 – 2022 strategic plan.

The plan themed, ‘Hands Off Our Girls’ is aimed at addressing issues like child marriage, teenage pregnancy, sexual and gender-based violence, child trafficking, cancer, and women empowerment, among others.

And Mrs Bah Barrow taking time to meet with Gambians living in Sierra Leone said “I have always said that Gambians are moderate people.”

“You don’t hear about Gambians creating trouble outside. It shows we are raised well,” she said.

According to the President’s wife, it’s fate that make people migrate from one country to another and “as far as we’re from Africa, we belong everywhere.”

“You people were born in Gambia and came to Sierra Leone. It’s because this is where you luck is and you have come to get it. That same way, we have Sierra Leoneans who have left this country for The Gambia,” she said.

Ealier, the Gambian High Commissioner to Sierra Leone Ebraima Manneh said “Gambians are Gambians no matter where they are.”

“Gambians in Angola, Gambians in Nigeria, Gambians in Senegal, Gambians in Gambia, all are Gambians. We have the same right. We have the same privilege,” he said.

Alhaji Abubacarr a representative of the Gambian community in Sierra Leone said Gambians have no problem in Sierra Leone because they have been fully embraced by that country.

“I can assure you Madam First Lady that Gambians have no problem here because we are all one people,” he said.

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