In yet another important step in the country’s infrastructural development, the signing ceremony of the Sukuta-Westfield road project was held last Tuesday at The Gambia Agency for the Management of Public Works (Gamworks) headquarters, located along Kairaba Avenue. The project constitutes an illustration of President Jammeh’s commitment to the development of The Gambia. 

The Gambia Agency for the Management of Public Works (Gamworks) and the COPRI Construction Enterprise of Kuwait appended their signature to a document that heralds a new era for the betterment of the road users.  The project  amounted to over D204 million.

 Ms Ada Gaye, the deputy-permanent secretary at the department of state for finance and economic affairs, said the Westfield-Sukuta road project is the brainchild of President Jammeh.  She also disclosed thatThe Gambian leader has taken a keen interest in the development of the designs for the road, as he always insisted that the outset of the said road should comprise drainage system, sidewalks and street lighting.

Ebrima Cham, director general of Gamworks, said the road project which has a length of 7.5km, was designed according to modern standards by Arab Consulting Engineers of Egypt.  He further disclosed that the road will be a two lanes carriage way with packing bays and concrete side walks, drainage system, street lighting throughout and traffic lights at major junctions.  In addition, he added that the old bridge at Bakoteh will be demolished and re-built. “The stream itself will be bridged in the vicinity of the bridge, thus improving drainage conditions in the locality”, he noted.

Given the current condition of the road and the economic importance of it, the Gamworks boss outlined that the road upon completion will be of modern standard. This is not only a huge investment, he said, but also confirms the commitment of President Jammeh to the infrastructural development.

Mr Bakary Houma, permanent secretary at the department of state for works, construction and infrastructure, noted that a good transport infrastructure is an important catalyst for socio-economic development of a nation.  “In consideration of the importance of this road to the people, who need to access the big market in KMC, health centres and the Serrekunda Police Station.Tthe President is committed to provide infrastructure countrywide”, he said.

Meanwhile, Ashyme Saine-Kah, public relation officer of Gamworks, told the Daily Observer that the road is expected to be completed within a period of18 months.  On the state of preparedness, she revealed that the contractor has returned to Kuwait for the shipment of equipments for construction. He added that the work will commence in the next two months.

A civil suit filed by Abdul Majid Mayan, a Sudanese against Mr John Derivicend, a Briton, was on Wednesday called before the Brikama Magistrate’s Court, presided over by Magistrate EF M’Bai.

Abdul Majid Maya, the complainant told the court that the defendant, Mr Derivicend owes him D200,000 as the balance left from a D500,000 contract they (the complainant and the defendant) had agreed for the finishing touches of the defendant’s house.

According to Mr Mayan, barely seven years ago, Mr Derivicend explained to him that he wanted to buy a piece of land at Busumbala Village. He told the court that it was later purchased from one Ismaila Yabo at Busumbala but, both his and Mr Yabo’s names were on the ownership document. Mr Mayan went on to say that he approached the accused for clarification concerning the plot as the ownership document contained two names.

“I told him that was not the correct procedure”, he explained.

He further indicated that he requested that the document should be changed into his name.

“After the changing of the document, Mr Derivicend promised to appoint me as the supervisor for the laying of the foundation stone of his house on the said piece of land, while he appointed one Sereign Kanyi as the contractor,” Mr Mayan added.

Mr Mayan told the court that before the defendant left for the UK after the completion of the foundation, he terminated Mr Kanyi’s services and handed his job over to Ismaila Yabo, the one he purchased the piece of land from, in order to complete the whole building. He said in 2004, when he came back from the UK and told him that he was not satisfied with Mr Yabo’s work and that he would sack him and call back the first contractor, Sereign Kanyi. “When Mr Kanyi came, the building was completed within the period of one year, eight months after the defendant’s second trip to the UK”, Mr Mayan said.

Mr Mayan finally told the court that it was after this that he and the defendant had the D500,000 contract for the finishing touches of the house. He said he was given D250,000 by the defendant as  advance payment before he left for the UK for the third time. Then the new contract continued, and when he returned back from the UK he gave him another advance payment of D50,000. “After sometime, he demanded that I complete the work. I reacted to this by asking him to effect the payment of the D200,000 balance”, he concluded.

At this juncture, the Presiding Magistrate decided to adjourn the case to September 4, 2007.