A lucrative sponsorship package that will see Sport House sponsor the Banjul knock-out competition for the next five seasons has been sealed.

The Banjul Sports Committee has entered into an agreement with the popular Sports House who will pay a total of D35, 000 (thirty-five thousand dalasis) each season as the package as the sole sponsor of the knock-out competition that is played alongside the Western Union sponsored league competition.

Ebou Faye, secretary general of Banjul Sports Committee said the from this season, Sports House will provide D15, 000 for knock-out winners, D10, 000 for runners up and another D10, 000 for administrative cost.

He said the sports firm will also provide a trophy for the winners, sets of jerseys for the two finalists amongst others.

Faye revealed that deal is real boost for the sports committee, noting that it will go a long way in ensuring the on-going sports development in the city.

Angel Lossado Tores-Quevedo, the secretary of state for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Spain, yesterday, paid a courtesy call on President Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh in his office at State House, Banjul.

Mr Quevedo is currently on a visit to Banjul with a group of officials from the Spanish foreign ministry. Their visit is aimed at improving and intensifying the existing bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

Speaking to waiting newsmen shortly after having audience with The Gambian leader, the Spanish envoy said the occasion availed him the opportunity to explain to Dr Jammeh the various  fields of bilateral cooperation and  projects between Spain and The Gambia.

He added: “We have had the opportunity to share our opinions on issues of joint work on international cooperation, the work we are doing in terms of creating job opportunities for youths here in The Gambia”.

He disclosed that the issue  of illegal migration, an area of cooperation between the two countries was also discussed as well as measures needed to tackle the phenomenon, describing it as a global problem.

Dilating on the steps needed to curb the issue, the Spanish envoy said the creation of employment opportunities locally is a right step, reaffirming his countriy’s stance on illegal migration.

He then revealed that Spain is assisting The Gambia to the tune of 7M Euros,  in various fields of development such as education, infrastructure and job creation for the youthfolk through the Gamjobs project under the UNDP  

On the possibility of granting working visas for Gambians to work in Spain, the envoy said it was possible but referred to the joint commission that established the agreement between the two states which he said would soon meet to explore various areas including this specific issue.

President Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh has reiterated his resolve to maintain an amiable relationship with the people of the neighbouring Republic of Senegal.

He was speaking at an audience with the visiting Senegalese Prime Minister, Cheikh Hadjibou Soumaré, who was in Banjul to grace the commemoration of the 14th anniversary of the July 22nd Revolution.

According to reports monitored from GRTS, Dr Jammeh told the Senegalese Premier that The Gambia and Senegal enjoy a rare opportunity to serve as an example, as they can form the building block for possible regional, and then continental unification.

He used the opportunity to reiterate his stance as a pan-Africanist, saying: “I am a pan-Africanist; I want Africa to be united, not divided.”

The Gambian leader also reaffirmed his unreserved commitment to resolve the conflict in the Senegalese province of Casamance.

The Gambia, he assured the premier, would not harbour any rebel. The president cited his efforts in ensuring that some rebels captured in The Gambia were brought before a court of law as a way of demonstrating that he had nothing to do with the conflict in that region in terms of support; arguing that the captured rebels could have told the court of his support, if he had anything to do with them.

He went on to say that The Gambia has nothing against Senegal, adding that, “We will do nothing to destabilise Senegal.” He warned against the excesses of “freedom of the press” in the efforts to maintaining a cordial bond.

He concluded by urging collective efforts in the fight against the scourges of poverty, diseases and malnutrition. For his part, Prime Minister Soumaré sounded visibly appreciative of the Gambian leader’s effort in resolving the decades-long civil unrest in the Casamance region, stressing that the two countries are the same, and that what “we see today is as a result of colonial division”.

He said that President Jammeh had done what he was supposed to do in ensuring a continued peaceful relationship between the sister republics. He re-echoed the president’s comment in calling for restraint on the part of journalists.

While recognising the pan-Africanist stance of the Gambian leader, Prime Minister Soumaré expressed readiness to work with his Gambian counterpart, Vice-President Isatou Njie-Saidy, promising that the both of them would do their utmost to concretise the agreement between Banjul and Dakar.

He concluded by saluting President Jammeh for his achievements for the Gambian people, and for his continued efforts in upgrading the well-being of the entire African people.

On Wednesday, July 16,  President Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh concluded a three-day state visit to Guinea-Conakry. During his stay in Conakry, the Gambian leader held extensive discussions with his Guinean counterpart. They seized the opportunity to review the principles guiding the bilateral relationship between Banjul and Conakry.

Prompted by their common desire to further strengthening their traditional friendship and cooperation, the visit saw the two countries renewing their commitment to strengnten the cooperation.  

Aware that the bilateral cooperation meets the long-term interests of the two peoples and desirous of promoting international peace and security, and determined to intentify the positive achievements recorded in bilateral relations, the two laeders reiterated in a joint communiqué, their strong will to expand ties.

According to the joint communiqué, the two sides affirmed that they will pursue the cooperation existing in the areas of fisheries (the 2002 agreement), water ressources, commerce, transport, civil service and tourism.

Agreement was not only reached on deepening the  Gambia-Guinea Conakry cooperation, but also to have a firm stand on international and regional issues of common interest.

In the sector of water ressources, the two sides agreed to work on a common programme within the framework of the OMVG. Consequently, they will promote the OMVG energy projects at the Kaléla and Samagouly dams.
 
At the regional level, the two countries resolutely decided to promote inter-regional commerce and re-affirmed their desire to encourage negociations within the ECOWAS Commission so as to reach a balanced agreement on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).

As a result, the Gambian side invited Guinea to participate in the forthcoming ECOWAS Banjul Inter-ministerial Meeting on EPAs.

President Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, Wednesday, returned home, at the end of a three-day working visit to the sister Republic of Guinea Conakry.

On arrival at the Banjul International Airport, the Gambian leader was received at the foot of the aircraft by the vice-president and SoS for Women’s Affairs, Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy, the SoS for Higher Education, Crispin-Grey Johnson and the secretary general and head of the Civil Service, Mrs Teneng Jaiteh, and service chiefs.

After the usual formal arrival ceremonies, President Jammeh told waiting journalists that Guinea Conakry is a friendly country, and that his visit was purposely to consolidate the already existing bilateral relationship with a "strategic partner"; a country he described as one of The Gambia’s best friends. The president disclosed that the visit also accorded him the opportunity to consolidate and show solidarity with the West African nation in the wake of the recent unrest that befell it.  

He said that "Gambia and Guinea have always been working together at the international level, so it is fitting that when such things happen to them we express solidarity".

On the prospect of signing a bilateral cooperation, President Jammeh said they only had to revive the comprehensive technical cooperation that already exists between the two countries, saying that due to the fact that there have been some changes at the governmental level of that country, some of the agreement have not been implemented.

He stated that the country is blessed with mineral and marine resources, which "we do not have in The Gambia". He also expressed the possibility of cooperation in not only roads but other infrastructural developments, expressing hope that Guinea would surely come up.

Pa Kalifa Sanyang, the human resource and public relations manager at the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) has disclosed to the Daily Observer that his council recently paid D300,000 as compensation to the Colley Kunda family of Tallinding for the acquisition of part of the family’s land for use as Tallinding Sicap Market.

Mr Sanyang added that the negotiations have been ongoing for the past few years, but the agreement was finally reached recently. He said that the move is in line with the council’s strategy to develop satellite markets, where there is space to deconjest the Serekunda Market.

According to PRO Sanyang, they have a vision to spread social amenities and facilities to every part of the municipality, which is also in line with the concept of development of the government of the day.

He then reiterated that KMC is a social investor, citing that they cater for a wide range of social activities at municipal and national level.

He then revealed that currently, the council is sponsoring more than 85 students drawn from the less fortunate families resident within the municipality.

He also emphasised that the council is equally making moves to ensure a regular and efficient waste management system with its meager resources, noting that this cannot happen overnight but that eventually with the suppport of the public and other stakeholders like the National Environment Agency, they will succeed in transforming Kanifing Municipality into one of the cleanest cities of modern times.

Mr Sanyang then urged tax payers to pay their dues regularly to enable the council to realise its development objectives.

“The council is squarely dependent on local revenue collected and as such, we cannot function if the populace fail to pay their taxes,” he concluded.

The Conference of Parties (COP) concluded last Friday its ninth session during a plenary session. Held in Bonn, the Conference took important decisions towards the restoration and protection of biodiversity on Earth. Reports monitored by the Daily Observer indicated that participants have reached agreement on the most contentious key issues and overcome the crippling gridlock of the past years. In fact, they have moved forward regarding concrete conservation of biodiversity.

Some participants described the agreement on a mandate laying down a clear, ambitious roadmap for the next two years and a text as a basis for the negotiations on an international regime on access to and benefit sharing of genetic resources (ABS) as a "breakthrough". "After 16 years we have now finally succeeded in agreeing a common path which will lead to an internationally binding agreement on the equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of biological diversity," said Federal Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel of Germany.
 
The "Bonn Mandate" envisages a clear roadmap for the next two years, to enable a so-called international ABS regime to be adopted at COP 10 in Japan. "As President of the Convention, I will do everything in my power to ensure the successful implementation of the Bonn Mandate for the creation of an ABS regime by 2010," said Gabriel. "After 2010, biopiracy must be barred under international law!" Bonn also saw important decisions taken in other areas:

Illegal logging: Calls for further national and international measures against illegal logging and trade in illegal timber are far more explicit than before.

Marine protected areas: Enormous progress was made in Bonn with the adoption of scientific criteria for the selection of marine protected areas. Although a global network of marine protected areas plays a key role in the conservation of the oceans, to date not even 1 percent of the area is protected, while throughout the world not one area on the high seas is under protection, "I hope that the process of designating protected areas on the high seas will receive new momentum through the adoption of binding selection criteria," said Gabriel. "Ultimately we have committed to establishing a global network of marine protected areas by 2012."

Biofuels: The delegates furthermore agreed on sustainable production and use of biofuels, with a view to biodiversity conservation, and reiterated that the CBD should in future play a key role in this issue.

Genetically modified trees: On this topic it was agreed that without a risk analysis, Parties have the right to forego the use of genetically modified trees.

Climate protection and biodiversity: The cooperation between the CBD and the Framework Convention on Climate Change is to be improved. Corresponding recommendations were adopted.

Fertilisation of marine areas: COP 9 took a clear stance against activities for the artificial fertilisation of marine areas with the goal of carbon capture. The reason: scientists fear very negative impacts on the marine environment. Furthermore, as yet it is still completely unclear whether such activities really have the supposed positive impacts on the climate.

On the margins of the official negotiations, the German delegation presented two initiatives that met with very broad agreement among the Parties: the LifeWeb Initiative and the Business and Biodiversity Initiative.

The LifeWeb Initiative met with a positive response because it facilitates the financing of new or existing protected areas in a swift and unbureaucratic way. With LifeWeb, Germany and other countries will provide additional funding, including for the financing of existing or new forest protected areas. Germany , the host of the high level conference, will increase its current funding for international nature conservation from 210 million euro this year to a total of 500 million euro between 2009 and 2012, then for the long term to 500 million per year.

In the framework of the Business and Biodiversity Initiative, 34 internationally active companies presented their voluntary commitment to make biodiversity conservation an important component of their future corporate and management policies. The scope of the companies involved ranges from the tourism, timber and construction industries to financial services, the food industry and the natural cosmetics sector.

Editor,

Please allow me space to write in absolute agreement with the views of Mr. Pa Ndow, head teacher, Serekunda primary school as expressed during the education forum, Tuesday 13th May 2008. Indeed Mr. Ndow is right in stating that an examination based entrely on multiple choice objective questions inhibit candidates ability to express themselves in written English.  

There is ample evidence that multiple choice objective questions part from encouraging guessing have impacted negatively on our students to the extent that generally students lack the ability and skill to express themselves in written English.  Infact society at large show evidence of this inability.

In the book “Essay and letter writing for Gambian schools” by Dr. Pap Sey first printed in 1986, the author in his preface noted that while generally, performance in English has been a major concern in Gambian schools, there is worry that student ability in easy and letter writing is particularly poor.  This he said has been evidenced by results obtained by candidates in national examinations.

Today, twenty two years later, the scenario described by Dr. Sey has instead of improved inorsened and deteriorated to the extent that even grade twelve students are unable to write and express competently in English.

Mulitiple choice objective questions may have their merics but they definitely do not provide answers that reflect the candidate’s knowledge and or understanding of the material learnt.

by Salieu E.H. John

Thembisile C Majola Embalo, the South African ambassador  to The Gambia, based in Dakar, Senegal, has said that there are a lot of things that bring these two sister republics together, apart from the colonial heritage.

Ambassador Embalo made this remark recently, during an interview with reporters, shortly after the signing of the bilateral air services agreement between officials of the two countries, at the Kairaba Beach Hotel.

According to her, there is much more we share in common that we are not aware of. She stressed that "we will not be able to exploit the importance of these similarities until we have a better interaction between our peoples."

She noted that with the signing of this new air services agreement, many South Africans would be interested in the tourist industry of The Gambia, adding that The Gambia has a very rich natural resources base, citing the vast fishing waters. "Another area that will be of interest to many South Africans are infrastructural development, ICT’s, road network, among others.

"This would further create a better interaction between our peoples. As soon as we signed the air service agreement it came into effect, and you also observed at the signing ceremony that we did not only have government officials but air line operators as well," she said.

This, she went on, will facilitate further negotiations with other airline operators in both South Africa and The Gambia for effective operation.

"We have created the condition and policy framework like guaranty and security, which is expected of our governments. So it is now left to them now(the operators), as to how to exploit the benefit."

She further assured her government’s continued support in whenever necessary, noting that they would speak to the airline operators in South Africa and make them aware of the possibilities and opportunities that exist in The Gambia.

Magistrate Ayoub John Njie of the Brikama Magistrates Court has warned a law enforcement officer not to meddle in matters that contravene the law, saying a police officer should lubricate the wheel justice delivery system and not throw a spanner into it.

The magistrate gave this warning to one Momodou Suwareh, a police officer, who has been dragged in a civil suite filed by one Mrs Mama Jarra against him as the first defendant and Alasana Jawo, the Alkalo of Farato Village, about  a land deal.

The complainant told the court she gave D17,000 to Mr Suwareh for a piece of land at Farato Village, but added that for the past four years, she has been on Mr Suwareh’s back to obtain the land documents without any headway.

Meanwhile, Mr Suwareh admitted selling the land to Mrs Jarra, but noted that the money was paid to Alhasana Jawo, the Alkalo of Farato. However, he was quick to add that he took not less than D5,000 from the money.

The second defendant, Alhasana Jawo also admitted that the said money was paid to him, but it was immediately handed over to Suwareh, who later prepared the transfer documents of the land.

Suwareh objected to the assertion, saying that he had only signed the documents, but the Alkalo insisted that it was Suwareh who prepared the transfer documents and appended his signature on it.

Mr Suwareh then informed the court that he was not the rightful owner of the said land, but one Francis Gomez. But Alkalo quickly retorted, saying that if Suwareh had informed him that he was not the owner of the land, he (Alkalo) would not have involved himself in the business. He recalled that the complainant once came to him looking for a land to buy, but was told that he had no land on sale, before referring her to Mr Suwareh. He said since Suwareh and Ms Jarra reached an agreement on the sale of the land, he (the Alkalo) visited the land just once and both Suwareh and Jarra offered him D1,000 each. The case was adjourned for continuation.