The third batch of rice agronomy corps members of the National Youth Service Scheme (NYSS) were recently administered an oath of allegiance at a ceremony presided over by the Secretary of State for Youth and Sports.

Addressing the corps members at the NYSS orientation camp in Bakau, the Secretary of State for Youth and Sports, Sheriff M.L Gomez, remind the corps members that by the service oath they are entering into a covenant with the scheme and the nation, to serve the entire people of The Gambia diligently, dedicatedly, conscientiously and above all, positively. He advised them to emulate the good example already set by the scheme as they performed their primary assignment. “Looking at the skill you have chosen to acquire, we are encouraged that the purpose for which the scheme was established will be fully realised. As you are all aware of the global food crises, having chosen Rice Agronomy will no doubt contribute to the increment of rice production and also to the socio-economic development of The Gambia,” he said.

He implored the corps members make the judicious use of the opportunities offered by the scheme.

Mr. Musa Mbye, Executive Director NYSS, revealed that the batch is comprised of 19 young people, 16 males and 3 females, between the ages of 17 and 30 years from across the country. He said that the ceremony signaled the official admission of members into the NYSS and the formal commencement of the skills acquisition programme. He further revealed that the corps member will be deployed to the NYSS rice field to undergo a 22 month skills acquisition programme to enable them engage in viable ventures for self employment and job creation.

Speaking earlier, camp director, Miss Aji Fatou Nian, said that the orientation program is the period when new members are being put through a regulatory camp environment, endurance drills and physical exercise.

Rebecca Spotts, commonly known as Haddy Saine has ended her duty in the Njongon community after two years of successful sojourn in the community.

Haddy Saine (Rebecca Spotts) said she came two years ago and was posted at the Njongon School where she taught and lived. She said, “Since then the children and people in the village have been good to me. I found out that everybody is welcoming.

The peak of my stay were the times I had with the girls taking them on excursions and teaching teachers computers, being with them was gratifying.”

Asking Rebecca how she felt returning home, she said “I am returning home with mixed feelings, sad to leave and excited to see my family in the US. I hope to be back one day to see everybody again. All my work was concentrated on the school because I came for education.” She further urged others emulate the school as a lot is happening in there.

Sang Pierre Mendy, in his speech, said they were sad to see their hard working friend in the person of Haddy Saine leave for good. “It is sad to see friends part, but God will bless her in all she did for the school.” The school presented gifts to her. Other surrounding villages presented gifts to her as well.

United States Peace Corps Director, Ronald Tschetter, is scheduled to visit The Gambia from April 17-20, according to a press release from the United States Embassy in Banjul. Director Tschetter will be accompanied by Chief of Operations for the Africa Region, Lynn Foden, and his Confidential Assistant, David Miller. He will arrive in the country on the afternoon of Thursday, April 17, and will depart on the evening of Sunday, April 20.

During his three days in the country, the release went on, he will meet with senior government officials, the United States Ambassador to The Gambia and other partners to discuss the work of Peace Corps in The Gambia. This will permit him to assess the impact of the volunteers and learn about the emerging needs of the country, so that Peace Corps The Gambia’s work can be even more targeted in the future.

 On Friday afternoon, the visiting Director will hold a Press Conference at the Residence of the United States Ambassador on

Director Tschetter will participate in the swearing-in ceremony of Health and Community Development Volunteers immediately after the press conference. His visit will also take him on a tour of the North Bank, Kombo and Western Regions to visit community leaders, volunteer host families and volunteer work sites and learn about the work they are doing.

The Director’s visit is significant, highlighting the importance of Peace Corps’ work in The Gambia. The last visit of a Peace Corps Director of the Gambia was twenty years ago and this visit will improve relation between the government and peoples of the United States and The Gambia.

A Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) human rights group has said mass graves with human remains have been found in the southwestern Bas-Congo Province where security forces recently clashed with followers of a religious sect.

"The most recent of these graves, containing the remains of 20 bodies, was discovered on 31 March in Materne, between Boma and Matadi towns," Amigo Gonde, coordinator of the NGO, African Association for Human Rights (Asadho), told IRIN.

"The other two graves - discovered further away and several days earlier - contained some 30 bodies."

Gonde, who demanded an independent inquiry, said one of the graves had apparently been dug up. "The grave at Materne had been dug up by unidentified persons and its contents taken to an unknown place, but there are indications to suggest the bodies were indeed there," he said.

DRC authorities could not be reached immediately for comment, but aid workers in the region said they were aware of the claims and were investigating.

Civilians in the area said a doctor in a rural health clinic, who first spotted one of the graves, had been questioned by local authorities.

"Justin Mabiala Ma Mabiala - who is the chief doctor of the rural health zone - was questioned for divulging a professional secret," according to a statement issued by another local human rights NGO, Voice of the Voiceless.

The remains, the NGO quoted local residents as saying, were suspected to be those of Bundu Dia Kongo sect followers because shreds of cloth and flags used by its members were found at the site.

Gonde denounced a continuing crackdown on the sect, saying security personnel were trying to apprehend some followers who had escaped into nearby forests.

Scores of people were killed in February and March during clashes between police and followers of Bundu Dia Kongo, which is contesting state authority. Aid workers said many others were wounded - some of whom sought treatment at various health facilities.

Aid workers said they saw empty villages with razed homes and that some of the wounded were forced to flee health centres. Some of the victims of violence were hit by stray bullets when they fled.

Bundu Dia Kongo’s spiritual leader and national assembly deputy, Ne Mwanda Nsemi, said he would initiate international judicial proceedings against “the massacre” of his members.

The sect is seeking to emancipate traditional African or Congolese culture and demands the restoration of the former Kingdom of the Congo. It has set up tribunals to try citizens who break the law and has its own police force. Occasionally they lower the national flag to hoist their own.

IRIN

The 9th batch of the corps members of the National Youth Service Scheme, NYSS, would be sworn-in today, a press release signed by the Public Relations Officer of NYSS, Mr. Marcel Mendy and addressed to Youth Forum reveals.

According to the release, the ceremony would be held at the Independence Stadium expected to be graced by secretaries of state and members of the diplomatic corps. It further stated that, the oaths to corps members would be administered by his Lordship, Abdou Karim Savage, Chief Justice of The Gambia.

Prior to today’s swearing-in ceremony, corps members have undergone a six-week orientation exercise during which, they were introduced to leadership skills and good practices and today’s event would mark the commencement of the skills training programme.

Dr Tamsir Mbowe, Secretary of State for Health and Social Welfare, yesterday, received in his office Professor John H Meyer from the Department of Psychology at the Norwich University in Northfield, Vermon, United States. Prof Meyer, who was a peace corps volunteer in Basse in 1967, arrived in the country last week with nursing students to explore the implementation of the Independent International Service Learning Project in the country.

This project seeks to introduce Norwich nursing students to the health care system of The Gambia. Under this programme, students will meet with health care educators at the RVTH and at various rural health care centres. It also focuses on trans-cultural experience, learning experiences, sustainability of the project, integration of experience to service learning at Norwich University, and university integration.

Dr ABS Taal, a political science lecturer at the University of The Gambia and Managing Director of the Daily Observer, accompanied Prof Meyer to the State Department.

Receiving the guest, Dr Tamsir Mbowe, Secretary of State for Health and Social Welfare, welcomed the initiative which values mental health as a key priority. Secretary of State Mbowe told Prof Meyer that his department already has two mental health programmes with the World Health Organisation and the Tanka Tanka NGO, which plans to build a mental health clinic in Serrekunda. He referred the visiting guest to the head of the Mental Unit at the Central Medical Stores to furnish him with the information about the mental health programmes in the country and identify the gaps that need o be filled.

Briefing the Secretary of State about the project, Prof Meyer confirmed Norwich University’s intent to internationalise its campus to enable students to gain practical experience and to build the human resource capacity. He said the project was not designed to re-invent the wheel, saying “we want to fill the gaps”. He said the visit will focus on nursing and mental health, as well as rural health care. For his part, Dr ABS Taal stressed the importance of the programme towards enhancing the human resource base of the health facilities, as well as in augmenting the medical expertise at the University of The Gambia (UTG). He said through this programme, the Norwich University and UTG can exchange faculty, saying lecturers could be interested in the teaching experience in a developing country like The Gambia. Dr Taal affirmed that development theories cannot only be learned in the books, but in the field as well.

Dr Mariatou Jallow, Director of Health Services, lauded the initiative and acknowledged the need to establish links with Norwich University. Dr Jallow made these remarks during a courtesy call paid to her in her office.
She said the mortality rate in the developed world is low because of the presence of a pool of skilled attendants to the health needs of the people. She pointed out that through the exchange programme, the attrition rate could be reduced, as staff would me motivated through training, exchanges, and other arrangements. She added that this would advance efforts towards ameliorating the health care service and delivery system in the country.