The leader of the Gambia Party for Democracy and Progress has said that it was greed that made coalition partners strike their three-year deal.

Henry Gomez stated this in a wide-ranging exclusive interview with The Fatu Network on Thursday.

In 2016, seven opposition political parties and one independent candidate formed a coalition and chose Adama Barrow as their candidate. The coalition then pulled a shock victory against incumbent longtime president Yahya Jammeh in the December 1 polls. And now almost two years of the coalition government, talk has intensified over a deal that brought the parties together.

The GPDP leader said: “When we were negotiating about this three years issue and five years issue, all of us knew that the constitution said five years but none of us challenged it. And we all decided for the three years. But between us, some of us were too greedy. Let’s just be honest. Because no one trusted the other… So for all of us, the five years was too much.”

Mr Gomez who is now an advisor to President Adama Barrow after being sacked as Minister of Youth and Sports in July said he supports five years.

He said: “President Barrow has the right to say that, ‘look the constitution has given me the right as a president to serve my term’. I’m with the five years. Why I say I’m with the five years is… Look we all knew where we came from. We all knew what we have undergone and we all knew what has transpired. So the constitution said five years. And the way people are saying everywhere, if at all there is a betrayal in this, then we Gambians betrayed one another (sic).”

A renowned Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi has warned Gambians against indulging the idea of leaving the constitution review process to politicians.

Mwangi who is also an Africans Rising Ambassador gave the admonishment at the opening of a two days’ stakeholders’ engagement organized by Africans Rising on Wednesday.

Africans Rising is a Pan African movement of people and organizations launched in May 2016, working for justice, peace and dignity for Africans within and outside the continent.

The two-day forum brings together members of the Constitution Review Commission, Civil Society Organization, academics and youth and women activists. The CSOs engagement will provide the people the opportunity to interact with members of the commission, ask questions and give feed back to the commission.

Boniface, who is also a photo-journalist said politicians are ‘selfish and self-centered.’ He added that The Gambia needs a human centered constitution that will see everyone equal of whose review must not be bequeathed to the politicians.

The CRC is currently on a nationwide consultation tour and for the 35-year-old activist there should be an all-inclusiveness in the review process of the constitution.

Dr Ismaila Ceesay, a political science lecturer at the University of the Gambia speaking at the opening of the forum on Wednesday called for a durable constitution, which he said the CSOs have a critical role to play not only in the review process but equally making people know the constitution.

Ceesay went further to suggest for the constitution to be translated into local all the languages and to be equally taught in schools.

By Lamin Njie

The Gambia government has capitulated on its current plan to impose broad border control fees, it has emerged.

Leaked documents on Thursday reveal the government has written a letter to the Gambia Tourism Board asking it to inform tour operators and airlines in the country that they “will not be affected by the implementation of the levy.”

The twist – apparently engendered by the Office of the President – comes two weeks after some major tour operators warned they could leave The Gambia if the government proceeded with the universal plan.

The Gambia government had planned to collect $20 from each arriving or departing air passenger at the country’s international airport, a move that was going to target all commercial flights. It was going to come into force in January 2019.

The move is to help ensure the safety of air transportation through the installation of an upgraded screening system at the airport, the spokesperson of the government Ebrima Sankareh told The Fatu Network on November 9.

“It’s a new government policy that tourists entering the country are obliged to pay 20 dollars,” he said.

“It will be embedded in the ticket. [Travelers] could opt to pay with the airline or take care of it at the airport before you can be allowed to enter.”

But tour operators in their protest called the new fees ‘over and above already extremely high airport and aviation costs and fees that The Gambia levies.’

One of the biggest tour operators wrote to the government threatening to cancel its investments if the government proceeds with this plan. They wanted a guarantee that such or similar fees are not going to be imposed on their operation.

By Lamin Njie

The chairperson of the Gambia Organisation for the Visually Impaired has said that the President Adama Barrow government is arresting disabled Gambians over begging.

“For me the system is not changing. What was happening before is the same thing happening now – where you know that people with disability are arrested for begging,” Ndey Secka said Thursday at the launch of the Commonwealth Partnership for Democracy project.

CP4D is a UK government-backed project that seeks to support political parties for inclusive and accountable politics. It also seeks to enhance women, youth, persons with disability and politically marginalized groups’ political participation and representation in decision-making processes and institutions.

Mrs Secka who is also a nominated national assembly member told the meeting that persons with disability continue to be ‘oversighted’ adding “we’re subject to an object of pity and charity.”

She said: “That is why some people with disability still don’t have the confidence in them. We say thanks to Allah when few philanthropists in the [19]70s came together to bring people with disability to school. Our government never thought of educating people with disability. What they were thinking is that, ‘let them take them to dara [Islamic school] so after dara they will be beggars to be able to feed’. At least we’re able to feed [ourselves]. Thank God for that because if we beg, the few bututs that are given to us will be taken to our people.”

According to the GOVI chairperson, with everything disabled citizens are going through, it was disheartening the government is being insensitive.

“And still now I’m getting calls; people telling me they are being arrested and I go to them and make sure that they are out. These are all happening now. So you are poor and you are begging and you will be arrested? So what is it? So these are all issues that we have to talk about and it’s so disheartening,” she said.

Mrs Secka also lamented the fact that people nowadays are not extending support to the persons with disability.

She said: “Those days we were given bututs. But look at it now even a dalasi you cannot get it today. Some people with disability go to the junctions begging. Sometimes they will be there until the sun is hot and then they go back home. Because now the corruption is so high who will give charity? The only charity they give to people with disability is white paper and candle.”

By Lamin Njie

The Gambia Transport Service Company has said that it will compensate at least 60 passengers following Monday’s bus fire incident.

A GTSC bus bound for the Upper River Region on Monday ploughed into a motorcycle in Kanfenda, Foni Kansala. The bus then caught fire resulting in the destruction of passengers’ luggage and other belongings.

The marketing manager of GTSC Fabukay Njie told The Fatu Network on Wednesday that all passengers who “lost their belongings to the fire will be refunded.”

“We’ve put out a notice for people to come forward and fill a form and then we will start refunding. And we say sorry for our customers for this incident,” Mr Njie said.

According to Njie, the bus fire incident happened on Monday.

“This happened on Monday. There was this motorcyclist and his passenger. The latter got off the bike at Kanfenda to board a gele gele. The motorcyclist then took an abrupt U-turn. After realizing that the bus was too close to him, he jumped the motorcycle. The motorcycle was left lying on the road and the bus then collided with it,” he said.

“It was the motorcycle that caught fire and because it was under the bus, the bus also caught fire. It was risky and as a safety measure of the company we don’t allow people to attempt to retrieve their things when such incidents happen.”

The Constitution Review Commission has called on persons in positions of authority to refrain from making definitive statements that have the potential to undermining its work.

The call is contained in a statement signed by the commission’s head of communications, Sainey Marenah on Wednesday. It’s in reaction to government spokesperson Ebrima Sankareh’s recent bold comments that President Adama Barrow was ready to abolish the death penalty.

The statement read: “It has come to the attention of the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) that the Spokesperson for the Government of The Gambia is reported to have indicated that the Government intends to abolish the death penalty in The Gambia. This was reportedly made last week in an interview with GRTS and has been reported in the media. It would appear that the indication was made on behalf of the Government and without regard to the mandate of the CRC.

“The general public should be aware that the mandate of the CRC, as outlined in the Constitutional Review Commission Act, 2017, is to review the 1997 Constitution of The Gambia and to draft a new Constitution and prepare a report in relation to the draft Constitution. Section 18 (1) of the 1997 Constitution specifically prohibits the intentional deprivation of human life “except in the execution of a sentence of death imposed by a court of competent jurisdiction in respect of a criminal offence for which the penalty is death under the laws of The Gambia”. It is clear from this provision that the mandate for the execution of a sentence of death upon conviction by a court of competent jurisdiction is a constitutional one. Since the CRC’s mandate relates to the review of the 1997 Constitution, this necessarily includes a review of the provision relating to the application and/or imposition of the death penalty.

“It is in that context that the CRC has raised, in its Issues Document for Public Consultations, a question regarding the continuation or abolition of the death penalty for the public to express opinion on. Furthermore, the CRC is currently consulting with the public on the subject seeking their opinions either way. Accordingly, the CRC interprets the indication made by the Spokesperson of the Government of The Gambia as an expression of opinion rather than a decision, or an intention for a decision to be made by the Government.

“The public is therefore assured that the CRC will continue to consult with them regarding their opinions on whether or not the death penalty should be retained as a feature of the new Constitution to be drafted by the CRC. Those opinions will be thoroughly and objectively reviewed as per the CRC’s mandate to establish the aspirations of the Gambian people on the subject.This will, of course, take into account all applicable international instruments applicable to The Gambia.

“Finally, the CRC wishes to advise persons in positions of authority to refrain from making definitive statements (not in the nature of opinions) that have the potential to confuse or unduly influence the general public or to undermine or preempt the outcome of the work of the CRC.”

The United Democratic Party has said that it will take action against individuals who disrupted its congress for the West Coast Region.

UDP at the weekend put off its WCR congress following reports of division. The party’s spokesperson confirming the postponement immediately after its announcement said some issues had been brought to the attention of the party that needed taking care.

The party in a statement on Wednesday said its leader Ousainou Darboe condemns “in the strongest possible terms the behavior of a few individuals claiming to be members of the UDP that disrupted the West Coast Region Regional congress that was scheduled to take place on last Sunday 18th November 2018 in Brikama, which was on the advice of the Gambia Police Force postponed to 24th November 2018.”

“The individuals involved in the incident are known to the Party authorities and their odious conduct and reprehensible actions have been recorded and will be given to the appropriate authorities to deal with them to the fullest extent of the law,” the party said.

“These individuals are impostors and miscreants and do not represent the values and ideals of the UDP. To be clear no genuine member of the UDP will be involved in acts of provocation and disruptive activities at properly sanctioned programmes of the UDP.”

Meanwhile the United Democratic Party says its the regional congress for West Coast Region is now slated for Saturday 24th November 2018 at the Brikama Youth Centre and the congress proceedings will start at 11.am.

“Furthermore, all members, militants and supporters of the UDP and the general public are hereby notified that ONLY registered delegates are welcome to the regional congress. The list of delegates has already been submitted to the officials of the Party. And that only the legitimate constituency Chairmen of the twelve Constituencies of West Coast Region are welcome to lead, identify and seat their delegates,” the party said.

“Finally, the Secretary General and the Party Leadership hereby make it abundantly clear that any individual or group that attempts to disrupt, disturb or interfere with internal party democracy matters will be dealt with swiftly to the full extent of the Party’s disciplinary rigours based on the rules and regulations of the UDP.”

UDP also said its executive committee will hold a meeting next week to consider the facts and circumstances surrounding the incident and take all necessary disciplinary actions against the miscreants and impostors trying to sow discord in the Party and bring the name of UDP into disrepute.

“The UDP stands united and resolute behind the properly constituted leadership recently elected throughout the country at ward, constituency and regional levels,” it added.

The Gambia Democratic Congress has given reasons why hundreds of people recently moved to the party from at least three other parties.

Opposition GDC announced on Monday that 278 people left the United Democratic Party to join the party.

“This is exactly a fact. In fact the number that was announced was a little bit less than the actual figure. [They’re] from the APRC, NRP and the UDP,” the spokesperson of the party Momodou M5 Jallow told The Fatu Network on Wednesday.

According to Mr Jallow, the GDC believes in pragmatism saying “we’ve been practicalising things before we verbally say them and so this is what is convincing people to come to the GDC.”

He said: “What we are doing is to convince Gambians to see that the Gambia Democratic Congress is the right political party. What they (defectors) were saying [is that] a lot of them have been in many of these other parties for a good period of time but to them they have not seen anything that they could present or at least that have been presented to them even as chairpersons or heads of women groups [sic].

“GDC we are doing it before we say it [sic]. In fact as I’m talking to you, the two boreholes we promised for Mamouda and…. Right now the materials have been delivered for the work to start. In the next two weeks or so, we are assuring them they will be drinking water from the boreholes dug by the Gambia Democratic Congress.”

By Lamin Njie

Lawyer for the Janneh Commission Amie Bensouda has said that former President Yahya Jammeh was expected to have close associates.

“Of course President Jammeh was expected to have close associates. He’s human. And all human beings have friends and associates,” Mrs Bensouda told commission chairman Surahata Janneh on Wednesday as she addressed the probe with regard to a court of appeal ruling.

Muhammed Bazzi who was named by the commission as a close associate of former President Yahya Jammeh had instituted a lawsuit against the probe and the attorney general with regard to the interim orders that were made against him in October 2017. However, the court of appeal in its ruling held that the commission “cannot be a party to an action in respect of decisions made by it”.

Mrs Bensouda said: “An interim order that a person is a close associate of President Jammeh is not a penalization or a punishment of any sort. It is in fact an opportunity to give the person who’s named a close associate to explain his or her relationship with President Jammeh and to explain if they can the facts that have been brought to their attention which led the commission to make the probable determination that the person is a close associate of President Jammeh.

“It’s my submission Mr Chairman that all five persons who have been named close associates of – who have said to this commission, ‘we are not close associates’ – have fully availed themselves of the opportunity to explain the circumstances of the issues that have been brought to their attention. It is now for the commission to make its findings and determination based on the evidence before it. The interim orders were interim and have always remained interim. They were not a decision or final decision of this commission.”

The spokesperson of the United Democratic Party has said that members of the party are members of all kinds of organizations and associations.

Almami Fanding Taal stated this in an interview with The Fatu Network on Monday.

It comes amid claims of bigotry directed at some members of the party who are also members of President Adama Barrow’s youth movement.

President Barrow Youths for National Development was set up last year to further the president’s agenda but the road has been bumpy. Many mainstream UDP members say the movement is a threat to their party and are calling for its annihilation.

Mr Taal said: “Anybody who claims to be a member of the UDP is not stronger or bigger than any other member of the UDP. The only place where we can establish authority is at the executive committee level, at the regional level, at the constituency level.”

The UDP spokesperson said the only people whose “statements and comments” carry weight that adherents should rely on are the party’s office bearers.

“If you’re an office bearer one way or the other in any of these structures of the party, your comments and your statements are the things that people should be relying on. But if two people say that, ‘I’m a UDP member and you’re not a UDP member’, well this up to them,” he added.

By Lamin Njie

The spokesperson of the United Democratic Party has said that there is a power struggle in every democratic dispensation.

“There is always a power struggle within a democratic dispensation. People want to have positions, whether it’s at the regional level or at the executive level but at every election that is what you have to prove, whether the people support you or not,” Almami Fanding Taal labelling UDP a democratic dispensation told The Fatu Network in an interview on Monday.

The United Democratic Party is reportedly being ravaged by political power struggles. The party Saturday cancelled its regional congress for the West Coast Region amid serious tension.

Mr Taal said: “West Coast you will remember has 12 constituencies and two of the constituencies have some issues such as the constituency congress. The MP for Sanimentaring is claiming that the delegates from one of the wards were not properly chosen.

“But according to the rules of UDP, we have to have all these congresses in the witness of either an executive committee member or in the presence of the regional chairman. In the case Sanimentaring, it’s Yusupha Cham who is the regional chairman of West Coast Region. The MP and Mr Cham have a disgreeement and UDP has resolved that matter, recognizing the congress that happened in Sanimentaring constituency.”

According to Taal, there were “some issues and those issues were resolved by the party but the MP for Sanimentaring has not accepted the decision of the party.”

“He’s not satisfied with the decision of the party. In a democracy where some people have some dissatisfaction, they have to seek redress. If you’re not happy with the redress, you can choose to do other things that are positive,” he added.