The political atmosphere at the University of The Gambia is at its peak, as the current executive council of the students union’s mandate draws to an end. Aspirants are busy preparing the grounds for the forthcoming polls.

The Daily Observer has been reliably informed that this year’s UTG students union election will be marked by a great difference.

As such, interest among students for unionism has greatly improved leading to the heavy contest of the various executive positions.  Sources further advanced that most of the aspirants are vying for the union’s top job, the presidency.

Reports from the UTGSU Independent Electoral Commission confirmed that the polls will be heavenly contested as more students are showing interest in unionism.  The university’s electoral body further disclosed that so far about 3 aspirants namely Modou Bah, Anthony Mendy and Ansumana Darboe are eyeing the presidency while three others, including for the first time a woman, namely Binta Sowe, Paul Correa and Phillip Jassey,  are aiming to contest for vice-presidency.

The UTGSU IEC has already received a series of applications for other portfolios such as secretary general and information director.

The commission added that they will subject all the aspirants to an interview where they will be scrutinized so as to prove their credibility and only those who are qualified will be endorsed to contest the election.

Campaign, as planned, will kick-off on Monday 17th November, 2008 while the presidential debate and convention night are scheduled for Wednesday, the 19th of November 2008.

13 vie for APRC candidature

he Daily Observer has learnt that an unprecedented number of people have applied to contest on the ticket of the Alliance for Patriotic Re-orientation and Construction (APRC), in the upcoming by-election in the Nianija Constituency, which is slated for December 18, this year. According to our sources, at least 13 people have applied to vie for the seat on an APRC ticket.

Last Tuesday, a high powered delegation from the APRC party, supposedly led by Hon Yankuba Touray, the secretary of state for Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters (who is also the National Mobiliser of the APRC) and including Manlafi Jarju, the general secretary of the party, was reported to have visited the constituency, to meet party officials there to discuss issues surrounding the preparation such as the mode of interview.

The interview process for the aspiring APRC candidates is said to be set for October 18. Nianija Constituency has been a stronghold of the APRC since 1996, the first National Assembly Member for the area since the advent of the APRC party being Dawda Bah, who served for 7 years, before being expelled from the party for ‘misconduct.’

What every nation needs in order to develop, I guess, is peace and patriotic citizens, because without them, it will be very hard for development to take a centre stage. In The Gambia, thank God, we have both, and in all these, women of this country had contributed a lot to it because we can’t have peace without loving and caring each other. It is in this that the patriotic citizen comes. One of the patriotic and hard working citizens of The Gambia can be describe as Mariama Chorr, a former miss beauty pageant 1997, who is now a role model for many ambitious young women of this country because of her commitment and diligent hard work. To her, beauty is not everything but what the individual has in their heart for the country as every citizen owes his or her country a duty. Today we decide to bring our esteemed readers the profile of this young ambitious, visionary and hard working lady and the efforts she went through in achieving what she had today.    

She she: can you please tell us about yourself?

Mariama: I am Mariama Chorr citizen of Bakau New town, I attended Bakau Primary School from 1983 to ‘89, then Gambia High school from ‘89 to ’94. I finished my O levels and later proceeded to NustratHigh School from ‘94 to ‘96 and sat for six form. After my A’ levels I later went to Gambia Technical Training Institute for one year in doing Account course AAT, then went to Management Development Institute in ‘98, that’s where I did the rest of my course. During this course, I started working at Gambia National Lottery as a Marketing Assistant then to Foster Stationary as an Accounts Officer. I then joined the Guarantee Trust Bank from there I also worked in Red Air until before it was liquidated from there I worked at Camelot Boutique as Procurement manager. And later on I then decided to establish my own business, because I  believe I  had gathered a lot of experience from the various departments I worked.

She she: when did you establish your business?

Mariama: I started it around the end of 2003 in October or November.

She she: what were you doing before?

Mariama: Initially I used to travel to Dubai, London to buy my stuff like cloth shoes and other things and resell them so I just decide to find a shop and last year I decided to add tailoring to it.

She she: So why do you decided to establish a business rather than working as civil servant, working at NGO’s or other departments?

Mariama: you know sometimes working for yourself is easier, because I am married and have a very demanding husband, though he is not staying here, he is in and out of the country but when he is around I do my best to do what he wants. Also being your own boss gives you time and flexibility to do things as you wish them.

She she: what inspired you to contest Miss Beauty pageant?

Mariama: it was all about support  because many people were encouraging me to contest. I believe they were trying to prove a point because initially a lot of people in the community look down to people who participate in such event, some see you as a bad person, but for me by then I was at least fairly educated because I completed my A’ levels and until I even did my first year up in AAT course. So a lot of people were trying to encourage me, like I said they were trying to prove a point that is being a Miss can still live in good life get a career if you want. I  think this was why many were encouraging me, so at the end I went, but late, because even went at the eleven hour I nearly didn’t go because I arrived late during the first round. I went ahead and did it and luckily for me I got the title and as a result after what they gave us, I also insisted that the organisers will have to pay my one year tuition fee that was the intermediate.

She she: what does one need to have in order to become a miss?

Mariama: believe me it’s not an easy thing, imagine sitting down facing a lot of people and every body looking at you, listening everything you say, watching every movement you do, it takes a lot of guts, you have to portray yourself very well because if you are there you need to do your best because if you happen to do nonsense you will end up being a laughing stock

She she: So what were some of the challenges you faced?

Mariama: We were I think ten or twelve in number, but they were all nice, you know me I am a tomboy I don’t easily take things seriously until the last minute and even before the end of it most of my fellow contestants were even telling me that I was going to win. As I said, everybody was nice and friendly to me, so the only challenging thing was that the public you are facing and how to make sure you don’t make blunders and try to satisfy your fans in order to win.

She she: during your time was there any development that you bring to the women in your society?

Mariama: Actually what really interested me then was the disabled. I can remember I organized a programme at Atlantic Hotel trying to do something for the disabled. But as of now I am really in for women because I am a member at Alliance for Gambian Women in Business. We have started Credit Union in collaboration with The Gambia Chamber of Commerce called The Gambia Business Cooperative Credit Union. We will invite businessmen to be part of us but I believe the majority will be women, it’s just at its initial stage it’s one year old. I believe it will be successful because we are very committed and we see the dream, it will be a very worth while effect.

She she: how did you feel when you were crowned as Miss Gambia?

Mariama: Well I was grateful, I  believe that if anybody achieve anything one should feel great about it and should not abuse it. This thing like being Miss Gambia  is an honor and is also a big responsibility because a lot of people look at you as a role model checking what you doing whether you still going straight. You have to really check yourself, make sure you comport yourself well in public with people. After that I concentrated on my studies and that’s it. I don’t think I have given the society any cause for concern.

She she: so what advice would you like to give to the young ones who may be interested in contesting a beauty pageant?

Mariama: If you want to be somebody you have to wake up and pay attention. If you want something, like my father used to tell me, you have to work towards it, you can’t sit back and wait for things or expect things to meet you where you are. One thing I believe in is discipline and hard work because they are among the most important things in one’s life.

She she: Thank you.

Mariama: It’s a pleasure. 

August 5th will forever remain in the hearts and minds of sports enthusiasts in Brikama and Western region in particular. This day marks the first qualification of a team from Western Region, Brikama United, to the FA Division One League since the establishment of the GFA in 1952.

Western Region had produced, and still produces, great soccer stars for elite clubs like Wallidan, Real De Banjul, Hawks, Armed Forces and Steve Biko to name but a few but were never blessed with a team of their own in the league.

Football greats like James Freeman, Karalang Jatta, Star Janneh, Star Jallow, Michael Demba, Alieu Badara Jarju, Malang Jarju who used to ply their trade in the above mentioned clubs are also iconic figures in old time teams like Saraba, Justice, Kutejungbulu in Brikama and Dabanani in Gunjur.

Brikama qualified after thrashing another Western Region side Nema United of Nemakunku 2-1 in a fiercely contested match. Brikama’s Alagie Bah headed in the opener in the first 15 minutes of the game through Modou Susso’s pass. Nema almost dashed Brikama’s hopes of qualifying when Abdoulie Bah capitalized on his opponents’ defensive blunder with a ballistic shot for an equalizer in the 53rd minute.

Brikama’s new entrants Modou Sowe and Ebou Cole brought tears of joy and sorrow on the faces of Brikama and Nema fans respectively when the former fired in a rebound from the latter’s shot which had been saved by Nema’s goalie Saikou Sonko in the dying minutes of the game.

With 32 points and one more match remaining for Brikama against another Western Region team Jambanjelly, who are relegation threatened, Brikama are looking forward to the First Division with hopes of staying in the league and clinching trophies after their first season.

Highlighting the role of potato in the fight against hunger and poverty

A world photography contest to highlight the role of the potato as a source of food, employment and income in developing countries was launched today by FAO and the United Nations. The contest is being held in conjunction with the UN’s International Year of the Potato (IYP) in 2008.

IYP aims at raising global awareness of the potato’s key contribution to agriculture, the economy and world food security, and at fostering improved potato-based systems to help countries achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

The IYP World Photography Contest, “Focus on a global food”, invites photographers to capture the spirit of the International Year in images that illustrate potato biodiversity, cultivation, processing, trade, marketing, consumption and utilization.

“Potato is the world’s number four food crop, after rice, wheat and maize, with annual production of more than 300 million tonnes,” said FAO’s NeBambi Lutaladio, the IYP coordinator. “It is grown in more than 100 countries, from the Andes and China's Yunnan plateau to the subtropical lowlands of India, on the plains of northern Europe and the steppes of the Ukraine. Photographers who explore the world of the potato will find plenty of subject matter.”

Sponsored by Nikon, the IYP photography contest is an opportunity for photographers to showcase previous work or to capture new images that depict the many activities related to this vital crop.

The contest has separate categories for professional and amateur photographers, and will accept single digital images or “photo stories” of four to eight related images, in either black-and-white or colour. Participants can submit their digital files by uploading them directly via internet or sending them by normal post on a CD-ROM.

The winning photographs will be chosen by a selection panel that includes some of the world’s leading professionals in the field of photography. Winners in the professional and amateur categories will be awarded cash prizes totalling some US$11 000 as well as Nikon cameras. The deadline for entries is 1 September 2008.

The wrestling contest meant to revive the traditional sport in the country featuring Gambian and Senegalese wrestlers, kicked off last Saturday at the Serrekunda East Mini-Stadium.

In the first combat between Tyson of The Gambia and Yuba Jatta of Ziguichor which was a free-wrestling style one Yuba Jatta emerged victorious.

Timbae of the Gambia won Aristic of Ziguichor in the second free style combat.

Suwaibou of Ekir Walo in Senegal defeated his Senegalese counterpart Essa Colley of Pickin, in the wrestling/boxing combination event.

Details of the other matches sponsored by Africell will be featured in our subsequent publications.

The event was attended by wrestling fans and some prominent members of the Gambian public.

The Africell is to sponsor a grand wrestling contest between Gambian Wrestlers with their Senegalese counterparts organised by The Gambia Wrestling Federation. Matarr Jarju, President of The Gambia Wrestling Association, in his welcoming remarks at the signing ceremony, held at the Officers Mess in Kotu last Saturday, spoke of bringing back the glory days of wrestling.

He said it is part of their plans to organise a nationwide wrestling competition in all the regions in the country and introduce the game into schools so as to develop the young talents.

He said the Wrestling will be held at the Serrekunda East Mini Stadium from the 16th to the 18th of February 2008.

The Saturday Wrestling Boxing (boreh dorr) will be between Suwaibou of Ekir Walo in Senegal and Essa Colley of Pekin Senegal. The combat is name after Jeck Cham.

On the same day the free style wrestling will take place. The first combat, named after Momodou Turro Darbo, will be between Tyson Gambia and Yuba of Ziguinchor.

Wrestlers were each given an advance of D2,500 and they have also agreed to the conditions laid down for the combat.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by the Senegalese delegation and the Permanent Secretary for Youths and Sports Ebou Joof.

Other combat includes:

Saturday 16th February

Timbae of Gambia Vs Aristic  of Ziguinchor named after Ebrima Bun Sanneh

Modou Colley of Gambia VS Keller Ndow of Ziguinchor named after George Madi Junior

Samba of Gambia Vs Alfonse of Ziguinchor named after Akram of number 1 sports shop.

Sunday 17th February

Sal of Ecole Mor Fadam vs Lampor of Ecole Balla Gaye of Senegal named after the first lady Madam Zeinab Yahya Jammeh.

Alieu Gaindeh of Gambia VS Alfred of Ziguinchor named after Brigadier General Lang Tombong Tamba

Sareteh of Gambia VS Nicolas of Ziguinchor named after Honourable speaker Fatoumatta Jahumpa Ceesay

Boy Bambara of Gambia Vs Sankuya of Ziguinchor named after Rambo of One + One Shop

Musa of Gambia VS Tyson of Ziguinchor named after Deputy inspector General of Police Modou Gaye

Monday 18 February 2008

Grand combat between Saturday 16th Wrestlers VS Sunday 17th Wrestlers.