Welcome to Skeptical Tuesday, where we take a good, hard look at the ridiculous things that we encounter in our daily lives. Today’s topic is the infamous “Chef de garage” – a title that sounds like it was plucked straight from a French cookbook, but is really just a fancy way of saying “lazy, money-grubbing leech”. Ah, the “Chef de garage” – the fancy French title for the guy who sits under a tree all day, drinking Ataya and Cafe Touba, and collecting a few measly coins from poor drivers. It’s like a scene from a bad comedy movie, but unfortunately, it’s all too real in The Gambia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
These so-called “Chefs” sit under a tree all day, collecting coins from drivers and doing nothing to earn them – all while the garage slowly descends into filth and chaos. Gather ’round, and let us delve into the absurdity of the “Chef de garage” – the most useless title to ever grace the ears of drivers in The Gambia. It’s a title that reeks of pretentiousness and conjures images of lazy con artists, all while drivers are left scratching their heads and wondering why they’re being forced to pay for a service they don’t need.
Let’s start with the basics. What is a “Chef de garage”? It’s a fancy French term that essentially means “garage manager”. In theory, a garage manager might oversee the maintenance and repairs of commercial vehicles, ensuring that they’re in good working condition and that they pass safety inspections.
But in reality, in a country like The Gambia, this position is a complete and utter joke.
In the Gambian transportation system, it’s not uncommon to come across these so-called “Chefs de Garage” who collect fees from drivers in exchange for nothing more than a false sense of security. They often lounge around the garage all day, sipping on Ataya and Cafe Touba while drivers come and go, wondering why they’re being forced to part with their hard-earned money. And the worst part? These “Chefs” make no effort to maintain the garage or keep it clean.
Let’s talk about the conditions of these so-called “garages”. They’re not exactly what you’d call hygienic, are they? Dirt, mud, and flies are everywhere, and you can practically see the germs multiplying. It’s like a breeding ground for disease. And yet, the “Chef de garage” seems perfectly content to sit there, collecting his coins and not lifting a finger to improve the conditions.
It’s a scam that’s been going on for far too long. After all, why should they be forced to pay for a service that doesn’t exist? It’s high time that the Gambian government takes action to put an end to this ridiculous practice and protect its citizens from these opportunistic “Chefs de Garage” who are nothing more than glorified con artists.
If we want to improve the situation for commercial drivers in The Gambia, we need to focus on creating a formalized system for maintaining and repairing vehicles, with clear guidelines and accountability measures in place.
We don’t need a fancy French title for someone who’s essentially doing nothing. It’s time to call out the “Chef de garage” for what it is: a complete and utter joke.
