The Child Protection Alliance (CPA), in conjunction with the Gambian Tourism Authority (GTA), recently held a one-day meeting at the Paradise Suites Hotel in Senegambia. The meeting is about the protection of children from all forms of sexual abuse.

Speaking at the meeting, the director of the CPA, Musukuta Badjie expressed her office’s readiness to act for the protection and development of children in The Gambia. She was optimistic that her organisation will continue to promote the welfare of Gambian children. “As the leaders of tomorrow, my organisation believes that we should make sure children’s rights are protected and that children are properly protected from sexual abuse”, Mrs. Badjie stated.

Amadou Ceesay, a representative of the GTA commended the CPA for their tremendous contribution to the improvement, development and protection of The Gambia’s children.

Salifu Jassey, from UNICEF The Gambia, thanked the CPA and the GTA for organising the meeting. He said he believed it would contribute to successfully protecting and developing the children of The Gambia.

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.

Righteousness is good morality

Our topic today is the “Heart of Mankind”. It is the centre where everything (good or evil) meets. The most important part of the body of man is the heart. The importance of the heart in the body is stated in the Hadith of the Prophet Mouhamed (SAW). It is narrated by Abdullah, son of Bashir. It states: “...Truly in the body there is a morsel of flesh which, if it be whole, all the body is whole and which if if be diseased. Truly it is the heart.”

Imam Khazali describes morality as something that is “built in” a person which he grows with easily without much thinking. He says that what is in the mind is manifested in the parts of the body. He says the seed that is sown in manifested in the tree and so if good morals are inculcated, they yield good behaviour but if on the contrary they yield bad moral behaviour.

A poet called Ahmed Shawke, an Egyptian (1866 - 1932), who was the best poet in the Arabic world during his time, once said: “A tribe that is always developing, good in front, is because of their good morals. Their good morals bring happiness and prosperity in their country.”

He also said: “If the state is going backward with no development, it is because of bad morals.”

Prophet Mouhammed (SAWS) said: “I am sent by Allah to teach mankind to have good morals. The message that Allah gave to the prophet for man is to have good morals, clean heart and leave what is forbidden by Allah.”

Sura An’am v.151 - 152 states: “say come, I will rehearse what Allah hath (really) prohibited you from: join not anything with Him. Be good to your parents: kill not your children on a plea of want; we provide sustenance for you and for them; come not night to indecent deeds, whether open or secret; take not life, which Allah hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law. Thus doth He command you, that ye may learn wisdom.”

And come no right to the orphan’s property, except to improve it, until he attain the age of full strength; give measure and weight with (full) justice; no burden do we place on any soul, but that which it can bear; whenever ye speak, speak justly, is concerned; and fulfil the covenant of Allah. Thus doth He command you, that ye may remember.”

The changing moods in mankind stems from behavioural morals. Stated in Sura Anfal V.53; “Because Allah will never change the grace which He hath bestowed on a people until they change what is in their own souls. And Allah is He who heareth and knoweth all things.”

It is stated in a Hadith of Prophet Mouhammed (SAWS), narrated by an Nawwasi that “Righteousness is good morality, and wrong doing is that which wavers in your soul and which you dislike people funding out about.”

On the authority of Wabisa Ibn Ma’bad (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I came to the messenger of Allah (may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and he said: you have come to ask about righteousness). I said: yes. He sid: consult your heart. Righteousness is that about which the soul feels tranquil and the heart feels tranquil, and wrong doing is that which wavers in the soul and moves to and fro in the breast even though people again and again have given you their legal opinion (in its favour).

It is stated in a hadith of the Prophet Mouhammed (SAWS) by Abu Abd ar Rahman Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud who narrated to us: “verify the creation of each one of you is brought together in his mother’s belly for forty days in the form of seed, then he is a clot of blood for like period, then a morsel of flesh for a like period, then there is sent to him the angel who blows the breath of life into him and who is commanded about four matters: to write down his means of livelihood, his life span, his actions, and whether happy or unhappy.

By Allah, other than whom there is no god, verily one of you behaves like the people of paradise until there is but an arm’s length between him and it, and that which has been written over takes him and so he behaves like the people of Hell - Fire and thus he enters it; and one of you behaves like the people of Hell - Fire until there is but an arm’s length between him and it, and that which has been written over takes him and so he behaves like the people of Paradise and thus he enters it.”

It was related by Bukhari and Muslim.

The Senegalese music star, to be accompanied by his ensemble, is set to cause sensation when he rocks Jokor Brikama, Paradise Suites Hotel and Jokor Westfield. He will join forces with the famous Gambian koraist, Jaliba Kuyateh and the Kumareh band, in all these performances. Imagine Baba Mall joining forces with Jaliba Kuyateh on one stage? The result, no doubt, could be anybody’s guess as these famous musicians treat party people to their repertoire of exciting tunes, lyrical power, spectacular voice output and dancing skills.

According to the President Award winning DJ Lamin Cham, Baba Mall and Jaliba will first stage a live performance at Jokor Brikama on 9 May to be followed by another performance at Paradise Suites Hotel on 10 May. ‘For those whose appetite might be whetted by the Jokor Brikama and Paradise Suites performances, hightail it to Jokor Westfield on 11 May to come face to face with the music icons and their star-studded sides,’ posited Cham.