Civil society and business lobby groups have forthrightly told President Adama Barrow in a letter his government’s poor response to coronavirus led to sectors being ravaged.
The seven groups in their letter to the president dated 8 August told the Gambian leader they’d in their previous letter to him appealed to “your government to prioritize resource allocation to the poor, vulnerable and struggling SMEs and strategic businesses”.
They then reminded the president before moving on to blast his government’s response to coronavirus: “We also proposed the introduction of systems and mechanisms to obtain data on the informal sector, like taxi drivers via the Transport Union to assist them with fuel subsidy using fuel coupon schemes, to incentivize those who adhere to the 50% passenger regulation.
“We went further to proposes support to SME’s/businesses affected by the economic slowdown in the form of tax and import duty rebates, access to foreign currency, concessional loans and other economic stimulants. Added to this, the tourism sector, which has taken the greatest economic hit, needs urgent support. The Gambia Bar Restaurant and Night Club Association (G-BRANA), has made some valid and reasonable suggestions as to how the COIVD-19 funds could be utilized to support this sector.
“Their suggestions fell directly in line with the original proposal sent to your government, which urged you to set aside financial package of thirty million dollars for stimulating and supporting venerable sectors of the economy. We had at the time, not mentioned the priority that needed to be given to the health workers, because that was taken as a given. An obvious focus that did not need to be stated.
“Nevertheless, it is now evident that we under estimated the need to state the obvious. As a result, we are once again enjoining you to refocus on your COVID response strategy, and consider the plight of the frontline workers, SMEs, and the hotel industry, which has been decimated due to your government’s poor response to the COVID-19.”
The groups are, Democratic Union of Gambian Activists (DUGA); Gambia Participates; Gambia Conference of Reforms and Democracy (GAMCORD); The Gambia Bar Restaurant and Night Club Association (G-BRANA); Right to Know (R2K) Gambia; The Association of Non-Governmental Organizations in the Gambia (TANGO); and Team Gom Sa Borpa.
