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Fifa Refereeing Course Ended

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 04:59:10 GMT

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

A weeklong, high-level refereeing course for first division refereeing ended on Friday 21st November at the Friendship Hotel in Bakau.

The course was organised GFA and sponsored by FIFA and drew 26 referees from the Gambian First Division League.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Director Youth and Sports, Mr. Malang Jassey, underscored the importance of the course and hailed FIFA for sponsoring the course which, he said, will improve and develop the skills and talent of Gambian referees.

Mr. Jassey, furthermore, urged the referees to participate towards the development of other referees in the country.

For his part, Baboucarr Sallah, the chairman of National Sports Council, commended The Gambia Football Association for their relentless contribution towards the improvement, advancement and development of Gambian football.

He appealed to the referees not to accept bribes and always encourage fairplay.

Also speaking was the second vice president of The Gambia Football Association, Mr.Omar Ceesay. He posited that G.F.A will continue to contribute immensely toward the development of the country’s football and he commended the senior National team for their brilliant performance against the Tarranger Lions in the joint World and African Cup of Nations Qualifiers for South Africa and Angola 2010.

Author: Lamin Darboe

Source: Picture: Seedy Kinteh

US Embassy Observers Election Night at Sheraton

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 03:41:28 GMT

Thursday, November 06, 2008

November 4 marks an historic event in the USA; the American Embassy in The Gambia for the first time celebrated a US Election 2008 with a live coverage night party called Super Tuesday at one of the leading hotels in The Gambia, Sheraton Hotel, Brufut in the Kunta Kinteh Hall.

In her welcoming address the Mistress of Ceremonies T. Bethea thanked everyone for attending.

An electronic speech from the US Ambassador Barry Wells was played and he stressed the change facing the US and apologised for not being able to attend the program.

The US Embassy’s Charge d’ Affairs, Mr Brian Bachman, in his remarks, spoke about the challenges America is facing and how it worried both candidates – Barrack Obama and John McCain. “The US 2008 election has restored world over the interest and belief in democracy no matter their race, gender or faith,” he said.

“One thing I would like to highlight is that, due to the democratic values instilled within our society, the American people will accept the electoral decision and society will move forward with that decision, as we saw after the hotly contested election in 2000. As a society we have come so far and we are so proud of what has been accomplished. Somewhere, in a much better place, I have to think that Dr. Martin Luther King and Susan B. Anthony are smiling as they observe an African-American and a woman competing on the grandest stage in the world, and that they know the sacrifices they made were not in vain. We have not arrived at the Promised Land that Dr. King spoke of and that Ms Anthony fought for, but this year, in this election, we’ve taken some steps in the right direction,” he concluded.

A mock election voting was conducted for all attendees who voted by ticking the name of the candidate they wanted and the results was later announced after the counting which Barrack Obama emerged as the winner – John McCain secured only one vote and the rest went to Obama along with a big cheer from the crowd. It seemed that everyone in the room was an Obama supporter because even before the mock voting Obama’s barge was already finished.

A cocktail dinner, which included a vast array of mouth watering choices, was then set for the delighted guests.

Author: Emm Kay Tee and Niansarang Jobe

Source: Picture: Brian Bachman (Deputy Charge D' Affairs)

U17 Move To Camp

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 07:48:36 GMT

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

As part of preparation for the only hope of the Gambia in continental football tournament, the Gambia national U17 team has finally moved to camp with 25 players at the Golden Beach Hotel in Bijilo.

In and interview with Pointsports, Lamin Sambou alias LS the assistant coach of the team said “the moral is very high at the camp and the boys are ready for victory in Accra, Ghana on the week of November 2008 and the boys will certainly come with victory by the help of God”.

He said that “Gambia Football Association are trying all they can to help the team get qualify for the CAF U17 youth championship in Algeria 2009.” He then urge the general public to pray for the team so that they can achieved victory in Ghana and get qualify for the championship.

Meanwhile below is the list of players that are currently in camp.

1. Musa Camara

2. Baba Dumbuya

3. Ebou Jarju

4. Matarr Jobe

5. Lamin Samateh

6. Baboucarr Sama

7. Baboucarr Jawneh

8. Abdou Njie

9. Salifu Badjie

10. Omar Colley

11. Buba Findi Jammeh

12. Saihou Gassama

13. Muhammed Sukufara

14. Fancu Simaka

15. Dawda Secka

16. Ebou Bojang

17. Alasanna Camara

18. Jatta Baldeh

19. Cherno Njie

20. Sainey Sambou

21. Pateh Nyang

22. Dawada Ceesay

23. Kawsu Jatta

24. Mamur Saine

Baboucarr Saine

Author: Lamin Darboe

Source: Picture: Gambia U-17 Team

Bampha Jaiteh A Humble Example

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 05:00:31 GMT

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Bampha Jaiteh started from teaching and was eventually retrenched leading him to work in the hotel industry and subsequently getting an opportunity to go to Germany where he got the opportunity to work with an NGO that fought for the rights of asylum seekers and others. He became a victim himself and got his asylum appeal revoked. It was upon returning home that Bampha set up his carpentry workshop and eventually got men to work for him. His carpentry shop, “Wallo Kunda Carpentry” is established at Sanchaba High Way in Bakoteh with a good team to work on furniture, roofing, doors and in general carpentry. Augustine Kanjia asked Dampha on how he started and how he has been striving to help the community and creating employment for the young.

S&D: Can you please tell me about yourself sir?

Bampha: I was born in 1968 at Njabakunda, in Centre Badibou in the North Bank Region. I attended the Njabakunda primary and went to Armitage from 1979 to 1984. I joined the teaching field for two years at the Kossemar primary in the Upper River Region and was affected by the retrenchment programme in 1986 under the then PPP government.

S&D: Did you think that was the end for you in searching for self-sufficiency?

Bampha: No! When the massive retrenchment programme affected me, I joined the hotel industry and served as an Assistant Beverage Storekeeper and eventually Storekeeper at the ABC Stores. In 1990 I traveled to Germany and stayed there for two years. I joined an NGO called ASYLEV, established to fight racial discrimination and to fight for the rights of immigrants and I was their mouthpiece. When my asylum was revoked I decided to return home and establish business, initially in textiles at the beginning of my business career. Beside my business I have another talent in poetry and I have written a number of poems and articles in the Observer Newspaper in 2005.

S&D: Can you give me a line of one of your poems?

Bampha: SaharaDesertOh, Valiant desert, Sahara deserts angry desert. Subdue thy anger And halt impeding!

S&D: What happened after this?

Bampha: By the end of 2005, I decided to establish my carpentry workshop, known as Wallo Kunda Carpentry Workshop situated at Bakoteh Sanchaba High Way, to mainly uplift the unemployment scale of the country. I have seven paid staff and one watchman. About fifteen young men are under training in carpentry.

S&D: How can you rate your enterprise?

Bampha: It is a small business enterprise but as we progress we look forward to contributing our quota to national development. And this is not far from us again. We have our patronisers in the companies of Cityscape and Coconut Resident. We are thankful to them and we are asking others to join in so that they will also enjoy our handwork, a real Gambian taste.

S&D: Is there anything that puts you ahead of other carpentry shops in the country?

Bampha: Yes! We have the latest technology in woodwork like Plaining, Designing, Mortising, Ribbit Turning and more. We have powerful machines to satisfy our customers at all times and in different areas of satisfaction. We have had a tremendous improvement in all areas because of the fact that we expose quality, which sells us and we have maintained our position since our inception. My workers are happy because I always motivate them to love the job my other area is flexibility.

S&D: What is your relationship like with people as I see people gather to see you for one thing or the other?

Bampha: In any human interaction one has to be patient to attract or win public confidence and business in particular. Yes, I am flexible with my customers and all human beings I embrace everybody.

S&D: Have there been challenges from the beginning that you have overcome now?

Bampha:There were big challenges that hampered our job, one of them was electricity or power cuts. But with the coming of President Jammeh as the SoS for Energy and Power, everything has changed and customers do not complaint now for waste of time as in the past. Market outlet was another problem. Before we did not have customers as we do now. Anyhow as I told you, one has to have compassion. To win the heart of others is better than having their wealth. One has to be focussed, committed and trustworthy above all with a dependable character. My policy is sharing. I have done a lot of jobs for my customers that have earned me good name especially for Coconut Resident and Cityscape. With all these, I have only one regret that is, a long time ago one of my workers had a minor injury due to the complexity of the machines. It was only a minor thing.

S&D: What aspect of carpentry do you do here?

Bampha: We do general carpentry, comprising all aspects especially construction, roofing and furniture. My men are good at all these but for now we are concentrating on furniture because customers are not coming for the other areas. People should just try us to see what we can do. They tried us in furniture and they have seen, others have tried us in other areas and they have stayed with us, others should come and see and stay with us. The caliber of my workers is high due to their desire for their job. This should be able to help others come to experience the real Gambian touch in carpentry. Putting all their talents together we are able to do the modern carpentry comprising all areas in carpentry.

S&D: Do you have any advice for your fellow carpenters?

Bampha: My advice to my fellow carpenters is that they should stand up and form an association so as to help other carpenters and ourselves. It can be done by establishing an executive to run the affairs of the association. This is a concept, we have to write to those in the trade to come together and make the concept work. The time will come when this would be made possible for all. This will help us unite and create customers and make customers know us by our approach and work for them.

S&D: Any advice to your workers?

Bampha: I advice them to remain committed to work and to continue making good name. To treat customers with care and to create love for one another which will enhance productivity and self-reliance. And to our customers that they should not forget these numbers to call and other carpenters to contact: 9953004/7020256/6953004.Let customers pick between good and bad service and promote our local carpentry products by promoting us.

S&D: I thank you for the interview.

Bampha: You are welcome. You are too kind to have come all the way. Thanks and God bless your work.

Author: By Augustine Kanjia

Source: Picture: Bampha in Workshop

Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza Top Agenda

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 05:39:56 GMT

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

As Sub Regional Confab Opens

A five-day sub-regional seminar on the prevention and control of Avian Influenza Incident Command System opens at the Paradise Suites hotel yesterday.

The seminar, organized by the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services through the US Embassy in Banjul in collaboration with the National Agricultural Development Agency brought together participants from Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Senegal and The Gambia.

Declaring the programme open, Mr Kekoi Kuyateh, Permanent Secretary at the Department of State for Agriculture, noted that in spite of continued efforts by countries and their partners to prevent, control and halt the spread of Avian Influenza, the disease seems to be spreading to more countries.

“Avian Influenza posses a real threat to the lives and livelihoods of millions of people around the world, to the economy and human health. Cognizant of this fact, the Gambia commits itself to harmonized, coordinated and partnership building approach as the most effective way in dealing with the disease,” Mr. Kuyateh added.

According to Mr. Kuyateh, since the first outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Nigeria in 2006, the disease has now spread to 10 more African countries. This, he added, emphasizes the need for more efforts in dealing with the disease.

Author: Alieu Jabang

Gambia Hotel School Holds Graduation Ceremony

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 06:57:51 GMT

Friday, August 29, 2008

Gambia Hotel School recently held its graduation ceremony. The ceremony was attended by the Secretary of State for Tourism, Mrs. Nancy Njie, and other senior government officials.

Delivering his opening speech, the president of The Gambia hotel School, Mr. Sadibou Sowe, said the ceremony marked a ceremony marked a very important historic moment in the life of the students of the school. It marks the end f their training course and will be long remembered.

“We are fully trained professionals to provide a quality, high standard service to any hotel or restaurant in the country and beyond,” he told those gathered.

According to Mr. Sowe, during the period of training lecturers had been mentors, guardians, councilors and friends. He urged those graduating to be anxious to broaden their horizons and experiences as far as the profession is concerned. “I am appealing to the authority concerned, especially in the tourism sector, to provide scholarships for further students as The Gambia Hotel School is the sole provider of professionals and quality human resources within the West African region,” he concluded.

Author: By Njie Baldeh

Jerma Beach to Seek out-of-court Settlement with H.M. Enterprises

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 04:37:33 GMT

Friday, June 27, 2008

Jerma Beach Hotel, which was dragged to court by H.M. Enterprises, has breathed a sigh of relief when its counsel told Magistrate Mbackeh of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court that he had approached the representative of the plaintiff to settle the case out of court. H.M. Enterprises filed the suit to claim for D152, 350 being cost of electrical materials it had supplied or made available to Jerma Beach Hotel in Kololi.

Senior Magistrate Abdoulie Mbackeh asked the representative of H.M. Enterprises, Ebrima Faye, whether he had something to tell the court concerning what the counsel for the defendant had told the court. Mr. Faye then confirmed to the court that the counsel for the defendant had approached him to settle the case out of court.

Magistrate Mbackeh then adjourned the case to 14th July, 2008, for both parties to report back.

Senegambia accountant died of ‘heart failure’

Fri, 30 May 2008 06:23:32 GMT

Friday, May 30, 2008

A postmortem conducted on the body of the late accountant of Senegambia Beach Hotel reveals that the deceased died of a heart failure, the Daily Observer can reveal.

Peter Sumpton, a British, was found dead on May 21 at around 8:40 am in his room at Senegambia.

Sources told the Daily Observer that a report on the body of the deceased was reportedly sent to the police, who escorted the body to the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital in Banjul. The postmortem was triggered by a request from the bereaved family in an attempt to establish circumstances surrounding the death.

Weeklong Regional Seminar for Trainers of Fishing Vessel Personnel Underway

Wed, 21 May 2008 05:52:07 GMT

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

A five-day workshop is currently underway for the trainers of fishing vessel personnel at the Paradise Suites Hotel. The training has been organised by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in collaboration with The Gambia Maritime Administration and the Department of State for fisheries and National Assembly Matters.

The training aims to improve the safety of those who work in the area and also help prevent pollution. The training will provide guidance and a uniform level of education that will prove useful in enhancing the standards of fishing vessels.

In his address Mr. Milton Baron, the technical officer, maritime training and human element section, noted that the fisheries administration must ensure that fishing vessel personnel not only receive a sound education and training but also be able to demonstrate their competence.

He then spoke on the urgent need to implement a recognised standard of education and training. All these things, he said, are geared towards enhancing personal safety and preventing injury and loss of life. The measures will also help to reduce the pollution generated by the industry.

The deputy permanent secretary at the Department for Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters, Mr. Suwareh Jabai, emphasised the importance of enhancing personal safety and the standard of equipment in the sector. He said it would contribute greatly to the socio economic stability of the nation. He therefore stressed the need to protect our precious fisheries resources. He said this could be achieved through the implementation of an up to date mechanism for the monitoring, surveillance and control from the air, land and sea.

Author: By Soury Camara

GTA on demolished stalls

Thu, 08 May 2008 08:22:59 GMT

Thursday, May 08, 2008

The director general of the Gambia Tourism Authority (GTA), yesterday said that shopkeepers whose stalls were demolished by soldiers on the directives of the GTA, were illegal occupants of the areas concerned.

Alhaji Alieu Mboge said the demolition was carried out following a site visit and complaints recieved from the hotel, that taxi drivers and the people around the vicinity werecausing disturbances by virtue of the noise they generate through loud music. To arrest that situation, he said, the only remedy they had was to drive them away and demolish the structures.

Mr Mboge maintained that the occupants had no permission from the GTA.

According to him, people move to the beach and erect structures without permission from the GTA. He reminded the public that the GTA controls the Tourism Development Area (TDA) and that illegal occupation of spaces within the GTA was improper.

Author: by Musa Ndow