Breaking news: Nation’s coronavirus cases pass 100 as 19 new cases bring total to 112
The nation has recorded 19 new cases of coronavirus as total cases jumped to 112.
“Nineteen new cases registered – the highest reported in a single day – bringing to 112 the total number of COVID-19 cases ever confirmed in the country,” the health ministry said its report on Monday.
It quickly added: “Of these, 6 (32%) are healthcare workers – 5 from EFSTH and 1 from MRC.”
PATA SAIDYKHAN – COMMENT: #Gambia, give the UDP consideration
During the last Local Govt elections campaign, there was one thing I’d repeatedly and fervently campaigned on as a selling point for the UDP especially against Independent candidates; ACCOUNTABILITY.
The UDP as a democratic entity, selected and presented candidates to contest public offices in absolute good faith. Good faith that if they are elected into office, the UDP’s vision and aspirations for a Democratic Gambia anchored on Prosperity, Justice, Peace and Rule of Law, with a promise to ensure a modern, progressive ‘socioeconomic development of her people’. This promise is so sacrosanct that it’s printed in bold on the back of the Party’s membership cards. With this promise, it’s important and understandable that the electorates hold the UDP elected Representatives accountable. The records of these representatives should be grades on the UDP’s report card. Successful or Otherwise. You CANNOT say the same with Independent candidates. Their successes and/or failures are solely theirs, and the best and perhaps only way to pull their record for any political consequences will be the next election cycle. They can choose to not seek reelection and walk away. Registered parties cannot do that. I don’t know about other parties, but this is cardinally important to the United Democratic Party.
So… the desire and resolve of the UDP to seek the mandate of Gambians in leading them as a Govt is premised on hope and conviction that the best path for a just, progressive and developed Gambia lies with the UDP. The Party has the personnel, capacity, structures and the WILL to deliver this. We’re OK with accountability. Start with us with our representatives in the cabinet [when they were there], National Assembly [both individuals & as a collective] and Local Governments. ALL that are still aligned and committed to the UDP ideals ARE DOING WELL. Rohey Malick Lowe; Banjul Mayoress, Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda, Chairman Landing B. Sanneh, Chairman Foday Danjo. So Even where the loud me might come off as one, I’m NOT a surrogate or Ambassador of the UDP in any official capacity. I’m only a card holding member. These people are! But with all my shortcomings, I believe in the party, it’s leadership and bought into hope and promise for the country.
With due respect to all registered parties and independents seeking same mandate, I believe the UDP are best poised and ready. You do not have to sit out until you determined that the UDP’s vision and aspirations 100% aligned with yours. If they do for even 60%, COME ON BOARD based on those shared values and help contribute, change and develop from within. BEST believe that you’d have a voice that’d be heard and valued. They was not found wanting when the country was in a dire state. With ALL our imperfections both as an entity and individual members, our commitment to project Gambia is unmatched.
Give us a fair and good faith consideration if you’re undecided or even already affiliated. COME ON BOARD! We will quench your taste.
Pata Saidykhan wrote in from the United States.
GIBRIL SAINE: Has The Foreign Minister Misled Parliament on EU Deportations?
Appearing before deputies at the National Assembly last week, the minister of foreign affairs, international cooperation and Gambians abroad, Momodou Tangara, informed the House that a certain European Union member country was trying to deport Gambians which government had refused to entertain.
A diplomatic source within EU has reached out over the telephone to express disbelieve at the tone at which the foreign minister chose to describe events. Indications are that the country in question is Germany, with over fifteen thousands Gambians (15,534) residing on its territory, a third of which (4,837) are liable for deportation – per foreign ministry stats. Evidently, Germany has expressed continued wish to remove refused asylum seekers from its soil, as seen with the high level visit of its president, Frank Walter Steinmeier, to Banjul in 2017.
A highly placed EU official has informed me its mission in Banjul had written to The Gambia government to inform that NO Gambian shall be removed or deported from Europe throughout the awful coronavirus pandemic episode. Foreign minister Tangara’s statement to parliament was received in Brussels and Berlin as “unfriendly”, especially after his ministry wrote back to thank EU on the gesture.
This is not true and “unfriendly” – sources within EU told me. It was agreed that no deportation will take place from EU to Gambia during COVID-19 era which has been communicated to the foreign ministry through a letter.
The only country deporting Gambians, the EU official told me, is the one across the Atlantic Ocean. When I interjected if the country being referred was Trump’s America, the reaction indeed was. And there is an element of truth in that hence the United States has consistently pressured the Barrow government to accept deportees – indiscriminately deporting nonviolent Gambians tied in chains – in stark violation of basic human rights.
Experience in the foreign policy world led one to believe recent diplomatic cables received in Berlin has roughed up some feathers. The Europeans will have expressed aghast that foreign minister Tangara misled parliament on such a critical topic of continued negotiation. The National Assembly through the chair on foreign relations committee, need to summon the foreign minister to clarify, and to shed clearer light on the status of wider negotiations on EU deportations.
The good news, however, I am pleased to report that NO Gambian shall be deported from EU member countries this year as negotiations resume post-Covid19.
Gibril Saine is based in the United Kingdom
SAMSUDEEN SARR – OPINION: I hear you loud and clear Honourable Mai Ahmad Fatty
Contrary to the conventional wisdom that the former Interior Minister Honorable Mai Ahmad Fatty deserve universal strictures for finally recognizing the illegality of the deployment of a Senegalese military contingent in the Gambia, independent of the 2017 internationally-approved ECOMIG force, when he disputed it yesteryear, to me, signifies a novel position rather commendable than condemnable. Factoring the principal role he played in Dakar Senegal as a key witness to the whole inauguration process and to take a 150 degree turn now and tell us that the agreement to augment the original ECOMIG force was exclusively validated by Presidents Mackey Sall and Adama Barrow, should be a welcomed disclosure and an opportunity to further beg him for more details of the secret deal. Indeed, Mr. Fatty was at the time in Dakar the most vocal and visible actor among the principal coalition party members to appraise the document and advice President Adama Barrow about it before its binding endorsement.
It is still fresh in people’s minds when a negligible number of us were expressing concerns over the illegality and unconstitutionality of the occupation force and the Ex-Minister brazenly declaring his replacement of Hon. Halifa Sallah as spokesman of the transitional government.
For a while I thought Hon. Sallah with his outstanding gift of both mastering the Gambian constitution and his steadfastness to foster its conformity was going to raise a red flag on the incoming foreign forces, especially after Ex-President Jammeh peacefully took off and the heads of the security services guaranteeing him their loyalty to the new government. So, was the Serekunda NAM too shocked and surprised by Hon. Fatty’s unorthodox coup to react as expected or was he also another distrustful Gambian like many, convinced of the false notion that the Gambia Armed Forces was predominantly composed of MFDC and Charles Taylor rebels who needed to be flushed out right away?
However, in either way I don’t think Mr. Fatty could have suddenly turned against Mr. Sallah without the approval of Adama Barrow and perhaps with the support of some other rookies blindly taking orders from President Mackey Sall. But that’s another subject for a different time.
Essentially, Mr. Fatty, a lawyer by every measure was the closest adviser to President Barrow at the time. Besides, until clinically proven otherwise I still stand by my inclination that our gentle and nice president is dyslexic and therefore, in the absence of a comprehensive interpretation of any accord presented to him, he could sign anything he may not necessarily understand. I had therefore expected Mr. Fatty to have played that key advisory role in the same manner I believe Halifa Sallah the original driver of the coalition engine should have in Dakar. Though the least I expected from both was to insist on waiting for the Gambia National Assembly to formally ratify the treaty before their deployment. It will thus be mind boggling if Honorable Fatty denies any knowledge of the deed, its contents or of how the two heads of state even arrived at ratifying it which if so would border on hoodwinking Barrow into a deal he misunderstood.
I wish the honorable minister of foreign affairs Doctor Mamadou Tangara, another principal actor during the impasse will one day do the same and explain to us what he had read or understood about the agreement because of his bilingual edge of understanding both French and English. Sorry, another topic for another day.
Of course, the best time the ex-minister could have enlightened the population about the troops was soon after they shot and killed harmless Harona Jatta from Kaninlai Village. Since then however, he has uttered three seemingly impulsive political statements that haven’t helped much. The first, while still in office was his infamous assertion of Jatta being killed for carrying traditional weapons with a group of Jolas, mobilized to fight the foreign soldiers. That was fleetingly proven incorrect. The second, uttered after his removal from office somehow blamed President Barrow for being in charge of the troops who did the killing. And, thirdly, in a recent online-TV interview, after attributing his hawkishness at the time to his crusade to extinguish the flame of dissenting APRC supporters bent on derailing the transitional government, he still insisted that the killing of Harona Jatta had nothing to do with the Gambia Police Force under his jurisdiction and everything to do with the Senegalese forces under a higher executive order. That must be Barrow, right?
It is fair to say that almost all of them in Dakar including President Barrow were raw rookies on government policies especially on national security issues and perhaps merely accepted everything the experience Senegalese suggested to them.
That was where I noticed the final crumbling of the spirit of solidarity and success among the coalition members and not as wrongly believed to happen after Lawyer Ousainou Darbo join them out of jail. In fact the first crumbling brinks started to fall when the initial election results already accepted and celebrated by the APRC leadership was compromised by the second results read three days later by the IEC, ultimately opening a window for Senegal to takeover the narrative with the help of Barrow but mostly with that of Jammeh’s diplomats. Nobody still wants to admit that major sticking point which is the root cause of their whole failure.
A well-informed national security advisor committed to maintaining the sovereignty of the Gambia should have warned President Barrow against any haste of adding or even bringing in foreign forces given what had transpired before to trigger the 1994 coup. The demoralizing effects of the foreigners on our own forces are abysmal with its political and economic ramifications even worse.
Gambian soldiers are increasing getting frustrated by their marginalization and the government’s indefinite dependence on the foreign troops who enjoy far better salaries coupled with special privileges. Politically, no presidential aspirant discusses his or her strategy of tackling the problem if they replace President Adama Barrow next year. Unless they also plan to connect their umbilical cords straight to the Dakar Palace because hearing how far Mackey Sall will go to retain his troops and a friendly government in the country of which Barrow has proven to be the most desirable for the task, I am afraid contenders would have to be extremely bold and crafty to change the dynamics. Anyone aiming to retrain the status quo with Senegal should therefore let Barrow continue.
I don’t think the Senegalese are bothered about the negative political or economic impact their presence in the Gambia is causing. But logically, foreign investors will hardly want to commit their wealth in the country while the government depends on foreign troops. And the more our economy tanks the greater and longer we are forced to depend on Senegal’s assistance.
In this precarious moment however, I believe Honorable Mai Ahmed Fatty knows more about the 800 pound gorilla in the room than he is willing to tell us. And I am one person keenly interested.
Moreover, our lawmakers at the National Assembly appear clueless and indifferent to the whole subject. Typically manifested when Defense Minister Shiekh Omar Faye blatantly misled them with the argument that the Senegalese troops in the Fonis were part of ECOMIG and nobody disputed it after the ECOMIG spokesman already told us otherwise.
And as stated above, Mr. Fatty could have then added his voice in support of the ECOMIG statement; but I don’t blame him as a politician who always measure when, where and how to talk.
Nevertheless, going by the revelation of Hon. Mai Fatty it is now abundantly clear that the Senegalese forces occupying Foni under the guise of ECOMIG and on a dubious agreement never ratified by our lawmakers is illegal and unconstitutional to the core. Will the NAMs be duty bound to once again summon defense Minister S.O Faye to explain the reason for the deception or the insincerity the other day? I doubt it because, like I said before, I think Faye did a great preliminary job that day of disarming them with sweet words well before the session commenced.
Speaking to a colleague about how admirable Mr. Fatty now is for coming out to denounce the the bad Senegalese hombres in our territory, the guy in his dogmatic Gambian mentality of irreversibly stigmatizing anyone proven wrong yesterday as not capable of ever being right again, dishonestly changed the subject just to convince me. He explained how the ex-interior minister was directly responsible for terminating my employment as deputy ambassador at the Unite Nation soon after the Barrow government took over. That’s intellectual dishonesty in that he was for a long time aware but quietly concealed that story from me until now. I laughed and simply told him how someone else in the government would have fired me anyway if he hadn’t, considering the “undesirable” role I had played during the 2017 impasse to support the APRC government to the bitter end. I was not only supposed to be fired but many folks had recommended my arrest and prosecution with a few unfortunate one infected with the hateful disease against “Samsudeen Sarr”, killing them slowly.
But you see, sound minds pursuing consequential objectives, evolve constantly and are hardly stuck with any poisonous prejudice. All scriptures teach about how prophets founded and developed their religions on tolerance to the extent of befriending and accepting their worst adversaries including those confirmed to wish them death. All they ask for was their ultimate conversion to the creed they preach.
By the way, in the religion of politics, when did we cast away the commandment of followers not to permanently be loyal to friends or foes but to party’s interest? Only the “Byfaal” often with low-IQ easily forget that number-one commandment. Just learn from the Republicans and Democrats in the USA where the religion of democracy originated from.
Hence, regardless of our disagreements in the past, when new agreeable matters are raised before us I believe judging the message would be more logical and beneficial than the messenger. Holding grudges is toxic to the owner and reconciliation is its best antidote.
Consequently, any Gambian political leader who genuinely understand the problem I have been bitching about over the foreign troops illegally occupying our country because of its security economic downturn, is in my book a candidate I can cast my vote for. And Honorable Mai Ahmed Fatty and few others are showing signs of that kind of understanding. If Barrow understands it, that will be much better.
Thanks for reading. Till next time.
Samsudeen Sarr
Banjul, The Gambia.
Yes, I am Back home folks.
LAMIN NJIE – COMMENT: Alhagie Jawara saw an opportunity, pounced and conquered
But who really didn’t see this coming?
The past weeks have been something of a spectacle at the national assembly. There have been many events but the Alhagie Jawara Vs UDP event certainly stands out. Scintillating!
Alhagie Jawara didn’t enter this battle without careful thinking. He came into the trenches prepared – as any good soldier would. Who can really tell how much pep talk he got before coming to the national assembly with this bill?
Jawara brought the Local Government Amendment Bill 2020 to the House when it’s most tricky. UDP were fighting with a man. That fight needed to finish first, at least to UDP adherents.
Yet, Jawara came to the House intent on serving out what he’s out to serve. To tame political parties.
But what makes one hesitant in criticising his move is that he came covering himself with, ‘I am doing this for the national interest’. And you know the likes of Halifa Sallah, they are big fans of national interest.
And so it was supposed to be easy. Where you have the likes of Halifa Sallah on your side, victory is sure to be gained. Only that this does not always apply when it comes to a presidential election.
UDP NAMs then had to go it alone, without any support and without any help. I always felt sorry for them because at times I felt the bill was personal and targeting them, as the party with the most elected officials.
A vote certainly had to be taken today (Friday) and when it came, Jawara quickly won. He can now surely pop the champagne. For the UDP NAMs, it’s about them dusting themselves off and accepting defeat.
Breaking: Essa Faal’s mom, Ya Sorra, dies at 76
By Jaka Ceesay Jaiteh
TRRC top lawyer Essa Faal’s mother Fatou Jagne died on Thursday aged 76.
Fatou Jagne otherwise known as Ya Sorra died at Afrimed clinic Thursday evening, The Fatu Network understands.
More follows…
Breaking: Five nurses and three security officers who all work at EFSTH test positive for coronavirus
Five nurses and three security officers who all work at the nation’s top hospital, Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, have tested positive for coronavirus.
The ministry of health in its 99th situation report confirmed five nurses, a security officer and two orderlies have all tested positive for the disease.
“Most of the healthcare worker cases are secondary cases who had close contact with either case 061 or case 064 in a healthcare setting,” the health ministry said Thursday.
It comes as the health ministry confirmed 14 new cases of the disease which spreads across the last seven days.
It brings to 78 the total number of COVID-19 cases confirmed in the country.
MUSTAPHA CEESAY – COMMENT: General Lamin Bojang is a dignified son of the land
I feel obliged to also contribute to the recent topical issue involving General Lamin Bojang and a purported leaked nude video of him.
Although, I am not a registered member of the GAP, I felt the gentle man need the solidarity of every Gambian as he battles with a serious psychological trauma.
I dare not confirm or deny the veracity of the leaked video but I am convinced that it was a setup that was calculated to bring down, soil his reputation and kick him off the Political fray as the 2021 Presidential race intensifies.
As a country and as a Republican state, we can only boast of a full-fledged democratic space in this “New Gambia”, if we encourage a health Multi Party competition and accommodate divergent views from citizens and political leaders as a whole.
The freedom of private life must be recognised and observed.
As far as I am concerned, subjective Moral actions must not be measured against a person’s ability to run the state House and deliver us from the bondage of bad governance.
General Lamin Bojang is a dignified son of the land who has an impressive track record and has consistently demonstrated high level of patriotism and love for this country.
His decades of impeccable service cannot be crushed by a sadistic act of evil doers.
Even though unfortunate situation was an opportunity for the GAP executive and members to demonstrate their love for their Presidential aspirant, it is mind boggling to note how they distance themselves from a Man who gave up all to take up an offer that he knew would be a tough job.
If there is any one to be expelled from the GAP, in the name of moral sanity, it would have started from Mr. 90 days; I mean Mr. Musa Batchilley.. He had demonstrated dishonesty and lack of morals.
The GAP has just created a GAP through their unprofessional act.
I rest my case.
Mustapha Ceesay, writing in, simply dubbed himself a concerned citizen.
Turkey 15 July 2016 coup: Q&A featuring Turkey top diplomat in Gambia Tolga Bermek
Tuesday 15 July marks four years of an attempted coup on the rule of Recep Tayyib Erdogan, an act that shocked the world. In the Q&A below, Turkey Ambassador to The Gambia Tolga Bermek responds to questions regarding the coup.
What sort of organization is FETO?
Amb Bermek: Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) is an armed cult of fanatics led by a retired imam Fetullah Gulen. To judge the deeds of Fetullah Gülen and FETÖ only with what transpired on July 15th would be a mistake. The crimes committed on the night of 15 July 2016 were just the tip of an iceberg. Fetullah Gülen and his followers disguised themselves as a benign education movement in the 1970s, when they started the campaign of establishing schools in Turkey and later around the world. In terms of their reach, they were unprecedented. Through these schools, they carried out an infiltration campaign where kids and their parents were recruited with the seemingly innocent promise of a better education and a good job.
The first stage was brainwashing young minds at their private schools through so-called training activities. They used to indoctrinate large groups of radical followers to make them carry out the instructions of the organization’s leadership unquestioningly by violating all legal and moral norms. The followers believe that Gülen is the “Messiah” and that they are the “golden generation”.
His students were also told that, to achieve their main goal of taking control of the state, they should remain hidden and they could eschew all ethical, religious or personal beliefs. Attaching great importance to confidentiality in its structure, and calling the confidentiality as a “precaution”, the organisation gives “code” names to its members apart from their real names to ensure secrecy. In this way, this is a unique and peculiar armed terrorist organisation where its lower level members know each other by their code names and which has a “cell-type” structure.
For decades Gülen directed his followers to infiltrate all critical state organs, such as the police, the judiciary and the armed forces. Towards this goal, they started to infiltrate the most critical institutions of the State through mass-scale exam cheatings. FETÖ affiliated students were provided with the answers to entrance exams. There are currently many investigations into mass-scale exam cheatings in Turkey, including the Police Academy entrance tests, the Centralized Public Service Admission Tests, Military Schools and other governmental jobs.
The handlers of those FETÖ members staffed at critical governmental posts kept their indoctrination up-to-date and passed on the instructions of FETÖ. As civil servants or military personnel, FETÖ members’ loyalty was not to the nation or to the state they served. They did not care about upholding the constitution or the legal system of the country.
By the time, FETÖ strengthened its economic and political influence by abusing the State’s resources and authority for the vile interests of the organization, an organization which once disguised itself as an education movement gradually turned into a secretive operational structure aiming to transform the society by taking control of the Turkish state from within. This is what we used to call “parallel state structure”.
It has evolved as an extensive organization with huge investments in education, media and economic interest in a wide range of areas. In the international arena, it used to show itself as a representative of moderate Islam by claiming a global messianic mission, depicting Fetullah Gülen as the “Imam of the Universe”. By hiding their real intentions, they tried to take full control of the state.
The organization also established media houses to shape the public opinion for and against any person, group or idea. Many people in Turkey who saw the organization for what it really is got lynched through these media houses. These media houses became the focal point of actions taken against journalists, academicians, bureaucrats and military officers who opposed them, or tried to expose them. They were lynched and purged.
As the organization became more affluent, it started meddling in business transactions and government tender processes. Laundering enormous sums of money, arranging illegal transfers of cash and other financial crimes became business as usual.
The heinous coup attempt of 15 July was the most final, heinous and bloody attack of FETÖ for achieving their goal.
How did the coup process start?
Amb Bermek: Gülen is the mastermind behind what happened in Turkey on July 15th, 2016. In the evening of 15 July 2016, the Bosporus Bridge traffic was closed by his disciples within the armed forces with tanks and trucks. 30 civilians were killed on the bridge. They also targeted several media organizations such as public broadcaster TRT, its English version TRT World and CNN Turk.
Istanbul Ataturk Airport was temporarily seized with tanks, trucks and jeeps.
Incidents in the touristic resort town Marmaris was serious. They tried to assassinate our President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was staying in a hotel at that night. Two police officers were killed by helicopter bombing.
Ankara, our capital city, witnessed tragic events at that night. Civilians who gathered outside the General Headquarters to resist the coup attempt were attacked by gunfire from helicopters. They attacked the Prime Minister’s vehicle and air-bombarded the Grand National Assembly. Some police officers and parliamentary staff were wounded. However, the General Assembly of the Parliament did not stop its ongoing session despite the bombings.
On the other hand, other government offices such as the Gendarmerie Headquarters, Special Operations Headquarters and headquarter of the National Intelligence Agency, The Ankara Police Department were also attacked. Putschist soldiers attempted to cut off internet and media up-links by attacking Turksat, Turkish provider of satellite communications.
At the dawn of 16 July, we had 250 innocent people killed and over 2.000 wounded.
But, I want to underline that, the perpetrators of this attempt were just a small group in the army. Considering that the Turkish Armed Forces is the second biggest army in NATO after US, we should say that the main body of the army played a key role in supression of the coup attempt.
Were you aware of existence of this group in the army before their coup attempt?
Amb Bermek: Actually, FETÖ was designated as a terrorist organization in 2014 by the Government and a strategy was adopted for tackling the organization as a matter of national security.
Consequently, the Military developed a strategy to remove FETÖ-linked officers from the ranks. The biggest blow to FETÖ soldiers was intended to be the Military Council meeting of August 2016 which had planned to formalize more discharges.
July 15th was plotted at the time when the Government had discovered and listed most of the so-called military personnel who were actually recruits of FETÖ and thus was getting ready to dismiss them. In other words, July 15th was a desperate final move of Fetullah Gülen and his followers to keep their control in place in Turkey and capture the state.
What happened after the coup attempt? What kind of steps were taken by your Government?
Amb Bermek: Four important years have passed since the 15th July coup attempt carried out by the FETO terrorist organization.
At the first stage, we brought the perpetrators of the 15th of July coup attempt to justice on the basis of the rule of law. During extensive administrative, criminal and judicial investigations, prosecutors have gathered crucial evidence pointing to the unmistakable imprint of FETO behind the coup attempt. Thousands of officers confessed their affiliation with FETÖ.
The Turkish authorities have also managed to decode encrypted communication systems such as “Bylock”, “Eagle”, etc. used only by FETÖ members. Actually, that was the biggest breakthrough enabling the police to better identify FETÖ members who have infiltrated the state institutions and to illuminate their illegal activities.
We unveiled FETO’s organizational structure within governmental institutions. Administrative and judicial procedures have been initiated against FETO members and hence the “parallel state structure” has been brought down. Apart from those within the governmental institutions, FETO’s attempts to spread across all areas of the economy via its shell entities, particularly in the education, media and banking sectors, have been thwarted.
Amb Bermek: How was the reaction of the international community to this bloody coup attempt?
During the earliest days, there were different reactions to the coup attempt. Some countries waited too long to make statements against this bloody attempt.
But, I would like to extend our gratitudes and appreciation to The Gambia for its valuable support from the very beginning of the events. As the Ambassador, I am proud to serve in The Gambia which is the first country in Africa to expell FETÖ members from its territories and close their so-called school even before the coup attempt, in 2014. This decisive step of The Gambia has been taken as an example by many other countries afterwards.
Now, the international community gradually understands that FETÖ is not a social movement that engages with education and charity, contrary to the way it tries to portray itself, but rather a dark and insidious organization with political and economic ambitions. Countries that have investigated and monitored this group have often founded that they are involved in an extensive list of crimes such as money laundering, intimidation, bribery and passport/visa fraud.
Several international organizations have adopted vital resolutions regarding FETÖ. A resolution declaring FETÖ a terrorist organization was adopted at the 43rd session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers held on 19 October 2016. The Asian Parliamentary Assembly also declared FETÖ a terrorist organization on 1 December 2016. The 12th Conference of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC has also declared FETÖ as a terrorist organisation on 27 January 2017.
The awareness raised regarding FETO in third countries has also stimulated closer monitoring and investigation of the activities related to these elements by the officials of some countries. Unlawful acts carried out by FETO-affiliated organizations have thus been revealed in various countries.
FETÖ affiliated schools and education centers in 38 countries were closed down or taken over by the relevant country. In 20 of these, the affiliated schools and education centers have been transferred to the Turkish Maarif Foundation. Also, Turkish Maarif Foundation has opened schools in 22 countries. They also have a very modern and well-equipped school in The Gambia.
The last thing I want to underline is that, FETO still poses a threat to the security of other countries where it remains active. We therefore continue to warn our friends against this structure and thus we are satisfied with the rising awareness against this group as a consequence of our efforts. We really appreciate that The Gambia was one of the first countries in the world which noticed this threat.
Editor’s note: This Q&A was conducted by the Turkish Embassy.
Breaking news: GAP fires Lamin Bojang
Gambia Action Party has sacked flagbearer Lamin Bojang, officials in high places in the party have confirmed to The Fatu Network.
More follows…
Top Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan tests positive for coronavirus
By CGTN Africa
Top Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan announced on Saturday that he tested positive for COVID-19.
Considered one of Bollywood’s most iconic actors of all time, Bachchan urged anyone who may have come into contact with him recently to go for tests to determine their status.
“I have tested CoviD positive .. shifted to Hospital .. hospital informing authorities .. family and staff undergone tests , results awaited,” he wrote on Twitter.
The 77-year-old has enjoyed a lengthy and stellar career which has seen him appear in more than 180 films in over five decades.
India is one of the world’s worst affected countries by the COVID-19 pandemic, having reported 820,916 infections and 22,123 deaths as of Saturday afternoon.
The global number of infections rose beyond 12.5 million as the death toll topped the 561,000 mark on Saturday.
GIBRIL SAINE – COMMENT: Blame Local Area Councils for Development Failures; Not Central Govt
By Gibril Saine
With bright lights being shone at the estimates & figures on collected tax revenue by devolved local authorities in The Gambia, we now know where blame lies as to the nature of poor administrative efficiency, poor service delivery, and of course, poor track record of municipalities across the land:
I woke up this morning quite vexed at news reports regarding estimates about the nature of disruptive financial indiscipline local area councils had been allowed to get away with – for far too long you’d think!
Concerning questions posed by PDOIS Honourable member for Banjul North, OUSMAN SILLAH, I implore any rational you, friends and foes alike, to run through these indiscipline spending lines by local authorities in as many years since the change.
Respectfully, to hell with it – these were young leaders, and new leaders, we had cheered and elevate, regardless, all the while local authority guidelines are being flaunted year on year – Mayors and Council lenders need held accountable:
The law as per recommendation in any given circumstances was that local authorities MUST spend nothing less than sixty percent (60%) of their allocated budget on development initiatives (projects). None of the councils have met that threshold, not even close, despite aggressive tax collection drives against hard press poor residents. So where is the money going? And of central govt subvention meant as gap-filling top up measures assigned for local development:
These are questions for parliament, in consult with the National Audit Office, and for govt to ensure local authorities oblige to the wishes of their (Devolution Powers) terms of reference.
Gambians need recognise that Councils are just like people – who need to cut your cloth according to size – reduce excessive borrowing. The issue of ghost workers in the system will need thorough investigate – A population impatiently waiting to vote out poor performing local area councils at the next election cycle.
Kerewan Area
12,691,038.00 – collected in 2017
3,610,035.00 – spent on dev. projects
28.4 %
14,520,689.00 – collected in 2018
3,746,921.00 – spent on dev. projects
26.0 %
15,194,650.00 – collected in 2019
4,518,000.00 – spent on dev. projects
29.7 %
Banjul City
51,107,074.00 – collected in 2017
2,129,956.00 – spent on dev. projects
4.2 %
53,218,964.00 – collected in 2018
3,586,998.00 -spent on dev. projects
6.7 %
61,372,875.00 – collected in 2019
26,374,953.93 – spent on dev. projects
43.0 %
Kuntaur Area
6,064,847.00 – collected in 2017
366,850.00 – spent on dev. projects
6.0 %
7,054,848.00 – collected in 2018
749,926.00 – spent on dev. projects
10.6 %
10,836,461.00 – collected in 2019
1,067,997.00 – spent on dev. projects
9.9 %
Brikama Area
85,053,310.00 – collected in 2017
2,302,824.00 – spent on dev. projects
2.7 %
74,036,437.00 – collected in 2018
20,388,922.00 – spent on dev. projects
27.5 %
62,958,950.00 – collected in 2019
30,100,000.00 – spent on dev. projects
47.8 %
Mansa konko Area
11,865,135.00 – collected in 2017
1,159,500 – spent on dev. projects
9.8 %
10,355,976.00 – collected in 2018
3,256,000.00 – spent on dev. projects
31.4 %
11,265,100.00 – collected in 2019
2,345,000.00 – spent on dev. projects
20.8 %
Kanifing Municipal
129,876,783.62 – collected in 2017
41,348,256.00 – spent on dev. projects
31.8%
142,473,019.00 – collected in 2018
43,414,137.38 – spent on dev. projects
30.4 %
162,053,022.00 – collected in 2019
76,957,625.00 – spent on dev. projects
47.5 %
Janjanbureh Area
7,735,130.00 – collected in 2017
563,041.00 – spent on dev. projects
7.3 %
7,761,614.00 – collected in 2018
640,148.00 – spent on dev. projects
8.2 %
7,242,881.00 – collected in 2019
708,428.00 – spent on dev. projects
9.8 %
Basse Area Council
14,643,315.00 – collected in 2017
4,643,315.00 – spent on dev. projects
31.2 %
14,604,616.00 – collected in 2018
3,019,936.17 – spent on dev. projects
20.7 %
11,412,200.00 – collected in 2019
1,378,255.50 – spent on dev. projects
12.1 %
TOTAL COLLECTED BY 8 COUNCILS
319,036,632.62 – 2017
56,123,177.00 – spent on dev. projects
17.6 %
324,026,163.00 – 2018
78,802,988.55 – spent on dev. projects
24.3 %
342,336,139.00 – 2018
143,450,258.00 – spent on dev. projects
42.0 %
