Samsudeen Sarr has said former President Yahya Jammeh’s safe return to the country was just a proposal he made to President Adama Barrow during their meeting on Monday.
The nation’s former deputy ambassador to the UN Sarr met the president on Monday, a meeting he said lasted for an hour.
“…we were able to discuss various subjects but most importantly about a project involving an ecological hazzard in the Kombo St. Mary’s vicinity that requires urgent rehabilitation. I have in the past six months been studying the project which couldn’t be done without government support and blessing. I have at some point even introduced it the KMC mayor, Mr. Bensouda, but not much could be done in the absence of government participation.
“I am therefore glad to say that President Barrow was very receptive to the proposal and has pledged his personal support and that of his government towards the realization of the project. The commencement of the work is now dependent on the project paper he demands from me to introduce it to the relevant ministries and departments.
“We have also discussed the political situation in the country and his party’s desire to forge a reconciliatory trajectory with all political parties and especially with the APRC.
“His willingness to reconcile with President Jammeh and offer him the treatment of a former head of state as one of his cardinal objectives aimed at unifying the Gambian people was satisfactorily discussed. It is wonderful hear his level of political tolerance towards even his adversaries.
“I have in turn assured him my total support to his party and objectives for the general welfare and development of the country and hope to see the safe homecoming of former President Yahya Jammeh as soon as possible. The system of honoring and cherishing our former presidents is a constitutional and cultural imperative that should be respected, no matter what,” Sarr said on Monday.
Gambians reacted variously to his meeting with some suggesting President Barrow was planning to bring Jammeh back hom.
But Sarr told The Fatu Network on Tuesday: “In reality, I suggested it. That that is the route to go to bring and reconciliation in the country. People are misinterpreting it to mean it came from the president. In fact the president has not confirmed it yet. It was only a proposal from me.”
