Muslims in The Gambia started fasting in the early hours of Tuesday following reports of the sighting of the moon in various parts of the country, the Daily Observer can reveal.

Imam Momodou Lamin Touray, the president of the Gambia Supreme Islamic Council, confirmed this development Monday evening after much anticipation on Sunday evening.

But fears of sharp hikes in food prices have worried many families with the price of a bag of rice now close to D900 (already the retail price for a bag of rice in some parts of the provinces).

The start of Ramadan, the ninth and holiest month in the Muslim calendar, is traditionally determined by the sighting of a new moon.

During the month, Muslims are required to abstain from food, smoking, drinking and sex from dawn to dusk. The peak of activities is between iftar (the breaking of the fast at sunset), and suhur (the last meal of the day before sunrise).
Daily life activities slow down during the 30-day period with many businesses closing early.

President Jammeh has warned district chiefs, Alkalolu, governors and even secretaries of state to stand firmly in support and protection of poor farmers against exploitation by rice dealers and retailers or he would be forced to use his electric broom.

The president made these remarks on Monday, on day one of the “Dialogue with People’s tour’, in Kerewan, North Bank Region. He told the chiefs, Alkalolu, governors and secretaries of state to work towards preventing rice traders from exploiting the poor.

He declared that it should be the obligation of every Gambian, especially those in authority to take anyone to police for selling a bag of rice at D900.

“If anyone is selling a bag of rice at D900, take him to police because it is unlawful. I recently agreed with the major importers of rice into the country on the maximum price of a bag of rice to be at D800, which will start by June/July 2008.  Therefore, anyone selling a bag of rice at D1,000 should go to jail. In fact, from now against September 2008, government will make sure that the price of rice is stabilised,” he said.

Back to the land

President Jammeh stated that to ensure food self-sufficiency, Gambians must change their attitude and go back to the land.  According to him, since 1994 to date, he has been repeating this clarion call, but only to be disputed by certain people.

He highlighted the assistance from government to support back to the land call, inlcuding the provision of tractors on two occasions, which he said, were misused. “Since the first ones were not properly used, today we have another 500 tractors which are not  for free. This will help us to sustain them and there will be no free tractor services anymore”, he stressed.

The president informed the gathering that if his back to the land call was fully heeded, the country would have been saved from the current predicament.  “If the president is farming, what is the Alkalolu, the dhiefs, the governors and SoSs and even the ordinary Gambians waiting for,” he challenged, while calling on Gambians to change their attitude.

Fertilizer

On fertilizer, the Gambian leader told the farmers that government would never provide fertilizer for free, as this priviledge had been abused in the past, when farmers used to get free fertilizers, which were then sold at weekly markets and at the borders.  “If you buy it and know the cost of it, I don’t think you would sell it. But from now on, there shall be no free fertilizer for farmers”.

Youths and men

To the youths, President Jammeh urged them to desist from taking the illegal route to ‘Babylon’ and urged them to work towards national development.
 
He lashed out at the men folk for being carriers in the strive for a modern Gambia and saluted Gambian women for their patriotism, and he promised the women folk of the North Bank that he would purchase all their produce, which would end marketing constraints. This, he said, was in support of their strive and response to his call for back to the land.

Yankuba Touray, the secretary of state for Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters, amplified the key issues raised by President Jammeh, including his call for back to the land to attain food self-sufficiency.

According to him, this year, government would provide 250 tons of groundnut seeds to farmers in NBR, but he warned that anyone caught selling it would face the consequences. He then unveiled President Jammeh’s plan to introduce irrigation projects across the country.

Hon Mam Cherno Jallow, the NAM for Upper Niumi, saluted the president for his exemplary leadership and reassured him of their fullest support. Hon Jallow used the platform to appeal for a vehicle for Juffureh Police Station and announced his region’s full participation in the forthcoming Roots-Home Coming Festival.

Ousainou Fall, the APRC chairman in Central Baddibou, Alhaji Lamin Ceesay, the chairman of Kerewan Area Council, chief Fafanding Kinteh of Lower Baddibou, chief Jim Fatma Jobe of Jokadou, Aja Haddy Panneh of Njawara, Foday Drammeh, a youth mobiliser, Alhaji Mod Dibba of Salikenni, Ousman Faal, the APRC chairman for Central Baddibou, and Alhaji Jawo Drammeh, the APRC chairman for Upper Baddibou, all spoke at the meeting.

In a similar engagement, President Jammeh also held a meeting in Amdalye on Monday, after inspecting the Amdalye-Barra Road Project.

In the Kerewan meeting, the gathering witnessed the announcement of the defection of the NRP candidates for National Assembly and local government elections.

In what could be viewed as robust and speedy move towards installing a sense of responsibility in drivers, expecially commercial vehicle drivers plying the high ways, the Banjul Magistrates court presided over by Principal Magistrate BY Camara on Wednesday convicted and sentenced three commercial vehicle drivers to various sentence terms and options of fine in default to serve different jail terms.

Dawda Camara was sentenced to a fine of D300 in default to serve six weeks in prison. Abdoulie Nyass was also sentenced to a fine of D900 in default to serve eight months in prison  and Kalilou Jarju was also ordered to pay D300 in default serve six weeks in prison.  

Before handing down his judgement, the Principal Magistrate BY Camara decried what he called the disheartened and often irresponsible behaviour of these commercial vehicle drivers, whom he said, once on the commercial driving, will not see anything else apart from money and their clients.

He then warned that, these ugly attitude must be stopped or any commercial vehicle who should appear before his court again, will face serious consequences imposed by the law.

He spoke at length on the need for drivers to be mindful of other road users in order to avoid unnecessary harm to innocent users of the road.

Sergeant Darboe of the Banjul Police Traffic Unit represented the IGP.