By Arfang M.S. Camara

The Minority leader and National Assembly member for Niamina Dankunku, Hon. Samba Jallow, has faulted the government of the Gambia for not issuing ID cards to citizens, adding that the issue of national ID cards is a nightmare to the Gambian citizens.

Hon. Samba Jallow was speaking on Tuesday at the National Assembly while moving the motion of sine-die adjournment debate session before parliamentarians.

He further said that the government has failed the Gambian people for not issuing them with ID card for over an year, adding that this doesn’t tell well to the Coalition Government as the issue has been lingering to the mines of Gambians for a long time now.

“To me, I think that the Coalition Government is not delivering up to the expectations of the Gambian people because these are minor issues that government can do for its citizen. It is very important for a citizen to have his/her own country’s document”. He said

He added that Gambians are moving in and out of the country without carrying valid National I.D card saying that some don’t even have one at all

“Traveling with an I.D card is not about identification alone but helps to also trace ones nationality. We have seen a lot of issues surrounding national I.D cards in the country”, adding that talks about Semlex given the contract to produce the country’s I.D cards is still not confirmed.

“There are rumors that Semlex was given that contract by the former government”. He explained.

He called on the Justice Minister who was present at the National Assembly to tell them (Parliamentarians) what is holding the production of I.D card, adding that this doesn’t tell well on the Coalition government who has been in power for over a year without producing I.D cards and passports to its citizens.

By Sana Sarr

About two weeks ago, The Minister of Health and Social Welfare delivered a speech in which she blamed the country’s ailing health system in part to “doctors stealing medicine” from the hospitals and selling them in their private pharmacies. In response, the Association of Gambian Resident Doctors issued a statement demanding a withdrawal of the minister’s statements, an apology from the minister and the minister’s resignation among other things. They threatened to go on a sit down strike if their demands were not met. I must admit that i was dismayed by this rather bold and seemingly uncompromising stance. To begin with, I know that the minister will not bear the brunt of any strike, for she, like other top government officials, probably has access to resources to send their close family members abroad for medical attention should they need it. The poor innocent Gambians will be the ones to suffer. However, I was hesitant to condemn the doctors because I also know that perhaps more than anyone else, certainly more than the politicians, they are professionals and they care about their patients. With this in mind, I held off on taking a side on the dispute. All i kept asking for was that our leadership takes leadership to help resolve the issue so it wouldn’t get to a strike.

Unfortunately, that was not to be. Not enough was done and the doctors proceeded to begin phase 1 of their strike. The minister delivered what many consider a half-assed unapologetic apology but the doctors saw  through the smokescreen and refused to budge. Phase 2 of the strike has now been activated. More Gambians are aware and, consequently, emotions have started running high. Unfortunately, I find that a lot of the negative comments i see on Social Media are, in my opinion, misdirected towards the doctors. A good number are due to a lack of understanding of the doctors’ demands or their reasons. Many, understandably,  are rooted in the sympathy for the innocent patients. Some are rooted in outright political bias, and others in downright ignorance

Let me begin by reminding you all that Gambian doctors are paid significantly less than many of their counterparts around the world. Yet, there is nothing in their demands even mentions their salaries or compensation. That should answer some of the critics calling them selfish.

Below in italics are some of the comments I saw online followed by my reaction to them.

“The strike is unjustifiable because the doctors are doing it only because their egos are bruised by the minister’s remarks. Why did they not go on strike to demand better health facilities?”

This suggests a lack of understanding of why the doctors are on strike. From their press statements, what I understand is that the minister’s remarks were only the tipping point that pushed the doctors over the edge of what was already a fragile relationship between them and their minister. Yes, they want the minister to apologize for her remarks and to resign, but the resignation is because the doctors feel they need a more competent individual who they feel will be capable of moving the ministry in the right direction. The apology may fix the “bruised egos”, but there will be no change in policies and direction if the same leadership remains. I think this is a simple enough issue. If the people you are supposed to lead say they have no confidence in you, what’s the point of staying? Sudorn mann la sah ma gehda!

“The minister was justified because we all know doctors steal medication from the hospital”

All the doctors serve under the supervision of the ministry of health. The minister has the authority to set up a task force to investigate any wrongdoing by the doctors. It is the minister’s responsibility to create the structures and policies to ensure accountability for all the hospital resources including medication. A failure of that system ultimately rests on the minister. There is therefore no reason for the minister to go out in public and make generalized accusations when she has not done anything to address the problem internally.

Why do the statements mean so much to the doctors? It’s rather simplistic to blame it on “egos.” It is deeper than that. The relationship between doctors and patients is based on confidence. If that confidence is undermined,  especially by the doctor’s boss, there remains little to go by. Patients will have no confidence in their doctors after they’ve been told by the Minister that the doctors are thieves and cheats.

Similarly, the relationship between doctors and the minister is also based on trust and confidence. With these remarks, it’s clear there is no trust. How then can the two parties continue to work with each other?

“By going on strike over who the minister is, the doctors are betraying the oath they signed to save lives”

I went back to read the hippocratic oath. I got the feeling that many who cite that oath have no clue what it says. I suggest that folks go and read it before trying to use it for an argument.

“The doctors should care about the patients”

From their statements, I understand that the change in the leadership that the doctors are demanding is in the hopes of bringing better services to their patients. “You cannot make an omelette without breaking eggs” is the saying. We all know that unlike most other countries, doctors in The Gambia are not the best paid. The rigor of medical school is also well-known, so I doubt many put themselves through the years of studying if they did not care about their patients. The doctors also live in The Gambia with their relatives and friends. Again, we know they’re not the richest so most of them cannot afford to send their families abroad for treatment. Therefore, this strike affects them as much as anyone, especially those of us in the diaspora, sending condemnation via social media.

“A medical emergency should be declared and a request be made to China and Cuba to airlift doctors to come treat our people to replace immoral striking doctors”

This is probably the dumbest of the ones I saw. Really, genius? Rather than ask the leadership of our government to sit with the doctors and resolve this as a family we should go bring Chinese and Cuban doctors to replace them? Are those Cubans and Chinese doctors going to remain in the country forever? And you call us an “independent” nation? Should we discard the Gambians who have spent years studying and serving our sick and vulnerable just because we disagree with them one time? And what do you do when we fall out with China and Cuba, run to Pakistan and North Korea? Or do you suggest we become a colony of China and Cuba?

”And the bloody fools should all be prosecuted if they go to work in their private clinics as well.”

That’s another gem I saw on Facebook. I don’t even know where to begin responding to this one. Prosecute individuals for working in their own private clinics. Maybe President Barrow should get a different haircut, begin walking on his knees and be renamed Kim-Jong-Adu! The North Korean dictatorship is a lie!

Here we are, two weeks later, and not a word from the executive. The president was busy posing in front of the main hospital, talking about “refurbishments” of the physical structures as his  claim to “prioritize” healthcare, while there were no doctors inside the hospital. The Vice President was posing for pictures at the Commission on the Status of Women, (CSW) conference at the United Nations. Meanwhile, poor women in The Gambia can’t find doctors to treat them. NOT A WORD! This nonchalant, even negligent, attitude of our top administration, added to some of the angry, sometimes vile, rhetoric against the doctors helped push me to be more sympathetic to what may have pushed the doctors to that desperate corner.

While i understand the sentiments and rationale asking the doctors to return to work out of consideration for the innocent patients, I can also see why they will believe that any softening of their stance will result in their plight being totally ignored. If the administration is unwilling to budge, even at the risk of patients dying, what is to say that they will even speak to the doctors if they simply go back to work? President Barrow did not bat an eyelid when he fired Mai Ahmad Fatty, someone he called a friend, without so much as an explanation to Gambians. How then, is the Minister of Health, who is not a technocrat in the health field, so indispensable to the government that they’re willing to lose doctors and patients to keep her as health minister? How difficult would it be to simply assign her to a different ministry, even if it’s just to save lives? When the players of a football team collective declare a lack of confidence in their coach, the administration has no option but to let the coach go. Soldiers cannot be led by a general they have no trust or confidence in. This should not be that complicated.

This whole episode is a very sad and difficult one for me. Personally, I would have asked the doctors to try different methods of pushing to make the changes they seek. However, after seeing how the leadership has stubbornly ignored their demands, I can totally understand why the doctors felt they had no better alternatives. I continue to hope and pray that cooler heads prevail, and that no innocent lives are lost. We can do better!

The new German Interior Minister Mr. Horst Lorenz Seehofer has vowed that his office will increase deportations of rejected asylum-seekers from Germany.

Mr. Seehofer was speaking to the press after a visit to the Donauwört concentration [asylum] camp, a day after the incident which saw over 30 Gambian asylum seekers being detained over their immigration statuses.

Over 200-member police-troop descended on Donauworth town, in the Bayerische region (Munich) of Germany, where more than 300 Gambian migrants reside, conducting arrests and taking at least 30 into custody.

According to eyewitnesses, the “unfriendly police action” included assaults, when hound dogs and riot gear police raided the community on Tuesday afternoon in an operation that lasted hours into the evening last week.

In a statement released from the Bayerische state police after their operation in Donauwörth, they claimed the arrested individuals are being investigated for “breach of the peace, resistance to law enforcement officers, attempted dangerous assault and insults.”

“It came as a result of an attempt to deport one of our brothers to Italy last (Monday) night at about 3.30 a.m. We protested his taking away because it was not the right time for him to be sent away to Italy, according to a letter sent to him from the Foreign Office in Augsburg,” a resident there explained.

Due to that protest incident, the deportation effort of the Gambian migrant was postponed. However, the police reacted with massive raids the next afternoon, taking into custody at least 30.

Donauwört city has recently become a hot spot for West African migrants. Several attempts were reportedly made by the migrants to negotiate for better conditions of living just as other states in that country. The last of that was meeting held on Feb. 28, 2018.

In reaction to their demands, the state instead issued a directive, announcing further cuts to social benefits for the asylum seekers, including transportation to school and monthly allowances (pocket money).

Early this month, the city of Donauwört also became the scene of mass protests by asylum seekers, marching out of their asylum camp and dispersing into the city and elsewhere.

“We march out for a better place… that might be better than living without life and peace in Donauwört,” a protestor was quoted as saying, upon receiving the news about cuts on their benefits in that city.

“In Donauwört, we lack almost all the opportunities that other refugees in Germany enjoy as entitlements,” he added.

The marching refugees headed towards the train station. Upon their arrival there, they were stopped by police. Roads were blocked for some time, before trains were allowed to depart on a normal routine.

Meanwhile, the refugee crisis has become a big issue for the city residents at Donauworth; their Social Court has intervened in the crisis through the Refugee Council of Bayern, promising that the Social Welfare Office has reconsidered some refugees to reapply for their social benefits.

The fear factors for the high presence of refugees from West Africa, according to some analysts, are also related to the spread of the Islamic religion by the migrants.

The new Interior minister, a politician of the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU) and the chairman of his party was also quoted as saying that Islam does not belong to Germany. “Germany is shaped by Christianity,” he stated.

From 2008 to 2018, Horst Lorenz Seehofer was minister president of Bavaria, and now serves as the German minister of Interior.

The Bavarian Refugee Council also views the police action against refugees as “massive intimidation attempt by the residents of Donauwörth.”

“The intervention of the police is a lack of real sense,” criticized Stephan Dünnwald, spokesman for the Bavarian Refugee Council.

Source: The Point Newspaper

There is no doubt that the former government almost destroyed our economy, and many other things besides. We all saw and agreed that something had to be done. We fought and were victorious. We ushered in a new government and said that we will have a system change. We will put in place policies which will straighten our institutions, improve our economy, reduce youth unemployment and many other lofty objectives.

Well, it turns out that changing all the bad policies which put us in this mess in such a short time is a tall order. But we don’t need to throw in the towel yet; we have to be resilient. It is true that no one can achieve drastic changes without having to do some unpleasant things in the process. That is why we saw – or at least I saw – the introduction of the vehicle policy as an excellent way to begin. Unfortunately, it seems to have been ‘eaten up by the wolves’, at least for now.

This would have been a very good way to save a lot of money which is doubtlessly needed in our current situation. We need to save as much money as possible seeing that the former government almost bankrupted the country before its downfall. So, we would have thought that everyone would be prepared to face the harsh consequences of this and face the unpleasantness of economic adjustment. But, again, we seemed to have been wrong, somewhat.

Another point we might have needed – might still do – is minimizing the other forms of wastage that goes on in our government. For instance, your travels (I am not referring to the numeracy of your foreign trips having repeatedly written and spoken about that already), I am talking about the convoys and pomp that go with it. I was on the road this morning and observed the many vehicles that accompany you to the airport. The closure of the roads and the fact that many, if not most, high government functionaries have to leave their work and see you off.

If we were able to quantify the amount of money that is lost due to these delays and absence from work of these officials, we would seek to put a stop to it immediately. Your security, of course, is of paramount importance but it does not have to be with all those vehicles burning all that fuel which all costs a lot of money. We are trying to reduce cost and  spending thrice more funds in other areas.

We need to be smarter in the way we spend the taxpayers’ money!

Have a Good Day Mr President…

Tha Scribbler Bah

A Concerned Citizen

By Arfang M.S. Camara

The National Assembly Member for Lower Badibou, Hon. Alagie Jawara has stated that as lawmakers they have all the right to vet any person that the President appoints.

He added that the National Assembly has come up with a committee called the Public Appointment Committee which should be vetting anyone the president wants to appoint so as to see and know the person’s ability to man that position.

The Honorable Member applauds the Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Mariama Jack-Denton for coming up with the idea.

Hon. Alagie Jawara was speaking in an interview with the Fatu Network held at the National Assembly Conference Hall, on Friday.

Alagie is the son of Muhammed Joof Jawara and Saffiatou Hydara. He was born and raised in Badibou Kerewan.

The NAM for Lower Badibou further said that the committee which will soon come into effect will help know the qualifications, competence, capability and ability of any individual who is about to the appointed by the president. He went on to say that this would help the government to not appoint people based on friendship or relations but ability and qualifications.

“This committee will be very important to any individual who wants to manage a public office so that they will not be making mistakes”.

He also went on to advised the Gambian leader Adama Barrow to listen to parliamentarians and the executive around him, adding that they are one of the branches of the government that helps in implementing development agendas.

The Proprietor of Mobicel Multimedia Telecom Company, Bala Jassey has said that the former President Yahya Jammeh has apologized to him three times at a meeting at Kanilai.

Mr Jassey made these revelations amongst others at the commission of inquiry probing into the financial dealings of the former President Yahya Jammeh and his close associates at the Djembe Beach Hotel, Kololi.

“The former president stood and apologized to me three good times in the presence of everyone,” Bala Jassey said.

“Jammeh said he was misled by the minutes given to him about me,” he added.

The Mobicel Proprietor said he was invited to a meeting with the former president through a telephone call by the former Secretary General, Momodou Sabally at Kanilai, the former president’s home village.

Jassey who went to the meeting with his Swiss counterpart said when they arrived at Kanilai they found Momodou Sabally sitting next to the former president with General Saul Badjie and former Gamtel Managing Director, Babucarr Sanyang. He said the former president wanted MGI to takeover the International Gateway from Tel Company.

“The former president instructed Sabally to terminate the services of Tel Company as soon as possible,” he said.

However, he said the Agreement with MGI was signed but he does not know when, where or who the signatories were.

When asked about his relations to General Saul Badjie which he said was established through a telephone conversation, he said he does not introduced General Badjie to the MGI Manager.

“I have never introduced General Badjie to MGI Manager,” he asserted.

Jassey said it was General Badjie who took him to the then Secretary General, Momodou Sabally for him to install a Cisco Wireless for the former First Lady.

A folder containing documents relating to Mobicel Multimedia Telecom Company was admitted and marked as exhibits.

When questioned about the management service agreement between Mobicel and MGI Company, his respond was that most of their correspondence were made through Email. Apart from the invoices he could not provide any information on the services offered to MGI Company.

Meanwhile, Mr Jassey was ordered to provide proofs of his qualifications before his next appearance.

Dear Editor,

I was deeply saddened to read on your paper on the passing of ‘Draman Touray’. I feel a real loss and pain in my heart losing a dear friend and mentor. Since learning of this devasting news, I find myself thinking how much I will miss him already.

To the man I know ‘Draman Touray’ – He was a fine gentleman and a significant influence for good in the lives of many people. A humble guy, highly charismatic with a sense of care and patriotism towards country. The smartest Gambian ever was in the field of Microsoft engineering information technological aspects.

Excellence – was the character of the man who would be my friend. He walked the earth surfaces with such ease and gently outlook on life. To great surprise, never did he even mention to me that he had attended Columbia University in the United States, except that I came across the segment he did at TAF networking event at Coral Beach Hotel back in December. ‘’Oh yeah, I did’’ he interrupted, when I enquired about his time there & work on ‘Wall Street’ with ‘Goldman sacks’, going on to explain some of his achievements & connections in the United States.

‘Draman’ was a charming young man, always modest who loves his country. Him and I would call each other over the telephone connecting London to Banjul or his office in Dakar talking for ages as if no care in the world. We would talk politics at home and the region, business and such events around the world. He loves his family, especially the kids whom he would take out around leisure parks in Dakar to enjoy playtime. A quality guy all around. An incredible human being he really was dreaming for a better Gambia. Over the years, we came to signal such catchphrases and buzz words today commonplace in Gambian discourse circles, such as ‘National Interest’, ‘Love4Country’, engaged in smart conversations; intellectual correspondences.

To the world – the city feels empty, truly, for I lost an unconditional friend. The man did possess huge passion for The Gambia & Africa’s future. ‘’Do not despair Mr Saine’’, he once told me even when all else seemed so bleak at the height of the political impasse. A cheerful outlook on life; a champion for Senegambia youths creating jobs + training opportunities throughout his companies – such is the calibre of a man Abdou Rahman Touray was.

To his family – I send my deepest condolences at this very difficult time. It is hard to know what to do in times like these, I want you to know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.

To the memory of a departed friend – He personify true friendship, always honest. I like him because he told the truth even when inconvenient to do so. And I admire his humility& patience, and for all that he was. Until we meet again, R.I.P.

Gibril Saine, London.

Aji Kura Ceesay, a sixty-eight year old woman complained about her suffering in the hands of the notorious National Intelligence Agency (NIA), under the dictatorial regime of the former President, Yahya Jammeh in January 2015.

The sixty-eight year old is the aunt of the late Alhagie Mamut Ceesay, a Gambian-US based citizen who was allegedly killed with his friend Ebou Jobe by the former president during their holiday to The Gambia.

Aji Kura, a native of Mamut Fana village in the Niamina East District of the Central River Region of the Gambia (CRR), has complained about her unlawful arrest and detention along with one ‘Oustass’ Abdoulie Gaye by the notorious National Intelligence Agency (NIA) agents without any reason given.

“An NIA agent came to my family house looking for me and I was escorted to the compound of the village head, where I found two agents waiting for me with ‘Oustass’ Abdoulie Gaye,” Aji Kura Ceesay said.

She said they boarded on the former CRR Governor’s vehicle driven by the police Station Officer (SO) to Jareng Police Station where they were briefly held in custody before taken to the NIA Headquarters in Banjul.

According to the old woman, the NIA agents deliberately avoided questions about the reason for their arrest on the way to the NIA Headquarters in Banjul.

She said they arrived late at night at the NIA Headquarters where they transferred them to a tinted car and then took them to the police headquarters.

Upon arrival, she said they saw the agents talking to a plain-cloth police officers but were later taken back to the NIA Headquarters.

Aji Kura said she was put in a cell with six other women while ‘Oustass’ Abdoulie Gaye was held at the male wing. The following morning, she said she was taken for interrogation.

“I was asked about my relations to Alhagie Mamut Ceesay,” she asserted. “I’m an aunt to him,” she responded. She continued:

“They asked whether I was aware that two US based Gambians along with their father planned to overthrow President Jammeh but I told them that I was not aware and was taken back to my cell again”.

The old woman further spoke about her ordeal in the hands of the notorious agents, complaining about severed headache and hypertension during her detention.

“I spent 28 days in custody without access to a lawyer and family members,” Aji Kura stated.

“It was horrible,” she added. The sixty-eight year old said the way they were arrested and harassed made her wonder whether the notorious NIA agents under the former regime were trained in dealing with detainees.

Meanwhile, the sixty-eight year woman called on the new government to engaged the security officials to respect human rights and to be God fearing in handling citizens.

State House, Banjul, 19 March 2018 – President Adama Barrow said he was elated to receive The chairperson of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), Mr Serdar Cam and delegation, shortly after his visit to Turkey.  President Barrow said receiving the TIKA team, demonstrated the seriousness with which President Erdogan of Turkey  attached to their discussions during his visit.       He added that refurbishment of the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, the main referral hospital emphasised the importance his government attaches to the development of the health sector.  The President thanked the Turkish government for the support and partnership with The Gambia.

The Chairperson, of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), Mr Cam informed President Barrow that their mission was to assess the situation for the renovation of the EFSTH, expansion of the National Assembly and to explore other possible areas of cooperation.

Turkish Ambassador to The Gambia, His Excellency, Ismail Sefa Yuceer re-echoed the possible areas of investment in The Gambia.  He added that his country, which is currently Chairing the Organisation of the Islamic Conference is willing to support The Gambia as it prepares to host the 2019  OIC Summit.

Foreign Affairs Minister, Honourable Ousainou Darboe who led the Turkish delegation to State House expressed the government’s commitment to further strengthen The Gambia –Turkish relationship.

In another engagement with a delegation from the West African Examination Council – WAEC, the Gambian leader said Africa can learn best practices from others by putting emphasis on science and technology as key areas to the continent’s development.

President Barrow made this remark when the Minister for Basic and Secondary Education, Honourable Claudiana Cole led a WAEC delegation to State House this morning.  He commended the Council for being a model of African integration and added that there is capacity and knowledge in Africa thus there is no excuse for failure.  President Barrow added that with the political will and commitment to education, Africa can develop. He acknowledged that Africa is on the right direction by focusing on democracy as the way forward and there is optimism about African integration.

The delegation from Liberia, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and The Gambia is currently attending the 66^th annual general meeting of WAEC which is being held in The Gambia.

Also in today’s engagement, a delegation from Madina Suwaneh in the Kolda region of Senegal led by religious leader, Sheikh Abdalaye Karamba Suwaneh called on President Barrow.   Karamba Suwaneh praised the character of President Barrow and prayed for peace and success in his undertakings.  He advised The President to remain humble, truthful and maintain the virtue of kindness.

President Barrow thanked the Khalipha of Madina Suwaneh for calling on him at his office.  He urged the religious leader to continue to pray for the peace and success for his government and the Gambian people.  Similar sentiments were expressed by the Presidential Religious Adviser at State House, Honourable Dembo Bojang.

Alhajie Alhaiba Hydara, Imam of Banjul International Airport who was part of the delegation, said for over a decade, the Khalipha conducts an annual visit to The Gambia to pray for his scholars as well as the people of the country for peace and progress to prevail.  Madina Suwaneh in Kolda, Senegal is known in the Senegambia region as a home of religious scholars.

State House, Banjul, 19 March 2018 –Office of the President informs the general public that His Excellency, Mr Adama Barrow President of the republic of The Gambia will travel to Kigali, Rwanda to attend the Extraordinary session of the African Union on the African Continent Free Trade Area.   This is the first time member states have come to such an agreement to strengthen African integration through trade.

The President and delegation will depart Banjul International Airport, tomorrow, Tuesday, 20^th March 2018 at 8:00AM.  Those invited to see him off  are requested to be at the airport half an hour before departure for the usual ceremonies.

Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, a political science lecturer of the University of The Gambia has stated that President Adama Barrow will fail as a president if he does not listen to technocrats and also by not putting the right people in the right offices.

“If Barrow wants to succeed he should be more transparent and he should make sure that he gets the right people in the right places,” he said.  “Barrow has never worked in government; obviously everybody knows that.  But that’s not the issue at the moment. You have to surround yourself with the right people because this is a transitional period. We are beyond politics and what is most important now is fixing Jammeh’s mess and put The Gambia back on track.”

Barrow, he said, needs people with the right expertise and knowledge around him. “He should get the right people at the right places to do the job. Currently if you look at the civil service, there is a mismatch between the capacity of certain permanent secretaries and the portfolios they occupy. It is important for President Barrow to be more open to critique and listen more to expert opinions. Leaders develop by accommodating dissenting views.”

Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, an outspoken political science lecturer at UTG was arrested on Jan. 31, over comments he made in an interview with The Voice newspaper. The paper published a story in which he was quoted as saying; “the presence of ECOMIG Forces won’t prevent long-term security risks if the president does not win the trust of the army”

On Gambia’s external relations, the political scientist said that The Gambia under Jammeh pursued a more confrontational foreign policy. He, however, claimed that contrary to this, The Gambia’s foreign policy is now more reconciliatory under the Barrow administration. This policy shift, he argued has partly to do with the different personalities and nature of the two presidents and the awareness by President Barrow that The Gambia cannot afford to be sidelined in the comity of nations if the country is to successfully pursue its development goals within the framework of the National Development Plan. Dr. Ceesay, however, stressed that successive governments have adopted a more reactive rather than proactive approach and thus called for the need for Gambia to adopt a more proactive foreign policy.

NAWEC and SENELEC Deal.

Quizzed by this reporter about the deal between the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) and SENELEC of Senegal, the political scientist said that one of the problems of the Barrow government is their lack of being transparent. “They are not very transparent when it comes to certain issues. This energy deal is a national issue that should have been subjected to a national debate to explore the details of the deal and its short and long term implications for the economy and sovereignty of The Gambia, he stated.

The government, he went on, should ensure that they are transparent in all their dealings. He frowned on the decision for ministers not to publicly declare their assets as earlier promised by Barrow. “All ministers, including the president himself, should publicly declare their assets once they assume office. This ensures public confidence in our Public Servants and helps fight graft.

Source: The Point Newspaper

Let me state at the outset that I stand with members of the Medical and Dental Association and the Gambia Association of Resident Doctors in their current action to demand the resignation of the Minister of Health and Social Welfare and the addressing of pertinent issues in our healthcare delivery system. The strike by these doctors is in the interest of the sick and all Gambians in general. It is not until these doctors went on strike that we have seen the Gambia Government now speak a language of solving the issues in the health sector. Thus without this action it is clear that the Government will take a long-time, if ever at all to focus on and address the issues in our health system.

Therefore Gambians in general and the Secretary General and Head of the Civil Service in particular must stop misrepresenting, intimidating and blackmailing these doctors by appealing to lower sensibilities that patients will suffer or die because of the strike. These doctors and their strike are not the cause of pain, suffering and death of patients in our health facilities. Our health system has been in shambles since the first republic and no government has ever taken any serious attempt to ensure that Gambians enjoy an efficient, quality and responsive health delivery service. These doctors want to change that now! SUPPORT THEM!

After 53 years of Independence, infant and maternal morbidity and mortality remain unacceptably high. Scores of Gambian children die before their fifth birthday due to preventable diseases. Many more Gambians are forced to go to Senegal or beyond to seek basic medical attention because of lack of necessary drugs and equipment in our health facilities. Yet we have had governments since Independence that still cannot address our health needs due to corruption, inefficiency and lack of patriotism and vision.

For 30 years Dawda Jawara presided over one of the worst healthcare delivery systems in the world. For 22 years Yaya Jammeh did not only embark on further damaging that already deplorable healthcare system but he went even further to interfere with that poor system just to benefit only himself thus further damaging the right to health of Gambians. For 14 months since he took over Pres. Barrow has not yet taken any concrete step towards addressing the dire conditions in our healthcare system.

This strike by the doctors is therefore in the interest of the ordinary Gambian and all must stand with them to ensure that there is strategic and adequate leadership, adequate investment and accountability in the healthcare system that will bring a final solution. Under Yaya Jammeh no doctor would have dared to strike because that regime would clampdown on that doctor. Now that we have kicked out that dictatorship, we must realise that until we agitate for our rights and demand accountability in the public sector this country shall not change. We must agitate now and not later!

Contrary to the views of the Secretary General that the doctors do not have a right to strike because they are civil servants, let it be clear to Mr. Habib Drammeh that the Constitution of the Gambia guarantees the right of all citizens to peaceful association, assembly and protest. Hence as citizens, these doctors have a right to protest.

The protest by these doctors must not be disingenuously misinterpreted as political just to discredit them as the Secretary General attempted to do on GRTS Radio’s morning show today. These doctors are protesting to address the perennial corruption, leadership deficiency and lack of government responsibility in the healthcare system. Hence this strike is in the right direction to change once and for all the abysmal status quo in our hospitals and health facilities.

Thanks to this strike, the Gambia Government has now been awakened to look more critically at the issues in the health sector with a view to addressing them. If there was no strike, it is very clear that the health sector will be left to continue to fester as always since Independence.

Gambians must realise that politicians and public officers will always seek to stifle, derail, mislead, distort, caricature and intimidate citizens when those citizens have decided to stand up to demand transparency and accountability. In their attempt to protect their power, positions and privileges, politicians and public officers always seek to divert the issue in order to undermine and weaken genuine people standing up for genuine issues. We must not allow that ever again!

These doctors are responsible and genuine Gambians. Anyone who visits our health facilities and encounters our Gambian doctors knows that these young doctors are dedicated, hardworking and impressive. They are not irresponsible bunch of fools. They are patriots. Therefore let no one impugn their person, dignity, character and their role. These doctors have embarked on a life changing mission and all Gambians must support them.

It is only through actions like this that will force politicians and public officers at the State House, National Assembly and the Ministry of Health to act in the interest of the people. Without such actions, these politicians and public officers will only continue to give the same excuses and rhetoric as Dawda Jawara and Yaya Jammeh had always done only to see more Gambians dying from preventable diseases due to poor health delivery system. This must stop.

For the Gambia, Our Homeland!

Security sources have confirmed the arrest of former Prisons boss, David Colley in connection with the death of Baba Jobe, former majority leader of The National Assembly.

David is alleged to be part of those who coordinated the strangling to death of Mr. Jobe in 2011 alongside former Interior Minister, Ousman Sonko.

Baba Jobe was arrested in October 2003, charged with economic crimes and jailed for a period of nine years.

Sources added that David Colley may be charged on Monday. He is currently detained at The Police headquarters in Banjul.

The Fatu Network will keep you updated.

By MakalliMatta Consulting

Chop Shop — adding a new flair to Gambian fast-food 

From an early age, Aminatou Jallow was breaking moulds and traditions imposed upon her as a woman in Gambian society. The proprietress of Chop Shop — the ever growing fast-food sensation founded in 2014 – battled many personal and professional challenges to build her brand to where it is today. From a small shop in Fajara, the restaurant has grown and expanded to three other locations. We had a chat with Aminatou to discover how Chop Shop managed to add a new and unique flair to the very difficult and saturated Gambian food industry.

The woman herself: Aminatou who moved around often as a child, spent a chunk of her childhood under her grandmother’s care in Banjul. At 17 years of age, her life took a then difficult turn when she became pregnant right after finishing Form Five at Reverend J. C Faye Memorial School. Along with dealing with the stigma attached to teenage pregnancy, Aminatou was judged and ostracized. But this did not stop her in dreaming big.

“My courage was my mom,” she says.

Her mom encouraged her to look at the situation as a phase and as motivation to strive for better.

“I had to grow up and mature faster than most people my age,” she continues, regarding the challenges she faced as a pregnant teenager. With the support of her mom, Aminatou completed International Business College. Upon earning her diploma, she went on to win the “Miss Face Gambia Beauty Pageant,” serving as an ambassador for Forum for African Women Educationalist (FAWE), promoting  girl’s education and working to prevent teenage pregnancy.

After obtaining her Bachelors followed by her MBA in the United Kingdom, Aminatou returned to The Gambia and worked for the telecoms company, Comium and the now defunct PHB bank as the head of Product Development. She found that she was not professionally fulfilled by bothered roles. From our chat, we discovered that following the norm has always been a challenge for Aminatou. During her time at PHB, she would often challenge the Managing Director’s decisions and offer her own way of doing things. One day, he said to her, “Have you ever thought of being an entrepreneur? You have the mindset and skill to do something greater than this.”

Six months after she started working at PHB, Aminatou resigned. “From there I decided that I will not work for anyone else. Because I knew l would end up resigning again,” she says as she reflects on what drove her to become an entrepreneur.

Chop Shop started with the goal to fill a gap in the Gambian food industry:

“I wanted to open a restaurant that would be somewhere between fine dining and fast-food. I realized that there weren’t many places like that.”

The restaurant, whose clientele is mostly working class Gambians, is known for its sweet-bun burgers, but initially Aminatou did not want her establishment to sell burgers. She got the idea for the sweet buns after having to resort to using local sweet bread for a burger she ordered during a night out. The combination of savoury and sweet was so good that she replicated it at Chop Shop and it quickly propelled the restaurant to new heights.

“The burger is what sold Chop Shop. Everywhere I looked on Facebook I saw people raving about the burger,” she says.

What sets Chop Shop apart from the rest? Aminatou credits this to her consistency and her commitment to brand development. Centralizing the food processing at Chop Shop has been key in making sure the food served is consistent across the different locations. She continues to invest in food processing machines and developed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure that customers continue to get the same quality and tasty food at any of the locations they visit.

“I care about how people feel when they come into the restaurant. That’s why every year, I put money into renovations and think about ways I can make Chop Shop better” she says.

She goes on to explain: “I always consider the brand in whatever I do. And I instill this in my staff by reminding them that they are a representation of the brand.”

Aminatou recognizes that lack of consistency and structure has been the downfall for many businesses in the country, so she has gone to great lengths to make sure Chop Shop excels in this area. While carefully reading about case studies of successful franchises such as McDonald’s, she is constantly thinking of how to solidify her brand before expanding. To the young entrepreneur, making sure she has a solid foundation and a strong brand is more important than expanding at a rapid rate.

“Whenever you’re giving someone food, you have to give it to them in the right manner,” she explains as she discusses how she trains her staff to conduct themselves. Along with emphasizing the importance of customer service to her staff, Aminatou instills in them the values of discipline and loyalty, whilst working to empower staff as well. She has developed a system that ensures that staff are able to execute their duties without much supervision from her, meaning she does not have to micromanage them. This enables Aminatou to focus her energy on other aspects of business and brand development.

Aminatou has been inspired by watching her mom work extremely hard to fund all five of her children’s education. With the implementation of her Career Spa, Aminatou offers guidance and training to young women entrepreneurs in the early stages of their development.

“No matter what stage you are in your life, challenges are going to keep coming. You just have to be prepared to face them” Aminatou says.

The young entrepreneur has faced many challenges in her life, but throughout them all, she has stood tall and remained driven in the face of adversity. Being unafraid to take risks and focusing on establishing a solid foundation; these are elements that have enabled Aminatou to establish one of the country’s most popular restaurants.

Contact Aminatou: [email protected]

––

As part of of our 2018 Women’s History Month celebrations, MMC would be highlighting one Gambian woman per week engaged in mainstream business, driven by brand relevance and legacy building. We would like to see more Gambian women formalizing their businesses. We indeed recognize that the informal business sector is female dominated in Africa as a whole but for this month, we would like to inspire that young girl whose mother is a fruit seller to be inspired to be a farmer and supplier of fruit to hotels, supermarkets etc. We want women to dare to dream to be players in big business. We are already on that path but we need more of us on deck.

Happy Women’s Month!  

Supreme Pontiff,

In my previous letter to you I raised my concern over the death of african migrants on the shores of Europe without any genuine sense of concern or empathy by Europe and her allies. I do not want to take credit for your trip to the United Nations on the same subject barely two weeks after my open letter to you was published on global article directoryezinearticles.com; but I do believe that our intentions must have merged at some otherworldly realm.

But before delving into the subject of my letter, which is not dissimilar to that of my previous epistle to you, I owe you some appreciation and commendation on the occasion of the recent ordination of the First Gambian Catholic Bishop since the beginning of my brethen’s relationship with the Holy See. The new Bishop happens to be a brother who was much my senior at Saint Peter’s Technical High School and I have held him in high regard both before and after his ascendancy on the high rungs of the clergy. I hail you Papa for your High Office’s confidence in our people, that we can also handle our own communications with the Divine Being.

Thou Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, my concern this time relates to the impending mass deportation of my fellow African brothers and sisters from the footsteps of your own cathedral and beyond; all coming from the doorsteps of your flock and their relatives in blood and flesh (if not in spirit). Truly the deportations are coming from nowhere but your neighbourhood, the supposed heirs of the mantle of the Prince of Love and Compassion, Jesus Christ ( May Allah increase His Grace on him).

Why is it that Europe (and by extension, its erstwhile vassal, America) is ready to send back the poor and downtrodden into the very crucibles of poverty and privation that they ran from? Why is it that the West who baited us with the holy sacrament into colonial domination would disobey the commandments of the Lord “to be your brothers keeper” and toss our already tempest-tossed souls back into the traps of conflict and poverty?

The West often argues that their own economic conditions are less than favourable so they cannot accommodate these migrants but yet there pets have better habitations and medical care than those they are trying to jettison back home. Is it not the same West that shaped our industries and trading systems into the poverty traps that they have evolved into through colonial domination and the neo-colonial multinational outfits that they created? Are these biased global systems still not holding our continent and her people sway?

Oh Kind Servant of the Servants of God, let me clarify, lest I become misunderstood, that I have no bones to pick with your ministry. Indeed I am grateful to have had a first-world education in a third world setting at the Catholic institution called St. Peter’s High School. I have seen and relished the good work of your agents in my neighbourhood and I am truly grateful for all the services rendered. But I do know that you have a voice and a huge responsibility, not only to your flock but to humanity in general and my hopes in you rose to another high when I saw you wash the feet of migrants and embrace the downtrodden.

So I appeal to you to make another trip to America, and this time not to New York but to Washington DC; visit the mad man called The Donald, who lives in the so called White House built by the blood and sweat of the ancestors of the very people he is deporting en masse after years of hard work, payment of taxes and good behaviour.

Please do not appeal to his sense of piety for The Donald is not made of flesh and bone but rather of steel and mortar. The only language this pervert can understand is the language of winning and losing at the polls. Please tell him to soften his steel heart towards immigrants or you and your other brothers shall tell his conservative base to fear The Lord and vote him out.

As for your flock back home in Brussels, I urge you to prophesy to them like the bold one, Amos, did in times gone. Speak to them, Oh Primate of Italy, , about the wrath of The Mighty Lord if they don’t change their ways towards the poor travelers. For all the gold and precious stones Europe looted from Africa, advise them to observe the injunction of being kind to the poor and vulnerable; if their hardened hearts would not yield to soft words, then address them thus, as did Amos, in the Old Testament:

“Therefore because you trample on the poor and take from them levies of grain, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not live in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine.” (Amos, 5:11).

Remind Europe, thou Bishop of Rome, that their duties to the Good Lord transcend ritual prayers in churches and pilgrimages to the Vatican; for the words of Hosea ring true to date:

“For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice

The knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings” ( Hosea, 6:6)

Supreme Pontiff, I am glad to have your holy attention once again, and I count on your good heart and gracious nature to speak for my brothers and sisters under the Euro-American swords of Damocles.

With due obeisance, I submit.

M. Sabally

Former Presidential Affairs Minister and Founder, Sabally Leadership Academy (SLA)

By MakalliMatta Consulting

Wedad’s — a Gambian brand mainstay 

When discussing Gambian businesses that have built successful brands and stood the test of time, the name, Wedad’s immediately comes to mind. Now tugged into the heart of the Senegambia district, this store established in our capital city, Banjul 32 years ago had humble beginnings. This business has survived government regime changes, recessions, and many other hardships. Through all of the trying times, Wedad’s has remained a staple in The Gambia, synonymous with quality, affordability, and good customer service.

Growing up in a tight-knit community in Banjul, Wedad Sojka Bensouda’s childhood consisted of spending lots of time outdoors, attending St. Joseph’s School, and also going to Quranic studies with her friends and family. Discipline and love was what she most remembers about her childhood. She was surrounded by an environment where everyone was encouraged to excel at whatever they were doing. Although she grew up watching her parents run a well-known business in Banjul, Wedad did not immediately decide that she wanted to be an entrepreneur. As a child she wanted to be a nurse, and at some point even a scientist.

Wedad has always had a passion for fashion and in her early years, she would design her own clothes. But it was upon completing her education in The U.S and spending time in England working for various companies, that she decided to return to The Gambia and start a fashion business. Her objective was to create a space where Gambians could shop for affordable quality products in line with western standards, in proportion to their incomes. It was out of this desire that Wedad’s Footwear, Accessories & Clothing was born.

“There were times suppliers and wholesalers did not want to deal with me because they thought my prices were a joke. But little did they know that I was actually fighting to provide people in Gambia with the same quality products as people in western countries, at a reasonable cost” she said.

Dealing with suppliers is a constant struggle, but despite all of the challenges, Wedad underscores the importance of remaining uncompromising when negotiating, in order to consistently offer the affordable and quality products her business has become known for.

Along with the challenges of dealing with suppliers, Wedad faced many battles as a young female entrepreneur in a male-dominated society.

“They did not trust my intelligence or capabilities as a woman” she pointed out.

She told us that she had to work twice as hard to be taken seriously, but after proving that she was skilled and capable, she began to earn people’s respect and proved her doubters wrong.

As our objective of this Women’s History Month series is to motivate more Gambian women to venture into mainstream business, we wantedto know her secret to establishing a business that has operated for three decades and weathered many storms.

Wedad attributes the longevity and success of her business to her consistence in delivering quality and affordable products her clients can count on, and going to great lengths to satisfy her customers. She mentions that her clients are an integral part of her business’ success and showing them that they are valued goes a long way.

For her, it is important for her to interact with her clients; in the shop, Wedad’s work area is in close proximity to the customers, so she can greet them and engage in conversation as they are doing their shopping. When speaking about customer care and clients, she says: “they [clients] have traveled with me on this journey for 32 years from Banjul to here [Senegambia]. They have been with me through different trends. They have been with me through recessions.”

It is clear that  Wedad’s Footwear, Accessories & Clothing has very loyal clients, which is a testament to the trust that has been built over the past three decades.

The longevity of Wedad’s can also be attributed to their ability to evolve over time and  adapt to trends, always remaining in fashion and relevant. Wedad carefully studies trends and comes up with creative ways to incorporate them into the store, while staying true to her core mission of never compromising quality to provide affordable products.

Another recurring theme in our conversation with Wedad, was the importance of having the love and support of people close to you as you go through the ups and downs of life. “The people dear to me keep me afloat” she says, talking about how she overcame negativity and difficulties along her journey.

“Having a core group of people to serve as a safety net is important when times get rough. I don’t take myself too seriously, you have to laugh at yourself even during the worst of times” she concludes.

We wanted to know which women inspired this formidable and classy lady. She told us that her mother served as her main source of inspiration; along with the entrepreneurial spirit, her mother instilled in her from an early age that no dream is too big and that she could achieve anything she wanted to.

Along with her mom, Wedad draws inspiration everyday from women she encounters in her life: “watching women carry children on their backs, selling vegetables at the market to make sure their families are well fed and clothed, there is something truly inspiring about the strength of women.”

She also emphasizes the importance for  women to share and learn from each other’s stories, even if they are not in the same fields or industries.

At MakalliMatta Consulting, a company founded by a woman and with a mostly female staff, we are more inspired in sharing Wedad’s story. Not only do we learn from hearing other people’s stories but it may resonate with you even if you do not have the same background.

Wedad’s sisters and friends describe her as someone who will be there for you at the drop of a hat; this loyalty and commitment resonates in her business, which has stood the test of time, remaining a staple in The Gambian fashion scene since 1986.

She leaves us with these wise words: “Building a lasting and successful brand is not easy, but never lose hope in yourself and remain persistent.”

As part of of our 2018 Women’s History Month celebrations, MMC would be highlighting one Gambian woman per week engaged in mainstream business, driven by brand relevance and legacy building. We would like to see more Gambian women formalizing their businesses. We indeed recognize that the informal business sector is female dominated in Africa as a whole but for this month, we would like to inspire that young girl whose mother is a fruit seller to be inspired to be a farmer and supplier of fruit to hotels, supermarkets etc. We want women to dare to dream to be players in big business. We are doing it but we need more on deck. Happy Women’s Month!  

By Alieu Ceesay

Plans are afoot to have Gambians in the diaspora vote in their native country’s political elections, the Chairman of The Gambia’s Independent Electoral Commission said in an interview with The Fatu Network.

“They [Gambian in the diaspora] were supposed to be voting but because the former regime felt that probably 90% will not vote for him [Former President Jammeh], so it was not implemented. But it is in our plans now to have them vote,”

Alieu Momar Njai, the head of the electoral body of the tiny West Africa Nation told this medium that Gambians in the diaspora are active players in their country’s domestic politics, but do not have the opportunity to vote away from home.

Gambia has thousands of its citizens living in the diaspora. They have been and continue to demand to be given equal rights as citizens to vote during elections.

However, Njai could not give a timeline as to when that will come into effect, but certainly not in this upcoming Local Government Elections.

The altercation between the Speaker of the National Assembly Mariam Denton and the Member for Serre Kunda Halifa Sallah is utterly unfortunate, uncalled for and a direct threat to our democracy for which the Speaker must be held to account. The reports that the unfortunate matter arose out of the discussion on the proposed loan agreement between the Gambia and China raises more questions as to the intentions and the conduct of both the Speaker and the Minister of Finance Amadou Sanneh. From all indications it is clear that Halifa Sallah was merely fulfilling his legal and political obligation as guaranteed by the Constitution as a Member of the National Assembly.

Part III of the Constitution, i.e. from Sections 100 to 102 speaks about the legislative and political powers of the National Assembly which includes scrutinizing the Executive and the bills and motions it brings to the parliament. In fact Subsection 2 of Section 101 states that,

“No Bill, other than a Bill referred to in subsection (5), shall be introduced into the National Assembly unless it is accompanied by an explanatory memorandum setting out in detail the policy and principles of the Bill, the defects which it is intended to remedy and the necessity for its introduction.”

Furthermore Section 155 speaks about how loans and loan agreements are to be contracted by the Gambia Government. Subsection 4(a) of this provision states that an Act of the National Assembly authorising the raising of a loan shall provide,

“That the terms and conditions of a loan shall be laid before the National Assembly and that the loan agreement shall not come into operation until they have been approved by the National Assembly.”

Hence according to these constitutional provisions, Halifa Sallah had indeed done the right thing to demand the details of this loan agreement brought forward by the Executive. In that case what is expected of the Speaker is to create the enabling environment by allowing members to exhaustively discuss all issues and concerns surrounding the loan before a decision is taken. This would require that the Speaker also ensure that the Minister of Finance provide all the necessary details of the agreement for the appreciation of the members.

It is therefore extremely concerning that the Speaker failed to do that but to seek to prevent a member of the National Assembly to raise the necessary issues, concerns and questions about this agreement. While the Constitution under Section 110 stipulates that a member can be removed from the parliament for contempt of the National Assembly, yet the remarks of Halifa on this loan agreement did not constitute any misconduct or contempt. Hence it is indeed heavy handed for the Speaker to demand the removal of Halifa when he sought to fulfil his constitutional duties on this loan agreement.

It is important that the Speaker is reminded that her role and position in the governance and development of the Gambia is very significant as set out in the Constitution. In multiple provisions of the Constitution the role and position of the Speaker can be identified as a leader, enabler, facilitator, decision maker and guide. For that matter the Speaker should be a person who should exercise the utmost patience and tolerance and to inspire and encourage debate in parliament given that the National Assembly is the foundation of our democracy.

We must also bear in mind that a loan is not a matter that must be rushed and imposed on the country. This is because the loans we contract today are going to be paid by citizens of today and tomorrow and those yet unborn. Hence any loan that goes to the parliament must be subjected the most severe scrutiny and debate. The Speaker must therefore serve as a facilitator and not an obstruction to that debate.

We must also remind the Speaker that she is the third in command in the leadership of the Gambia. In Sections 64 and 65, the Constitution states that it is the Speaker, in the absence of the Vice President who should assume the position of the president when the president is temporarily incapacitated mentally or physically, or when the position of president is vacant due to death, resignation or impeachment in which case the Speaker will serve the rest of that tenure.

Given the above, it means the Speaker must therefore exercise the highest levels of leadership which includes demonstrating an attitude that exhibits dignity, tolerance, esteem, wisdom, maturity and conciliation. In that case, the Speaker must be a person who is not expected to lose her cool or become temperamental especially inside the National Assembly. No amount of provocation or misconduct by any member should warrant her to respond in like manner. As the representative of the people, the Speaker must at all times reflect the dignity of the Gambian Nation.

Having said that, it is also necessary to remind the Speaker that after all she is not an elected Member of the National Assembly such that even if she is the Speaker, she must be mindful in expelling an elected member out of the house. Halifa Sallah is a directly elected representative of the people while Mariam Denton is only a nominated member by the President without the consultation and consent of the people of the Gambia. Hence the Speaker must therefore exercise humility to realize that, even if the Standing Orders of the National Assembly gives her power to remove members for misconduct or contempt, yet elected members are the true representatives of the people. In this particular case, Halifa Sallah’s words and actions did not, in anyway, constitute misconduct or contempt or obstruction in the National Assembly.

For the Gambia Our Homeland.

The Minister of Local Government and Lands, Mr Lamin N Dibba has said that he would not fire any Chief or Village Head based on their political affiliation.

Minister Dibba made these remarks while tabling the Local Government Amendment Bill at the National Assembly.

“I will ensure nobody is fired based on your political affiliation,” Minister Dibba said.

“We cannot say anyone who worked in the past regime cannot work with us,” he added.

Dibba an executive member of the United Democratic Party UDP, explained that as a politician and state minister, he tries to draw a line between the two positions.

“Let us unify our country,” he said.

The Bill tabled by the Minister was on the election of Area Counccil Chairpersons through universal disenfranchise while Deputy Mayors and Chairpersons would be elected by elected Councillors.

Hon. Sidia Jatta of Wuli West, commended the move, saying he was happy that the Minister came to correct the stupidity made by some NAMs under the influence of former President Jammeh.

Meanwhile, several members commended the minister for the amendment.