Cherno Njie, the financier of December 30th coup plot, has told The Standard over the weekend that President Adama Barrow must decide whether he is a coalition candidate as he was elected, a UDP candidate where he originates or whether he is posturing as a Barrow candidate to seek re-election in three or five years.

“Without that clear vision, I think we are in for rough times,” said Njie.

Mr Njie also said the new government must close ranks and decide whether they want to govern as a coalition government under the mandate handed by the Gambian people for them to peruse national agenda of renewal and reconstruction, rather than a disjointed approach where everybody is out trying to do what is best for their party and not the nation.

Cherno Njie, a rich property developer in US who bankrolled the ill-fated armed attack on Jammeh’s State House in December 2014, further stated that President Adama Barrow should respect the gentlemen’s agreement among the Coalition party members to serve only three years.

“If you make an agreement, stick to it and move forward. That is very important in a human being,” Njie said.
“That there are very positive signs and solid air of optimism, but some notable moves have been troubling such as the appointments of certain individuals which appear to be outside civil service criteria.

Gambians need to be vigilant and understand that the antidote to tyranny is not a virtue, and is not to believe that our elected officials will always do the right thing. We need to be vigilant and hold each other accountable and ensure that the people we elected are held accountable to serve our interest not their interests,” he said.

Mr Njie further said that elected officials are not lords over people, but only their servants and people need to speak up when they see that things are not going the right direction.

“The things that Jammeh used to rob us were two, primarily, tyranny and mediocrity. Tyranny has been removed but mediocrity in the Jammeh administrative state is still in place and it must be removed as we must seek excellence within the broad spectrum of Gambians regardless of gender, ethnicity or any other status,” Njie concluded.

Source: Standard Newspaper

By Omar Wally

Victoria Clarke Nee-Peters the eldest sister of Fami Peters, has said that her late brother fought and what he fought for took place during his time. Fami Peters, the Gambia’s ambassador to Sierra Leone died in the early hour of Sunday in Freetown.

Born on January, 11 1946, was a founding member of United Democratic Party and served as campaign manager for the party.

Madam Peters said Femi had a slide accident at home in which he broke his heap bone, and he was hospitalized on Wednesday.

‘I spoke to him on Friday only to be told he passed on.’

She described Femi as a fighter and political minded person who fought for Gambia.

‘The day Femi was taken to prison, so many people were thanking him, I couldn’t understand it at that time but today I do.’

She lamented that Femi enjoyed a bit of what he fought for adding that was his bonus.

Hassoum Ceesay, Author and Historian said Fami was indefectible fighter for democracy and human rights in the Gambia. He was among the founding fathers of United Democratic Party in 1996.

‘Femi was among the most vocal and the most vociferous fighters for restoration of democracy and rule of law in the Gambia during very turbulent and difficult days of Jammeh’s regime.’

Hassoum said Gambia has lost a great fighter for democracy, human rights and rule of law and UDP lost a founding father.

‘He will be remembered for being steadfast; I have never, ever come across a time when he has wavered in his belief for political change in the Gambia.’

According to Hassoum, Femi went to prison more than seven times and even when he came out, there were attempts by people to even take him to apologies to Jammeh but he refused.

Femi was a fighting for political change in the Gambia, because he wants his children to leave in a democratic and free Gambia, said Hassoum.

The 72 year old left behind five children.

Generals Umpa Mendy & Ansumana Jammeh both very close associates of former dictator Yahya Jammeh have arrived in The Gambia according to sources. The two generals who accompanied Jammeh to Equatorial Guinea last year are back in the country but reasons for their return is still unclear.

General Umpa Mendy was the Principal Protection Officer of Jammeh whose loyalty to the former dictator was unquestionable. He was once removed but quickly reinstated before word about his firing got out. General Mendy is said to be very loyal to Jammeh and would go to any extend to do anything in putting a smile on his face.

General Ansumana Tamba, served twice as Commander of the State Guards battalion. Up until last year, he was the only heavy weapons specialist of The Gambia Armed Forces. He too accompanied Jammeh to Equatorial Guinea when he left last year on asylum. General knows the state house in and out.

Sources say the two landed at the Banjul International Airport, went through security and passport control without any questions. They are said to have been arrested few hours after they got home and met with their families.

A security source told The Fatu Network that the two are currently held at the Yundum Barracks military police section awaiting questioning.

“This is a big security lapse on the side of The Barrow administration. How can Umpa and Tamba enter the country without anyone noticing until they got home?” A source asked.

Photo: Umpa in suit with Jammeh and General Saul Badjie

By Omar Wally

Candidates vying under United Democratic Party (UDP) ticket for mayoral elections in Kanifing Municipality will go for primary elections on February 4, 2018.

On Sunday, January 21, 2018, UDP selection committee for Kanifing Municipality, met and unveiled application forms for mayoral candidates.

Alagie S. Darboe, national assembly member Brikama North, said eight candidates namely, Ebrima Cham, Mustapha Touray, Magidi Touray, Muhammed Drammeh, Buramanding Jaiteh, Mahummed Musa Njie alias Papa Njie, Talib Ahmed Bensouda and Badi Alpha Jaiteh, submitted applications.

‘The committee scrutinized their submissions and at the end, Mustapha Touray, Magidi Touray, Buramanding Jaiteh, Mahummed Musa Njie alias Papa Njie, Talib Ahmed Bensouda and Badi Alpha Jaiteh are those whose applications are considered and accepted for meeting the requirements.’

However, Ebrima Cham and Muhammed Drammeh, failed to meet some of the requirements Darboe noted.

He added that the six qualified candidates will go for primary elections on February 4.

Rohey Malick Lowe and Hala Samba who are both vying to be the next Mayor for Banjul also submitted their applications.

The news of the death of Uncle Femi Peters truly pains and angers me beyond measure. Femi should not have died now if there was no draconian Public Order Act and if both the former and current leaders had demonstrated the necessary responsibility and compassion.

Femi Peters was the first politician to be sent to jail for one year in 2010 charged under the Public Order Act for holding a political rally in Banjul without a permit to use a public address system. In the trial his defense lawyer Ousainou Darboe, head of UDP compared Femi to Nelson Mandela and condemned the Public Order Act as unconstitutional and colonial. Yet the court went ahead to incarcerate such a fine senior citizen to one year in Mile 2 prison, Africa’s Hell on Earth.

UDP did not just stop at that trial but they went further to challenge the constitutionality of the Public Order Act in the Supreme Court.

Fast forward to April 2016 when Femi and UDP leaders marched to demand the body of another martyr of the Public Order Act Solo Sandeng. Not only was Femi and fellow leaders physically assaulted by the paramilitary forces but he was further dumped in jail for many months while being subjected to a kangaroo trial. In July 2016 the court once again sent him to jail for 3 years for unlawful assembly.

Since January 2017, after many months in jail Femi and scores of Gambians were released along with Ousainou Darboe, we have been counting the number of deaths so far. From Solo Koroma to Lang Marong to Ebrima Ceesay and now Femi Peters!!! How many more will have to die before the Barrow Administration realizes that there is an urgent need for a major government health intervention program to subject all victims of torture to medial attention of the highest quality?

Over the past months I have personally met numerous Gambians who were arrested with Lawyer Darboe and Femi Peters yet they are still languishing in pain and misery with only little to no medical attention from the Government which is even selectively provided. Barrow himself was only able to meet victims of human rights violations on the very day the German president visited the Gambia in December 2017.

Clearly Femi’s life and the lives of many others could have been saved if the Government has seen the urgency of their situation and provided them with excellent medical attention simply because they were victims of torture perpetrated by the Government of the Gambia at one point.

Not only is the Government failing to take up the matter of victims more seriously, but even in this New Gambia with a new Supreme Court headed by Gambians of repute, it is utterly disappointing to have them go further to certify that colonial, obnoxious and draconian Public Order Act as constitutional. Even the UDP that took the matter to the court has remained mute over the issue as if they do not care.

Barrow had said in his Manifesto that within six months of taking power he would repeal all laws that infringe on human rights, democracy and popular participation. Yet here is the Public Order Act, which they listed in their Coalition MoU and Manifesto as one of the laws to be repealed still remains alive and kicking in our books. Indeed this is an insult and disrespect to Femi Peters, Lang Marong, Solo Koroma, Ebrima Ceesay, Solo Sandeng and many others.

To add insult to injury, Barrow has refused to even review and restructure the Police Intervention Unit or the paramilitary force that has been one of the foremost weapons of oppression against Gambians for the past 22 years. It was the paramilitary forces that shot dead 16 schoolchildren in 2000. One of the triggers of that event was because some paramilitary personnel raped a schoolgirl at the stadium. Yet Barrow decides to leave that institution in tact and continue to be manned by the same personnel as before.

But not only did Barrow leave the PIU in tact, but he also has left the NIA and Mile 2 prison among other terror institutions to operate as usual when it was in these institutions that these martyrs faced torture and all sorts of inhuman and degrading treatment. This is indeed an insult and a drawback on what Gambians decided on 1st December 2016.

Therefore it is with huge sadness, anger and disappointment at the Gambia Government of today that Femi Peters died. Many will die because until today this Government has not taken up the responsibility with urgency to address the plight of victims of human rights violations.

It will be shame indeed for the Gambia Government to mourn Femi Peters.

For the Gambia, Our Homeland!

Many have lamented the continuous rote learning which characterizes our education system. Many have observed that even though some of our youth come out with excellent results from school, their academic acumen does not always translate into savvy decision making or creativity in the real world. In fact, many – if not most – simply follow the same things they found in work places. We have done this for the past fifty-two years; and failing our people. It’s high time we changed gear and became innovative.

At Nusrat Senior Secondary School, one of the best in the country, we have started doing something about it. Granted, it is at a very small scale for now, and very rudimentary, the belief is that at least someone may pick up some entrepreneurial skills from it and grow up to be part of the solution to the Gambia’s problem. If even a small number of the young people is inspired to become innovative and gives back to society later in life, it will be a success. The example of Mustapha Njie (TAF) comes to mind.

From Friday, the 19th of January, 2018, the students of Nusrat Senior Secondary School began an All-High School Trade Fair. This was the second in as many years. In this Fair, students are allowed -encouraged – to showcase their talents by bringing whatever products they produce and selling it. Students from different high schools come and bring their products.

The school collaborates with the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry to make this program a learning centre for students from all schools. In this way, students are also exposed to business practices and entrepreneurial skills. Some people will pick up the culture of innovation.

This, Mr President, is just one area in which our education system should be directed. Instead of just writing and passing examination, our young people should be encouraged in their areas of interest/talent so that they can stand on their own feet. This way, even if government or the private sector is unable to provide job opportunities to the youth, they will be able to be self employed. We should produce job creators rather than job seekers.

The principal of Nusrat Senior Secondary School, Mr Karamo S. Bojang, the brain behind this and all other successes of the school, could advise on how the system can incorporate something like this and other areas. Mr President, I am among those who view this rote learning as a threat to national security. We have to do something.

It is true that it will be unwise to ignore the academic part of education, but we know that only about twenty percent of the young people have the ability to truly excel I’m academics. This will leave another eighty percent or so as failures because they did not pursue what they are really good at. Why can’t we have a parralel system in which those with academic skill will follow that and those who have minds for technical areas will be allowed to pursue their dreams?

We must do something drastic otherwise, things do not look good for the future. As they say ‘We must think outside the box’.

Have a Good Day Mr President….

Tha Scribbler Bah

A Concerned Citizen

The Association of NGOs in the Gambia (TANGO) Friday, January 19 convened a major national press conference of stakeholders in the non-state sector aimed at marking the resurgence of the Gambian civil society to more effectively engage in the building of the new Gambia.

The press conference premised on the theme ‘The Gambia We Want’ was to launch series of national conversations to enable citizens to determine the destiny of their country.

“We want a transformed Gambia, free from corruption, cronyism, nepotism and injustice,” John Charles Njie, TANGO Chairman said.

The TANGO Chairman highlighted the lessons learnt from the terrible past experiences of Gambians particularly members of the civil society who were complacent, indifferent and far removed from policy processes.

“We want a Gambia where our people will not continue to drown in the ocean of poverty, and non-nationals succeed to syphon our wealth, enabled by greedy public officials,” he asserted.

Njie called for a reformed, motivated and efficient public service, saying public servants should not be dismissed without explanations proffered for the purpose of accountability. He also called for a New Gambia where public officials will publicly declare their assets and not to do so in secret. He added a New Gambia where representatives will not receive gifts without asking the right questions.

“We want a Gambia where respect for human rights and dignity becomes the foundation in dealings between service providers and rights holders,” Njie told stakeholders.

The TANGO Chairman further spoke about a Gambia where politicians will be held accountable to their campaign promises. He reaffirmed the pledge to strengthen the engagement with civil society to build capacity for evidence based development programs that will bring change in the lives of the citizens.

“We tasked the new government to bring about a complete overhaul of the bad governance system and to create a new foundation of a modern democratic state,” he interjected.

Mr Ebrima Garba Cham of the Gambia Workers Union addressed the plight of workers at the conference.

Cham highlighted on the poor salary of workers, wrongful terminations and high cost of living in the country.

“We should build a better Gambia,” Ebrima Garba Cham said.

The veteran activist also elaborated on the unfair terms and conditions of employment, saying the Janneh Commission should not only investigate the former president but to also scrutinize the private sector.

Alieu Bah, a co-founder of the #OccupyWestfield Movement calls for the collective participation of the civil society, saying the Westfield protest was not to instigate chaos but was a demand to basic rights. He referred to a permit as tools used by repressive regimes of the past to deny the people to exercise their rights. He demanded that it should be abolished.

“How could one live in peace without having the basic necessities of life,” Alieu Bah said.

Bah cited the remarks made by Hamat Bah, Minister of Tourism against alleged ‘Bumsters’ to barred them from the beaches which he said is discrimination against black people and must be stopped.

The Secretary General of the Gambia Press Union, Mr Saikou Jammeh raised the issue of press freedom and freedom of expression in the country, saying they want a Gambia where the likes of Deyda Hydara, Omar Barrow and Chief Ebrima Manneh would live and not killed.

He called for the perpetrators to brought to book. He urged the new government to respect the ECOWAS Court rulings on Deyda Hydara, Chief Ebrima Manneh and Musa Saidykhan among others.

Jammeh revealed that the union has engaged the services of a lawyer to prepare a legal paper that will be validated by the civil society to be included in the country’s new constitution.

Several speakers from Child Protection Alliance, The Gambia Federation of the Disabled, Gambia Centre for Victims of Human Rights Violations, The Gambia Bar Association and Gambia Has Decided addressed the conference. There were questions and comments from journalists and the general public.

The press conference was coordinated by Mr Madi Jobarteh and Chaired by Mr Ousman Yarbo, Executive Directive of TANGO.

Ambassador Abdoulie Bojang on Wednesday presented his letters of credence to President Jacob Zuma, accrediting him as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of The Gambia to the Republic of South Africa. Bojang is also accredited to Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Zambia.

In a short engagement with President Zuma during a ceremony at State House, Ambassador Bojang promised to work closely with South Africa in deepening and widening the already cordial bilateral relations between the two countries, and to make South Africa a strategic partner in areas like energy, trade, agriculture, health, education and pharmaceuticals.

Source: Standard Newspaper

On 21 March 2006, the government of President Yahya Jammeh foiled a planned coup. More than 20 suspected plotters including civilians were arrested. Some were jailed and others extra-judicially killed. But the mastermind, army chief of staff Colonel Ndure Cham, fled the country.
Since then reports have been circulating that he has been captured and killed. However, until now, no official confirmation has been publicly given of the circumstances leading to his arrest and reported death.

The Standard investigative team can now authoritatively confirm how the outspoken former army chief was ensnared, captured and killed.

Warrant Officer Pa Ousman Sanneh, a member of President Jammeh’s death squad known as the Junglers has been captured and during interrogations, spilled the beans.
He told investigators that during Ramadan in 2015, he was telephoned by a senior Jungler, Captain Michael Jatta, that there was an operation to arrest runaway Col Ndure Cham near Farafenni. He narrated: “We assembled and met at the highway. Lt Col Nuha Badjie, Major Rambo, Captain Mustapha Sanneh, Captain Michael Jatta, WO1 Nfansu Nyabally, Staff Sgt Saul Sambou, Staff Sgt Amadou Badjie, WO2 Malick Manga, Sgt Saikouba Jarju, Staff Sgt Omar A Jallow (Oya) and myself all boarded a vehicle and drove through TransGambia [Highway] to Bambatenda.

“Upon arrival at Farafenni, we picked up Musa Johnson and proceeded with him to the location where Ndure Cham was hiding in the garden. Upon our arrival at the garden, we made an outer covering behind the fence of the garden. The rest [of the men] then proceeded inside the garden and [Cham] was arrested by Rambo, Lt Mustapha Sanneh, Nyabally and Michael Jatta. When coming out of the garden they whistled us to come out and join the van we were using. Ndure Cham was in Rambo’s vehicle. We headed to Tanji at the NIA office where he was detained for almost three weeks.”

However, talking to the investigators, Staff Sgt Omar A Jallow said in 2013, while at home, Warrant Officer Malick Manga telephoned to tell him he was to be on duty at the NIA Tanji training school together with Sulayman Sambou. He said, the next day, he took a taxi and picked up Sambou by Senegambia and they went to Tanji where they took over from Manga. He said while they were there Sulayman Sambou “started beating the detainee Ndure Cham mercilessly” until he [Jallow] got annoyed.

He said at the end of their guard shift, three vehicles were brought and Cham was put in the middle vehicle. He said although Major Nuha Badjie was present, Lt Col Solo Bojang led the operation. He said the vehicles headed for the Fonis.

He explained: “We were using three vehicles. One driven by Mustapha Sanneh and [the other] by Malick Manga. The vehicle where the detainee was, was in the middle and he was sandwiched by Sambou and Nyabally who suffocated Ndure Cham in the vehicle at just on the highway before entering Yundum.”

Jallow said they proceed to a village [in the Fonis] the name of which he could not recalled and Solo Bojang identified a place and they ‘buried him in the bush”.

Source: Standard Newspaper

By Omar Wally

Hon Seedy Njie, the spokesperson for the Opposition Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) party, was on Friday, January 19, 2018, questioned by officials of the State Intelligence Services (SIS).

According to sources, in the early hours of Friday morning three men in plain clothes went to Hon Njie’s house and later took him to SIS headquarters in Banjul for questioning.

In an interview with The Fatu Network shortly after his release Njie said his questioning was in connection with remarks he recently made.

‘They told me, I was being question with regard to my call for the release of Landing Manneh one of our supporter who was arrested.’

Njie: I was not charged, there were engagements and I was released and asked to return on Monday January 22, 2018.

By Omar Wally

The former Interior Minister under former President Yahya Jammeh, General Momodou Alieu Bah, has been selected as deputy party leader for the former ruling Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) party.

The development took place on Thursday, January 18, 2018.

In an interview with The Fatu Network, Bah said his primary objective is to unify the APRC by bringing people back to the party adding that the APRC is the biggest and the most powerful party in the Gambia.

“We still have people who are interested in joining us but for some reason they don’t want to show up.”

Bah said they want to assured people that the APRC is a party of peace; they are non violent and are not interested in creating any problems in the Gambia.

“The Gambia was developed by APRC up to where we are today, we may have our short falls that is human. People failed to understand that Yahya Jammeh doesn’t own APRC, it belongs to Gambians.”

Bah said they will work with the government noting that they are not enemies of the government.

“Political parties should not be like cats and mice”. He concluded.

If you are someone who look down upon the tribes of others, If you are someone who ridicule the cultures of others, if you are someone who disrespect the countries, cities, towns, villages, streets, compounds, houses of others, if you are someone who disrespect the religion, faith, philosophy, spirituality and thoughts of others, if you are someone who judges others based on your standards, race or color-you are the threat to peace, because man by nature is very possessive and love his possessions!

That which is deemed as the savior of the world “democracy” has already dropped millions of bombs- don’t tell me bombs are sweet and are like roses it isn’t any different from Stalinism and all the other -isms hadn’t it being sugarcoated!

The birth of Islam and Muslims about 1,450 years claimed many lives, although it came primarily to establish peace. Before that, humans were still slaughtered!

Christianity claimed many lives, although it came primarily to establish peace! Before that humans were being slaughtered!

Atheism claimed many lives, although it claims to be peaceful!

Likewise, Paganism and freethinkers! And the lists goes on!

One thing a wiseman learns from this is that, one element has always been a witness to all the atrocities.

And that is man, who is behind the keyboard typing this, and you who is reading this post-you are the threat to peace.

Samba Njie

Following the enactment of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission Act 2017, the Ministry of Justice hereby publishes Guidelines for the Selection and Appointment of Commissioners to the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission in The Gambia. The appointment process shall be completed by 28 February 2018. All the key actors in this process shall be contacted separately and will be advised on specific timelines for each activity. The publication of these Guidelines is for the information of the public only. 

Guidelines for Selection and Appointment of Commissioners to the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission in The Gambia

Preamble

Recalling the nationwide public consultations on the establishment of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC);

Recalling the establishment of the TRRC by an Act of the National Assembly of The Gambia;

Underscoring the importance of public participation in and ownership of the TRRC process;

Desirous of the need to establish a balanced and impartial Commission that is reflective of the geographic, gender, religious and cultural diversity of The Gambia and is capable of delivering results that meet the expectations of the people of The Gambia;

Noting the need for a TRRC composed of Gambians of high moral character and integrity who have distinguished themselves in their respective fields of vocation or communities:

The following Guidelines are issued for the selection and appointment of the eleven Commissioners to the TRRC in The Gambia. Selections and Appointment of Commissioners shall be conducted mainly in two separate parallel processes in the following manner:

1. A. Regional Nominees

Five commissioners shall be appointed from the following five regions in the country, namely: West Coast Region, North Bank Region, Central River Region, Lower River Region, and Upper River Region. One commissioner shall be selected from each region. Selection of commissioners from these regions shall be coordinated by the Regional Governors.

Regional Selection Panels (RSP) of seven members, which shall include representatives of youth and women’s groups, victims’ groups, civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations working in the field of human rights, religious and community leaders of the region, shall be established in each of the said five regions. The Regional Selection Panel from each region shall, after consultations with the inhabitants of all districts in the region, and preferably by consensus, nominate three candidates including at least one female for appointment from amongst the three majority ethnic groups in the region. No more than one candidate from each of the three majority ethnic groups in the region shall be nominated by a region.

Nominations shall be based on the following additional criteria:

1. a) integrity
2. b) high moral character
3. c) no criminal record or involvement in past human rights violations
4. d) not known to be actively involved in a political party
5. e) residency in the region
6. f) Gambian nationality

The regional Governors shall transmit the list of nominated candidates to the Ministry of Justice with a report identifying members of the Regional Selection Panel and certifying that the nomination process complied with the aforesaid procedure.

The said list shall contain the following information about each nominated candidate:

1. Full name and current address
2. Age
3. Gender
4. Ethnicity
5. Religion
6. Educational background
7. Occupation
8. Employment history
9. Short notes of no more than 500 words (type-written; font size 12; 1.5 line spacing) stating the reasons for the person’s suitability for appointment as commissioner to the TRRC in light of its mandate and objectives.
10. B. Other Nominees

The President of the Republic of The Gambia shall nominate five commissioners in the following manner:

The general public shall be invited to identify suitable candidates for appointment addressed to the Ministry of Justice based on the following criteria:

1. a) integrity
2. b) high moral character
3. c) no criminal record or involvement in past human rights violations
4. d) not known to be actively involved in a political party
5. e) residency in the greater Banjul area (Banjul and KMC) or in the Diaspora
6. f) Gambian nationality

Proposals from the general public shall include the following information on the proposed candidate:

1. Full name and current address
2. Age
3. Gender
4. Ethnicity
5. Religion
6. Educational background
7. Occupation
8. Employment history
9. Short notes of no more than 500 words (type-written; font size 12; 1.5 line spacing) stating the reasons for the person’s suitability for appointment as commissioner to the TRRC in light of its mandate and objectives.C. Youth Representation

One commissioner shall be appointed from among youth groups in the country. The National Youth Council (NYC) shall, in consultation with its member youth groups, nominate three candidates including at least one woman and submit their names to the Minister of Justice.

Nominations shall be based on the following criteria:

1. a) integrity
2. b) high moral character
3. c) no criminal record or involvement in past human rights violations
4. d) not known to be actively involved in a political party
5. f) Gambian nationality

The list of nominees from the NYC shall include the following information on the proposed candidate:

1. Full name and current address
2. Age
3. Gender
4. Ethnicity
5. Religion
6. Educational background
7. Occupation
8. Employment history
9. Short notes of no more than 500 words (type-written; font size 12; 1.5 line spacing) stating the reasons for the person’s suitability for appointment as commissioner to the TRRC in light of its mandate and objectives.
10. D. When all the candidates are identified and before appointment by the President in consultation with the various groups identified under section 5 of the TRRC Act 2017, the final list of 11 names shall be published and the general public shall be invited to make objections with justification, if they so desire, to the appointment of any of the candidates on the list.

There is no doubt that the number of government vehicles is just too large for a poor country like the Gambia. The amount of money spent on the buying, maintenance and upkeep of these vehicles is so huge that one cannot, in good conscience, reconcile the desire to curb government expenditure on the one hand, and this unnecessary expense on vehicles on the other. One wonders what type of austerity measures we are talking about here.

This concern has been observed and noted by some members of your government which warranted the revision of government policy on vehicles in our appropriation budget for 2018. This sought to cut the number of vehicles in government and cut the amount to be set aside for maintenance as well. This is prudent and commendable. Perhaps, that is why the National Assembly Members approved of this move.

However, it is reported that some ministers [or ministries] in your Cabinet were not happy with this move and sought to undermined it from the very beginning. It is rumoured that it is these same ministers or ministries that are now playing delay tactics to thwart all efforts to cut these expenses which will only go to impoverish our nation further.

One would have thought that with the way your government came into office, and the dire economic condition your government inherited, everyone will be willing to make the necessary sacrifices to ensure that our economy recovers and picks up again for the general welfare of all and sundry.

It is said that the only hitch that was anticipated was the fact that some drivers would have to be laid off but then 20million dalasis was put aside to be given to those drivers when they are told to go home. That is the right thing to do. It will be for the good of all if we can save as much money as possible.

The vehicle policy was supposed to take effect on eleventh of January, 2018 as it had already been approved. But then it is reported that a statement from the presidency suspended it till further notice. This is not acceptable at all Mr President. What is the problem? Why is this delay and why do we have to continue spending insanely on vehicles which are certainly not needed?

Some Gambians have the concern that our donors like the IMF and the World Bank may not be happy if we do not implement the austerity measures; though this is courteous, it should not actually concern us much. These neocolonialist organizations only impose ideas that are not helpful for us. They have their own interests and it does not benefit us to kowtow behind them all the time.

Nonetheless, we should find ways and means to reduce our expenditures and increase out income. We should cut our coat according to our cloth. One of the ways we can do that is to reduce the number of government vehicles. Mr President, let this suspension be removed and the Implementation commence immediately.

Have a Good Day Mr President…

Tha Scribbler Bah

A Concerned Citizen

Veteran politician Dr Lamin Bolonding Bojang has said if President Adama Barrow becomes corrupt and wants to overstay in power, he will rejoin politics to remove him from power.

He made these remarks during an interview with The Standard on Tuesday. “I still have supporters and I will join the band wagon and campaign for Barrow’s removal. I joined politics to contribute my quota to the development of the society,” he said.

Dr Bojang founded People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in September 1991. The party got 6% of the votes in 1992 Presidential election and got only 7 % in his native hometown of Brikama. In the run-up to 2016 Presidential Election, Bojang became head of moribund National Convention Party (NCP) but left NCP shortly before the election with many saying if he had stayed he would have been health minister. “The reason why I resigned as the leader of NCP before 2016 Presidential election was something that I will not disclose. What matters to me is hereafter, not this world,” he said.

He said if President Barrow is really a man of principal, he should serve three years as that was the agreement. “But if he is not, he can go for five or ten years. If I were him, I will go for three years because that was what we agreed on.”

Bojang said he is not interested in what President Barrow has achieved one-year in to his presidency. “What I’m interested in is the stability in the country as opposed to Jammeh. Jammeh was a danger, he was talking of civil war and Gambians cannot afford that. The urgent things that Barrow government should focus on are education, agriculture and health,” he said.

Source: Standard Newspaper

Captain Ebou Jallow, former Spokesman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council AFPRC Military Junta has been accused of stealing millions of US dollars from state funds and absconded to the United States.

Captain Yankuba Touray and Captain Lamin Kaba Bajo both former members of the AFPRC military junta Tuesday, January 16, spoke about the matter for the first time.

The two former council members testified before 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.

Yankuba Touray who served in different capacities under the former President Jammeh both as military and civilian said he was a member of the military ruling council when they discussed bilateral ties with Taiwan.

The former junta member disclosed that former Captain Ebou Jallow headed the delegation to restored the relationship with Taiwan, noting that he was not part of the loan agreement but knows it involved an amount of $35 Million Dollars.

“I am not aware of the $3 Million stolen by Ebou Jallow but I heard it on radio as I was not in town,” Yankuba Touray said.

He added: “I’m not aware of $5 Million dollars brought by Ebou Jallow in a briefcase to the council.”

Touray said he was not aware of the way the money was disbursed because he was not managing the funds.

“We could not challenge some of the decisions made by chairman (Jammeh) as military and civilian set ups are different,” he said.

When asked about the relation between the council and Libya which he said they did not have a direct relationship except the late Baba Jobe.

The former minister told the commission that he is currently a farmer at his home village of Central Badibu.

The next witness to appear before the commission was retired Captain Lamin Kaba Bajo who said he became a member of the ruling military council on 31 January 1995, after the failed attempt coup of Captain Sana Sabally and Captain Sadibou Hydara former Vice Chairman and Interior Minister respectively.

The former military officer who served several ministerial posts under former President Jammeh said he was not involved in the restoration of relationship between The Gambia and Taiwan but could recall it was sometimes in 1995.

Bajo answered in the affirmative when asked whether he was aware of the $30 Million Dollars loan granted by Taiwan to The Gambia, noting that Captain Ebou Jallow came with a briefcase containing a sum of $5 Million Dollars and later an account was opened. He added that he was a signatory to the Special Development Account which was opened at the Central of The Gambia for the purpose of development projects..

“Captain Ebou Jallow absconded with $3 Million Dollars which he lodged at a bank in Switzerland,” Lamin Kaba Bajo said.

“I was part of a 3 man delegation that traveled to Switzerland to recover the money stolen by Ebou Jallow,” he added.

The former member of the military ruling council said the court in Switzerland ruled in favor of The Gambia Government which enabled the state to recover some part of the money stolen.

Bajo who is the current president of The Gambia Football Federation said the Special Development Account was meant for infrastructural projects such as the building of Farafenni General Hospital, the Airport and some schools but could not tell whether the said loan was used for the said purposes.

The former Gambian diplomat to Morocco and China said he does not know anything about the grants from Libya. He disclosed that the late Baba Jobe who was the right hand man of the former president before they fell apart would have been in a better position to talk about the Libya issue. He added that he does not know the source of funds former president Jammeh was using in building houses in his home village of Kanilai.

Meanwhile, Ms Neneh Macdouall Gaye, former Minister of Information and Mr Omar P Ndow, former Executive Chairman of GAMTEL were summoned in respect of the signing of contracts and shares of company at the International Gateway.

I was reading a book written by Mary Kingsley in 1899 about West Africa. I apologise in advance. She observed that we like talking things over without explaining them or put meaning to them, which generate confusion and we could even fight over it. After some investigation, we discover that we are talking about the same thing. The recent incidents in the Gambia to some degree demonstrate that although we want the same thing, we have not put any meaning to it.

Democracy must be defined to meet the needs and aspiration of the society rather than imitate. Nonetheless, it cannot be nurtured and sustained without developing the culture of discussing issues through, be tolerant of divergent views and to follow the rule of law. But developing these concepts requires education, sensitisation and raising awareness from the grassroots to the top. Governments are effective if they can find lasting solutions to issues that could hamper future development. Hence, the Government must introduce compulsory curriculum on the issue of citizenship, ethnicity and democracy in a nation state. This will allow us to see ourselves as a nation of people. Too often, the politics of ignorance lead many societies in Africa into oblivion and this is largely because we accept mediocrity in our political discourse. After the battle of Kirina in 1235, Sundiata brought clans and smaller kingdoms together. They agreed that war and infighting would not lead to trade and development they envisaged. They understood that cooperation and peace cannot be sustained without building trust. Hence, they found lasting solutions that we enjoy in many parts of West Africa- the cousinship between ethnic groups and clans. Remember, this was a brutal war with loses on both sides, but they put that aside and thought about the future and the future only. After the Kansala war around 1867, the parties involved drew lessons from history, put their differences aside and the cousinship between the Fulas and the Kaabunkas resulted. What a reversal of fortunes from a very rich culture and conflict management system.

In the short run, our political parties could take the baton and engage in national civic education exercise. This should not be too expensive since they have regional committees that could be used to organise concerted village meeting. The inter-party committee could sketch some proposals that could be commonly disseminated. I am sure that if each party can cover two or three villages per month, they will be able to reach out to the entire country within the shortest period.

In the absence of that, the citizens must mature to ask their political parties what programs and policies they have for them, how to fight corruption and so on. This should involve the costs associated with their programs and policies, where are they going to raise the funds and how long it will take to accomplish them. What kind of land reforms should they have including, demarcating the whole country to clearly distinguish land use for agriculture, settlements, forestry and so on.  These should be the issues that the citizens, whatever their political affiliation should be discussing. That will give us all something to think about.

Gambia and indeed most parts of West Africa should treat themselves as people living in a spaghetti bowl. We are interrelated and interconnected in space and time only if we know our history. We definitely do not have tribes, nor would anyone want to belong to one in the modern era. We have ethnic groups, but they manifest themselves more as languages rather than anything else. We must treat ourselves as a nation of people with languages. Most of our daily activities and festivals including, naming and wedding ceremonies, Eid’s, Christmas and Easter are foreign imports and we all practice and celebrate them in common. A question; what is it that you do in your daily activities that define your political philosophy or ethnicity?

The Gambian keep saying that we are the same people, the same family and that we are interrelated and interconnected. No doubt we are interconnected. However, these propositions have never been tested until recently. Sometimes, in the history of a society, it might be interesting to test your belief system in order to strengthen the bonding that exist or to reveal the true nature of your beliefs. It is up to that society to decide which direction they take.

By Essa Bah