Bamba Saho, the governor of the Central Bank of The Gambia, has said the country’s  economy is forecasted to grow at 6.5% in 2008, premised on a strong rebound in agricultural output and the continued growth in services and construction sectors. Money supply grew by 8.5% in the year ended June 2008, compared to 12.9% a year earlier.

Quasi money rose by 13.0% and narrow money by 4.0 percent. From end December 2007, money supply grew by 2.7 percent while reserve money contracted by 6.3 percent.

Governor Bamba Saho made this disclosure at the meeting of the Central Bank of The Gambia’s Monetary Policy Committee, held, yesterday, at the conference hall of the Central Bank of The Gambia.

According to him, the total revenue and grants for the first six months of 2008 declined to D1.9 billion or 3.6 percent compared to the corresponding period in 2007.  The decline is attributed to the lower than projected tax and non-tax revenue. Total expenditure and net lending increased to D2.0 million or 13.6 percent compared to the first half of 2007.  The overall budget balance including grants on commitment basis was a deficit of D113.0 million or 1.3 percent of GDP.  Excluding grants, the deficit widened to D164.4 million or 1.8 percent of GDP.

Bamba Saho added that the inter-bank foreign exchange market continues to be vibrant, saying that from the end of December 2007 to July 2008, the Dalasi strengthened by 7.1 percent, 4.9 percent, 1.9 percent and 1.5 percent against the US dollar, pound sterling, Euro and CFA franc respectively.  However, the Dalasi, he went on, depreciated slightly against all the major currencies between June and July 2008.  The banking industry’s total assets also increased to D11.3 billion or 12.2 percent from end June 2007.

Mr Saho noted that the commercial banks’ loans increased to 83.0 billion in June 2008 or 33.2 percent from a year ago.  Loans and advances to all the major economic sectors increased excepting agriculture, which decreased by 50.4 percent to D157.7 million. Credit, fishing, building, construction, transportation and distributive trade increased by 6.6 percent, 95.4 percent, 78.5 percent and 37.8 percent, respectively.

Tourism, personal loans and other loans rose by 14.7 percent, 25.5 percent and 65.0 percent from the previous year.

The Central Bank governor further revealed that from the beginning of the year 2008, total domestic debt increased to D6.1 billion (33.5 percent of GDP) or 10.4 percent of total outstanding treasury bills, amounting to 80.7 percent of total domestic debt, increasing to 4.9 billion or 2.4 percent.

The bulk of the treasury bills continue to be in the 364-day bills, constituting 68.9 percent, whilst 182-day bills and 91 day bills accounted for 20.5 percent and 10.5 percent of the stock, respectively.

The end period inflation measured by the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI) was 3.8 percent at the end of July 2008 compared to 6.3 percent in July 2007. On the inflation outlook, the governor said inflation is forecasted to remain in single digits; however, there were risks to the outlook relating to the persistent surge in global energy and food prices.  

The monetary policy committee has decided to maintain the rediscount rate, and the policy rate at 15.0 percent. The MPC would continue to monitor changes in economic conditions and respond appropriately in order to discharge its mandate to maintain price stability.  

The next meeting of the monetary policy committee would be held in October 2008, the Central Bank declared to the audience.

The Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly, is often described as an international bill of rights for women.  

Consisting of a preamble and 30 articles, it defines what constitutes discrimination against women and sets up an agenda for national action to end such discrimination.

The Convention defines discrimination against women as "...any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field".

By accepting the Convention, States commit themselves to undertake a series of measures to end discrimination against women in all forms, including:

• to incorporate the principle of equality of men and women in their legal system, abolish all discriminatory laws and adopt appropriate ones prohibiting discrimination against women;

• to establish tribunals and other public institutions to ensure the effective protection of women against discrimination; and
• to ensure elimination of all acts of discrimination against women by persons, organizations or enterprises.

 The Convention provides the basis for realizing equality between women and men through ensuring women's equal access to, and equal opportunities in, political and public life - including the right to vote and to stand for election - as well as education, health and employment.  States parties agree to take all appropriate measures, including legislation and temporary special measures, so that women can enjoy all their human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The Convention is the only human rights treaty which affirms the reproductive rights of women and targets culture and tradition as influential forces shaping gender roles and family relations.  It affirms women's rights to acquire, change or retain their nationality and the nationality of their children.  States parties also agree to take appropriate measures against all forms of traffic in women and exploitation of women.

Countries that have ratified or acceded to the Convention are legally bound to put its provisions into practice.  They are also committed to submit national reports, at least every four years, on measures they have taken to comply with their treaty obligations.

The Agency for the Development of Women and Children (ADWAC), a local NGO based in the North Bank Region, recently organised a day-long validation workshop for stakeholders on vegetable marketing research and community action planning at a ceremony held at the UNAID Resource Centre in Kerewan.

The programme, which was centred on presentations and discussion on the draft report, attracted participants from government institutions, NGOs and other partners. Speaking at the ceremony, the executive director of ADWAC Mam Samba Joof underscored his agency’s intervention in the North Bank Region since they took over from Save the Children in 1996.

According to Mam Samba Joof, his agency, in 2007, commissioned a vegetable marketing research in the Njaba Kunda Eco-Zone to assess the economic viability of the women vegetable gardens in the Eco-Zone with a view to formulating effective plans and programs to address constraints encountered by vegetable growers.

He went on to urge participants to take the workshop seriously and come out with good recommendations in order to pave the way forward.  

For his part, Burang Danjo, chairman, board of directors, ADWAC, thanked the agency for their timely intervention in the region adding that vegetable production is a major economic activity undertaken by women in the North Bank Region.

According to him, vegetable production is a lucrative business but the lack of an organised marketing structure has hampered the development of the business in the region.

To effectively develop the horticultural sector, Mr  Danjo said there is the need to formulate programmes to address market constraints faced by growers.

He, however, expressed hope that the outcome of the programme will help in overcoming the issue of marketing.  He finally urged the participants to look at the report carefully in the interest of national development.  He further urged them to share the information gained from the workshop with their colleagues.

Abdou Kolley, secretary of State for Trade, Industry and Employment, on Tuesday, officially launched the Ecowas Inter-State Road Transit Scheme (ISRT), at a ceremony held at the premises o f The Gambia Ports Authority.

In his launching speech, SoS Kolley said that the objective of setting up the Ecowas Inter-States Road Transit regime in 1982 was to facilitate transportation of goods within the territories of the member states, in a bid to improving on the inter-state trade.

“Our sub-region is characterised by many check points on our roads and our people continue to face numerous cross-border obstacles.  You are all aware that in most of the countries of the sub-region numerous road blocks are maintained,” he said, and he added that manufacturers and traders were complaining that these barriers were costly.

According to SoS Kolley, the scheme requires that goods meant for transportation are properly declared, inspected and sealed at the customs office of departure, follow a special itinerary and are delivered with the seal intact at the customs office of destination. He noted that inspections carried out at the points of departure and arrival offer the only chance of interference by customs and other security officials.  

Apart from these two points, he argued, the goods should not be inspected nor should they be the subject of any additional formality while travelling.

The SoS went on to say that the scheme takes cognizance of the fact that the easy and quick delivery of goods from one member state to another can spring economic development, and that it is fundamental in the fight against poverty.  

“These conditions,” he said, “are very crucial for effective implementation of the scheme, not only in The Gambia but also in the sub-region.  I therefore call on all the stakeholders to cooperate and support the GCCI for the effective implementation of the scheme,” he stated.

Honorable Kolley expressed government’s commitment to the scheme, saying that the government of The Gambia will continue to give support to the GCCI for the successful implementation of the scheme.  The private sector, he said, has an important role to play in our efforts to improving the competitiveness of trade in the sub-region.

“The challenges are numerous but with concerted efforts, the business environment of the sub-region can be greatly improved; government will therefore continue to adopt national and sub-regional programmes that will promote the private sector,” he concluded.

For his part, Bai Matarr Drammeh, president of GCCI, disclosed that the IRST is a protocol that was adopted by Ecowas heads of state with the objective of making the movement of goods more secure within territories of the communities involved.
 
“Our constraint is that the trucks we have in The Gambia do not meet the ISRT standards and that is why we are working closely with various transport unions to register Gambian trucks that will comply with ISRT regulations,’ he said.

The Gambia joined the international community to observe, during the first week of August, the World Breastfeeding Week in order to support and protect breastfeeding women. With a view to supporting mothers to provide a golden start for their children, this year’s theme was centred on "Mother support: going for gold".
 
In The Gambia, the National Nutrition Agency (NaNa),  in collaboration with its partners, is commemorating the event during the whole month of August.

As part of the activities for this year, the agency organised a march pass, which started from the Bakau Trust Bank branch and ended at the agency’s headquarters and was followed by speeches revolving around the theme.

Speaking at the occasion, Fatou Jasseh-Kuyateh, permanent secretary, Office of the Vice-President, said that breastfeeding is perfect  for the child as breast milk alone can provide all that a baby needs for the first six months of life. It is also proven, she noted,  that mothers’ breast milk fosters optimal growth and development of the baby’s brain, immune system and general physiology, and constitutes a vital factor in preventing common illnesses, especially diarrhoea and infections of the respiratory and urinary tracts. She went on to say that children who are not breastfed, are likely to be malnourished, a situation that negatively impacts on their physical growth and development.

She further revealed that nutritional deficiencies also reduce children’s capacity and motivation to learn and as a result, a high number of them do not reach their full academic potential.

According to her, breastfeeding is economical and costs less than artificial feeding. A mother, she said, who breastfeeds her baby exclusively saves money, energy and time and these can be used in other economically viable ventures and meeting other basic needs such as purchasing other food varieties, paying school fees for the older siblings, working on the farm or garden etc.

Exclusive breastfeeding therefore, leads to decreased economic costs for families, communities, the health system and the environment.
In The Gambia, maternal mortality rate, estimated at 730/100,000 line births, is unacceptably high. There are many factors associated with this high mortality rate, key amongst them are anaemia and too frequent and too close pregnancies.

 This has implications on the meagre health resources. Both anaemia and too close or frequent pregnancies can be prevented by adequate optimal infant and young child feeding practices including exclusive breastfeeding. Breastfeeding helps the uterus to return to its pre-pregnancy position and helps stop bleeding after delivery, thus reducing blood loss and hence anaemia. Breast cancer is more common in mothers who either haven’t breastfed or breastfeed for a shorter time.

She disclosed that, countries and health systems suffer the effects of lack of breastfeeding through increased cost of treating infections, obesity, diabetes and other chronic diseases, increased cost of time off work by mothers of sick children, negative environmental impact of landfills for disposal of cans and packing and multiple cost of artificial foods.
She further stated that a country that is food and nutrition secure is likely to be developed and breastfeeding can help in achieving this.

This shows that breastfeeding is important for national development and therefore every effort should be made to protect, promote and support breastfeeding. She added that the government of The Gambia under the leadership of His Excellency, the president, Dr Alhaji Yahya Jammeh, is committed to this course and will continue to create the enabling environment for the development and survival of children

"If you did anything to support a woman planning to breastfeed or a mother already breastfeeding her child, you deserve a GOLD MEDAL. Supporting breastfeeding is important- breast is precious, breast milk is best- with Breastfeeding Everyone Wins", she concluded.

Jegan Grey Johson, who deputised for the UNICEF representative, said that in  The Gambia, UNICEF in partnership with NaNA is working to improve breastfeeding and particularly exclusive breastfeeding rates, improved nutrition and micronutrient intake. The enactment of the national food bills including the breastfeeding regulations are concrete actions in the right direction. UNICEF is also working with NaNa to expand the BFCI strategy, which has now been successfully rolled out in all the health regions.

According to him, the current rate for exclusive breastfeeding is at 41% nationally with much lower rates in some regions of the country. Studies find that almost half of all mothers in Basse breastfeed their children, whilst fewer mothers in Banjul (1 in 5) practice breastfeeding.

‘‘These disparities could be due to many factors, but the likelihood of more professional women joining the workforce, spending more time at work and less time at home, may be a factor. Another factor may be an attitudinal one, whereby the drawbacks of modernisation have caught up with us, especially in the urban area- where breastfeeding is deemed ‘old’ fashioned, un-cool, and a practice embraced by the poor and the purchasing of powdered milk for babies seen as a sign of affluence and class.

These possible perceptions are worrying, because all the facts, the studies, and incontrovertible proof show that breast milk is best. It is best for both mother and child, and in the long run best for society,’’ he indicated.

According to him, this year’s theme encourages them to ensure the reinforcement of a ‘‘breastfeeding culture’’ and its vigorous defence against incursions of a "bottle-feeding culture." Many mothers neither exclusively breastfeed for the recommended two years or more, and instead replace breast milk with commercial or other substitutes. ‘‘We must therefore use this week, which is dedicated to both mother and child, to promote and highlight the benefits of breastfeeding. We must use this opportunity to continue to advocate for workplace support for breastfeeding and strengthening of community structures such as mother-to-mother support groups.

Men must also see their responsibility not only as fathers but also as people who can encourage their wives to breastfeed their children. Likewise young boys and girls who also can encourage their mothers to breastfeed their infant brother or sisters should do so. All of us have a role to play, and we have the opportunity to take up our role to realise the goal for every child, everywhere in The Gambia,’’ he concluded.

Ade Adefye, the governance and democracy adviser to the president of the Ecowas Commission has praised the progress made by The Gambia on governance and democracy.

Speaking in an interciew with GRTS  shortly after their audience with the vice-president, Mr Adefye, however, noted that there is still room for more to be done, adding that they discussed matters of common concern - both political and developmental, during a courtesy call on the vice-president, Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy, on Tuesday, at State House, by officials of Ecowas and the Commonwealth Secretariat.

He said the discussions revolved around economic and political governance, the Ecowas country programme, as well as decisions reached at the summit meetings and how they should be implemented.

Ayo Oke, the special adviser and head of Africa Section at the Commonwealth Secretariat, London, said The Gambia is an important country, holding a special place besides playing a key role in the organisation’s activities.

The outcome of their meeting, Oke indicated, is a resolve to continue to engage in making a difference in the lives of the people of The Gambia.

Following the Ecowas and Commonwealth team was a joint FAO, World Bank and World Food Programme mission.

Their visit, according to the World Bank mission leader, Emmanuel Saine, was at the request of The Gambia government to assess the situation of food crises in the country as a way of helping to prepare an action plan. This, he said, is expected to be submitted to the international community for further assistance. Mr Saine was optimistic about positive results.

In what could be described as a flurry of engagements, Dr Njie-Saidy also received the Fashion Designers Association of The Gambia. Ndey Awa Khan-Ceesay, the president of the association, said their visit was meant to introduce their newly elected executive, as well as brief the vice-president on their activities.

With funding from Muslim Aid, the members of the Gambia Fashion Designers Association said they also intend to train at least 30 girls in their various workshops as a start.

The Sierra Leonean Women Association in The Gambia also called on Dr Njie-Saidy, on Tuesday. Fatoumatta Koromah, the president of the association, said their visit was born out of their appreciation of the manner in which the country’s leadership and the entire Gambian population have received and treated them since the decade-long infamous civil war broke out in Sierra Leone.

Formed in 2004, the Sierra Leonean Women’s Association singled out national cleansing exercise as one of the social activities they are involved in. They also expressed their willingness to respond to any national development call.

Another group of women, comprising traders in oyster, shrimps and cake, also called on Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy. The coordinator of the group, Fatou Janha-Mboob, said they were at State House to inform Dr Njie-Saidy about their achievements and projects, as well as their constraints.

The vice-president, according to Madam Mboob, was very supportive to them, as she linked them to the relevant state departments, including Trade and Fisheries.

President Yahya Jammeh is a no nonsense man. The other day, he took the Supreme Islamic Council (SIC) to task for not living up to expectation. Now, he is making it clear that he is not going to sit idly by while murderers run amok in the country. He says he is going to deal with anybody found guilty of murder. So this is a warning to our youths who seem to take pleasure at stabbing one another at the slightest provocation.

Murder, alongside theft and lying, is a grievous crime. Nobody has the right to take somebody else’s life. No one even has the right to his or her own life. It is Allah who gives and takes life. So when the President says he has zero tolerance for murders and murderers, he is saying something fundamental to our existence as a people.

At the core of his pronouncement is the admonishment that we have to learn to give and take, settling our differences through dialogue, consultation and compromise. Taking the extreme step of killing to prove a point is inhuman

Going by the reports we see every day in the papers, there is really an increase in violent crimes in the country, there have been too many reported cases of murder in recent times. What is responsible for this dangerous trend? Is it because of economic hardship? Is it because we have lost our moral bearing? In either case, we have to think hard and long about this ugly development and try to figure out a lasting solution.

Despite the existence of the death penalty murder is still rife. It therefore means that it has not done enough to deter people from committing murder. What about striving to use our resources to improve the economic well being of the people? "Despite the existence of the death penalty murder is still rife. It therefore means that it has not done enough to deter people from committing murder. What about striving to use our resources to improve the economic well being of the people?

This is the challenge for every one of us in this country. Each of us should learn to live and let live. Most of the things that have led to murder in this country are so trivial that one wonders why people could be so heated up over what could easily have been overlooked.

In any case, the President has spoken; whenever you are provoked think twice before reacting. Your reaction could lead to murder - with all its consequences.

“Violence is the repartee of the illiterate.”

Alan Brien

Payment of tax is an ancient practice entrenched in the economic systems of civilizations. Revenue accrued from tax goes to ensure that the authority concerned meets the demands of its citizens in terms of service delivery.

 As such tax payment is a national duty; and, therefore, any attempt to evade it constitutes a serious crime, regardless of who is culpable. Tax evasion is in fact not just a worldly crime; it is a crime even in the eyes of Allah. Leaders are accountable to Allah for the way they rule over their citizens who are, themselves, expected to play their part in ensuring that their leaders serve them effectively.

Non-payment of tax does not only mean deprivation of government due, but also it is tantamount to deniying the entire nation what rightfully belongs to it; it also means, by extension, denying the people the privilege of enjoying certain services that are tied to the provision of public services.  

The Gambia government’s uncompromising stance in ensuring that everybody fulfils their obligations is a commendable move. And in no way could this have been demonstrated more than by instituting the merger between the former Customs and Excise, and what was known as Income Tax. This has already been proven by the impressive turn out the Authority is said to have  experienced, in terms of revenue collected.  What we must focus on now is consolidation of this enormous gain.

Our success depends chiefly on three important things: Patriotism; Sincerity; and Love for oneself. A true love for oneself is best demonstrated when extended to one’s offspring. You cannot make a better tomorrow for your offspring if a better foundation is not laid for them. And it follows that payment of tax is a requirement for building this foundation, on which the progress of the nation strongly relies.

It is a natural phenomenon that some would always want to defy order, so it is obvious that GRA is going to face the task of dealing with defaulters. The laws of The Gambia have no doubt catered for that. Tax invasion can be rightly equated to murder, as its impact on society often has far reaching implications on the people.

In a nutshell, if we truly want to excel, we must not allow individual interest to prevail over national interest. Tax evaders should be given the treatment they deserve. In the long run, this might serve as a deterrent.