Central Bank Sets up Credit Reference Bureau

According to a press release dated 28th July 2008 and made available to this paper, Central Bank of The Gambia has set up a Credit Reference Bureau as an integral part of its Financial Supervision Department. The bureau, the release states, will seek to facilitate the mutual sharing of consumer credit information by commercial banks with a view to making for “accurate evaluation of credit risks.” The full text of the release is reproduced below:

As part of its continuing efforts to further strengthen the Financial Sector, the Central Bank of The Gambia is pleased to announce to the general public of the setting-up of a Credit Reference Bureau (CRB) within its Financial Supervision Department. The raison d’etre of the bureau is to enable commercial banks share consumer credit information reciprocally thereby ensuring a more accurate evaluation of credit risks.

The CRB is established to provide a platform for the financial institutions to strengthen their credit appraisal procedures with a view to enhancing credit quality and responsible Credit behaviour in the Gambian financial system.

The CRB is established with the objective of enabling the financial institutions to identify borrowers who default in servicing the credit facilities extended to them by other lenders with a view to preventing such customers from enjoying any new facilities from any other bank until they made good their outstanding delinquent credits in the former bank(s). It is also hoped that good debtors can enjoy concessionary rates from the banks for being rated low risk.

In order to facilitate the successful implementation of the CRB, Tax Identification Number (TIN) is an integral part. In that regard, all banks have been informed that henceforth, no account should be opened without a Tax Identification Number (TIN) as this is the main driver of the CRB. In addition, no new Credit facility should be granted or extended without a TIN.

The Central Bank wishes to assure the general public of the full confidentiality of the information on the CRB which shall not be disclosed to any other party except to banks which are members of the Bureau for the purpose of processing requests for credits.

public notice

Get your Withholding Tax Certificate Now

The Gambia Revenue Authority wishes to inform the general public that ‘Withholding Tax Certificates’ forms are now available and can be collected from the address below:

Domestic Taxes Department

Gambia Revenue Authority

Revenue House

78/79 Liberation Avenue

Banjul

The general public is further informed that persons from whom monies are being withheld must demand a ‘Withholding Tax Certificate’ against tax withheld. The certificate will be required as proof of tax already paid when submitting an annual tax return indicating the tax withheld as a credit or reduction to one’s overall tax liability.

Taxpayers are authorized to photocopy (reproduce) the certificate for their use.

The need to demand and obtain a ‘Withholding Tax Certificate’ is in line with the law under Section 89 (3) of the Income & Sales Tax Act 2004 which stipulates that,

‘A person who retains the services of a contractor or subcontractor to carry out work, or supply labor or materials for carrying out the work shall withhold tax at the rate of 10 percent of gross fees or other payments made to the contractor or subcontractor in respect of the services’.

Further more Section 97 of the same Act also requires that ‘a person withholding tax under this sub-part shall furnish to the recipient of the payment a tax-withholding certificate as may be prescribed’.

Taxpayers are also reminded that the due date for payment of taxes withheld is not later than the 15th day after then end of the month in which the person required to withheld the tax. Failure to withhold and /or any delay in remitting the taxes will attract penalties and interest and may render the person personally liable to pay the amount of tax to the Commissioner General.

A sample of a ‘Withholding Certificate’ is shown below.

............................................................

Office of the Commissioner General

Gambia Revenue Authority

Revenue House

Banjul

Lovelines

It is over 1 year that I have been chatting with a babe; still she cannot understand my feeling. I am frustrated; I don’t know what to do.

Baldeh

Your text did not sound as if you ever told her that you love her. Chat is different from approach a girl. So if you are interested in her you better express your feeling and tell her that you want her as your lover girl. Without telling her you will remain with your feeling while she will have attention for someone that is attracted to her. So you need to be confidence do not hide your feeling. Good luck!

She requests for credit

Lovelines

I just won a lady’s heart two days ago and now she called me and wanted me to send her credit. Do you think she is not a money lover?

Sundab

Her fast request does not mean that she is a money lover at the same time it does not portray her fine before a man that is not social awareness. Before you class her to be money lover you need to use your initiative. First send her the credit and wait for her next action or you tell her you don’t have enough money for the credit and still watch her reaction over the statement. Through this you will be able to categorize her. Good luck!

Pressures are on me

Lovelines

I am a young lady. Already I have a child for a man, but all my people hate this man for no reason. They are pressurizing me to leave him but I can’t hence I love him beside I don’t want to raise my child as a single mother.

Ida

Ask those of them that are giving you pressure to give you a cogent reason that made them hate this man and what is his main offence that made them to hate him so much without thinking of feeling and happiness with your future. Should there be a true love exist between two of you tell your family that you can’t leave this man. At the same time it is your life let them leave you to marry someone you love. Tell the man everything and let him tell you his mind about you and your child. If he really wants to marry you. Tell those disturb you to leave you it is your life. Without time wasting let your man arrange for marriage if they refuse follow your heart (no what I mean). It is your life one child one father is not the best; wrong choice can sometime lead to difficulty in marriage and divorce. Good luck!

I am in love with two men

Lovelines

I am dating two men at the same time and both of them want to marry me .

Deraffet

You must be a super lady but without desire. Initially you suppose to know the type of relationship you want. If you are dating two men simultaneously you should be able to compare between the two and make your choice before it goes deep to extent of both registered their final intentions. What you need now is ability to choose between two of them in which no one can do for you except yourself. Choose one and tell the other that marriage between two of you is impossible because you have someone to marry. Good luck!

Method of approach

Lovelines

I want you to avail me method of approaching a woman.

Zubarou

There is no special method than confidence and self comportment. Be sure of yourself and ready to receive the answer from the opposite sex no matter what. And do not think that any lady you meet must give you positive answer. Positive answers are what normally create embarrassment and shyness. So be mindful it is not do or die affair. Approaching a lady you can start with admiration when you stop her or when you are together, give her good compliment and through her reply fire on with confidence. Good luck!

I love my cousin

Lovelines

I am a young girl and I have a cousin that is also a young boy. I love this cousin of mine to be my lover but I don’t know how to tell him because I am shy.

(Name withheld)

If I must say according to your text, you are still young to think of boyfriend at your age. There is nothing bad in having a cousin as a boyfriend or girlfriend so far the society we are in the Gambia permit such marriage, but if you surely have ambition 15/16 years of age as you said is still young. There is no one I can blame for this but parents who doesn’t know that early friendship or marriage is a phenomenon. For more explanation to your problem call Lovelines. Good luck!

Friendship nothing more

In my heart there is a love problem. For good 8-year I was dating a girl later I was told that her cousin is flirting after her. It is over one year now that she left me and she totally lost interest in me without trust me anymore. Each time I call or see her the only thing she tells me is for us to be a good friend and nothing more. Since then I can not love any one, what can I do?

K-K

There is nothing you can do than to put it behind you so that you will be able to move forward. Stop thinking about her and accept her friendship. You can not blame her, for the past 8-year have you ever make a move to marry her and her cousin might have promised her marriage in which you never think of. So be a man and take heart regard her as your friend not lover so that you will be able to love any girl that you come across. Good luck!

My father says no to my marriage

Lovelines

I am a regular reader of Lovelines. A man who love and care for me wanted to marry me, he sent kola nut to my parents last month to ask for my hands in marriage. My entire family member agreed but sadly, my father negates to the marriage and said he doesn’t want the marriage. My fiancé and I sent his close friend to him still he said no.

Farijah

What was the reason given by your father to turn down you and your fiancé intention? There must be a reason. So far the entire member support you and your fiancé talk to your mother, brothers and sisters to invite the Imam to intervene on this matter because who find a wife find good thing and who find a husband find happiness. I surely know the Imam and some elders from the mosque will surely be able to convince him. Good luck and remember to invite Lovelines to the wedding!

He wants me to inform my mother…I do, but still needs sex

Lovelines

I have a problem with my boyfriend he is 17 and I am sixteen. We have been dating for a long time now. He said I should let my mum know about our relationship because he has already told his mum about me. I told my mum she advises me but my boyfriend want to have sex with me. But I don’t want to do it with him now as I am still a student and wanted to pursue my education further after my grade 12. He always angry with me each time I let him know that I can’t have sex with him. I don’t want him to be angry same time I don’t want to have sex because I am just sixteen years. Please help me!

Sainabou

Have you ever heard the wise says that "one servant can not serve two masters?" And they also say "two masters cannot captain a boat." Like I do say, ‘love is the child of illusion, and parent of disillusion.’ You are still young to think of boyfriend. I can not ask you if truly you understand the meaning of love as the world is moving we have to move with it. Yet I will like you to know that so far you chose to have boyfriend despite your mother advises (which I do not know) but, you suppose to make your study your boyfriend but instead you have time for boy, you should know that you either accept to have sex or you forget about the relation. As a sister I will advise you to forget about intimacy (love) for now and face your study. Check your dictionary to know the meaning of these three words ILLUSION, DISILLUSION and FALLACY. Then listen to your heart because either a boy or man who is following a girl or a woman must surely ask for sex no matter how they pretend to be satisfy they still want to do it with their partner even the impotent man do wish to sleep with a woman whenever they are together. It is only the nature that prevents such man. A word is enough for the wise. Good luck!

I think he is having affairs with his neighbor

Lovelines

I am a girl of 18 while he is 19 but I suspect that he is having affairs with a girl next to his compound. But he told me that he was not having affairs with the suspected gal. I don’t know what to do because I love him so much and how can I prove that he love me and know if he was saying the truth?

Lisa

Suspicious is like a two edge dagger. You have to believe in yourself. Read Lovelines issue of May 30, which deal with "how to know if he/she loves you." Since your man has told you that nothing between him and his neighbor accept it but tell him that if it is true any day you find out it is going to be the end surely he will control himself. At the same time think of what the other girl can offer him that you are not giving him or which you can not do, make amendment where necessary you will see that he will love you than ever. Good luck!

He is funny and knows how to treat a woman

Lovelines

I have being in love with my boyfriend for 3 years until I met another guy we are both working together in the same establishment. We are attracted to each other even though I know he is married with a child. He is so funny and always make me laugh beside he know how to treat a lady. While my boyfriend doesn’t call, not romantic even interested and only visit I occasionally compare to my new man.

Khaddy

Well I do not know if you are a spinster or single mother. Anyhow, what make you boring of the whole affair according to your text, you didn’t say it. First and foremost since you know this man is married despite the fact that he measure up to your standard, think twice to know what you want because you said he is a married man with a child. Why are you boring about the whole affairs is it because of your boyfriend or the co-worker, do you think he want to marry you if it is part of what you feel for him, do you ever think you will become intruder into his marriage, so are you ready to be a good second wife and what do you think about the wife at home finally, would you like your husband to be hijacked by another lady working with him in his office in future when you get marry? Think about this before Lovelines can remove the boringness and give a call when you are ready. Good luck!

A resident of Kanifing South, Sulayman Sinyan, is hoping to recover D29, 400 from one Abdoulie Njie.

Sulayman has apparently grown exasperated with Abdoulie because, according to him, he had given a consignment of shoes to the defendant on credit-basis but Abdoulie refused to pay him even after the maturity date and several attempts to recover the sum.

He had accepted liability and was, as a result, ordered to pay the money in two week’s time.