Dr. Omar Janneh (PhD)

In my view the TRRC Act, 2017 has bestowed too much power onto the President to appoint, upon consultation with the Minister and the Public Service Commission, the Executive Secretary to the TRRC [TRRC Act, 2017; section 22(2)]. I hold the same view in regards to the power the Act confers on the Minister to appoint a Deputy Executive Secretary to the Commission.

Overall, the powers conferred to the President by the Act is excessive: The President is empowered to appoint the members (TRRC Act; section 5(1), Chairperson & Deputy Chairperson (TRRC Act, 2017; section 5(2), Executive Secretary (TRRC Act, 2017; section 22(2) as well as fill any vacancies that arise (TRRC Act, 2017; section 12). Further, the President is able to remove Commissioners (TRRC Act, section 10(1-3) and may also be able to remove the Executive Secretary (TRRC Act, 2017; section 22(6). It can be argued that the President may be prejudiced in his hiring, firing and rehiring of some Commission staff. Further, we  must also realise that the President, the Executive Secretary and probably the Minister fought against the tyrannical rule of the previous regime whose human rights abuses the Commission is set up to investigate. To my mind, the conflict of interest is obvious. Some of the victims who have waited so long for justice may see nothing wrong with conflict of interest. To the perpetrators of the crimes (and most likely the international community), the appointments and possible firing/rehiring of conflicted individuals (President, Minister, and Executive Secretary) may be prejudiced and may be justifiably perceived as being fair. I am not a lawyer, but I believe justice has to be seen to be delivered fairly.

[Some questions that will not go away from my mind are: Were the victims or families of affected victims ever asked what they want or expect out of the TRRC prior to the construction of the Act? If not, would it not have been more reasonable to construct the Act at the conclusion of a comprehensive public consultation on the matter? To me, it seems that the Act was constructed without public consultations and it is only now that they are doing the public meetings. If this is true, then the Act is a work of fiction. If they had constructed the Act following due process, they would have a good chance in capturing something in the Act that matches the expectations of the victims. The current Act cannot deliver what it promises – the last time I checked, the streets of the Gambia were not paved in gold. Why do we like to put the cart before the horse in the Gambia?]

One would have thought that such appointments should not have been left, at best, in the hands of an individual. The work is complex and potentially toxic and so appropriate checks must be applied to ensure that appropriate vetting took place so that the most suitably qualified individual is always recruited. This can only be effectively carried out if we take corrective measures that ensure that we carefully plan what it is that we want to do and assemble a team composed of individuals who have the intuition to do such complex work. Thus my suggestion for a better procedure in regards to composing the team in the TRRC Secretariat, and where possible staff to the Commission, would have been as follows:

• Following the outcome of a public consultation and the drafting of the TRRC Act, an impartial body composed of suitably qualified individuals with integrity, vision, good track record (in recruitment and selection) and influence be constituted to consider applications to the post(s) through a competitive process which follows good standards and processes (by the way, using a GMAIL is unacceptable!);
• The body makes recommendations [to e.g., Parliament (– a body) and not the President or Minister as the former is definitely conflicted] to appoint the individual(s) qualified for the post, based on merit.

On the appointment of the Executive Secretary to the TRRC: It is my view that the TRRC Act, 2017 conferred too much power onto the President to appoint an individual, upon consultation with the Minister and the Public Service Commission, to this post. Anyone who has read the TRRC Act, 2017 and knows the academic qualifications, skills and competencies which are explicitly stated and implied to do the work would know that the President has got the appointment of Executive Secretary to the Commission very wrong. For a start, the President is conflicted – he fought against the previous regime and should not have been empowered by the Act to appoint an Executive Secretary to the Commission who also brings conflict of interest to the post. Most of us, if not all, know that Dr. Baba G. Jallow was wronged by the former regime, resulting in his exile in the US for some 16 or more years, so he may well have to appear before the Commission. I think the perpetrators of the crimes may be justifiably concerned that the process may not be impartial or perceived to be fair. Is this what we mean when we say new Gambia?

Heading the Secretariat is a challenging assignment, but also a potentially rewarding one if the work of the Commission can be successfully completed as it will make attractive the resumes of those involved. But what about the rest of us when the TRRC goes wrong, as it is likely to? While it can be considered almost wrong or a weakness to shy away from challenges, we must declare if some challenges are a little beyond our capabilities, i.e., whether, in the interest of doing the job well, one is suitably qualified to take on some challenges. Having read the TRRC Act, 2017 which specifically addressed the criteria and responsibilities of the Executive Secretary, it is my view that Dr. Jallow could have declined the job offer from the President on grounds that he does not fulfil most of the items which could be broadly described as essential and desirable. Further he too must know that he brings conflict of interest to the job. I have come to the decision, with regret, that Dr. Jallow is not suitably qualified for the post of Executive Secretary of the Commission and some of my reasons can be summarised as follows:

1. That there is conflict of interest because he was a victim of the rights abuses of the former regime. The perpetrators of the crimes may have legitimate concerns that the Commission is prejudiced against them in appointing him to this role; the process must be perceived to be fair and his presence in the post does not give the process the impartiality it deserves;
2. That he does not have the experience of 10 years in administration or management (TRRC Act, 2017; section 22(4)(b) required to hold the post. Although I describe the TRRC Act, 2017 as a work of fiction, there must be a good reason why the requirement of at least 10 years in administration or management was inserted in it. Indeed, upon reading the Act, one can explicitly see the need for an appointee to fulfil these criteria, with many more reasons being implied;
3. That it is doubtful if Dr. Jallow possesses competencies in the other duties and responsibilities required to effectively and with distinction carry out the duties of the post such as outlined in the following sections of the TRRC Act, 2017: 24; 26; 27(2); 28; 31(2)(a)(i-ii); and 32(a)(b).
4. In regards to item 3 above, one can argue that the TRRC Act, 2017 empowers our Dr. Jallow (the conflicted Executive Secretary) to appoint and engage consultants, and advisers as the Commission mayrequire (TRRC Act, 2017; section 24(1) & (3). The problem with him appointing staff or Consultants to the Commission is that he cannot be perceived to be impartial in his appointments because he was a victim of the rights abuses the Commission is set up to look into. And please allow me to insert some cautionary notes here. In order to avoid the cost of this time-limited Commission spiraling out of control, in the best case scenario, the Executive Secretary must be able to do much of the work himself or recruit an individual(s) who can do what he cannot do; that individual must also have considerable influence. On the issue of spiraling costs, Dr.Jallow’soffice is in a hotel, which in all likelihood is not free. Our governments are quite good at saying and writing what they want to do for the people they are meant to serve – as if money grows on trees, but very poor – without much effort, at costing and doing things well, and a large percentage of us fall so easily for their promises – every time.

I do not doubt Dr. Jallow’s abilities as a fine historian and a fine writer too, which is necessary for this work, but I question his other skills and competencies to do this assignment well. We must not confuse title/knowledge/capacity to do a job with leadership. Titles hold no value when it comes to leadership or capacity to do a job and do it well which is always of paramount, most especially here. Leadership may often be assigned, or awarded, but true leadership is earned and one has to invest in it for a considerable amount of time to acquire good leadership skills. By appointing someone with even lower qualifications, leadership skills and influence as Deputy Executive Secretary, I believe we are missing the opportunity to establish a strong team in the Secretariat of the TRRC.

On the appointment of the Deputy Executive Secretary to the Commission: The TRRC Act, 2017 empowers the Minister to appoint the Deputy Executive Secretary to the Commission upon consultation with the Executive Secretary (TRRC Act, 2017; section 22(7). However, the appointment of Ms Musu Bakoto Sawo to the Deputy Executive Secretary could have passed some very basic checks. In my view, empowering the Minister and the conflicted Executive Secretary to appoint a Deputy Executive Secretary undermines the impartiality of the Commission and may be perceived improper. Further, it is not sufficient for the (conflicted) Executive Secretary to give the recommendation to appoint Ms Sawo as Deputy Executive Secretary a nod without the (conflicted) Executive Secretary exercising his duties by using the provision the Act confers upon him, in regards to appointments. Here, section 24(1) of the TRRC Act, 2017 says ‘The Executive Secretary mayappoint through a competitive recruitment process, such other staff as the Commission mayrequire.’ In my view, it would have been reasonable, justifiable and proper for the Executive Secretary to work within the spirit of the provision of the Act in regards to making his position known to the Minister so that public funds are used appropriately. After all, it is the Executive Secretary who has responsibility over the use of the Commission’s funds (TRRC Act, 2017; section 28). In short, did Dr. Jallow ask the Minister if the recruitment of Ms Sawo to the Commission pass the competition test (TRRC Act; section 24(1)? I suppose I can see how the (conflicted) Executive Secretary could feel awkward asking such a question, because his own appointment may not have passed the competition test. Will we ever know?

The point here is that if we can shout our lungs out when we are on the touch lines, we must ensure that we do what is expected of us when we are in theatre. It is an insult to our intelligence to assume that we can be fooled; perhaps some can be, but not all. We have all lived through some failures (-I mean governments but I suppose applicable to self). Therefore, going forward, we must work in a manner that shows that we have understood and learnt from past failures. This reflective practice is important for our recovery. Let’s abhor mediocrity; we can either choose to do the TRRC well or ask the victims what they want/expect for the wrongs they endured under Jammeh. To do it well, we would need to bridge the capacity gap by securing the engagement of highly skilled individuals, Commissioner(s) and an able Chairperson who bring impartiality to the task and can help direct the functions of the Secretariat (TRRC Act, 2017; section 23(1)(f) and the Commission. And the recruitment and selection of staff to the Commission must be done by individuals who will not undermine the impartiality of the Commission.

The Spokesperson of The Gambia Government, Ebrima Sankareh has said that the former President Yahya Jammeh will not escort his mother’s corpse or attend her burial.

The demise of Aja Asombi Bojang, mother of the former President Yahya Jammeh was received with sympathy by Gambians regardless of political, religious and tribal affiliation.

President Barrow has officially sent condolences while a high power delegation led by the country’s Vice President, Ousainou Darboe with some state ministers went to pay respect to the former President’s family.

Despite former President Yahya Jammeh’s denial for Gambias who died in exile to be buried in The Gambia, the corpse of his own mother was allowed to return for a befitting burial at her home village.

“The mother of the former president is a Gambian citizen who was born in the Gambia and it is her wish to be buried here,” Spokesperson Sankareh told The Fatu Network.

However, the Government issued press releases on the demise of the former President’s mother but did not state whether the former president would escort the corpse to The Gambia.

Sankareh added: “The former President will not be coming to the burial. He has no plans to attend it. The government is not aware of any plans of him coming to The Gambia.”

The Government Spokesperson said the corpse will be escorted by Equatorial Guinea Government officials but could not ascertain whether a relative of the former President will be part of the delegation.

“Maybe a relative of the former president in Equatorial Guinea will also escort the corpse,” he said.

Sankareh commended the authorities of Equatorial Guinea for making arrangements to send the body over to The Gambia.

Meanwhile, the Spokesperson has emphasized that the decision of bringing the corpse of the former president’s mother was entirely taken by The Gambia Government.

In the issue of The Standard Newspaper of Thursday, 2^ndAugust 2018, Mr Almamy Fanding Taal, spokesperson of the United Democratic Party is quoted as saying that ‘there is no argument or issue that the UDP has with the Barrow Youth Movement for National Development….’. He went further to postulate ‘We have the majority and we are very grateful to the Gambian electorate.’

I am flabbergasted by these statements of my Comrade Mr Almamy Taal. Given the damage and harm that political patronage, nepotism and cronyism have caused in this country, one would have thought that the United Democratic Party, the de facto ruling party in the country to stand up for good governance and the promotion of the rule of law and following due process.

The current inquiry into the financial activities of former president Yahya Jammeh, his close relatives and associates show clearly that political patronage only encourages corruption and nepotism to the detriment of the Gambian masses. We know that prior to being elected president, no one named an association after him. Thus, naming an association after him now is just a way to get close to the corridors of power with a view to gaining something from him.

A sitting president is a servant of the people who pay him and thus his focus should entirely be on how to serve the nation. We pay Pres. Adama Barrow two hundred thousand dalasis every month and as such, his entire waking moments have been bought and paid for by Gambian taxpayers. Focusing on any movement (whatever the name, be it development or progress) is a form of cheating the nation.

I am not against any association or movement but why name it after our democratically elected president? We don’t want any conflict of interest. We want our president to focus on national development. The Barrow Youth Movement has the potential to derail the president as we see them traveling with the president and making pronouncements and even the president now talking about their projects.

We heard, and we know that they keep saying that their funding is not coming from government. Yea yeah, we heard, we know all that but that does not guarantee that they will not influence decision or be granted some privileges which they do not deserve. We have seen the Green Youths, the Yayi Compins and others during the previous regime. They also called for national development but well, we know what they were or what they turned out to be.

The United Democratic Party has always stood for good governance and the rule of law as we have seen how its secretary General Lawyer Ousainou Darboe has sacrificed everything to ensure that we have good governance. He is a world-renowned lawyer and could have obtained a job anywhere in the world and make tons of money, but he didn’t. His love for this country made him stay and face the difficulties of the dictatorship like any other Gambian. For Heaven’s sake, he even went to prison for our liberation!

It is therefore confusing, if not disappointing, for the United Democratic Party not to take a stance on the issue of the Barrow Youth Movement. Many will jump to the defense that Barrow is a Coalition candidate as he resigned from the UDP in order to contest. But that, My Dear Reader, is just an excuse. Barrow is UDP and therefore the technicality of him resigning is just that – a technicality.

The point is, even if we go by that, the UDP will still have a moral responsibility to take a stance against the Barrow Youth Movement. So, to now hear my Comrade Almamy Fanding Taal (he was my president at Gambia Writers’ Association) say that the UDP has no qualms with the BYM is an abdication of responsibility and a disappointment.

The United Democratic Party (UDP) must show leadership!

Alagi Yorro Jallow

Adama Barrow is Gambia’s President today. He did not meet a perfect country when he took over, but his job is to make it less imperfect. His responsibility is to solve problems that he met on the ground and the ones that have sprouted since his occupation of the office. He can explain the difficulties he meets on the job and we can empathize with him, but he does not need to find scape goats on the things that go wrong accusing journalists and diaspora critics of his government. He received a lot of flak a few weeks ago when he tried to explain away the incompetent handling by his government mushrooming corruption and of the violence unleashed by police killings in Faraba and at Foni

It is obvious that President Adama Barrow does not always filter his words before they come out. If he filters them at all he does not fully appreciate the connotative and denotative meanings of the words he uses. All words have meanings and can be subjected to literal or metaphorical interpretations. We have had several occasions when the President’s handlers have accused the public of misinterpreting or misunderstanding or misconstruing what the President had said. Sometimes they claim that the president’s words were taken out of context or have been stretched to achieve a political purpose. I sympathize with the President’s minders who have to lick the vomit from time to time to make the President look as presidential as presidents are expected to look.

 It seems that Adama Barrow don’t understand that being a president is not being an ordinary person or citizen; it’s being an extraordinary person. What does it mean to be an extraordinary citizen? It means that citizen who occupies that only seat of power at the Statehouse who is accountable to all people under the sovereign republic of the Gambia. It means having a tragic sense of life: that being fair and just matters more than being right. It means being able to give up personal gain for the greater good of all Gambians.

The fact that the President makes too many controversial statements means that there is something wrong somewhere. It is either his public utterances are not properly managed, or he does not listen to advice. None of the reasons is good for our country. It is the convention that whenever the President is likely to have an interview, or meet a crowd or make a speech, he ought to have a serious briefing session with his handlers. The handlers must compile possible questions for him and play the devil’s advocate so that his answers can be finetuned for best reception by the audience. It is possible that his handlers are shut out by the hawks within the kitchen cabinet and are not allowed to have the kind of access necessary for them to ensure that Adama puts his best foot forward in the public arena, especially in speaking matters. Each time the President makes a gaucherie and the handlers try to panel-beat his speech for him after delivery I feel sorry for them. And when they comb the streets and bushes looking for the motives of the critics I feel even more sorry for them. The reason I feel sorry for them is because they are doing a very difficult job and they know that most of those who criticize the President are not looking for his job. They are simply bothered that with his unguarded tongue he is making their country look uglier than it is expected.

President Barrow political rallies and town hall meetings represented a very false description of his government as far as democracy and fight for corruption is concerned. There is corruption in the Gambia as there is in most other countries. The only difference is that while most of these other countries vigorously tackle their corruption problems our governments do not pay serious attention to the extirpation of the scourge on a non-partisan basis. So, it festers.

The naked truth is that Adama should never have said at all what he said about the construction of 60 Mosque nationwide especially at a forum for showcasing our country’s best attributes for the ears of potential donors and investors. No president does that except Adama. He has a penchant for demeaning his country globally apparently without knowing its full ramifications. His speeches are a validation of the stereotypical image held by some non-Gambians, which is fueled by some jaundiced foreign media.

The International community, the donor and Christians are piqued. The government spokesperson in a statement indicated that the “Barrow Youth Movement for Development, have availed themselves to the President with promises of boreholes, farming implements, seeds and fertilizer to support his development initiatives as well as the voluntary construction of 60 mosques following requests by local worshippers”. But there is actually no need for this nitpicking semantic gyration on the matter.

A trial in the public square can be unforgiving. Unfounded allegations have a heavy strain on one’s physiology. Allegations of professional impropriety, however unfounded can have a detrimental effect on one’s relationship with family, professional members and the general population respectively. If you are a public figure or a professional, the allegations can damage your credibility and moral standing for life. The public does not make its mind from facts. Minds are made from what is said, the conduct of those involved and an assessment of known past behavior of an individual. The assessment is never objective. Trials in public square are won or lost bases on the perception of one’s “believability.”

President Barrow is not winning the trial currently happening in the public square, courtesy of ambiguities in his response and that of his minders. In a case where Adama Barrow doesn’t name people and diaspora Gambians approaching him through the back door seeking for employment, (name these journalists asking for money in exchange of favorable coverage) due to some sense of wishing to shield people from the wrath of the law, or the people, he may be deliberately compromising the relationship between diaspora Gambians, journalists and the people. He may also be guilty participating in eroding the credibility and reputation of all hard-working Gambians abroad and journalists. These allegations from the Adama Barrow has weaken journalists, impact negatively on their ability to hold government to account and signals a wrong perception against diaspora Gambian visiting home

 If Adama Barrow is telling the truth, then as the country’s chief law enforcement officer, he should not make public allegations without providing evidence to substantiate his allegations against independent journalists. What sort of president would be subject to blackmail from anyone, let alone a journalist?  Adama Barrow doesn’t know this, but what he accused journalists can be defined as ‘extortion’ and, this is illegal; it can be a crime. These allegations could be the prelude for sanctioning and muzzling journalists or a good reason to justify that the media law on ‘false news’ to clamp down on ‘fake news’ that the presidency deem unfavorable or uncomfortable. This is the beginning, evidence for ‘slippery slope’ to both official and self-censorship.

The concluded Meet the People’s Tours episode is the latest in the series of presidential gaffes not forgetting his past foreign media interviews that defied presidential interview precedent, turning blunders into a shot at the presidency. Adama Barrow in his pronouncements in political rallies has exposed his shady and dodgy political propaganda. The construction of mega infrastructural developments (construction of Banjul -Barra ferry crossings estimated $1.5 billion), without National Assembly approval; construction of 60 Mosques nationwide; free WIFI connections in villages and townships; and display of billboards on all major roads and cities. He reminded and warned of would be protestors the of the Public Act law will be fully executed by police. This whiplash has generated a storm of criticism in both mainstream and social media especially for the construction of 60 Mosques announced by president Barrow. The Gambia remains a secular, constitutional democracy where all are free to believe and practice their faith and it is not government’s business to interfere in people’s religious beliefs.

The president’s role wherever he is home or abroad is to promote the Gambia’s good image, not to balloon the negative stories that already exist about the country. The international community already know through their embassies and citizens about Gambian politics. They know about Yahya Jammeh’s dictatorship, the corruption scandal and the Gambia’s courts and rule of law but in totality these constitute only a very minute portion of our huge population. But they become bigger than they actually are when Adama gives a presidential validation to them in his public utterances.

By John Sparks, Africa correspondent, in Harare, Zimbabwe

SKY NEWS

For supporters of Zimbabwe’s opposition MDC Alliance party, this was a day they had been dreading – the moment their dream of election victory was crushed.

The news was delivered by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (or ZEC) as they announced the results in dribs and drabs for the lower house of parliament.

The ruling ZANU-PF party has won two thirds of the seats and will dominate the assembly – as they have done since the country’s independence from Britain in 1980.

For members of the MDC it all felt a bit familiar.

Once again, they had lost the battle for control of parliament and there seemed little chance that Nelson Chamisa – their charismatic party leader – could claim the presidency.

On the streets of the capital Harare, we found supporters and party members who were so frustrated, they could barely get the words out.

Fightmore Mharadze told me: “I cast vote my vote and it has been stolen. We are going to have to go to war, go to war against ZANU-PF.”

The party faithful had gathered at MDC headquarters in the early morning and sung, chanted and held their hands high in a collective act of protest.

Meanwhile, officials from the electoral commission were read the results from the parliamentary contest in a stuffy meeting room in the Rainbow Hotel.

Down the hall observers from half-a-dozen foreign monitoring teams gave their verdict on Zimbabwe’s national election.

The observers had been invited by the ZANU-PF’s leader, President Emmerson Mnangagwa as part of his “guarantee” of a “free, fair and transparent election” and their verdict on the poll was mixed.

A US team said the election “fell short of what was needed,” citing ZEC’s lack of independence, the use of food, fertiliser and seed to buy votes and the ballot design which gave President Mnangagwa an inexplicably prominent position.

However, monitors from southern African states (SADC) were largely impressed, calling the poll a political watershed in the country’s history.

Protester Sweetfoy Mushonganande told me he could not believe that SADC had actually done any monitoring.

He said: “SADC tell me, what you observing, what are you observing? Where did you go? Can’t you see with your own eyes?”

Inevitably, perhaps, the riot police then the army arrived and they gradually retook the city centre by force.

The soldiers drew their weapons – and used them too. At least three protesters have been shot and killed.

The MDC’s spokesman, Nkululeko Sibanda called it a dark day in Zimbabwe’s history.

He said: “The force used today was clearly disproportionate and unjustifiable.

A delegation from Open Society Initiative for West Africa Tuesday urged Gambian investigative journalists to set new trend in the country’s media after concluding a training program.

The delegation urged the journalists to make the best out of the knowledge they gained from the training and put it into practice.

Tem FuhMbuh, an official at OSIWA, described the trainees as the vanguard of truth and accountability, urging them to set a new trend in the Gambian media.

“Transparency and accountability are paramount. Journalists are the vanguard of transparency and accountability,” he said at the University of the Gambia.

He added: “We thought that through this project you will be able to create a new card of journalists in The Gambia who will be able to dig into the truth and let ordinary Gambians know what is going on in the government.”

We expect you to be the vanguard of truth, we expect you to be the vanguard of accountability, he added.

Jeggan Grey Johnson and Fatou Sy both officials at OSIWA, assured OSIWA’s continued support to Gambian journalists.

The trainees lamented over the low paid of journalists in the country and asked OSIWA and Gambia Press Union to cooperate and assist the Gambian journalist and create avenues for them to sell their investigative stories at better rates.

Meanwhile, OSIWA exists in 10 West African countries helping in supporting production of publication and research studies, and run advocacy campaigns and provide institutional support to partners on ground.

25 Gambian Journalists are currently undergoing an eight week intensive training which is funded by The Open Society Initiative for West Africa implemented by Gambia Press Union and the University of The Gambia.

The Gambia will this year celebrate the world breastfeeding day for the whole of August, which is the first of it kind in the history of the celebration in the country. This information was disclosed by The Ministry of health and social welfare during a press conference held in Bakau, as the ministry outlines its plan of celebration for the program.

The Ministry urged lactating mothers to breastfeed their babies up to a maximum period, noting that breastfeeding makes both mother and the baby healthier.

Modou Faal, executive director of NANA, said 47 per cent of Gambian women are practicing breastfeeding, saying that is an improvement in breastfeeding in the country.

He said a lactating Child should be left to breastfeed up to their satisfaction, adding that breast milk helps children to be intelligent.

“We need to educate the mothers about suckling. Children should be left to breastfeed for so long, breastfeeding helps the child to be intelligent and healthier,” he said.

He also said women need to be well nourished before their pregnancy while lamenting over the short period of breastfeeding for mothers on their lactating children.

Modou Njie, director of health promotions and education, appealed to the media to disseminate the information of health and its related matters.

He said: “We appeal to the media to kindly work with us in disseminating information, because they are the people who can do that fast.”

By Omar Jarju

The head coach of the first division side Marimmoo FC Momodou Jallow has said that The Gambia will relish the prospect of going toe to toe with the reigning African champions Mali in the West African Union football tournament Zone ‘A’ which kicks off in Dakar, Senegal from 9^thto the 18^thof September 2018.

The draw was made in Dakar on Tuesday and Gambia’s name popped up in Group B alongside Liberia and the defending African champions, Mali. The hosts are in Group A with Guinea Bissau and Sierra Leone while Group C hosts Guinea, Mauritania and Cape Verde.

Speaking to this reporter shortly after the draw, Jallow said The Gambia has all it takes to beat defending champions Mali and make it to the finals of this year’s tournament.

‘’We have very young and god players playing in the league and I think if any of them is selected it will do great for the team. This time, I am sure the selection process will include third, second to first division players, so the MRI shouldn’t be a case for us’’, he said.

‘’We have a very technical minded coach in Abdoulie Bojang, so I think the country should rally behind him and give him all the support as far as the tournament is concern’’, Jallow ends.

Meanwhile, the organizers say MRI scans will be used to determine the eligibility of players to take part in the tournament. However, the announcement will evoke sad memories of 2009 when as newly-crowned African champions for the second time more than half of the Gambian team were found to be overage and therefore disqualified when the Fifa Under-17 World Cup used the MRI technology for the first time to prove the age of players.

Media chiefs from The Voice Newspaper, Foroyaa Newspaper and The Fatu Network have reacted to President Barrow’s allegations against journalists in the country.

President Barrow in his recent nationwide tour made open allegations against journalists alluding that some of them requested money from him to write good things about his government. He has not mentioned names except general allegations against the journalists.

Sam Sarr, Managing Editor of Foroyaa Newspaper has reduced the President’s allegation to a trivial matter, saying the allegation cannot be verified or relied on since the President did not give any name(s).

The veteran journalist told The Fatu Network that journalism is a noble profession and a journalist is someone who is in pursuit of the truth to ensure that the government is hold accountable and inform the public with balanced, accurate and factual stories.

“This can be done only with an independent mind,” Sam Sarr said.

“You cannot have an independent mind when you are bought,” he added.

Sarr who has been with the media for the past three decades said the President’s allegations are meaningless that we should not let it divert the public’s attention from the most relevant issues.

The Editor in chief of The Voice Newspaper, Musa Sheriff has blamed the media team surrounding the President.

“If you are in the presidential media team you should be there to guide the president about the media,” Chief Editor Sheriff said.

“Its not really a good statement coming from the President,” he added.

The Voice Editor in Chief called on President Barrow to retract his statements, saying the Director of Press Office of the President should convene a press briefing to clear things. He added that the presidential media team should work towards guiding the president about the media.

Sheriff explained that some international news agencies and magazines do cover feature stories or special reports on Presidents, governments and companies that he felt might be the case at hand. He made reference to special reports on The New African Magazine by Baffour.

Fatu Camara, Proprietor of The Fatu Network wrote a Facebook post saying she find the President’s allegations very disturbing.

“This to me is trying to discredit the entire media fraternity in The Gambia, which is very unfair especially coming from a head of state,” Fatu Network Proprietor wrote.

She advised colleagues in the media fraternity to stay focus and not feel intimidated by unfair attempts meant to castigate journalist or tarnish their credibility.

“Is this the work of some sycophant advisers telling him about a bogus incident that never took place?” she quizzed.

Meanwhile, The Fatu Network Proprietor demanded clarification from President Barrow on the serious allegation made against journalists.

By Lamin Njie

Former Minister of the Interior Mai Ahmad Fatty has said that violence in Mali and elsewhere “is valuable lesson for The Gambia to urgently, fully implement Security Sector Reform (SSR), take public security seriously.”

“We should provide needed resources and enhanced capacity for our law enforcement agencies,” Fatty said through his official Facebook page.

“If we are negligent of the institutional needs of our security outfits, then we as a nation must be cognizant of the potentially complex public security challenges,” he added.

According to Fatty, it was imperative for the government “to genuinely engage civil society and political parties on the way forward, and seriously fight corrupt practices through effective accountable governance architecture.”

“We need to focus on those elements that will fundamentally grow the domestic economy to create new jobs for the youth. We must be inclusive, embrace all and provide a sense of belonging for all Gambians. We need a National Political Dialogue to entrench our new democratic gains,” he said.

Malians went to the polls on Saturday to vote for a new president but the process was halted at hundreds of polling stations because of violence.

“We condemn the violence against the Malian electoral system by terrorists, as result of which 644 polling stations were reportedly unable to operate. We stand with Mali in their consolidation of democracy,” Fatty said.

I am writing this open letter not to sympathies with your ministry; I am doing so, to irritate an urgent reaction from your office, in the wake of what appears to be a serious wane in performance in the recent 2018, West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results. I learnt with dismay that over 70% of the Gambian students, who sat for this year’s WASSCE, have miserably failed beyond human imagination. The students failed most of their subjects, particularly English language and Mathematics

Ma, I’m with the conviction, that this piece will trigger a rude awakening in your institution, so it can make a rethink about ways and means of rescuing our already compromised education sector from further calamities.

Besides, I’m fully aware of the laid down agenda in place, however, I am more concerned with facts and realities on hand that have been debilitating performances at schools. These facts are evident and as a concerned citizen, I deem it fit to add my voice to the chorus of advises directed at your office. More often than not, public schools across the country lack learning materials, Teachers on the other hand have been protesting over low salary. These two, though urgent remain unsolved. Now why would you not expect these results to be the way they are?

I believe it is obligatory upon you as a public servant to consider the outcome of the results as a catastrophe facing our educational system and chart a holistic approach that will introduce about competitiveness and seriousness in Schools across the country.

Madam Minister, I am sure that you received advice from all stakeholders on what needs to be done to advance The Gambia’s education system. Unlike rocket science however, almost everyone has an opinion on what works best for a better education sector.

Furthermore, the last time I checked over 50 years since independence, The Gambia as a sovereign nation has not been able to raise technical and vocational schools to the levels with which they can contribute profoundly to the economy. We can draw programs from China, Malaysia, Ethiopia and South Africa that embraced technical education long time ago. Most of these countries now have higher GDPs and per capita income due to the significance with which they gave to technical education long time ago.

I submit to you that the challenges faced by our education sector are like Abubakar Shekau of Boko Haram in Nigeria trying to bomb the White House in America.

Surprisingly enough. The Gambia is yet to be part of the 21st Century through the use of modern technology to ease education. The Gambia have been using chalks and blackboards since the colonial era which reduces teacher confidence and causes a lot of distractions to the teaching learning process.

I am therefore by this letter appealing to your high office to consider switching to the use of white boards and markers to boost teacher confidence in front of the class. A confident teacher is more likely to attract the attention of the students which would go a long way to ensure good grasp of what is being taught in the classroom. The role of education in the age of globalization ought to be to broaden the horizons in the minds of people and there ought to be equal access to opportunities for this exposure.

Saidina Alieu Jarjou

Blogger/Political Activist

Gambia Democratic Congress PRESS RELEASE

The entire membership of the Gambia Democratic Party (GDC) and I, Honourable Mamma Kandeh would like to express our profound and heartfelt condolences to the Jammeh, Bojang and Manga family over the death of Aja Asombi Bojang, who passed away last Friday in Malabo—Equatorial Guinea.

The GDC shares the grief that the former President and his family are feeling and we send to them our prayerful thoughts and sympathetic sentiments at this difficult moment.

May Janatul Firdaws be her final abode—Amen.

Signed: Honourable Kandeh..

It is rather sympathetic and disheartening that most African leaders are of the myopic thoughts that a country could only be developed through the promotion of science and technology, failing to realiz that science and technology cannot effectively take its due in a country which is economically paralyzed and the Gambia is not an exception to this.

This tragic perception was strongly married to by two of Barrow’s predecessors in the names of His Excellency Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara and His Excellency Yahya Jammeh, and the Barrow led administration is also following the same trend and yet the development of the country is still snail crawling.

The billion dollar question one might tend to ask is: why is it that the Gambia still remains as one of the poorest countries in the world when her leadership, for almost fifty (50) years, have been at the forefront in the promotion of science and technology?

The simple answer is: science is too expensive; science is all about innovation; hence for any to effectively register unprecedented development, there must be a genuine unprecedented developmental cycle comprising of social scientists, economists, and scientists.

Facts of history taught us that most developed countries today were able to get to the mountain top by making sure that there is “political will”which allows social scientists to enact and make informed policies that helps in resource generation (it is the stage when economic growth starts to take its cause); then the economists ensures that there is sustainability and proper management of the resources generated as a results of the informed policies made by the social scientists; as years pass by, when there is a lot of economic growth, then the resources generated could be used in the promotion of science and technology. Therefore, for science and technology to be able to effectively take its due, both social scientists and economists have a very pivotal role to play. Hence, the belief that a country could only be developed through the promotion of science and technology is a misrepresented one.

Barrow must also strengthen education, especially tertiary institutions with critical focus in the University of the Gambia if he really wants to register sustainable development for the Gambia.  Development as technocrats put it “cannot be sustainable it is it not back by education”. Empowering the University will allow the state to produce technocrats in all spheres of development; from civil engineers, enough professional Nurses and Doctors, professional and a disciplined security force etc. In that, the republic will not rely on the Chinese and Indian engineers for our infrastructural needs; Cuban and Chinese Doctors for our critical health needs, and above all not cross borders for simple treatment.

Barrow again should pay a huge attention to the department of social sciences in schools for they have the cure to the major ills facing our country today which is the cause of our slow development drive.

The sickness that is holding our development process is our parochial political culture. It has caused the current division in the Gambia both politically and socially. In the Gambia, one could deduce that there is no tribalism but there is what we call “political tribalism”. Believ us even Lord Regard or Magret cannot take this country forward with the current political and ethnic misrepresentation.

The political executive should also take full control of the Republic’s sovereign wealth that will support the development process and not only look for loans or aids. The Republic should not put more concentration on the tax base as revenue, but together with the non-tax base of our economy/ national endowed (God giving) wealth.

It is shocking to learn that other mining sites have been given to profit grabbing capitalists at the expense of the state. This is unwise and non-developmental.  All mining of our blessed soil must be control by the state for the benefit of all.

Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara in 1975 asserted that

“It is our effort far more than what happened outside the Gambia is the principal determiner of our failure or success” 

In essence, outside efforts are only needed to compliment ours. That is to say, development must be domestic driven.

For example, let’s take the Republic of Burkina Faso as a case study during Thomas Sankara reign from 1983 to 1987. To mark his first year in office, Sankara changed the country’s name from Upper Volta to Burkina Faso, meaning “the land of the upright people”. In contrast with most African leaders who exploit their country’s merger resources for their personal gains, Thomas Sankara launched upon a series of measures unheard upon the continent, his first move; to cleansed the power structures of all social injustice; he reduced the salaries of ministers and chief public servants starting with his own; he also made sure that public servants were no longer seen in expensive Mercedes but in cheaper cars, not a single privilege remained to government officials; members of the security forces were well trained as per their roles and duties in a Republic, as in one of his famous quotation he said

“A soldier without any political or ideological training is a potential criminal; he ensured that the national endowed wealth was strictly utilized for the development of the state. All the measures taken were geared towards rapid economic growth because Burkina Faso was economically paralyzed when he took over through a coup in 1983.

Measures implemented by Sankara, unreservedly, changed the face of the country. Within four years, he was able to transformed Burkina Faso from being an economically dependent country to an economically independent country; coupled with that, Burkina Faso was able to attained food self-sufficiency during his tenure.

If Burkina Faso was able to attained food self-sufficiency within four years why not the Gambia? It is rather ironical when the Barrow led administration keeps on singing that they inherited a broken economy when the chief servants are scrambling for per diems like the way Europeans where scrambling for colonies during the partition of Africa in 1884.

Thus, if the Barrow led administration wants to paint her name in our history books, then they have to be very much cognizant of the challenges facing our country today. We should know where we came from; where we are; and where we heading to.

In that, appropriate policies should be put in place to help guide the crusade. The Barrow administration must make sure that national interests guide their actions otherwise all lofty presumed developmental hurdles crippling our country shall one day become mere illusions.

May God bless the Gambia.

Sheriffo Sanyang and Sanna Badjie

Political science students

University of The Gambia