What every nation needs in order to develop, I guess, is peace and patriotic citizens, because without them, it will be very hard for development to take a centre stage. In The Gambia, thank God, we have both, and in all these, women of this country had contributed a lot to it because we can’t have peace without loving and caring each other. It is in this that the patriotic citizen comes. One of the patriotic and hard working citizens of The Gambia can be describe as Mariama Chorr, a former miss beauty pageant 1997, who is now a role model for many ambitious young women of this country because of her commitment and diligent hard work. To her, beauty is not everything but what the individual has in their heart for the country as every citizen owes his or her country a duty. Today we decide to bring our esteemed readers the profile of this young ambitious, visionary and hard working lady and the efforts she went through in achieving what she had today.    

She she: can you please tell us about yourself?

Mariama: I am Mariama Chorr citizen of Bakau New town, I attended Bakau Primary School from 1983 to ‘89, then Gambia High school from ‘89 to ’94. I finished my O levels and later proceeded to NustratHigh School from ‘94 to ‘96 and sat for six form. After my A’ levels I later went to Gambia Technical Training Institute for one year in doing Account course AAT, then went to Management Development Institute in ‘98, that’s where I did the rest of my course. During this course, I started working at Gambia National Lottery as a Marketing Assistant then to Foster Stationary as an Accounts Officer. I then joined the Guarantee Trust Bank from there I also worked in Red Air until before it was liquidated from there I worked at Camelot Boutique as Procurement manager. And later on I then decided to establish my own business, because I  believe I  had gathered a lot of experience from the various departments I worked.

She she: when did you establish your business?

Mariama: I started it around the end of 2003 in October or November.

She she: what were you doing before?

Mariama: Initially I used to travel to Dubai, London to buy my stuff like cloth shoes and other things and resell them so I just decide to find a shop and last year I decided to add tailoring to it.

She she: So why do you decided to establish a business rather than working as civil servant, working at NGO’s or other departments?

Mariama: you know sometimes working for yourself is easier, because I am married and have a very demanding husband, though he is not staying here, he is in and out of the country but when he is around I do my best to do what he wants. Also being your own boss gives you time and flexibility to do things as you wish them.

She she: what inspired you to contest Miss Beauty pageant?

Mariama: it was all about support  because many people were encouraging me to contest. I believe they were trying to prove a point because initially a lot of people in the community look down to people who participate in such event, some see you as a bad person, but for me by then I was at least fairly educated because I completed my A’ levels and until I even did my first year up in AAT course. So a lot of people were trying to encourage me, like I said they were trying to prove a point that is being a Miss can still live in good life get a career if you want. I  think this was why many were encouraging me, so at the end I went, but late, because even went at the eleven hour I nearly didn’t go because I arrived late during the first round. I went ahead and did it and luckily for me I got the title and as a result after what they gave us, I also insisted that the organisers will have to pay my one year tuition fee that was the intermediate.

She she: what does one need to have in order to become a miss?

Mariama: believe me it’s not an easy thing, imagine sitting down facing a lot of people and every body looking at you, listening everything you say, watching every movement you do, it takes a lot of guts, you have to portray yourself very well because if you are there you need to do your best because if you happen to do nonsense you will end up being a laughing stock

She she: So what were some of the challenges you faced?

Mariama: We were I think ten or twelve in number, but they were all nice, you know me I am a tomboy I don’t easily take things seriously until the last minute and even before the end of it most of my fellow contestants were even telling me that I was going to win. As I said, everybody was nice and friendly to me, so the only challenging thing was that the public you are facing and how to make sure you don’t make blunders and try to satisfy your fans in order to win.

She she: during your time was there any development that you bring to the women in your society?

Mariama: Actually what really interested me then was the disabled. I can remember I organized a programme at Atlantic Hotel trying to do something for the disabled. But as of now I am really in for women because I am a member at Alliance for Gambian Women in Business. We have started Credit Union in collaboration with The Gambia Chamber of Commerce called The Gambia Business Cooperative Credit Union. We will invite businessmen to be part of us but I believe the majority will be women, it’s just at its initial stage it’s one year old. I believe it will be successful because we are very committed and we see the dream, it will be a very worth while effect.

She she: how did you feel when you were crowned as Miss Gambia?

Mariama: Well I was grateful, I  believe that if anybody achieve anything one should feel great about it and should not abuse it. This thing like being Miss Gambia  is an honor and is also a big responsibility because a lot of people look at you as a role model checking what you doing whether you still going straight. You have to really check yourself, make sure you comport yourself well in public with people. After that I concentrated on my studies and that’s it. I don’t think I have given the society any cause for concern.

She she: so what advice would you like to give to the young ones who may be interested in contesting a beauty pageant?

Mariama: If you want to be somebody you have to wake up and pay attention. If you want something, like my father used to tell me, you have to work towards it, you can’t sit back and wait for things or expect things to meet you where you are. One thing I believe in is discipline and hard work because they are among the most important things in one’s life.

She she: Thank you.

Mariama: It’s a pleasure. 

A Sierra Leonean lady who has long been helping her country mates to send their properties back home has expanded her business and is now poised to send refugee properties to all parts of Sierra Leone.

Madam Adama Jalloh, commonly known as Chair Lady, has over two containers to ferry refugees’ goods and persons to Sierra Leone on humanitarian grounds. As the talk about repatriation is rife and the UNHCR open to assist refugees from Sierra Leone to return as they deem it fit, Chair Lady has continued to cater for containers to go to that country in very small amounts.

Asking whether it was expensive running such a business, Chair Lady said it is expensive but for the sake of her country people she does not mind loosing as long as they are helped. “We need to love one another in our country to push it ahead. We should not see each other as different; God has a purpose for all of us, that is why he placed us in that country and why we are called Sierra Leoneans. It is only that country that has different languages but one lingua franca that is Creole.”

According to Chair Lady, her containers have been going and coming. She said she has vehicles that go with passengers to Freetown on a daily basis. “I have a container on the verge of loading and would go with refugee luggage to Freetown in a week’s time,” she said.

The offence revealed that the convict, on the 17thMay 2008, killed her newborn baby by dumping him in a pit latrine.

A Guinean lady, Jainaba Jallow, was yesterday afternoon exonerated from infanticide charges, this paper can reveal.

Jainaba was being tried by the Bundung Magistrates’ Court on suspicion of killing her newly born baby in Sanchaba Sulay Jobe.

Before acquitting and discharging Jainaba of the charges, magistrate Kumba Sillah-Camara, presiding, explained that since the matter became a subject of litigation, the prosecution had called in two witnesses but added that none of the witnesses’ testimony could be relied upon by any competent court.

She went ahead to say that the witnesses had, in their testimonies, indicated that the death of Jainaba’s child was caused by an act but she elucidated that the medical certificate issued to Jainaba upon giving birth to the baby was not detailed enough to indicate that the death was indeed caused by an act. The medical certificate, she however admitted, had indicated that the baby was born alive but that the facts on it were scanty.

According to magistrate Sillah-Camara, the prosecution had failed in proving their case against Jainaba as its witnesses were so unreliable that no competent court can rely on them.

One Binta Jatta, a resident of Faji Kunda, was last Friday arrested by the police for allegedly dumping her newly born baby into a toilet shortly after delivering.

Binta, who is currently under custody helping police in their investigations, was believed to have killed the baby before dumping the body into the toilet.

According to Essa Danso, Binta’s landlord, he was in his house on Thursday night when he heard footsteps going in the direction of the toilet.

He added that the following morning, Binta informed him that she had given birth to a baby girl at the Faji-Kunda health centre but the baby passed away.

“Upon growing suspicion, I decided to go to the health centre to find out from the nurses on duty but I was told by the nurses that there was no name Binta Jatta registered in their birth register” he said.

Mr. Danso revealed that it was from there that he reported the matter to Wellingara Police Station, adding: “When she was interrogated by the police, she told them that she herself dumped her newly born baby into the toilet.” 

A lady was yesterday charged at the Banjul Magistrates' Court for destroying Attaya apparatus.

Sainabou Harding will reappear before Senior Magistrate B.Y. Camara for allegedly damaging the teapot and glasses of one Eassie Thomas.

She denied the charge and is expected back in court on 20 May 2008, for trial.

Lady Njaimeh Jawara and two others have been dragged to court by Lansana Sillah, the plaintiff. Lady Njaimeh Jawara, her co-defendants, Alhagie Wandifa Jawara, the 2nd defendant and the 3rd defendant (unnamed) are before Justice Haddy Roche of the Banjul High Court in respect of a land sale entered into between Lansana Sillah and Lady Njaimeh Jawara.

Testifying before the court, Lawyer Lamin K. Mboge, a legal practitioner, told the court that he was aware of the fact of the case and that he stood as a witness for the 2nd defendant, Alhagie Wandifa Jawara. “I was first consulted by the 2nd defendant, Alhagie Wandifa Jawara, and his wife to represent them in the sale of the 1st defendant’s (Lady Njameh Jawara‘s) property situated at Brikama Nema,” he stated, noting: “They informed me that they have the authority from Lady Njaimeh Jawara to prepare the transfer. I requested the compound documents, but they told me they did not have the document.” He revealed that he then wrote a request for the lease document to the Conveyance office at Brikama Area council and sent a copy of the request to the Lands Office but could not get the compound documents.

Lawyer Mboge further told the court that he prepared the contract agreement, which was signed by the parties’ representatives. He adduced that D320,000 was the agreed purchase price of the land and D176,000 was paid as advance payment. He said when Lady Njaimeh came from the UK, she instructed him to act as Attorney for the conveyance. “I prepared a power of attorney which was signed by Lady Njameh and counter-signed by me and Alhagie Wandifa Jawara as Attorney. Lady Njaimeh also instructed me to prepare the deed, pay Capital Gains Tax and legal fees” he stated. He said the balance of D144,000 was paid and was received by the 2nd defendant. He adduced that after the necessary transaction had been completed, Lady Njaimeh complained that she did not receive the whole purchase price, adding that she had got a second buyer. “I advised her but she went ahead and sold the property to the 3rd defendant” he revealed.

The hearing was at that adjourned to 21st May.

The Guinean lady, who allegedly caused the death of her newly born baby, on Monday made disturbing revelations at the Bundung Magistrates’ Court as her trial over infanticide continues.

Jainaba Jallow, currently in detention at the State Central Prison in Banjul, told the court that she has been driven away by her husband after the two had a misunderstanding and, at a time when she was pregnant.

“After being driven out of the house, I got a house in Sanchaba Sulay Jobe to dwell in until such time I could gather some money to go back to Guinea to deliver as I had no relative in The Gambia,” she recalled.

“But during the struggle to gather money to go back to Guinea, I had a problem with my stomach which reflected on the foetus. On 18 February 2008, my stomach began to pain but my plea for help wasn’t heeded. I struggled with the foetus until I gave birth but the child was born still. I notified my landlord who later reported the matter to Bakoteh police station.”

The case continues on 13 May 2008.

Mr. Malick Jones, ex-Principal Producer GRTS, is said to have been arrested again by the time of going to press, but this time for common assault, The Point can reveal.

Mr. Jones was reportedly picked up last Friday and has since been detained at Kairaba Police Station, on suspicion of having assaulted one Sainabou Cham, a lady he is said to have been living with in the same compound in Kanifing South.

It would be recalled that Mr. Jones was, in September last year, arrested together with Mam Sait Ceesay, former Press Officer at the Office of the President State House, and charged with giving false information to a foreign journalist. The state has since come up with two counts of publishing false publication against Mam Sait Ceeesay only.

Mr. Jones is expected to appear as a witness in the trial of Mam Sait Ceesay, whose case is expected to continue today at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court.

Ramatoulie Jarju stunned the neighbourhood of Sukuta Nema last Saturday after pouring heated cooking oil on her husband, Yusupha Badjie, scalding his legs.

Narrating the story to The Point, Police PRO, Secka, related that the couple had a domestic problem the day before, necessitating an ill-fated intercession by family members that failed to address the problem.

He revealed that the victim was reclining in bed out of apparent exhaustion from night duties when Ramatoulie, who was cooking, took the already heated oil and splashed it on Mr Badgie’s legs, causing him obvious bodily harm. PRO Secka further revealed that the man was thereafter taken to Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital (RVTH) where he was admitted until the following day.

Meanwhile Ramatoulie is said to be currently in detention, helping the police in their investigation.

The latest incident occurs barely five months after the conviction of Tabara Samba for causing the death of her husband by pouring hot oil on him.