The SBEC International School in Bijilo, is currently organising its first summer camp, since its establishment 7 years ago.

This year’s summer camp, which is scheduled from the 4th-28th August, 2008, will give the students the opportunity to practice indoor and outdoor games, academic activities, sports, adventure tours, research and presentations, among other issues.

Speaking to theYoung Observer Columnist, Mr. Stephen Wright, English teacher at SBEC International School, said the summer camp is open to all students even to those who are not attending Sbec.

“The students visited Makasutu Nature Reserve, hotels, beachsides for fishing, they practiced number games, anagrams, did a computer research project, quiet reading in the library, snakes and ladder evaluation games, puzzles, dancing and martial arts,” Mr Wright disclosed.

He revealed that at SBEC International school, they believe that children can best learn through fun and that was one reason for the establishment of the summer camp.

“Initially, they had summer school, which was boring because the children were not given the opportunity to choose the activities they are interested in. This was another major reason for the summer camp.

I therefore advise the children to take the summer camp seriously, to enable them to learn a lot of new things”, Mr Wright concluded.

A series of activities were recently conducted to mark the celebration of World Population Day. Among the activities held was a press conference that gathered the local press with some officers of UNFPA and staff of The Gambia Family Planning.

The subject of the discussion was the theme of this year celebration “Family Planning Is A Right”.

According to Dr Robin Mboge, the theme highlights “the basic human right for individuals and couples to decide the timing and spacing of their children and provide opportunity to raise awareness on the many benefits of family planning which include enhancing maternal health, gender equality and poverty reduction. ”

Dr Nboge profusely spoke on the essence of family planning and the described the use of contraceptives as essential to women’s empowerment.

In Dr Nboge introductory remarks he assertively adduced that, when a woman can plan her family she can plan the rest of her family.

In his presentation, the director of population Mr. Saihou Trawally, covered sensitive issues such as efforts to curb rural urban migration, helping to manage birth and not to control birth.

Following the presentations, journalists asked many icy questions concerning family planning and how people perceive it in The Gambia.

During the question and answer session, access to contraceptives by woman was questioned. The representative from GFPA, Ms Haddy Mboge, retorted that, there are outlet created for easy access to contraceptives. She maintained that, a clinical test is carried out first before any woman is allowed to use contraceptives. This, she argues, will avoid possible bad effects.

Mr. Kungkung Jobarteh, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Department of State for Basic and Secondary Education has called on parents and guardians to always monitor their children’s performance at school.

DPS Jobarteh made these remarks recently while delivering a keynote address at the graduation ceremony of Armitage Senior Secondary School in Jangjangbureh.

Mr. Jobarteh, who was also the guest speaker at the occasion, urged both the parents and teachers to keep in close contact and work together in the interests of children.

He dilated on the important roles played by parents in shaping the characters of their children which according to him, remains with them [the children] throughout their lives.

He further went on to advise the students to give maximum respect to their parents and teachers and not only confine their hard work to the classroom but also to do more at home.

Giving his annual report, Mr. Ebrima Joof, Principal of Armitage Senior Secondary School, said the 2007 WASSCE results have shown a remarkable improvement in the performance of the students in all subjects.

He lamented that the school being a boarding one is really finding it difficult to cope with the rising cost of food prices, which he said has seriously affected their budget.

 He revealed that every term, the school consumes 450 bags of rice but thanked to President Jammeh who donated 210 bags of rice to the school. The gesture is assisting the school.

Kaunding Tambedou, the chairman of Armitage Board of Governors, commended the Ex-students association of Armitage for their continued support to their Alma mater.

Dissection of Comments

Having closely considered the recent revelation on the presence and activities of people of the Shia Islamic sect in The Gambia and the recommendations put forth by the Islamic conference responsible for such insightful comments, I feel duty-bound as a concerned Muslim to pen a word or two, especially as the comments made by one of the panelists at the Talinding conference, Imam Abdoulie Fatty, have attracted thinly-veneered vitriol from Baba Leigh, the Imam of Kanifing East.

From the outset, it is pertinent to recapitulate what Imam Fatty is reported to have said at the conference. According to the news item on the conference, Imam Fatty and other learned Islamic scholars have alerted people about the recent intensification of activities by followers of the Shia sect, which is allegedly seeking to “convert” other Muslims outside its fold. Of perhaps greater significance, Imam Fatty’s remarks also touched on the foundation and doctrine of the Shia sect, a conspicuous feature of which is the apparent disregard and lack of recognition for the exalted position of the other three Khaliphs, eminent leaders of the Islamic Ummah in the first century after the demise of the Holy Prophet of Islam, Muhammad [peace and blessing of Allah (SAW) be upon him]- hence Imam Fatty’s call for Muslims to be wary of the designs of Shia missionaries and their henchmen who he said should not be welcomed.

On the other hand, Imam Baba Leigh has used arguments of tolerance and the need for the unity of the Islamic Ummah in spite of, in his words, “so called religious differences”. He made reference to the age-old presence of people of Lebanese origin and the immense contribution they have been making to the socio-economic advancement of The Gambia. Aside from the emphasis Imam Leigh placed on then material benefits forthcoming from our brothers and sisters of Lebanese origin (all of whom, I dare say, are not Shias), he has for reasons best known to himself avoided making reference to the root cause of the rift between Sunni and Shia sects of Islam-the dishonour of the three great Khaliphs before Khaliph Ali (peace be upon them). What people of my ilk would have expected Mr Leigh to clarify is whether or not it is not against Islamic proprieties to disrespect any one Khaliph in favour of another; whether or not the uncanny audacity to do so is not more likely to antagonise a greater part of the Muslim brotherhood and therefore sow the seeds of discord. But not some feeble defence he has attempted to put up in saying that he is not being bankrolled by any and taking on the mantle of a pious peacemaker! It is important for all to understand that whatever one might say of oneself is not half as important as what society may perceive of him as a result of his conduct or pronouncements. In that light, I believe, it is the substance of Mr.Leigh’s pronouncements in his piece that will, in the final analysis, dictate people’s conception of his motive and not his claim of not being bankrolled by anybody.

Incidentally, if tolerance in religion consists in allowing people to practise their religion without persecution or violence of any kind on account of their faith, I believe that Imam Leigh’s attempt to invoke constitutional provisions on tolerance is misplaced as Imam Fatty’s suggestion to Gambians not to welcome Shias is not a call to arms for what it is worth. I could even remember Sheikh Gibril Kujabi saying at the conference that so far as they do not attempt to interfere with the religious ignorance of a good few of Gambian Muslims by trying to convert them, the Shia followers might carry out any development project beneficial to The Gambians as spreading a belief and bringing about development can be mutually exclusive.

Having stated the foregoing, let me conclude by noting that in matters of religion chicanery or glib comments may glitter for some time but they do not crystallise at the end of the day for they soon dissipate and scatter into oblivion because they proceed from dubious motives.

The Majority Leader of the National Assembly, Hon. Fabakary Tombong Jatta, last Friday presented a pumping machine to the women of Alkali Kunda in Upper Baddibu as part of his contribution in spurring them on in their response to President Jammeh’s call for increased agricultural activities.

The majority leader’s intervention came barely a few days after making a pledge to the Alkali Kunda women following his adoption as the honorary father of the Alkali Kunda women Kafoo.

He presented the machine to the sitting National Assembly member for Upper Baddibu for onward delivery to the Alkali Kunda Women Kafoo. Hon. Jatta explained to journalists after the presentation that the donation was motivated by the visible desire of the people of Alkali Kunda to help themselves improve the standard of their lives.

According to the House Chief Whip, the women of Alkali Kunda have a vegetable garden some 4km outside their settlement but that inadequate water resources are besetting their horticultural activity.

“The women of Alkali Kunda are committed, steadfast, industrious and willing to respond to the President’s encouragement for people to go back to the farmlands to ensure food security and food self-sufficiency. We would, therefore, go all out to help them in becoming the best they can be as it’s easy to help she who wants to help herself,” Hon. Jatta stated.

“On behalf of the villagers of Alkali Kunda, I would like to thank their Desk Officer, Hon. Ablie Suku Singhateh, the member for Upper Baddibu, Lamin Kebba Jammeh, Kalifa Kambi and Momodou S. Touray for helping me in the fulfillment of my pledge.”

Hon. Jatta also thanked H.E. Salifu Jaiteh, Cyprus Gambia Consul also a native of Alkali Kunda, Karamo Marong, Alhaji Jamang Marong, Nemuna Marong, Salifu Camara and the entire people of Alkali Kunda both within and in Kombo for making the adoption ceremony the success it deserve.

For his part, the Desk Officer for North Bank Region, Hon. Ablie Suku Singhateh, expressed delight in Hon. Jatta’s intervention, adding that it’s in tandem with President Jammeh’s vision and mission in ensuring increased productivity in the agricultural sector.

“The pumping machine will increase horticultural activity. This will in turn boost productivity and a boost in productivity means more income generation and more food available for those who need it,” added he.

Speaking to reporters, the National Assembly member for Upper Baddibu, Hon. Lamin Kebba Jammeh, acknowledged his happiness and satisfaction over the gesture, enthusing that the move glaringly indicates the solidarity and unity of interest in the legislature.

“Being the leader of the majority in the House, Hon. Jatta’s support to my constituents is worthy of note because it shows the solidarity in the Assembly. It also belies the notion that one should render help to only his/her people.

“At the same time, the donation is timely in that it will help us to adequately respond to President Jammeh’s back to the land call as well as following his example of putting women uppermost in his agenda.”  

There is no gainsaying the fact that markets and marketing are essential in all economic activities. In retrospect however, it is disappointing to recall that there were times when farmers’ produce was left unsold after a season of toil and drudgery, as there is no market for them in the country. This situation accentuates the fact that unless serious attention is given to agriculture and farmers are adequately empowered, poverty reduction cannot be achieved in the country.

On the other hand, the crusade that is currently ongoing to encourage and promote greater participation of Gambians in farming in order to attain food self-sufficiency can best yield the expected results and dividends if producers adopt efficient marketing strategies.

It is true that going back to the land crusade embarked upon by President Jammeh offers a lot of hope for a better life.

Government’s priority should be the farmers because theirs is not only another vocation but also the backbone of the country’s economy. The marketing of their produce would constitute a right measure to achieve reduction in poverty.

The rainy season has set in, as usual, with lot of expectations from farmers and from the government. As we get into the rainy season, it is fair to think that because the importance of the past is to learn from it. The nation should set out more effective plans to achieve more for The Gambia in the coming year.

The government should be encouraged to work closely with other organisations such as The Gambia Chambers of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) to seek to improve the noble agenda for the ultimate good of our country.

In fact, that is the reason we agreed with the Finance Secy when he told parliament last year that due to “inactive weather, mass degradation and inefficient market storage, agriculture is decreasing in The Gambia.

“No nation was ever ruined by trade.”

Benjamen Franklin.