A senior officer of the Common Wealth Games Federation, Ms. Sue Whiteworth, yesterday, at the Sheraton Hotel, presided over the launch of a Media Sub Committee as part of preparations of the 2008 Commonwealth Games General Assembly to be hosted in Banjul in November.

The Media Sub Committee chaired by Peter Gomez, included Dodou Bojang, Isatou Bittaye, Sainabou Kujabi, Namory Trawally and Ndey Busso.

In her launch statement, Ms Sue Whiteworth pointed out that the Common Wealth General Assembly will kick off on the 16th November 2008 and run until the 20th.

Ms. Whitworth who is currently on a short assessment tour of Gambia’s readiness for this major international sporting event said the first Common Wealth General Assembly in Africa was held in Kenya in 1986.

“We are preparing for the forthcoming event to be hosted in The Gambia this year,” she added.

George Gomez, executive director of The Gambia National Olympic Committee, expressed optimism that the event will be a successful one stating that 71 Common Wealth countries are expected to attend.

For his part, the chairperson of the Media Sub Committee, said the committee will do their best to ensure that all Gambians are well informed about the event. He urged colleagues in the media to play their intermediary role of disseminating information concerning the event to the people.

The first vice president of the G NOC, Fred Lloyed Evans, advised the Media Sub Committee members to disseminate any information regarding the event to all Gambians and the outside world.

The event, slated for November 2008, will be a week-long meeting of the 71-Member Organisations of the Common Wealth, and will be co-ordinated by The Gambia National Olympic Committee.

The Media Sub Committee will work ahead of the event for a successful hosting by The Gambia and ensure that the event is given maximum publicity.

The Federation of The Gambia Muslim Students Organisation (FEGAMSO) recently organised a two-day leadership workshop for over 30 young people.

The training, held at LatriKunda Sabiji Upper Basic School, dwelt on topics such as the role of youths in nation building, women in leadership, skills enhancement and self-development among others.

Speaking at the occasion, Abdul Aziz Jorbateh Fofana ex-president of FEGAMSO briefed the participants about the history of the organisation. According to him the organisation. It was founded in 1995 with the aim of promoting and propagating the teachings of Islam, to foster unity among Muslim brothers and sisters in the country and to help Muslim students organise themselves at institutional level by forming their own associations or strengthening the existing ones.

He advised the youths to be proactive in their religion, adding Islam needs young people.

He stated finance and commitment from members, mobility as some of the constraints facing the organisation.

Mustapha Barry, president of the organisation, said that FEGAMSO is the umbrella body tasked with the responsibility of co-ordinating the affairs of Muslim students and all school-based Islamic clubs and societies.

He said that over the years they have registered so many successes but much more needs to be done.

The new Executive Secretary of the National Sports Council, Mr. Alieu Cham, has indicated that he has noted all the claims of the speakers from both sides of the current row brewing in The Gambia Karate Association. He said he will go on with his investigations and finally call the clubs to choose their new executive to run the affairs of the GKF.

He made his statement during the last unsuccessful congress of the Gambia Karate federation. The congress turned out to be a talking forum after some members of the GKF took the floor to defend their voting rights and to explain the root cause of the trouble for the last year.

The members of the Shotokan Karate-Do International (SKI-Gambia), an Association of 17 clubs that are said to be under the GKF, have no voting rights in the federation. This has been the main cause of the trouble of the Federation.

The SKI was founded by the founding father of Karate in The Gambia Mohammed Kaba Musa. He stood to clarify the issue of the SKI saying that it has been part of the federation and has been law abiding for the past five years. His reason for introducing the SKI was because it was only The Gambia that was not practicing it all over the world. And the SKI has being in existence since he was the president of the federation

The former executive is still claiming that they have never acknowledged the existence of the SKI in The Gambia.

The executive secretary of The Gambia Karate Federation, Muhammed Camara, claimed that they have never acknowledged any registration of clubs for the last five years of their term. The clubs they inherited are the only ones they maintained up to now.

Contrary to what they said, Muhammed Danso of the SKI claims that is not true and will make sure that the truth is revealed soon.

Some practitioners of Karate are desperate and blame the executive of being selfish and greedy. They appeal to the SOS for Youths and sports to help solve this problem as they say it is only causing enmity and not benefiting Karate in The Gambia.

This news was declared by the National Sports Council after having a meeting with the member clubs last week at the Head Office of the National Sports Council at the Independence Stadium.

The clubs presented unanimously agreed upon holding their election on Saturday the 19th of July 2008 at the National Independence Stadium at 10am.

According to the developments Officer of the National Sports Council, they have now intervened to resolve the problems of the Karate Federation. According to him, all member clubs should send three delegates and that the election will be held according to the constitution of The Gambia Karate Federation.

A notification letter for the election will also sent to all member clubs to exercise their constitutional rights. This is only done to resolve the ongoing problems hindering the development of Karate. Which according him, is not in the interest of the clubs members or Nation.

For that being the case, clubs and practitioners are expected to maintain the Karate discipline they are known for when coming to choose their new executive.

Important dignitaries will be there to observe this long awaited election. A free and fair re-election will definitely be enhanced by the National Sports Council.

Women’s Federation Nursery school in Brikama yesterday benefited from football jerseys which were donated by Lamin King Colley President of the Brikama Youths and Sports Committee.

According to Alkali Cham, Sports Coordinator to Nursery Schools in Western Region, Women’s Federation Nursery school is one of the oldest Nursery schools from the area. This was why it was decided to award jerseys to the school which, among many other things, helps to develop sports at that level.

He seized the opportunity to announce that Brikama will organise their first ever inter nursery school sports event at the end of the third term and will be again sponsored by Lamin King Colley.

He stated that nursery school sports should be well considered and will make sure that come the inter-school competition, all schools will be represented.

Speaking at the presentation, Lamin King Colley tasked the Sports Committee in charge of Nursery schools affairs in the area to come up with programmes of activities that will promote their sports with the help of sponsorship.

He said the donation is part of his contribution in developing grassroots sports for nursery schools. He added similar gestures are expected in future.

The headmaster of the school Ousman Touray, who witnessed the presentation at the school ground, expressed appreciation to the gesture.

Meanwhile at a congress organised by the Brikama Youths and Sports Association over the weekend, the following people while elected into office contrary to what was stated in Tuesday’s issue.

1.Lamin King Colley-  President

2.Pa Ansu  Nyass  1st Vice President

3.Nyankou  Touray  2 Vice President

4.Borry Jarju  Secretary General

5.Alhagie  Tamba  Jammeh  Ass. Secretary General

6.Karamo  Jarju  Treasurer

7.Samsideen  Bojang  Ass. Treasurer

8.Alasana Bojang Social Secretary

9.Busia Ebrima Drammeh Ass. Social Secretary

10.Sarjo Sorah Auditor

11.And 15 other co-opted members

The long awaiting election of the GKFAD executive finally took place last Saturday the 24th of May, 2008.

According to a member of the GKFAD, the executive had failed to hold congress since October 19th 2007 and were not ready to stage the congress. It had to be cancelled on three consecutive chosen dates after notifying the NSC with a letter submitted to the Executive Secretary of the NSC.

The congress hall was filled to capacity by students eager to see a new executive that will run the future affairs of Karate in the country.

Mr. Omar Manjang was finally elected as the new President of The Gambia Karate Federation and Associated disciplines. When asked about his plans to bring Karate back to life, he said he will make sure that Karate is revived and that students will enjoy standard competitions that will prepare them for up coming international competition.

He said that there are lots of talented young Gambians that need to be helped to realise their dreams in Karate. He added that Karate academics should be set up to develop youngsters and prepare them for future cadet competition.

One Karate student said they had stopped competing for 11 months now but hailed Mr. Manjang as someone with a difference.

Yorro Njie, a delegate, said that sports should be helped and the National Sports Council should come up with a policy that will make sure that no association/federation is over due for congress.

Though the old executive failed to turned up to give out their financial, secretary and president’s reports, 17 clubs out of 26 voted for a new leadership.

The new Technical Director Sensei Muhammed Danso informed the gathering that the notification of the election result will be submitted to the national Sports Council.

A fifteen member delegation from the Federation of The Gambia Muslim Student’s Organization (FEGMSO) led by its president, Brother Mustapha Barry, returned home recently after attending an international conference in the Senegalese capital, Dakar.

The event held at Sheikh Anta Diop University was organised by the Senegalese Muslim students union called Meejir otherwise known as Jamatou Ibadou Rahman. The two organizations have a strong link dating back to 2005.  FEGAMSO invited their Senegalese counterparts to a similar event last year in Banjul.

In his welcoming remarks, Omar Ndow Nying, President of the Senegalese Muslim student body extended a warm welcome to his Gambian counterparts. He expressed his satisfaction with the relationship and reaffirmed his organization’s commitment to the implementation of joint activities involving the two organizations.

The FEGAMSO President for his part thanked his hosts for the welcome accorded to him and his delegation.

At the conference the two organization’s renewed their commitments to the implementation of joint human resource development programs and exchange visits.

The Gambia National Federation is organising its annual National Congress at the Conference hall at the Independence Stadium in Bakau on Saturday 24th May 2008 at 10.00 am prompt.

All Vous/Clubs registered and affiliated with the federation are requested to send two delegates to attend the congress. Matters affecting the federation, namely the presentation of the financial report, activity report and the election of the executive will be reviewed and decided upon.

Your attendance is very significant and crucial within the time frame specified.

Yours faithful

Lassana Touray

Secretary General

(GNDF)

Meanwhile The Gambia National Draughts Federation has informed Pointsports that the Dodou Secka Memorial Championship will take place at Latrikunda Yiringanya from Friday the 16th of May to Sunday the 18th of May. The competition will commence at 4pm on Friday.

The Federation of Gambia Muslim Students’ Organisation (FEGAMSO) last Saturday held its annual inter-school Qur’aanic Recitation and Speech competition at Abuko Upper Basic School.

Welcoming the participants, Nfamara Jawneh, Public Relations Officer of FEGAMSO gave a brief history of the organisation. According to him, FEGAMSO is the umbrella body tasked with the responsibility of co-ordinating the affairs and activities of all school based Islamic clubs and societies in the country. The organisation was founded in 1995, with the sole aim of propagating Islam among Muslim students in the country. Jawneh revealed that their activities include inter school competition, Iftar(fast breaking) youth camps, Da’wa conferences and seminars among other things. “Today’s event is the second biggest event in the calendar of FEGAMSO aftertime congress” he said. He went on to explain that the competition is aimed at instilling in Muslim students the habit of reading the Holy Qur’aan in the proper manner. The event will enable the organisation to spot competent students who would represent them at the International Qur’aanic Recitation competitions. Couple to that, the speech/Oratory competition will refine the Da’wa skills of the respective participants and broaden their knowledge in the “Deen”.

Sheikh Ebrahim Hassan Cham, a founding member of the organisation, encouraged Muslim youths to be more proactive in their region. He advised them to seek more knowledge in order for them to worship Allah in the proper manner.

The event, held at Abuko Upper Basic school, was chaired by Abdou Jeng, former Secretary General of FEGAMSO.

Certificates were awarded to all participating schools/institutions. Handsome prizes were also given to the best five in all categories namely Upper Basic, Senior School, Tertiary,and Islamic Oriented schools.

Speaking at the closing, brother Mustapha Barry, President of FEGAMSO, thanked Allah and all those who contributed to the success of the event. “One thing is clear, that there is no loser in this competition that is every one is a winner as our payment is from God” he noted. He also commended the Gambian leader President Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh for been the main sponsor of last year’s competition.