Reports reaching the Daily Observer indicate that the four organisers (names withheld) of a Zimba (Wolof cultural masquerade dancer) event were, on Monday, charged with common nuisance contrary to the laws of The Gambia.

The four individuals are currently detained at the Bundung Police Station, in connection with Saturday’s incidence at Bundung Mauritani Junction involving one of the Zimbas, who allegedly killed a seven-year old boy.

Sources disclosed to this paper that the four organisers are shortly expected to appear at the Bundung Magistrates Court, to answer the charge levelled against them.When contacted, ASP Sulayman Secka, the public relations officer of the Gambia Police Force, confirmed the story.

According to the Police PRO, common nuisance is a chargeable offence under Section 160 of the Criminal Code, Laws of The Gambia.

PRO Secka also told the Daily Observer that the Zimbas are yet to be charged as the investigations are still in progress.

Charities can be an excellent way of raising funds and, in some instances, a way of having fun at the same time - but are the outcomes always what we want or need? Some time ago, I raised concerns with the organisers of the Plymouth to Banjul Rally about the standard of vehicles that are used and, ultimately, sold in The Gambia to raise funds for various organisations. There are also Rallies from other countries - their aims being the same, raise money and have fun.

The rules of some rallies state that the cars must be purchased for a set amount – usually less than £100 sterling (about 4,000 Dalasi) – and this helps to keep the prices down when the vehicles are sold in The Gambia or other parts of Africa. It has to be accepted that many people could not afford a car that would cost three to four thousand pounds in the United Kingdom (between 120,000 and 160,000 Dalasi) to use in a rally and it would certainly be too expensive for people here to buy it. The rules also set a limit on how much money may be spent on ensuring that the vehicle is capable of making the trip from the United Kingdom to Banjul.

The UK has very strict rules laid down by the Government relating to Vehicle Safety Standards; each year, every car over three years old and all commercial vehicles must undergo a tough Ministry of Transport (MOT) Test to ensure that they meet those Standards.

So what happens if they fail? Obviously some will be repaired and pass on re-inspection but many fail. So what happens to these failures; do they all end up in a scrap yard? Some do but not all - but is what happens next either advisable or ethical?

Don’t misunderstand me, the cars that come on the Rally are supposed to be in a roadworthy condition and, legally, should have a Test Certificate to be used on British roads. But we all know that rules are made to be bent or, in some cases, broken. I am assured by the organisers that their standards to ensure the safety of the vehicles and crews must be met.

The vehicles are also checked when they get here – well that’s what I have been told – but, having seen some of the vehicles arriving here, I have some doubts.

Having been a member of the British Institute of Road Transport Engineers since 1985, I have extensive knowledge of vehicles and vehicle safety.

Many of the vehicles in this country would not pass even the most cursory inspection in Europe and would be banished from the roads - but they still have a value; at least they do to the people who make a business out of buying MOT failures (or the European equivalent) and shipping them to the African Continent where rules are not so stringent and Vehicle Testing is in its infancy - that’s if it exists at all. The Gambia has started testing vehicles but there are limitations; make the test too severe and many vehicles would be condemned to the scrap yard - if there were any - and the country would grind to a halt. That would benefit no-one but somehow we must start raising standards.

This year saw the first vehicle tests carried out by The Gambia Police Force; it was a simple test by anyone’s standards but it was a step in a direction that must not be changed and it must become more stringent as the years pass. Unsafe vehicles are a danger to everyone; sadly we see the evidence of poor quality vehicles and poor maintenance at the side of the road in a tangled mess. In some cases, it has cost the lives of the men, women or children who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. This cannot be acceptable and the roads must be made safer - but how can we move forward without bringing transport to a grinding halt?

Every day, I see lorries with bald tyres, poor or inadequate braking systems, broken windscreens, no wing or interior mirrors - and numerous other serious faults - being used to move goods and people around the Country. Sadly, many of the drivers have no idea about the rules of the road and believe that speed and size will ensure that other drivers move out of their way – or else.

The public transport system relies on Gele-Geles to move people and goods around The Gambia; I wonder if people realise just how dangerous some of these vehicles are and the risks they take as passengers. I have a wonderful photograph of a passenger-carrying vehicle in Sifoe that lost its rear axle complete with wheels whilst carrying passengers; fortunately no one was hurt but it could have been very different. That vehicle is now back on the road but I question the level of expertise of the people who carried out the repairs and the quality of the workmanship. Have you ever tried to pass a lorry that has a damaged chassis? It cannot run in a straight line and the driver has to fight to make it stay on the correct side of the road.

Such vehicles would be removed from European roads never to be used again - that is until an unscrupulous trader buys it at a knock-down price and exports it to Africa it to sell to an unsuspecting driver. We have all seen vehicles belching black smoke that are dangerous to pass – these would be removed from European roads as they would fail the Smoke Emission Standards. I often wonder if the drivers of such vehicles consider how much fuel they are wasting and the extra costs to them and the environment – or don’t they worry about that? So how can we change things to make life on the roads safer for all? It will take time and effort - of that there is little doubt. The Police have a major role to play and the Vehicle Inspection Team has to be strengthened and trained to spot potentially dangerous vehicles.

Any vehicle being imported must be examined and meet standards that need to be determined as a matter of urgency and brought into law. If dangerous vehicles have been imported, the person who imported it has to either repair it to a suitable standard or the vehicle has to be returned to its country of origin – the cost being borne by the importer. This would ensure that a better quality of vehicle was imported.

It has been suggested that any vehicle over five years old should not be imported but this has major repercussions. Many modern vehicles have complex onboard computer management systems for the engines but, as yet, we lack the expertise and equipment in The Gambia to test such systems – unless, of course, you go to the major vehicle dealers who do have capable technicians and equipment to interrogate such a system but at a price that many motorists could not afford.

The rally organisers could rethink their aims and bring in vehicles that have the most impact on people’s lives so that they may travel about the country more safely; it will take time but it is possible. I suggested to the organisers of the Plymouth/Banjul Rally that they changed the rules and made it compulsory to bring small passenger-carrying vehicles, such as the Ford Transit (that is universally available and has parts availability worldwide).

These should be fitted with passenger seats and safety belts and come close to meeting the present legislation in Europe. This would obviously mean that more would have to be spent on the vehicles. To enable this, teams may need to be larger and the number of participating vehicles may need to be reduced.

The teams may need to be larger to raise the required funds and purchase more expensive vehicles but they could all participate in the Rally as there would be at least ten seats for passengers who could make the journey and have the pleasure of visiting this country.

More importantly, these vehicles could then be used to replace the worst Gele-Geles on the roads here; these dangerous vehicles should then cut up and destroyed to ensure they could never used again, not even for spare parts. Thought would need to be given as to how these rally vehicles would be managed and maintained to ensure that they continued to run in a safe and efficient manner.

There are organisations that wish to help raise vehicle and driving standards in Continental Africa; one being Transaid.org who could assist in developing such a management system. Issues have already been raised with the organisers of various rallies to ensure that reasonable standards are met and that the vehicles arriving in Africa are not End-of-Life vehicles from Europe entering Africa comparatively easily to begin a new lease of life. In some countries, such as Senegal, rally vehicles that break down cannot be left; in fact, some countries do not allow rallies to terminate on their soil.

I would hope that rally organisers would change the existing rules and ensure that the benefits to the Gambian transport system are in line with a standard that would be acceptable in their own countries. As a matter of urgency, we must raise Gambian vehicle and driving standards; we cannot allow people to be killed or injured by vehicles that have no right to be on the roads of this country or drivers that have scant regard for traffic laws.

David Beardsley (Retired Vehicle Engineer); Panellist - GRTS Traffic Talk

The financial budget of the 2008 National Youth Conference and Festival (NAYCONF) is estimated at the tune of more than D3.3 million dalasis, the Daily Observer can reveal.

This amount was disclosed recently by stakeholders during the inauguration of the National Organising Committee (NOC) of the 2008 National Youth Conference and Festival, scheduled for the month of December, 2008, in Farafenni, North Bank Region.

According to the organisers, this amount would be used to fund all the activities during the course of festivities, among them, are the conference, feeding, accommodation, transportation, etc.

The amount is also intended to be used in the funding post NAYCONF activities, which are also crucial to the overall success of the event.

The post activities includes the implementation of resolutions passed by the young people during the conference, which are geared towards solving the problems that impedes on their growth and development.

With barely eight months left to this biannual august national event, the organisers are on edge as to the responsiveness of potential donors. However, one thing that remains obvious is that the occasion is a national one. Therefore, given its importance; as it offers the youth the platform where to discuss pertinent issues, and explore means through which they can contribute to the socio-economic development terrain of the Gambia.

Alhajie Kebbeh, Chairperson of the National Youth Council (NYC), who is also the chairperson of the 2008 Netcong National Organising Committee, is keen to remind the society that the traditional constraints of finance should not interfere with this noble venture in the eyes of everybody

Kebbeh called on the government, the private sector, the UN System, and all other funding agencies, as well as the entire Gambian populace to come on board and give assistance to the 2008 NAYCONF in a bid to achieving greater success.

The youth council’s Chairperson used the occasion to commend President Jammeh and his able Vice President for their strong financial aid during the 2006 NAYCONF.

For the first time in The Gambia, a part time-dance training course is set to start this month. The training course will be conducted by Kamilla Hartman an internationally acclaimed dancer, who won the International Dance Award hosted in Germany in 2006. He is expected to teach  the country’s aspiring dancers.

Kamila himself is expected in the country very soon. However, the training course will also feature dances in hip-hop, Salsa and break-dancing as well.

According to Mr. Ousman Camara, one of the organisers said every body is invited to this dance training course. He added that the course will be conducted on part-time basis and will be very instrumental to young aspiring dancers who want to take up dancing as a profession.

Christmas eve has always been a sleepless night for many in Ghana as people keep vigil awaiting the birth of the saviour. It’s also one of the peak periods for event organisers and those who love to party. This year’s December 24 will be unlike any other seen in the history of showbiz in Ghana as Kojo Antwi and Ofori Amponsah lock horns for the 24th crowd.

Ofori Amponsah’s management with the help of popular event organisers, Charterhouse, recently launched an event dubbed, ‘Ghana rocks with Ofori Amponsah and friends’. The organisers told the press it would be an annual affair.

It means that Ofori Amponsah is going to share the December 24 market with the maestro, Kojo Antwi. There certainly are fans of Kojo Antwi who love Ofori Amponsah and vice versa.

On the other hand, Kojo Antwi, ‘the musicman’, is known for his annual December 24 event where most of his fans turn up to have a direct feel of him on stage.

Ofori Amponsah

Sources say Kojo Antwi’s event will come off at the International Conference Centre whilst Ofori Amponsah’s takes place at the National Theatre.

Ghana is almost definitely gearing up for the clash of the titans on December 24, 2007 as far as the music aspect of showbiz is concerned.

Brisk publicity has started in the media on ‘Ghana rocks with Ofori Amponsah and friends’. Ofori’s team has been quick with publicity partly because he’s relatively new in the December 24 game.

Not much has been heard from Kojo Antwi’s management team about his event, which is leading pundits into doubting whether his event will really come off this year.

Either way, where would you go, should Kojo Antwi and Ofori Amponsah hold a concert at different venues on December 24?

The 2007 National Trade Fair ended on Sunday at the Independence Stadium in Bakau, with the organisers rating it as a resounding success.

Bai Matarr Drammeh, president of the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), which organises the annual event, said the trade fair was a ‘great success’, as it brought together various businesses and their people.

Mr Drammeh made these remarks on Saturday at a press briefing held at the Independence Stadium, where he announced that they have achieved their objectives as evident in the new partnerships that were forged between Gambian business people and their counterparts from other countries, including Spain.

“Most of the businessmen who participated in the trade fair also expressed interest for the trade fair to be organised every three months. Though it coincided with other trade fairs in the sub-region, other business people came from as far as Malaysia and Indonesia,” he said.

Muhammed Jagana, chairman of the 2007 Trade Fair Organising Committees, said their biggest challenge was logistics in the area of security and cleansing.

Mr Jagana disclosed that they are now preoccupied with the possibility of acquiring a trade fair complex. “If we get a permanent complex, we will organise this kind of trade fair every three months,” he said.

Beatrice Allen, coordinator of the 2007 Trade Fair and Yahya Kassama, director of the Gambia Investment Promotion and Zone Agency, also spoke at the press briefing.