By Madi Jobarteh

The public holiday announcement by the State House is unconstitutional. The State House must realise that there is a Public Holidays Act which specifies who can declare a public holiday and which days are to be declared a public holiday.

In the Act, the President can only declare a public holiday for days marking Eid-il-Fitr, Eid-ul-Adha and Maulud Nabi. Period.

The other statutory days are New Year’s Day (Jan 1), Good Friday, Easter Monday, Independence Day (Feb 18), Feast of Assumption Day (Aug 15), and Christmas Day (Dec 25). For these days, it is the Minister who declares them as public holidays. For any changes to these days, whether to drop an existing day or include a new day as a public holiday, it needs to be gazetted.

Therefore, even though Section 76 of the Constitution confers Executive Power on the President, this section cannot however be relied upon to declare a public holiday since there is already a distinct and definite act for that purpose. So, let us tell the President and his technocrats to follow the law.

Hence the latest press release from the State House that the President has allocated two days for the observance of Tabaski and Koriteh is unconstitutional and illegal. Similarly, the Public Holidays Act has not provided any public holiday for Boxing Day.

Therefore, let the President be advised to review the Public Holidays Act so that it is amended in line with current realities. Until then, the several declarations of public holidays in the country by both former Tinpot Dictator Yaya Jammeh and current Pres. Adama Barrow are unconstitutional and illegal.

That aside, the Public Holidays Act in itself needs urgent review. It was created in 1904 and last amended in 1965! It is utterly outdated. We are in 2021 today.

For The Gambia Our Homeland

By Madi Jobarteh

After spending few days in prison so far for the murder of Ousman Koro Ceesay, Yankuba Touray will now have realised that impunity does not last. Never. If he were a thinking being, he would have realised that no one single person has power but the people. The power that Yankuba and his AFPRC Criminals were brandishing in those days was nothing but the power of the people entrusted to him and his co-criminals. Today, Yankuba will learn that when the people entrust you with their power, do not usurp it and then transform it into a weapon against the people. It will not last.

Therefore, to Yankuba Touray, I wish him a reflective stay in Mile 2 so that he will think all over again about his life as a human being, a citizen, a State officer and now a convict. Yankuba, just like his co-perpetrators, especially those who constituted the Junta, had the unique opportunity to lead their people to the promised land. The masses of Gambians welcomed the coup hoping that they will see a transformation of their lives for the better.

Instead, Yankuba and his co-Junta Criminals sought to hoodwink the masses with meaningless statements like ‘soldiers with a difference’ and hypocritical slogans like ‘transparency, accountability and probity’ when, in fact they were the most corrupt and immoral souls on earth! People wholeheartedly gave them support and willingly followed them, not realising that these ‘soldiers with a difference’ were indeed greedy traitors; the scum of the scumbags of the earth.

So, let Yankuba blame no one but himself!  Even though he cannot now face Koro Ceesay to repent. But he has the family of Koro here. He has Gambians here. Instead of continuing to wallow in the arrogance that landed him in Mile 2, he needs to have some self-esteem and begin the process of repentance and apology to his victims and the generality of Gambians. That might not pull him out of Mile 2, but it can reduce the heavy load of self-inflicted arrogance, hatred and vain anger that now engulf him.

To those Dictator Lovers who seek to distort, rationalise, deny and mislead about this case, one can only pity them and hope they will have the courage of their convictions to recognize Yaya Jammeh and his Regime as evil to be rejected for good. Yankuba had the unique opportunity to come before the TRRC to narrate his story even if it would be a mere cock and bull lies like that of Edward Singhateh. But he would have the benefit of going home for a while to wait for the TRRC to conclude and see what the recommendations would be for him. But sheer arrogance and ignorance can make a person destroy his life and this is what Yankuba did to himself.

No one should engage in such analogies that claim that this ruling is not fair simply because Yakubu’s co-perpetrators are walking free. Some even refer to the ‘freed’ Junglers to claim that what happened to Yankuba is a farce. Far from it. What happened to Yankuba is bound to happen simply because he failed to face any form of accountability. And so, if he refuses to testify before the truth commission surely, he must face accountability elsewhere because Yankuba was adversely mentioned for this murder. He is not a sacred cow!

Of course, one of the most ludicrous stories comes from the usual suspect Ebou Jallow who dishonestly claimed that Yankuba did not kill Koro and in fact Yankuba was fooled into taking part in the crime. It is not that Ebou is ignorant of the law that aiding in any way in a crime makes you a principal actor. But this unconscionable Champion Lover of the Dictator knew that that heinous crime was committed in Yankuba’s house who never attempted to stop it as soon as he knew about it. Since then he also never did anything to ensure that there is accountability for that crime. Yet Ebou Jallow thinks Yankuba is innocent. What a warped mindset!

Let the Lovers of the Dictator rant and fret. Let them continue to ridicule TRRC, but justice and accountability shall run their natural course. Those who concocted and imposed that warped narrative on society yesterday because they were in power, cannot and will not continue to determine that same warped narrative today. For 22 odd years, they abused and misruled this society at unimaginable cost to life and dignity. Today, 26 years after the killing of Koro, the day of reckoning has begun and will never stop until Yaya Jammeh is captured, tried, convicted sooner than later and dumped in Cell Number 1 in the Maximum Security Wing at Mile 2 for life! This is the verdict of history.

For the Gambia Our Homeland.

In my canon of  political science, a lot is placed in the supremacy, centrality and, to a certain extent, the idealization of political debates and logical conclusions. For example, a good many political scientists, analysts, and observers tend to idealize that, somehow, the best arguments in political debates will appear right to everyone. Thus, voters would choose the best candidate based on the winning argument. This is, arguably, the biggest fallacy in politics. This is not how people function. This is not how people react to politics. This is not how people view and digest politics. People are attuned to the drama, fear, and, in a hyper-polarized environment–put on steroids by FaceBook and WhatsApp–the divisions become more sensationalized and ominous.

A functioning political system requires several things including, but not limited to, organization, grouping of people, and interest groups to push agendas, interests and persons to administer the affairs of the state, localities, and municipalities. In this process, especially in the West, these groupings take place in the form of ideological politics–the Left and the Right. In the West, specifically the United States, these organizations, groupings, and interests have morphed into identity politics. Put simply, they have become “tribal” in their orientations. In “tribal” politics, “othering” and winning become supreme and central. Politics becomes a sport–a pep rally–victory for the home team becomes the rallying cry–identity being the organizing creed. The winners see themselves as such and the losers would have to fight back–because they need to win or else face annihilation from their enemies–the other “tribe”.

In the case of The Gambia, political organizing and interests have also become “tribal”–ethno-linguistic groupings. Many would argue that this has always been the case, while others would argue that Jammeh started it. Notwithstanding, in a political system that has been erected on the cult of the person and patronage –mostly bereft of ideas and policies–how, exactly, do we expect people to organize and marshall their interests and vote?  The question, in my view, is not whether people are proponents or opponents of candidates mostly based on ethnolinguistic affiliations. The question is, if they do not organize and vote for, or against, candidates based on ethnolinguistic affiliations–how do you expect them to vote in a political space that is bereft of ideas and policy debates–rife with mudslinging and diatribes? Is it “tribalist” for someone to vote for, or against, a candidate mostly based on ethnolinguistic affiliations? If so, how? We need to be specific. Seems like everyone throws around the “tribalist” word like a piece of candy nowadays.

It is scary, I know, but any political system–absent one-party states–requires diverse interest groups to organize and participate in the political process. In our case, the interest groups are not divided among Left or Right, or Pro-Life or Pro-Choice, or Pro-Brexit or Anti-Brexit. Today, our interest groups are divided among ethnolinguistic lines. Lest we forget that in a democratic society,  people can vote for anyone of their choosing and no matter how we detest their choices, their choices are their choices and, in 2021, a plethora of Gambians are going to vote for, or against, a candidate because of their ethnolinguistic affiliations.

I just hope that Gambians of all ethnolinguistic groups can soon admit our common humanity, but also our shared frailty and begin the hard work of addressing our diversity–especially in politics–in healthy ways in our own households, platforms, and communities. Because, folks, the notion that we are all one and that we all intermarry, and that we are all Gambians is not going to save us from a potential post-election macabre. I have said this before, but remember that generations of Gambians to come will one day, ask of us living, what have we done with our time? Hopefully, we will answer that we have mastered our destiny–that we have contributed to the peaceful advancement of The Gambia. That, in essence, should be our summons to “The Gambia ever true”. May we, the citizenry, appeal to each other’s better angels, and may peace be.

A better Gambia is ours for the asking–

Sulayman Njie, PhD

Dallas, Texas, U.S.

BARROW MUST PARDON YANKUBA TOURAY – IF TRRC LETS THE SINGHATEH BROTHERS GO SCOT FREE!

Justice Jaiteh @ 1hr 54mins 42secs of his judgment says this:-

“I believe the testimonies of Alhagie Kanyi, Essa Mendy, Hamat Changam, Lamin Ndure, Pa Habibu Mbaye, Mohamed LK Bojang, depicting the true picture of how Osman Koro Ceesay was murdered in cold blood”.

Edward & Peter Singhateh:

If Jaiteh’s conclusion on the truthfulness of these witnesses is not overturned on appeal, the judgment remains a record of fact for eternity … and damns the Singhateh brothers as being guilty of killing Koro Ceesay. TRRC cannot come to any conclusion other than that Edward and Peter must be tried for Koro’s murder; afterall, Yankuba Touray has been sentenced to hang on the same facts as found by Justice jaiteh … and those facts apply to Edward and Peter.

Rule of Law:

These are incredible times in The Gambia as the Judiciary bravely sets out to firmly uphold the Rule of Law. But not just in The Gambia: in South Africa too where the Judiciary’s determination to uphold the Rule of Law is being violently resisted as we speak. And in Kenya where at this very moment the courts are challenging Uhuru’s attempt to subvert the Constitution.

I wish the judges all the very best in their brave attempts to uphold the Rule of Law – and the judges will come under the attack that Justice Jaiteh is subjected to as I write.

Nevertheless, the strongly held sentiments of Yankuba Touray’s supporters outside court (at the end of this video) cannot be minimised: they say Edward Singhateh is the mastermind of Koro’s murder for which Yankuba Touray is to hang. They want Edward Singhateh and Peter Singhateh tried.

TRRC’s “Bell Of Justice” Must Toll For The Singhateh Brothers! IF the TRRC Commissioners and Lead Counsel Essa Faal, in their infinite wisdom, decide that Edward and Peter should NOT be tried for Koro’s murder, THEN President Barrow must offer Yankuba Touray a full pardon.

The law must not “consume” only Yankuba Touray when the crime was a “joint-enterprise” with the Singhateh Brothers. Kanyi and the lower ranks were forced to partake.

Dida Jallow-Halake

Notting Hill, London.

By Zakaria Kemo Konteh

In a day like today, we celebrate the triumph of justice and affirm the condemnation of a convicted criminal. We remember the life of a promising young professional tragically and brutally cut short in the service of his country. We rejoice with Koro’s family as they come to terms with today’s guilty verdict, commiserate with them for their long agonizing journey and thank them for their unwavering faith and tenacity in pursuit of justice. We hope this marks an important step towards closure and healing.

As a convict of capital murder, Yankuba Touray is deserving of whatever punishment prescribed by law under the penalty of his conviction. He was given a chance to defend himself against charges through a transparent due process. His victim, Ousman Koro Ceesay, was not accorded that chance and that humanity. Instead, he was bludgeoned to death leaving the entire nation stunned and a family in horror for decades.That kind of  horrendous crime is beyond everything human and everything we stand for as a people and deserves no mercy.

To Yankuba Touray’s collaborators and accomplices in the murder of Ousman Koro Ceesay, you are being put on  unmistakable notice: That your day of reckoning is coming faster than you can ever imagine and you will neither hide nor escape from the firm, unyielding and tenacious arm of justice. Your days of impunity are numbered. When you kill our people, we will find you and we will bring you to justice no matter how long it takes.

May Koro’s soul continue to rest in peace. Ameen

By Basidia M Drammeh

As the nation reels from an agonizing and nightmarish natural disaster, certain members of Gambia’s business community are taking advantage of the calamity to hike the prices of construction materials. Even the price of an essential commodity like bottled water has been increased due to the challenges NAWEC has been facing in restoring regular services.

It’s disgusting and disheartening that members of Gambia’s business community are in the habit of exploiting people’s suffering by hoarding commodities at times of dire need as a pretext to hike prices. During the holy month of Ramadan, prices of all basic commodities skyrocket beyond the means of the average Gambian who struggles daily to make ends meet. When Eid Al Adha approaches, prices of rams shoot through the roof to the detriment of disadvantaged members of the society who form the bulk majority of the country. In other parts of the world, the business community is conscious of its corporate social responsibility and therefore contributes its quota towards national causes. Unfortunately, our businesspeople are more particular about making a profit rather than sympathize and empathize with their needy kinfolks.

Our businesspeople should have turned this unprecedented calamity into an opportunity by selling building materials and other basic commodities at affordable prices as a way of contributing towards alleviating the suffering of thousands of citizens affected by the disaster. Though the authorities have expressed willingness to help, we know the limitations of the government; hence everyone is duty-bound to come to the aid of the disaster victims in any way possible. The business community is no exception. It’s a matter of fact; they should take the lead in helping the victims. It’s a humanitarian situation and should be dealt with in this context.

A heavy windstorm swept through the Gambia on July 7, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

By Momodou Ndow

I hereby vehemently condemn the sharing of photos of anyone’s child, disabled or not! We all have the responsibility to protect our children, and if we can’t do that, then we are failing as a society! That is absolutely unacceptable!

We have been crossing many lines lately, and are now close to the last line at the end of the cliff, and there are big and sharp rocks ? waiting for us on impact. No amount of vote ? is worth unraveling the fabric of our society. And even if you win, you will be unable to govern such a society.

Even when Goloh was killing people, no one had the right to share photos of his minor children. I remember getting pictures of Goloh’s kids many times during the struggle, but never, in my wildest dreams, would I drag them around. It is indecent and pathetic! We all have an obligation to protect our children. Children are not responsible for the actions of their parents, and the sooner we recognize that, the better we will be as a people and society!

If you are a political leader and have been hesitant or afraid to address this issue, please step up now! Tell all your supporters engage in this politics of decadence to withdraw their support for you. Trust me, you don’t want to govern a society where decadence is normalized and reward, it would be a failed venture. As a matter of fact, all the political party leaders should put their differences aside and jointly come out to address this issue as representatives of the people! Act like the leaders you claim to be! Responsible leaders who care for their people, don’t sit on the sidelines and watch their society disintegrate! You have been sitting on the sidelines for far too long. Act now and take ownership of your leadership!

By Madi Jobarteh

Did I hear some NAMs lament on the floor of the National Assembly that Gambians in the diaspora will not vote in the December polls? Why are they lamenting? Are they serious? If not them, who is to blame? The truth is, no one is failing this country other than NAMs and political parties, especially those parties that have representatives in the National Assembly.

Let’s check the history. When the Minister of Finance brought the 2021 budget estimates to the National Assembly in November 2020, NAMs saw the budget for the IEC. If they were interested in diaspora registration and voting, they would have made sure that the money was there and given to IEC. Instead, NAMs decided to slice the budget of the IEC, claiming it was too much.

But at that time, the Minister of Finance did say that the budget included money for the registration of Gambian diaspora. But several months later, the same Finance minister told NAMs that such money was not allocated after all. Right there and then, NAMs should have scolded the Finance minister to produce the money or sack him by using Section 75 of the Constitution. But NAMs failed to do that. Why?

Since 2017, this Government has brought several supplementary appropriation bills before NAMs which they approved. The Government brought those requests for projects that they were interested in. But no NAM ever asked the Government to also bring a supplementary appropriation bill for the diaspora registration and voting. Why?

Every NAM has a right to present a private member’s bill to either amend the Constitution, or the Elections Act or create a whole new law. Hence any NAM or a group of NAMs could have proposed a bill that sought to make sure the right kind of law is created just to ensure that diaspora is registered and vote. But no one did it. Why?

Furthermore, any NAM could propose a motion on the floor of the National Assembly to ask that the Gambia Government provide the money to the IEC to make sure the diaspora is registered and vote in December and all public elections. But no NAM ever did that. Why? Yet we know that NAMs have placed many motions on the floor of the parliament that got supported by everyone. Therefore, why was there no motion for diaspora voting?

Yet all of these NAMs are from political parties, but we have seen no party that had ever asked its members to pursue the above actions. Not UDP, GDC, PDOIS, NRP, APRC, PPP, NPP, and the Independents. No one ever suggested to their NAMs to take action. Why?

Any NAM or any relevant parliamentary committee such as the human rights and constitutional matters committee could have summoned the President under section 77(2), or summon the Vice President or any minister under Section 77(4) to question and demand them to make sure the diaspora register and vote. But this was not done even though NAMs have that power. Why?

Also, any political party could have gone to the High Court or the Supreme Court to seek an order for the Government and the IEC to make sure the diaspora register and vote. But no party did that, ever. Why?

Also, any political party could have asked its supporters to protest in the middle of Banjul to demand that the diaspora register and vote. But no political party ever did that. Why?

Also, any party could have written to the President to demand him to ensure that the diaspora register and vote. But no party ever did that. Why?

Above all, NAMs have the power and the opportunity and the resources to have amended the Constitution or the Elections Act since 2017 to ensure that the diaspora register and vote. But no such amendment ever took place even though NAMs did amend Section 91(1)(d) to secure their own tenure, made through a private member’s bill proposed by the Minority Leader Samba Jallow, the NAM from NRP. We also saw the Executive propose the amendment of Section 62(1)(b) to remove the upper age limit for president as well as Section 141(2)(b) to remove the same upper age limit for judges. Why not for diaspora vote?

But here we are in July 2021, at the very eve of the December election, NAMs could not even still pass the elections bill so that we have a new elections law in time for the presidential election! For several months now they have this elections bill with them, and even went around the country with it for so-called public hearings, yet the session ended yesterday without passing the elections bill. Why?

But they have the time and the temerity to stand up in the adjournment debate to lament the lack of diaspora voting! Seriously?

Indeed, no NAM or political party and the Executive have any moral authority to complain about the lack of diaspora voting. This is because they killed it. They have the power, the opportunity and the resources to make it happen. But they flatly refused to make it happen yet they want to lament here as if they ever cared. How?

Stop the lip service. Hold your NAMs and Political Parties Accountable.

For The Gambia Our Homeland

From well established and enduring democracies to a nascent one like ours, we are confronted with an almost inescapable realization that democracy anywhere is messy but it is the best form of government there is and the most preferable to dictatorship and autocracy. Individual freedom, liberty and choice as well as freedom of the press guaranteed and protected by democracy are some of its most vital benefits. These choices include freedom of association but also involves freedom to dis-associate as and when deemed necessary.

Media houses play a very important role in supporting and strengthening democratic ideals and reinforcing its culture. They do so through fair, balanced and accurate reporting of events and people of vital public interests. They help in ensuring accountability, integrity and transparency in government and in service delivery through credible, investigative and fearless journalism. But by deviating from responsible norms, media can also be used for all the wrong reasons in fomenting division, anger and animosity in a society  – all of which are antithetical to democratic values.

So, the decision by the Fatu Network’s “Tonyaa Kesso” show host to invite a foul- mouthed individual known for hauling insults and for his serial vituperative attacks directed at Hon Ousainou Darboe may be acceptable under protected freedom of speech but could also be a  worrying sign of editorial weakness on the part of the Network and lack of total control and training on the part of the host. Such uncontrolled, unregulated and unrestrained programs could bring chaos and troubles beyond the four corners of the studios and into the general population. It is my expectation that any show that is hosted on a respected and widely reached platform like TFN should have a ground rules of basic decency, responsibility and substance. Anything that soils the Network’s reputation or threatens its credibility or have the potential to ishould be looked into with great urgency.

Gambians should not be interested in The Fatu Network or any  media platform only for election purposes. Our cultural fabrics and national identity should outlast any election or sentimental politics. We should not sell our souls neither debase our humanity just to win an election. The unity, peace,  security  and development of our country, recognition of our cultural values and the prosperity of our our people should be our collective central focus in this election cycle and beyond.

For those of you calling for a boycott, it is your inherent rights to disassociate yourselves from any media platform including The Fatu Network if you feel they do not add value to you but it is my firm believe that the current campaign smacks of impulse and therefore counter productive .Tonyaa Kesso is not the only show hosted on the Network and certainly the last episode is not the only episode you have ever watched on the platform. There are still so many others you may work together to achieve  in the interest of democracy and good governance in our country. I know  Hon Ousainou Darboe will not boycott the Fatu Network just because  someone used the platform to rain insults on him. Express your disappointment and disagreement and even lodge a formal complaint with the proprietor and the management of The Fatu Network but going as far as boycotting the entire platform is ill-advised, unnecessary and, quite frankly, ineffective!

All human beings are born equal with certain inalienable rights, and among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Flying from Dubai to Accra, the ever-present EXPO 2020 displayed everywhere, with a good internet connection onboard Emirates flight EK787, one cannot but reflect on the ever used or misused word in The Gambia – SOVEREIGNTY!  Are we sovereign when we do not have a house we call our own? When our landlord is foreign, when we pay our rent in foreign currency, or when our more illustrious sons and daughters drive the economy across the aisle. Access to housing is a cardinal human right – not a privilege!

The real loss of sovereignty is being a tenant in your own country!

The Gambia land ownership (refer to local government and ministry of lands) has made it easier for anyone from anywhere to purchase a piece of land, own it, develop it, and earn money off of it. It is, therefore, both legal and within compliance and ethics to see non Gambians’ own land. It is quite logical if one is tempted to ask why home-based Gambians can’t buy land or develop their inherited lands.  Obviously, due to the better purchasing power of those abroad or non-Gambians, it’s not unusual to see them own lands in the commercial areas of The Gambia.

This beckons the question -are the foreign owners to be blamed? No! – indeed, some Gambians with strong purchasing powers are owning properties across the globe but with stringent measures applied by those countries for the benefit of the state and its people. In the Gambia, when were our land reforms and ownership last reviewed and legislated upon?

I would say – congratulations to our hardworking non Gambians in this country who are not only owning property but developing and employing our people.

Hence the question – Is our sovereignty being compromised by the poor legislation on land ownership and tenure system?  Yes – And this leads me conveniently to my subject of discussion- Gambian Real Estates – a compromise on our sovereignty!

When one takes a drive either on the coastal road to Brusubi to Fajara to Westfield to Brikama, there are perhaps over one hundred real estate companies or must I say, land agents as they are involved in buying a plot of land for A, they then demarcate and sell for profit. Some of those agents are nothing but scammers, and sadly – nothing comes out of it  – it’s a subject of another article……! But this conveniently leads to another inconvenient question – do we have proper legislation in place for someone to operate a real estate agency? What are the terms and conditions- I dare say – a process like Banks needs to be applied and urgently – the number of land cases in courts would not end for the next century! I would argue that Perhaps 4 to 5 of the real estates in The Gambia are compliant and serious business-minded. The rest, I do not know what to call them! Still on the Real estates, when one looks at the prices quoted for places around the airport, Jabang, Sanyang – forget waterfront as those bring a different mix to the table- the Local Gambians are simply priced out of the equation!

Imagine a 3-4 bedroom house going for USD120,000 to USD200,000 payable in 2-3yrs! Who are they targeting? This is D6m to D10m! How many Gambians can afford that? Besides the lack of legislation on land ownership, are the real estate agencies not part of those making us foreigners in our country? Imagine being a tenant to a Senegalese as she or he has been able to purchase and build and you couldn’t! The rent is also in USD or even CFA or EURO – mortgages are in hard currencies- Hygiene is needed in the real estate industry if we do not want to forfeit our sovereignty as Gambians.

SSHFC was, in my view, and I don’t claim the monopoly of knowledge is supposed to be the main driver to step in and help out on those contributions to the fund (provident fund). This will ease access to affordable housing but this is not the case – the last time I checked – SSHFC was selling a 15m x 20m in Brusubi for D650-800,000! Who can afford that unless the targets are Gambians abroad or foreigners? The very people who contribute to the fund are forgotten – what a shame! It’s not unusual to see a retired official engaged in civilised begging – no house to call their own! Sad! I can go on and on, but what is the point, the more I think of The Gambia and her people, the more I am inclined to give my view and hope someone somewhere in the corridors of power picks and apply them.

So, what’s my prescription,  knowing that we are in a global village, global citizenship, and need to encourage diversity and inclusion, investors, and advancement? I submit to us the following: –

1- Land reforms including but not limited to per sqm charge per zone to reduce the over pricing of land.

2- Real estates or agents need to have a deposit of at least D100m or have a bank guarantee of that equivalent. This will remove all the scammers from the system. The buyers will be at ease

3- The GMD is the legal tender -it must be respected, all rents, mortgages, and sales need to be in GMD- this will reduce the mass inflation.

4- SSHFC to build low-cost housing for contributors to the fund with D500K and above in their provident fund accounts. This reduces the stress on rent and land ownership.

5- Physical planning to have roads well-demarcated before the land is allocated to avoid our narrow roads and selling some parts of the road. No doubt, the OIC road project has its work cut out for them.

6- Alkalo and chiefs cannot sell lands prior to approval from the lands ministry, and the land should be leased to avoid the double or triple sale of the same property.

7- GoTG to push for the establishment of a building/housing bank- Bank d’ habitat as is in Senegal to help middle/low income earners build their dream homes.

8- Government reserve lands to be sold only by an act of parliament – we need to reserve space for recreational activities for our children and generations yet unborn, not to mention greenery.

9- Invite investors to invest along our coastline – limit the powers of the GTB! It’s certainly not working! Any Gambian who wants to build or develop for business should be given the opportunity- even a 10x15m! Same applies for foreign investors – this creates jobs!

10- Advocacy and awareness talks on land – it’s a limited commodity, and if we don’t guard it jealously- we can expect another South Africa and Zimbabwean land issues.

To conclude- our flawed and defunct land legislation is degrading this country’s sovereignty, sacrificed at the altar of greedy Gambian real estate agencies and its agents. Without shelter for our people – a fundamental human right- we are invariably violating a sacrosanct and inviolable human right! Hygiene is needed in the Real estates, land reforms and sovereignty!

Thanks,

Ismaila BADJIE

MBA – University of Liverpool – Shipping & Logistics expert

By Pa Malang Ndure Fatty

One could characterise Barrow as having idiosyncratic beliefs or impressions that are contradicted by reality or rational argument, typically as a symptom of mental disorder or even delusional paranoia.

Based of his faulty judgement; mistaken. ‘’His delusional belief in the project’s merits never wavers.’’

Barrow was politically implanted at the statehouse to make the political ground fertile for political cultivation and he has no photosynthesis to help the political plants grow. All the aims and the intentions around Barrow were good of the people but Barrow has already possessed his unknown intentions that would shock the nation and beyond. When a nation with broken hopes, no inspiration no future for the population anyone who projected themselves to give them hope even as low as my little puppy at home in 2016, Gambians would vote for them. It was difficult to identify, scrutinise or establish what type of person Barrow was in 2016 because all we want was change of regime and hope the new Emperor Barrow would be much better.

When the formation of the Coalition 2016 was announced majority of Gambians have hopes and confidence for unity and oneness they have never had before in their all lives but that hopes would last for only 3 months. Barrow in Office immediately realised the powers and resources under his command too much he can do a lot more for himself and his families than he previously thought.

Barrow feels insecure and feel threatened by the people he should be making their dreams of better Gambia a reality. He would now have to distinguished between people under different categories depending which variant they are. Body cells and nerves in his head are not too galvanised and sophisticated enough to carry the load assigned to him by the people of The Gambia but he finds it extremely easy to focus on his own personal projects and his microscopic eyes identified types of people who would stand by his side to establish his desired Barrow Empire, but they will not last long with him. Our hopes for better Gambia have now become a despair and fact for new Gambia.

He is often irritated when citizens exercise their citizenry rights as prescribed in laws of The Gambia simply because he did not understand why we did regime change in 2016. In his own world he believed he is elected as a president to sit in that chair and citizens will watch him as an attracting object. He did not understand we elected him to office so he could apply the laws of the country where we can do lawful things that we could not do during the 22 years of dictatorship era. He did not understand that those laws are not owned by him, but he is only there to guard and supervise the full implementation for the public interest. He did not understand holding regular press conference to address any concern issues is a fundamental responsibility of any successful leadership thereby citizens are UpToDate in state affairs. Barrow is scared and paranoid whenever citizens speak about the challenges facing the state and the people. Instead of engaging the people, he embarks of attacks and defensive game, and he ended up ‘neither scoring a goal nor defending a goal.’

Barrow is very primitive and raw in politics and in lifestyle, and he is not inspired by good leaders for the good things they did for their people, but he is inspired by bad leaders and the quantity of wealth and power they possessed. Barrow is greedy, selfish and untruthful in all engagements that he has to do with The Gambian people. From the look and evidence, he possessed and owned more valuable resources than the country he hypothetical to serve. He earns more than the country. The only thing he did not earn more than us is our breath.

Barrow has politically grown in untruthfulness, deception, manipulation and above all divide and rule policy. His delusional behaviour is evident anytime he speaks to the public. He narrates extraterrestrial stories that never fits in the reality. He acts confused, he speaks confused and he does not understand the feelings and desires of The Gambian people. He is lonely and isolated. The only people surrounding him are only safeguarding their economic survival lines.

Barrow is politically bankrupt and falling apart. He misjudged the people and he believed in the old primitive politics that automatically put the incumbent at the advantage not realising we are in the 21st century politics where incumbency often suffers defeats in the hands of the oppositions. He calculated in his own way that he can move on easily and established his political party and win elections. But as soon as he realised this is not The Gambia he used to know, he changed his tactics to influence people, ‘money, regions and tribalism.’ The people around him could not help him win over peoples’ mind. The continuity of Barrow’s administration could mean a potential tribal and communal chaos is certain as that the only backbone for his political survival. Since Barrow became president, the only time he speaks the truth is ‘when he is not speaking.’ All his remarks are contradictory, abusive and often absurd. He often gives remarks in tribal appreciation to endorse a specific tribe. Barrow does not represent the core interest of the population and he does not care who feels it hard if his person enterprises are intact.

Barrow was elected to serve three years in which he was to create a new white blank page for The Gambia, but he has now entangled himself in a ‘filthy shallow hell’ awaiting harsh judgements.

I hope Gambians would comprehend by now that Barrow is incompetent, inconsistent, ignorant and he does not understand his job and he will not quit. He has loss hopes and he is psychologically accepting defeats on December 4th presidential elections.