Attila Lajos, European Union Ambassador to The Gambia has said that the EU funds to the Barrow Administration are not meant for the construction of religious houses.

Ambassador Lajos made these statements at a roundtable discussion with journalists, dubbed ‘EU Press Breakfast’ held at the Kairaba Beach Hotel in Kololi. He was asked about the recent comments of President Barrow regarding the construction of sixty mosques across the country.

“There is no fund that the EU pledged for the construction or reconstruction of religious places for both Muslims and Christians,” EU Ambassador Lajos said.

“That question should be directed to the government,” he added.

Ambassador Lajos said he only read the reports of President Barrow’s mosque construction comments on the newspapers.

President Barrow’s comments raised controversy that compeled the Office of the President to release a statement saying the funds for the construction of 60 mosques is not from the government but the President Barrow Youth Movement.

Some say the President’s youth group is a replica of the former President, Yahya Jammeh’s Green Youths. But, he defy all criticism by openly endorsing the youth group and promised to empower them.

There are questions about who really is the group’s financier?

Abubacarr Tambadou, Attorney General and Minister of Justice has once said at a press conference that the President’s youth movement is not a wise thing to encourage in the new dispensation. He said it in light of the revelations at the Janneh Commission.

Meanwhile, the President’s youth group is drawing membership from the Coalition parties whilst the former ruling APRC of Yahya Jammeh is losing some of its members to the group.

Within the space of one week, I have had the opportunity to visit both the Senegalese Embassy in the Gambia and the Gambian Embassy in Dakar, but to be quite honest, I think the Gambian Embassy needs to be shut down!

Our school association is preparing for a research trip to Dakar and it had to send two of its executive members to Dakar to search for accommodation.

A month or so before departure, we sent them an email which they conveniently ignored. After some time, we engaged a friend of ours who works at the embassy regarding it and she told us to write again and she would facilitate. (This tells me that without personal assistance/or favours, we can’t achieve anything).

We did, and this time they replied with a letter which we didn’t prefer any more than the ignored letter. I can’t go into the nitty-gritties of our request and their response, but I can tell you it revealed their unwillingness to serve.

While in Senegal, almost all the Senegalese officials we met did something for us, at least helped in a way. When it was time to go to our own embassy in Dakar, most people told us this, “That embassy is the most useless embassy ever”. To be quite honest, we didn’t take them too serious, until we saw for ourselves.

We solicited for their help to prepare a letter or make a call at least as per the advice we got from Cheikh Anta Diop University, which could facilitate the process of acquiring an accommodation in Dakar, even if it were at a cost.

The embassy said that they could not help us with anything other than give us a telephone number of some guy who is part of the  Gambian students association in the University of Cheikh Anta Diop, saying that the association is registered and can help lodge us (I think that was a smart way of sending away from their premises).

Guess what! When we contacted the student, he said they are less than 10 students in that association and they themselves have only four rooms within their control. (I wonder how on earth can those people with their four tiny rooms would host 60 students). We finally had to come back to the Gambia to let them be.

Today, when we visited the Senegalese embassy and met with their humble and ready-to-serve ambassador, he made about 10 calls after he heard about our request. He spoke like someone who is ready to work, and help not only his country men, but humanity at large.

After my personal experience with the Gambian embassy, and the experience of other people I spoke to about it, I want to say that  our Gambian embassy in Dakar, in my humble opinion is just there to waste our scarce resources because the people whom they are supposed to serve are not served and are completely dissatisfied with their services.

This takes me to the common saying, “Gambia du dem”, until we change our attitudes.

We deserve better!

Author©✍

Love

Tha Auspicious

(Cherno Abdourahman Bah)

According to credible Government Sources, the Permanent Secretary at the ministry of interior, Assan Tangara has on July 19 signed a five year ID Cards contract with SEMLEX, a belgian firm that provides solutions to secure inditification and authentication using biometric information.

It could be recalled that Justice Minister, Aboubacarr Tambadou during a press confrence disclosed that The Governemnt of The Gambia has decided to award the ID Cards contract to SEMLEX. Minister Tambadou at the press conference added that a Ministerial taskforce was set up to look into the issue and they recognized and restored the contract with SEMLEX.

The SEMLEX’s contract was terminated by the Jammeh administrastion shortly after the Ministry of Interior embarked on it.

The contract which is signed for 5 years gives 60% of the revenue to SEMLEX while 40% goes to The Gambia Government.

SEMLEX will only be printing biometric ID Cards while Muhammed Bazzi’s company, Afri Card does the biometric passports.

A Gambian based in The US, Mariama Njie said she thinks The Gambia Government did not do their homework on this issue.

“when negotiating a contract, it should be favorable to the government not the other way round” She added that the Government dropped the ball on this.

A Gambian-owned company, Pristine Consulting was competing with SEMLEX for the contract but according to Justice Minister Tambadou, after all the options were put before cabinet, they decided to go with SEMLEX.

Tambadou added that Pristine Consulting’s contract for the production of ID Cards expired in 2014.

A Gambian activist and social commentator, Pata Saidykhan said the issue of foreign businesses producing National documents is a project that would raise legitimate concerns, especially considering the recent reporting about Semlex in other parts of the court. He added that Even though these are allegations, they cannot just be dismissed.

“Ideally, I’d have preferred a Gambian business to have owned this document production. I’ve heard the Attorney General give reasons for continuing with the valid, existing contract with Semlex instead of going with a Gambian own”.He said

”They believed that a valid contract exists, and that they risk high arbitration cost should they breach that but I hope the Government had taken serious due diligence in ensuring, if not guaranteeing security, quality and preventing our National documents falling into hands that are not Gambian.That is a risk we cannot afford’. He concluded.

By Sainey Darboe

At the dawn of that fateful Friday birds got into  the presidential palace  by pecking through the screens of the balcony windows and the flapping of their wings disturbed the stagnant time inside. And  at dawn on Saturday the city awoke out of its lethargy of 22 years  with the warm ,soft breeze of a tyrant defenestrated, the spirit of a once powerful tyrant  defeated and rotting grandeur.

Only then did many have the heart  to go in without attacking the robust walls of reinforced concrete, and without using cars with arms as the more resolute had wished in days past  and tried  so many times with such  stinging dearth of success that  spirits were sapped of hope. Because all that was needed was for the  Senegalese commandos  to show up and the brave soldiers of the presidential guard gave way.

It was like gaining entry into the atmosphere of another age because fear and cowardice had taken over the vast lair of power whose human personification, Yahya Jammeh, did not believe the gods of his ancestors would call time on his reign until the ancient forests of Kanilai long appeased with sacrifice of the blood and souls of his enemies marched through the streets of his  lamentable excuse of a capital.

We saw the battle field anarchy of offices, kitchens and clothes rotting in the blazing, tropical sun, the rooms shared by soldiers and concubines and the government headquarters looked immense and sad. And Jammeh was not there inclined on his vast bed as he had done everyday that  passed in the sky in his ever so long life of a solitary despot.

Even then we did not dare believe  in the end of his time because it’s not the first time he had been deemed so;removed and banished by men born of women as had been announced a long time ago in the prophetic waters of soothsayers’ basins.

The first time they thought him removed he had been at the dying days of the year 2014, and the nation was still lively enough for him to feel menaced by death even in the solitude of his refuge in far away lands . And still he governed as if he was predestined never to die.

In his glory days he had presided over the traffic of whores and soldiers and dispensed destinies of who gets to have jobs and even who gets to live.  No one knew who was who or by whom in that State House of revolving  doors in the grand disorder of which it was impossible to locate the government. The man of the palace not only participated in that national disaster but he had set it up himself and ruled over it.

As soon as  armored cars hit the tarmac on this soil so often conflated with his personal property, the presidential guards gave  news of the perils  of the new day to the nearby Hamza Barracks and from there it was repeated to the Fajarra Baracks and from there to Yundum to other checkpoints that would first awaken the city and the whole country while he groaned on his golden latrine trying to stifle with his quaking hands the palpitations of his heart.

Everyday ever since he had taken possession of power and State House, he had personally supervised the security of the capital,  but on this day he saw the ephemeral love of men without love. These were the people who spoke thesame language as he and whose hearts he thought he best deciphered. Yet it never prepared him to confront the hazards of reality.

Previously, during the days of his glory in power, he would sit  himself in his office to decide the destiny of the  nation with command of the armed forces and sign all manners of laws and decrees with his thumb print for in those days he did not know how to read or write.

But when they left him alone with his nation and his power he didn’t not raise his blood pressure with the sluggishness of written law, but governed orally and physically, present in every moment and everywhere with uncontrollable greed ,but also with a diligence inconceivable of his image, besieged by mobs of beggars, blind people and cripples who begged for salvation from his hand , and lettered politicians and dauntless adulators who proclaimed his the builder of bridges, builder of schools, master of the Jinns, defender of the faith and corrector of errors of god .

God damn it this is me,he asked, because he could not believe in his wildest imaginations that a boy from a hamlet in Kanilai could have such power and effect over men more privileged than him. He became convinced of the vanity of power and by this time he had already survived 7 coup attempts. He had got a massive boost in his  business as vendor of miracles. He became savvy and covetous to the point of torture and took over profitable private businesses and properties. He renounced communism for capitalism and confronted the most terrible risks to his power,  laying corner stones for him to rule till the end of time.

He couldn’t  fathom losing all those ephemeral and unattainable beauty queens, for he had become resigned forever to live a destiny that was not his. He did not do it out of greed or conviction because he could have exchanged his lifetime job of a tyrant for an ordinary man with the advantage of living like a king without the calamity of being one. This is the kind of trouble a man gets into when he gets all tied up with power.

Even in  the withering desolation of exile in Equatorial Guinea he has found that there is no break to this drama of being a fugitive  that comes with the persistent hounding by commissions of enquiry and human rights victims.

And then  Saul Badjie of his misfortune would  apprise him of the demise of his mother. I’m deeply sorry General, he said ,his mum had no need to die in Equatorial Guinea but in his own country and her own time of natural causes in her sleep as has been predicted since the beginning of her days. And not even that way, because his mother didn’t bring him into this world to bury her in exile with all its humiliation and deprivation ,but to give commands. I pay no heed to your news of my misfortune, he would say, because I am what I am, and not you. So give thanks to God this is only fake news as Donald Trump would lambast fake media. He thanked God and Saul Badjie it was only  fake news not having imagined then or ever that the terrible joke about fake news was to come true that day of his misfortune. He found  his mum in a state of submission to demands of death, hopeless with no chance of resurrection. But hey, these are just reflections on the days of a tyrant in the rain.

President Adama Barrow has appointed Dr Hagie Tunkara appointed as consular Attachee’ in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia with effective August 1, 2018.

Dr Hagie Tunkara is a native of Suduwol Kantora. He is based in Saudi Arabia for over a decade.

Dr. Tunkara Holds a PhD from The University of Medina and has a B.A in Education Dawa.

Is the GPU leadership going to write to the President through the Director of Press and Public Relations seeking clarification about the president’s claim that some journalists approached him to offer him good media coverage in exchange for money?

I think GPU should do that lest we allow a space to emerge in which the reputation of journalists and the media be impugned. If this statement remains unchallenged one cannot ascertain how it might unfold in another scenario in future where someone else may also decide to levy unsubstantiated allegations on journalists just to gain cheap popularity or shield oneself from scrutiny.

State House, Banjul, 27 July, 2018–

His Excellency President Adama Barrow will on Sunday 29^thJuly, 2018, travel to Lome, Togo, to attend the jointEconomic Community of Central African States and Economic Community of West African States Authority of Heads of State and Government summit on Security, Stability and fight against Terrorism and Violent Extremism from the 30^th– 31^stJuly 2018.

Following their joint ECCAS and ECOWAS Summit in Lomé, Togo, the President will continue to the Federal Republic of Nigeria  to deliver the graduation lecture at the  National Defence College of  Nigeria, course 26, from the 1^st-2^nd  August 2018 on the theme: “Democratic Principles and Post Conflict Peace Building: Imperatives for the West African sub-region”

The President of the Republic will depart Banjul International Airport by 12:00PM. All those invited to see off the President are urged to be at the airport.

Alagi Yorro Jallow

The allegations from President Adama Barrow against some journalists demanding money in exchange for paying positive new coverage are not just disappointing, they’re worrying. Many young idealists are repelled by what they are being asked to do in the name of journalism. Some media owner-anchors and reporters may have no scruples, but morality and decency are basic human values and most people find it troubling to abandon them for a paycheque.

A journalist’s mission is to serve the public by seeking and reporting the facts as accurately as possible. Good journalists and scholars share a commitment to the same principle: Integrity in their work. A doctor’s ethos is, “do no harm”, Ours is, “tell the truth.”

In today’s Internet world, yellow journalism is served up as click-bait–otherwise known as the quest for eyeballs and dollars. The politics of division play out daily on sites like Facebook and Twitter. Headlines of these political posts are written for their shock value with reactionary wording and a sense of urgency to attract and hold their target audience.

Sensationalism, scandal-mongering, innuendo, biased opinions, malicious rumors, and misinformation masquerading as truth are the tools of the yellow journalist’s trade. Once their tightly controlled alternative facts become dogma, their followers adopt these beliefs as elemental certitudes immune to facts.

“Don’t confuse me with the facts” has become an anthem for too many people in the Gambia and in the diaspora community. When journalistic ethics and professionalism are cast aside, the public is the ultimate loser. The average person does not know who or what to believe any longer and cynicism sets in.

The news of Adama Barrow might not be easy to digest, but it’s essential that we know it – and as journalists everywhere know, it is all too common to be shocking but not surprising. Far too often, doggy journalists live under the guise of free press in order to carry out abhorrent actions against the public interest. Taking advantage of the might of the microphone and the pen which allows them to pull on the kudos, benefits and emotions and ignorance of the people, they find themselves exalted for treating people like buffoons.

As we have seen in the media industry, in the legal industry, and in other professions itself, these journalists are more than happy to capitalize on the sacrifices of the people, willingly or unwillingly, in public or in private. It is hard to celebrate a man who thinks that he deserves a medal – or an Emmy – for shouting about his basic treatment of the public.

People are so unconvinced by the duplicity of their actions that they believe they are worthy champions of the cause. But while they attempt to relegate those dubious experiences, “corrupt” passes and drunken lapses to the confines of their memory, these journalists in question carry the baggage, doubt and trauma, yet again privy to a sophisticated game of doublethink in which they feel they failed again.

There are several things we can learn from this account, and they’re not easy to swallow. Whether or not you decide to call yourself a journalist, it does not make you unaccountable for your actions. What you do in private is not equal to what you do in public – it means more

There is no amount of public do-goodery that can compensate for permanently altering doggy journalists. There is no amount of journalism branding that you can co-opt if you fail to understand the basic tenets of whether a person is corruptly engaged with you. We are not stupid, and nor are you. But in the case of so many so-called journalists, they have knowingly created an image of themselves in order to use their power to exploit politicians.

There is one age-old phrase that will ring true no matter at what point we find the journalist conversation: actions speak louder than words, and just because you say you’re a journalist, it doesn’t mean you are one.

This write-up I posted few last month when I heard some journalists clandestine and nocturnal visit to Statehouse:

“To begin with, why would journalists agree to keep their meeting with politicians off the record? If you’re a true journalist, what is the point of speaking with a powerful politician if you agree in advance that it’s all going to be kept secret? Do they not care what appearance this creates: the most recognizable journalists meeting high with the country’s most powerful political officials, with everyone agreeing to keep it all a big secret from the public? Whether it is collusion, whether it is subservient ring-kissing in exchange for access, it certainly appears to be that. By agreeing to such conditions, journalists expected to deliver the news to the public must not withhold details of a newsworthy meeting with the president.
The Gambia isn’t dead. Gambia isn’t beyond repairs. Gambians are getting wiser, more discerning than we were twenty-two years ago. We have crossed the bridge of cheap politics and useless propaganda in the name of freedom of expression. And we are not eating and drinking what the media is feeding us daily as we go a step further to investigate the significant issues that affects our daily lives. True Journalists should not be wavering or hoisting the flags of any political party or their conscience for a few thousand dalasi to politician for their selfish interests. Its time not to be cashing checks from politicians and party apparatchiks for cheap meals and handshake photo shows?
Its unethical for and journalists taking money from politicians for favors. It’s sad that the country has more than greedy and hungry journalist than Politicians.”

Now that we have come to understand citizen journalism, social media and online journalism, isn’t it time that Gambians started associating themselves with good online journalism? This journalism that insults everyone with an opposing view and calls names on anyone questioning it must stop. Fifty-three years as a nation we can surely use our democracy to good use and separate chaff from the gold of the profession. We know Gambian journalism has gone to the dogs (watchdogs or lapdogs), so surely, we deserve to be better.

Yankuba Badjie, former Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) has said that his assets were frozen well before he was called to the Janneh Commission.

“I think I should be heard first before freezing my assets,” Yankuba told The Fatu Network.

The former Intelligence Chief who was under tight security from the State Central Prisons, felt his appearance before the Commission was a mere formality since the decision he said was taken well before he was heard.

“The NIA is not a financial institution,” he added.

Badjie who assumed office in 2014 was the 14th NIA Director General to serve under the former regime until his removal by President Barrow in February 2017. He was arrested along with eight intelligence officials for the alleged murder of Solo Sandeng. He has since denied the charges.

A well place government source informed The Fatu Network that D51 Millions Dalasi was contracted to the prosecution team headed by Antouman Gaye in the Solo Sandeng murder trial.

“What is the justification of spending all this money in one particular case when you have people who equally died or disappeared under previous Director Generals,” a government source said.

The NIA Headquarters was one of former President Yahya Jammeh’s most feared tortured centres for the past 22 years of his dictatorial regime. He made the premises a torture chamber to silent or humiliate his alleged opponents. He allegdely on many occasions ordered the Junglers to come over to torture detainees.

Yankuba Badjie prior to his appointment as Director General was reportedly detained and tortured on allegations of being an FBI Agent.

This is one of the reasons critics blamed the Barrow Government’s failure to shut down the NIA premises by making the place a crime scene. Many of these people believed there is tampering of evidences at the premises.

Badjie claimed to have saved many lives during detentions at the  NIA. He mentioned the likes of Nuha Touray, former Secretary to Cabinet and Cherno Marenah, Solicitor General amongst others during the political impasse by transferring them to Janjangbureh.

A reliable NIA source told this medium that the most heinous crimes or secrets of the former President Jammeh were not written in documents. He felt the new government should have rely on the former NIA Director General to get some of those information.

“Very little was written in the files. The Big Man is not worried about that,” an NIA source revealed.

“The most serious ones are not written,” he added.

There are reports of unfair treatments given to the accused PIU Officers of the Faraba killings who are currently held at the PIU Headquarters whilst the NIA officers are kept at the Remand Wing of Mile 2 Prisons.

Superintendent David Kujabi, Police Spokesperson said the matter was decided by the court.

Meanwhile, the two cases are keenly followed by the public.

Brufut, West Coast Region

The President of the Republic, His Excellency Adama Barrow, has announced that works on fish processing factories and storage facilities that would create more than 20, 000 jobs will begin in 2019. The fisheries plants would be built in the two leading fishing towns of Tanji and Brufut, in Kombo South and Kombo North, respectively.

Additionally, the President announced the construction of a feeder road that would connect all coastal communities from Brufut all through to Sanyang. Amid much fanfare and applause in Brufut, he also pronounced that the road from Brufut Gamtel to Ghana Town would soon be constructed as he is finalizing talks with a new construction firm to run a pilot project in Brufut. While expressing gratitude to the communities for the unconditional love shown to him since the beginning of his presidential aspirations, he said he was truly impressed with the grand-style welcoming organized for his arrival.

Detailing out the government’s plans for the fisheries sector, the Minister of Local Government and Lands explained that, out of the 20, 000 jobs to be created, Brufut would benefit from a fish value chain project that has the potential of creating more than 15,000 jobs. He added that a similar one in Tanji would create 6,000 jobs for the youth of the country.

Minister Drammeh further explained that the plants for Tanji and Brufut are fishery value-chain projects that would span from fishermen, off-loaders, marketers, factory workers, cold store workers, among others. He called for patience with the new government as they inherited power under the worst of situations, and still under two years in office.

The National Assembly member for the area, Baba Galleh Jallow, decried the lack of jobs for the youths in coastal settlements, with a rapidly increasing population density each year. He requested the government to assist the youths with fishing trawlers to engage in fishing and entrepreneurship.

Alagi Yorro Jallow

EXCERPT from President John Mahama’s defeat lesson Speech! I dedicate to President Adama Barrow and all Gambian politicians in the coalition and the opposition: Criticism of government is as old as politics itself, and it’s not done to dishonor the leaders but to challenge them to deliver as they promised. It’s only in Gambia that reminding a government of things it promised to do, is considered as disloyal, traitorous, unfaithful and unpatriotic. Countering those who remind the leaders of their electoral promises is a diseased mindset. What’s expected from the government is explaining its indecisions that confuse the people, not antagonizing them. Lessons of President John Mahama’s defeat lesson Speech for all politicians especially inexperienced politicians.

EXCERPT from President John Mahama’s defeat lesson Speech! I dedicate to President Adama Barrow and all Gambian politicians in the coalition and the opposition:

“……. I have learnt that the calls of the noisy minority cannot be ignored because they largely shape the opinions of the silent minority, who we politicians exploit for our selfish gain. I have learnt that not all those who criticized us hated us. Sometimes the best way to express your love for someone is to be critical of their actions. If I should ever return, I will not display a “dead-goat syndrome” towards disaffection of the masses.

When those who opposed us cried foul, we retorted, “Hate can’t win.” Tonight, however, I am the first to admit that some hate can win. This election has taught me that the hate of corruption can win. It has taught me that hate of incompetence can win. Our defeat has taught me that hate of impunity can win. I have learnt that the hate of the obscene display of ill-gotten opulence wins. I have learnt that hate of mediocrity and deception definitely wins. And I have learnt that hating evil will forever triumph over the love of evil. That was what happened on Wednesday.

Another important lesson I have learnt from this defeat is that the success or failure of a leader depends on the kind of people he or she surrounds themselves with. While Rawlings appointed the likes of Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas as deputy ministers, I made the mistake of giving that respectable position to the likes of John Oti Bless. I have now realized, rather too late, that if I had kept the likes of Ben Dotsei Malor and Dr. Raymond Atuguba around me, they would have injected some semblance of sanity into the Presidency and given that high office an aura of respectability and decency. The praise-singing sycophants who act on the dictates of their stomachs are only specialized at telling you what you want to hear.

Unfortunately, I did not listen to voices of reason. Our elders say a disease that will kill a man first breaks sticks into his ears………. ”

Praising a government, to me, means recognizing moments it fulfils electoral promises. But making what an elected politician does with our taxes look like a humanitarian service is sycophancy.  If a leader expects more from critics after being shown a flaw in his idea, he’s either incompetent or his lieutenants are due for the sack. The similarity between a critic and a politician is, both have ideas. The difference is what matters. Only one has access to the Treasury.

 Sycophants will praise and support a government uncritically is the ultimate patriotism. See, to love your country more than its government is more patriotic. To love your government more than your country is partisan. Spot the difference.

By Ebrima Papa Colley

FIRST HYPOCRITE:(In concert with other hypocrites at hand clapping) Barrow! The zenith of our hope! The druid of Mankaman Kunda! The vertex of the round table! The diaspora is spent–and now with incessant venom swell with indignation.

SECOND HYPOCRITE:From New York to Seattle, Berlin to Hamburg, and London to Madrid– the indispensable have become quite dispensable for thee and the once charitable too uncharitable. With a demon’s smirk, be selfish and diabolical. Or like an unthinking builder, kick thy ladder away with brisk upon reaching the top of the building.

THIRD HYPOCRITE:Like a puff adder defanged, their bite is with bare gum. For a serpent is dreaded only for its poison and teeth without which it is, but biology’s another specimen.

(Enter a team of youths with drums, pomp and fanfare. First Lady leads them to the President who idles in a white Kaftan with a bloated belly as Soothsayer settles to his right. First Lady dances briefly in front of the group)

FIRST LADY:(She sprinkles some holy water from a keg on each head of each youth gestured to the floor on knees. Money is thrown in the air as on-lookers scramble for their luck) O champions of the cause! Hearken to Gambia’s most intelligent leader.

BARROW:(With a grin as he points to a line he draws on the floor) Youths of Kambia! On your mark! Set! Go! Now go build sixty mosques across the country. That’s the best Gambia needs right now according to my beautiful brain.

(The youths spring from the ground and sprint out of the State House as Barrow continues to smile triumphantly)

FIRST LADY: Great Soothsayer! What sayeth the seers of the unseen? Didst thou chanceth upon any missives of what glory sixty mosques could beckon?

SOOTHSAYER: (Clears his throat) Perchance only a fulfillment of some Marabout’s prescription. Thinketh thou sixty mosques are exigent to Gambia’s clarion call, and not food on tables, roofs over abodes, jobs on hands of ailing and penniless youth? Of late the rains did come and flooded many a home.

BARROW: I came for only two things–my pocket and Mankaman Kunda. That is why thou seest not a prosperous venture my lease invites. Many could easily rise president in a jiffy, but few change the lives of their people. I shall let you decide, of these two, where I belong.

SOOTHSAYER: But from whence the money for sixty houses of worship? And art thou thoroughly religious? Tell the soothsayer, who doth thou taketh as a disposer of thy affairs–God or Marabouts?

BARROW: Both.

SOOTHSAYER: An antithesis to the God who created this universe and His solid injunctions–God the inventor of existence, the custodian of time, and the author of destiny! Thou shall not build mosques to beguile the pious while thou consult oracles and Marabouts.

BARROW: Thou admonish too often these days and prognosticate less.

SOOTHSAYER: I call for a honest Gambia. Will thou permit my call for a ‘Witches’ Drum call’ to fight corruption in thy government? Such drums will purge all those with ill-gotten wealth to dance in thy own eyes. Grant it–if thou deemeth thy hands cleanest!

BARROW: (Somewhat angered) I stole nothing. I built Mankamang Kunda with honest earnings.

SOOTHSAYER: Then permit it! Permit ‘Buwaa Tantango’ here at State House. All will answer that tasted ill-gotten wealth.

BARROW: Permitted! And thy head on the guillotine if none answered once the drums go off!

SOOTHSAYER: (Softly) Agreed!

(Drummers in very scary outfits, masks, ostrich feathers, lion skins and heads, crocodile heads, rhino teeth, barge in with a musical frenzy. A tall, dark and lean man sings atop his voice in Mandinka)

TALL MAN: “MINGMANG KUU KEH, KUU TAYMAH,” meaning nothing shall touch he who did nothing wrong! (As the drumming gets intense, Amadou Sanneh enters)

SANNEH: (Dancing wild and shouting) Behold! I was only finance minister! (He dances again and collapses. Isatou Touray enters next).

TOURAY: (Spreading and swinging arms in a whirlwind) Oi! Oi! This Buwaa Tantango! Oi this Buwaa Tantango! (She dances like a crazy woman and collapses. Next enter Ba Tambedou and Henry Gomez. They both dance and collapse. The crowd watches Amie and Talib Bensouda enter. They both perform to the delight of the drummers and collapse. A sweaty and very unsteady messenger enters with news).

MESSENGER: Great Ousainou seeks admittance!

BARROW: Admit him that has sired me–of days gone yet refuse to go! Flute man, drummers, fiddlers, can we sweeten our ears with music that is more vehement?

(Enter Darboe with guards and attendants as traditional music is played)

DARBOE: Yo listen up! Y’all garra listen! Who said Ousainou still listens to the classicals?

CROWD: What doth thou listen to since thou became vice president?

DARBOE: Rap! Hipop! Yo, put in some Drake and Rihanna or Lil Wayne. If not I’ll pull all my supporters away! Remember I broke the coalition. I’m capable of breaking y’all.

BARROW: Play some gangster rap of the dirty South for my sire. He is too charged for the classicals this hour.

SOOTHSAYER: Not fair! Not fair! He has to hear what everyone else heard!

TALL MAN: No need! The first sound is what matters. He’s too loose now and without inhibitions. My portions spare none that came close to ill-wealth.

BARROW: Hey drummers, I warn you! If you’re not too careful, I myself will jump in! (With that, the President throws himself into the crowd and dances wild)

TALL MAN: What did I say?

(As rap music is played, a thug-looking fellow in some dirty bandana with big beards, tattoos and dark shades suddenly emerges among the Vice President’s attendants. He stuns everyone with his hipop moves as more ministers join him in the dance frenzy)

FIRST LADY: Oh my God! He’s awesome! (She approaches the man who grabs her hands and dances with her as the crowd cheers. More civil servants from the boisterous crowd take turns to dance with both ‘thug’ and First Lady. At some point, Amie Bensouda accidentally hits the dark shades of the ‘thug’, dropping it on the floor. His big beards fall apart as he struggles to pick the glasses. His masked face is apparent)

FIRST LADY: (On top of her tonsils) It’s Mai Fatty!

BARROW: What?

ACT 4 SCENE 2

(Gambians gather over newspapers the following morning, gawking at headlines that flash: “From Minister to Party Crasher– Former Interior Minister Was Show-Stopper at State House.” People share Whatsapp messages of a long-bearded stranger dancing with Gambia’s First Lady as Darboe asks for more Lil Wayne and Drake songs)

FIRST GAMBIAN: But this wasn’t a party. It was ‘Buwaa Tangtango.’ Where was Fatoumata Tambajang.

SECOND GAMBIAN: I heard she was dancing too wild at home.

THIRD GAMBIAN: She should be the first to dance and collapse.

To be Continued, Insha Allaah!

“Great leaders of great nations rise to make history; African leaders rise to make money.” Gambiano.

Gunjur, West Coast Region, 26^thJuly, 2018 –His Excellency President Adama Barrow and his Minister of Information and Communication Infrastructure, Ebrima Sillah, have outlined the communications and digital policy of the government which is aimed at connecting the Gambia to the world’s digital economy.

At a meeting in Brikama, West Coast region, as part of the ongoing countrywide tour, the President of the Republic announced that the government is about to roll out a new street lightening project that would provide 5,000 street lights across the country, and the same time, deliver easy internet connectivity for Gambians. Each of these street lights, according to him, would be fitted with a 24-hour CCTV surveillance camera and wireless internet hotspot for the use of the public.

The electro-digital blueprint will help boost security and cut down crime rates by improving the surveillance capacity of our security services, while providing affordable and easy access to internet.

In addition to the 5000 street lights, he announced that: “another 2,000 street lights will be installed through World Bank funding, and will be fitted with bulbs that would save energy by 75 per cent”.

The President made these revelations in reaction to a woman councilor who appealed for government to help bring back street lights in Brikama. She said the dark streets shield crimes and criminal activities by “unscrupulous” individuals who use the cover of the darkness to rob and attack unsuspecting people.

President Barrow assured the people of Brikama that their concerns would addressed stressing that the project will kick off in the town, taking into account its strategic geography and demographic constitution.

Speaking at various places in the West Coast Region, Ebrima Sillah, new Minister of Information and Communications Infrastructure, weighed in on the ICT plans highlighted by the President, earlier. He outlined government’s digital policy for all sectors of the economy, emphasizing that technology is the future.

Guaranteeing that the country’s digital revolution would take off, the Hon. Minister announced that Gamtel has completed a nationwide survey and identified places where WiFi hotspots would be installed for use by the general public. The pilot project, according him, would include Brusubi Turntable, Westfield, Serekunda Market, Brikama, Gunjur, among other places. He added that all fishing boats in coastal communities in Kombo North and Greater Banjul would have WiFi navigation systems with weather forecast capabilities to ensure safety at sea.

In terms of rate collection, the Hon. Minister explained that all taxes and rates collected on behalf of government, city and area councils would deliver cellphone confirmation to the payee. He said the technology would help prevent siphoning of tax monies and facilitate easier payment systems for citizens.

Minister Sillah also explained that all compounds in The Gambia will be registered on a central digital platform. Village and district authorities would also be on the same platform to ensure proper monitoring and accounting, by a way of automatic notification to the authorities, of foreign strangers or guests that might be hosted in any compound, village, town or city in the country.

In the area of security, government would install a 24-hour emergency hotline system that make the nearest police station reachable by speed dial.  Once there is a crime or a suspicion of illegal acts being committed, these numbers will be used to send alerts to a nearby police installation. Sillah maintained that, through this, security would be boosted and its dividend to national development fully reaped by the state.

The health component of the plan would create a similar registry for pregnant women that would allow them easy contact with the nearest health facilities. According to the Minister, it would allow health workers to monitor, respond and send alerts to couples when the time for clinical visits are due.

For tourists visiting the country, each hotel room will be fitted with a programmed cultural and historical mini-documentary. Tourists will view the explanations of the country’s rich history and cultural heritage, plus the country’s exotic eco-destinations in languages they understand. It will guide them to choose where they want to visit while they are here.

“Technology is the future,” Minster Sillah said, maintaining that virtual classrooms are also part of this national digitization plan.

Also speaking at the Brikama meeting, the Minister of Local Government assured that they are aware of the challenges the Brikama Area Council face in meeting its responsibilities. The provision of basic needs for all communities in their jurisdiction remained challenging, especially when mining revenues were transferred to central government, he posited.

“Government is studying the situation and drawing up a plan to bring solutions to the local government capacity structures, accordingly,” Minister Drammeh said.

A Seven-man delegation from the privately owned Guangdong New South Group Company Limited in Beijing, China, was on July 26th, 2018 received by the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, Mr. Ebrima O. Camara, in his office in Banjul.

The team was led by the Gambian Ambassador to China, His Excellency Faye Ceesay. The four-day visit to the country was aimed at establishing cooperation with The Gambia Government with a view to eradicating malaria in the country. The Group proposes to launch an anti-malaria programme in The Gambia, which has been tested and widely acclaimed as a success in stopping malaria becoming the killer it is known to be.

In welcoming the delegation, Permanent Secretary Camara underscored the importance of partnership to help address the malaria problem. He expressed hope that the anti-malaria programme if implemented will be a key success for the Government of The Gambia noting that malaria is a killer disease the elimination of which would be a desired outcome for The Gambia.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of Guangdong, Mr Zhu Layi,said they intended to eliminate malaria in The Gambia through artemisinin, an anti-malaria medicine that is extracted from sweet wormwood plants that are native to China.

He added that the Company is a diversified company engaged in manufacturing traditional Chinese medicine, property development, hotel service, energy development, and financial services with business across more than 20 cities in the Chinese mainland along with several overseas locations such as Singaphore, Australia, Kenya and Nigeria.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended artemisinin as effective cure for malaria and the Company has acquired patent protection in 38 countries for its anti-malaria medicines.

Issued by: Communication Unit
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International
Cooperation and Gambians Abroad

When a part of society is hurting, and another part is not listening, then a few individuals can play leader/hero and build walls. Leadership and heroism are not to be found in those who lead the masses by holding onto their power or position.

Those we regard as leaders exploit knowingly and unknowingly what we feel is our identity. Leadership is to be found in those who encourage participation and heal brokenness. They bandage our wounded egos and separateness of identity with what is common to us all and what is absolute—we are human beings who seek wholeness and life. Democracy fails in this because we listen to “a majority” and then we draw hard lines and quickly classify people as “us and them.” Democracy fails when it is not purposefully led.

President Adama Barrow’s style of leadership is, in my view, out of tune with the 21st century. He is like a man on a white stallion with an upraised sword who says, “I have all the answers, I know everything, and I will solve all your problems. I will cut through the Gordian knot.” A one-man show was feasible in the days gone by, but in the complex 21st century, the ability to build a team is far more important. In a coalition government, we don’t see that. Hardly any coalition minister feels he has any authority over his own portfolio or command over his own ministry. There may be one exception or maybe two, but every decision has to be referred to the Office of the President. Speeches and all major policies are all made at the State House and, in the end, supports the one-man show. That is a big flaw when you look back at the leadership style of President Adama Barrow.

Whatever the field, a good leader has to at least have three qualities: 1) the ability, obviously, to inspire. That means communication has to be effective and motivational, 2) the ability to lead by example. If, in the context of soccer, you are seen as a captain who doesn’t deserve that place, then your authority will definitely suffer, and 3) the ability to let your followers feel that the victory is theirs, not yours.

In every field, a leader should not only be all about himself or herself. Be it winning an election or a game of soccer, or even improving a sales record, the team must feel we did it. If one person takes all the credit and hogs the limelight, then I’m afraid the team will not be motivated for the next game.

26 July, 2018: We are dismayed by the unfortunate comments made by President Adama Barrow at a rally, during his ongoing connect with the people tour. The Gambian leader aimed a dig at Gambians in the Diaspora, saying, ‘‘they are disgruntled elements who came to The Gambia seeking jobs, didn’t get it and have now become hate mongers’’.

Amazing huh! Is this not the same President Barrow who during his 2017 visit to New York City, acknowledged the efforts of the People of the Democratic Republic of Facebook, which he said, was the ouster of Dictator Yaya Jammeh? In fact he promised on that fateful day, that he will not repeat that same mistake and went on to say in his own words that; ‘‘I would like to thank the Gambians in the diaspora and social media for campaigning for me, The Gambia needs you’’.

Surprisingly enough, the said people of the Democratic Republic of Facebook are now seen by President Adama Barrow as bad elements who always contradict his words. Face bookers are all “baakotong feh’nyo lu” the tail of a goat, which has no other use than dispersing flies. He added.

Well the Facebook Republic, is here to stay, Mr. President, it will support a new generation of progressive young leaders to fight for progressive change, elevating political consciousness among others. This will transform Gambia’s politics and economic systems in responsive to the needs of The Gambians. We are dedicated to liberate Gambians from the bondage of being led by pensioners and replace them with energetic and talented Youth.

The people of the Democratic Republic of Facebook demand an apology from President Barrow, to minimize defect for a better Gambia we all want. Gambia belongs to Gambians both at home and abroad and in speaking we can make it great.

Meanwhile, our doors remain open to talk possibilities of a rapprochement.

Saidina Alieu Jarjou

Political Activist

Our president must refrain from divisive statements and seek to accommodate and unify all of our citizens. The Gambia has passed that stage for a politician to once again hoodwink our people or derail this country with impunity. His advisers need to tell him to review his position in order to better serve the nation. We did not kick out Yaya Jammeh only to welcome and pamper a baby president.

What Adama Barrow, Our Chief Servant, needs to understand is that individuals don’t hate him or simply dislike him or are angry simply because they cannot get jobs or just want to merely criticize him for the sake of criticism.

Our citizens who raise issues and concerns do so out of love for country and responsibility as citizens by law to hold the government accountable. These criticisms are rooted in our history and experience, not just in the past 22 years of brutal dictatorship but also in recognition of the failure of our leaders and governments since independence to position this country on the path of good governance and sustainable development.

Therefore what Barrow got to realize is that those he calls haters are actually guardians of our democracy and supreme national interests. Those criticisms indicate that he is taking decisions and making actions that are threats to our democracy and national interests.

Hence our citizens cannot sit quiet to watch again another political leader mislead this country. Thus if indeed Barrow truly wants to be a true leader of our people who transforms our lives for the better by efficiently and effectively managing our resources in transparency and accountability then he needs to welcome those so-called haters and their criticisms as resources that will help him.

Barrow must realize that there is a category of Gambians who will never ever sit quiet and lame ever again to watch politicians and public officers destroy our country. Never! If we are accused of being silent or found nowhere when Yaya Jammeh was bastardizing our rights and lives, we have now learnt that lesson well enough that we will not be silent and indifferent ever again!

No politician or public officer can ever again fool or threaten our people or arrogate to yourself the monopoly of truth, power and righteousness. No way.

So long as Pres. Barrow treads on wrong decisions and actions he must be prepared to receive a barrage of criticisms for as long as he is president. So far he has indeed made several wrong decisions and actions that deserve serious bashing.

Adama Barrow, Our Chief Servant must realize that the Gambian People pay him a salary of D200,000 a month with no tax attached plus huge benefits and incentives with a lofty retirement package. We pay him such huge resources for only one thing: To do the right job in the right way only.

We do not pay him so that he can engage in bad decisions and bad actions or perpetrate patronage, corruption, exclusion and divisions in our society. So long as he does any of those then he must be ready to receive the wrath of the people. We do not pay him for failure or mistakes or poor performance.

Once again we elected him and pay him for only one purpose, that is, to protect our rights and satisfy our needs. No more. No less.

I, Madi Jobarteh do not need any favour from any politician or public officer. God the Almighty has endowed me with all the necessary capacity to acquire knowledge and skills that should enable me obtain decent jobs from both The Gambia and around the world to earn a decent life. Hence I do not necessarily need a Gambia Government job even though I reserve my right to seek and obtain any job from The Gambia Government – from being a president to a cleaner in Boraba Lower Basic School.

Hence Pres. Barrow must stop being divisive and follow the law in fulfillment of his functions as president. He must appreciate all Gambians regardless of their position towards him bearing in mind that it was a great honour and privilege for Gambians to choose him to be our president. Many more Gambians of higher qualification and competence than him could acquire that seat.

The fact that he is the current president means he must humble himself to welcome any criticism, sincere or insincere, in the same way he receives praises. He must be honest to himself that we elected him as president not for his own sake but to serve our people. In that service he must be honest to himself again to realize that we won’t all agree with him, rightly or wrongly.

Therefore honesty demands that he welcomes all praises and criticisms equally and refrain from characterizing some citizens as haters and desperadoes! Rather he needs to listen to those criticisms and use them as a mirror to see himself better, with honesty.

Throwing aspersions and divisive and threatening statements will only erode his credibility, constrain his leadership and make his government ineffective. Is that the legacy he wants to create? That’s up to him. But the bottom line is that so long as wrong decisions are taken and wrong actions are made then harsh criticisms will follow, without remorse, hesitation or mercy! The ball is in his court!

For The Gambia ?? Our Homeland

The Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC) on Wednesday, July 25, 2018 appeared before the National Assembly Select Committee on Public Enterprises presided over by Honourable Halifa Sallah at the National Assembly in Banjul.

The SSHFC Officials presented their Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31st December 2015.

The report, amongst others things indicates the Corporation role as the sole pension provider to employees of both public and private sectors in country. It also operates housing schemes on mortgage or commercial basis to the general public.

Augustus Prom, a private audit firm reported that the Corporation”s internal audit reports does not indicate its implementation status of audit issues raised in the previous reports. It fails to provide the Annual Work Plan of the Internal Audit Unit for review.

The private audit firm observed that the Corporation lacks adequate collateral in place to ensure the recovery of staff loans. The Corporation fails to establish a linkage of the income to the awarded contracts to ensure that the contracts in place are valid.

“There is no mention of ‘spot check cash-counts’ (without notification) cash counts for cash collection areas within the Corporation,” Augustus Prom told National Assembly Members.

The Auditors added the lack of mechanism to ensure loan agreements are in place for loans to be disbursed. It is recommended that the Internal Audit Unit developed a work plan with approval from the Board’s subcommittee.

Muhammed Manjang, the Director General of SSHFC said the Corporation has recorded a consolidated net surplus of D5.47 Millions where the Federated Pension Scheme (FPS) accounted D21.10 Millions, National Provident Fund (NPF) accounted a deficit of D15.06 Millions while the Housing and Finance Fund (HFF) accounted a deficit of D4.37 Millions whereas the Industrial Compensation Fund (ICF) accounted D3.80 Millions.

DG Manjang revealed that the total Net Assets grew by 4% from D5.49 Billion in 2014 to D5.68 Billion in December 2015 of which D1.46 Billion was accounted for by the FPS, whilst NPF, HFF and Industrial Injuries Compensation Fund (IICF) contributed D3.32 Billion, D535.53 Millions and D366.60 Millions respectively.

“Members’ Fund grew by 5% to D5 billion during the year under review,” DG Manjang said.

Abdoulie Cham, Finance Director explained that the surplus for the year 2015 was D21,100,000 Millions which in his words was less than the year 2014.

According to Augustus Prom Audit Firm the NPF of which its total equity investments amounted to D1,152,000,000 has an amount of D709 million that is non-performing equity comprising of 61.55% of the total equity of the NPF.

A total loan of D1,157,000,000 Billion was disbursed to member institutions that have been non-moving since 2013. There was no repayments for a period of three years that the Auditors opined could have negative impact on the Corporation if the trend continues.

On the National Provident Fund, the Finance Director disclosed that the Corporation for the year 2015 registered a deficit of D15,062,000 Millions whereas it accounted for D25,534,000 as a deficit in 2014.

Meanwhile, the Housing Finance Fund (HFF) has registered a deficit of D4,367,000 at the end of the year 2015 whilst the previous year 2014 was D3,311,000 Millions. The sittings continues tomorrow.

Euan McDOUGALL, Project Manager of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has said that 3,484 Gambian returnees are assisted by his organization since January 2017.

Mr Euan made these revelations at the EU–IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration forum held at the Kairaba Beach Hotel in Kololi.

“The IOM has assisted 3,484 Gambian returnees since January 2017,” Euan IOM Project Manager said.

The 3 year project which is part of a regional initiative to address 14 Sahel countries including The Gambia, Lake Chad region as well as Libya. It proposes to strengthen migration governance for sustainable reintegration of returning migrants in The Gambia.

“The project is funded by the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF) for a total of €3.9 Million,” he added.

The IOM Project Manager has added that most of the Gambian returnees are male with 98 percent compared to their female counterparts.

The Project Manager of The Gambia Youth Empowerment Project (YEP), Raimund Moser also spoke about the initiatives made since last year.

The YEP Project is reportedly focused on Agribusiness, Tourism and ICT amongst others. It is a 4 year project with budget of €11 Million Euros.

“We are targeting 2000 new jobs and also 2000 improved jobs,” Raimund said.

According to the project manager 1, 531 youths were trained while 425 of them were given support in small and medium enterprises. He added that 57, 841 youths were reached with an estimate of 25 implementing partners.

Questions were asked as to whether the youth were consulted before making interventions. It was disclosed that some of the youth never showed interest in certain intervention areas.

Meanwhile, the project manager said there is communication before reintegration and monitoring as well.

Acting in accordance with Section 22 of the TRRC Act, 2017 and in consultation with the Executive Secretary of the TRRC, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice Mr. Abubacarr Tambadou has appointed Musu Bakoto Sawo as Deputy Executive Secretary of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission.

Musu Bakoto Sawo is a law lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of The Gambia. She holds a Master of Laws (LLM) in Human rights and Democratization in Africa from the University of Pretoria and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of The Gambia. Musu is the National Coordinator of Think Young Women and Programme Officer for The Girl Generation in The Gambia.

Among other notable achievements, Musu was co-Recipient of the 2017 Vera Chirwa award by the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria in recognition of her advocacy for the rights of women and girls in The Gambia, and for being a leading African voice in the fight against harmful practices especially Female Genital Mutilation. In 2018, Queen Elizabeth of England awarded her the 52nd Commonwealth Point of Light in honour of her exceptional voluntary service in promoting women’s empowerment and campaign to end FGM.

Reacting to her appointment, Musu said, “I am honoured by this opportunity and pray that I remain grounded and true to the objectives of the TRRC while in office. My aim is to have an inclusive TRRC that takes into account all the different dynamics that may exclude certain voices, i.e. women and girls. I am excited to begin this journey and I am hopeful that the TRRC will take the most appropriate measures to ensure that the victims of human rights violations under the past regime get the justice they desire.”

“I think we are very fortunate to have Musu Bakoto Sawo on our leadership team,” Said Dr. Baba Galleh Jallow, Executive Secretary of the TRRC. “Musu brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in human rights law, democratization, and gender and child rights advocacy which will be invaluable to our work at the TRRC. Her appointment also demonstrates our commitment to promoting the voices of women, young people and children, especially girl-children in our TRRC process.”