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Let Peace Prevail

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 08:32:37 GMT

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

The Supreme Islamic Council has elected its new executive. Momodou Lamin Touray and ten others were elected having stood unopposed. The other executive members are: Alhagie Sheriff Bajan, 1stVice President; Sheikh Gibril Kujabi, 2ndVice President; Dr. Mbye Kebba Kah, Secretary-General; Ebrima Touray, Deputy Secretary-General; Ajaratou Jainaba Dibba, Assistant Secretary General English; Cherno Darboe, Assistant Secretary-General Arabic; Baba Drammeh Junior, Treasurer; Alhagie Mamadou Lamin Kanteh, Assistant Treasurer; Alhagie Baba Bubacarr Drammeh, Auditor and Aja Maimuna Savage, Assistant Auditor.

We wish the new executive the best of luck in their new roles but also appeal for calm and unity in the ranks of all Muslims. Directly in the aftermath of the election the offices of The Point were stormed by a group of people who were not best pleased with the outcome of the election. They were irate and discontented with the turn of events they had just witnessed. The group had supported an alternative candidate for the presidency. What is called for now is a period of calm. Let each group assess their situation with cool heads and try and seek a peaceful solution.

In his farewell speech, the outgoing president of SIC, Alh. Banding Drammeh, assured the new executive of his continued support. He called for unity and understanding among Muslims in the country. The names of these executive members were announced by the Returning Officer, Alhaji Mustapha Carrayol, Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). We add our voice to this call and hope that unity, prosperity and peace will flow for all Muslims during the life of the new executive. Fighting has no place in Islam, it is a religion of peace. We ask all Muslims in The Gambia to remember this at all times and try to live in a fashion which adheres to these Islamic principles.

“Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding.”

Albert Einstein

No Extension for the Peace Keepers - IGP Badjie

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 08:50:29 GMT

Monday, August 18, 2008

The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ensa Badjie, recently announced that there would be no extension for any peace- keepers after successfully completing their tours of duties in their various mission areas, as long as he is occupying the office of Inspector General of Police.

IGP Badjie was speaking at a welcoming ceremony for eight returnee army officers from the observer mission in Darfur, after successfully completing their mission. He maintained that if there were extensions, others would not benefit from the peacekeeping missions.

He pointed out that this is an occasion of thankfulness that after successfully serving away from home the personnel have returned home in good health. “Of course this is a good name to our nation”, he added. He noted that it is not a surprise to him that the Gambian peacekeepers are always exceptional in their various mission areas.

The police boss then prayed for the remaining contingent to come back home safely after completing their mission without experiencing any ill-conditions or encountering risky situations. He affirmed that the officers had performed their duties as was expected of them. “Even when the officer is PHD holder if he or she doesn’t perform their duty they will sacked or asked to resign,” he said. Turning to the issue of postings IGP Badjie stressed that any officers who have postings anywhere you have to go and serve that posting until the period is elapsed. He added that postings are compulsory to each and every officer and that “you most have to go and serve your term anywhere you may be posted within The Gambia.”

Also speaking at ceremony, and deputizing for contingent commander, Famara Badjie told the security chiefs that the men lived up to the expectation during their tour of duty in their various mission areas. He said as a Gambian contingent they don’t have many problems during the tour of duty and everybody came home safely without any ill- situation as many African contingents are facing.

He said the men are worthy of congratulation though the mission is very risky, the men are well experienced and showed their readiness at any point in time when the need arises. He added that the men did their best to make sure and abide by the rules and the regulations of the AU during their away duties.

Author: By Bakary Samateh

Source: Picture: IGP Ensa Badjie

Tanjeh Alkaloship Crisis rests in Peace

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 07:32:38 GMT

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

There have been rumours and speculation in recent times that there is an Alkaloship crisis in the village of Tanjeh in Kombo South. This reporter has visited the area in an effort to get the facts and shed light on the subject.

Speaking to The Point at his residence in Tanjeh the Alkalo, Cherno Bojang, alias Alikali Bojang, said that the story was true and factual. He said that recently a Senegalese national called Momodou Manneh had been claiming that he was the Alkalo of a certain community in Tanjeh.

According to the Alkalo, the matter was settled finally as some security personnel came to the scene to intervene. He added that since the formation of Tanjeh as a community his family and clan are entitled to and have held the Alkaloship. He told The Point that he is the 8th Alkalo of Tanjeh since its formation.

Speaking about the development of Tanjeh, Mr. Bojang said that there is a serious need for a health centre in the village as the women are suffering a lot when they are in labour. He also spoke about the poor roads in the village along with the good drinking water.

He said that Tanjeh has a population of over 15,000 people and all of them cannot be supplied by a 60,000-litre water tank. “This is affecting our community negatively, especially those living on the outskirts,” he stated.

He also mentioned the need for a proper market in the village.

While thanking the government for the concern for Gambian development he appealed to them and philanthropists to help Tanjeh with the difficulties being faced by the people.

Author: By Alieu Jabang

Banjul mayor elected to pan-African council

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 07:05:34 GMT

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Mr Samba Faal, the mayor of Banjul and president of the Gambia Association of Local Government Authorities (Galga) has been elected as a member of the pan-African World Council through the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLGA), during the ordinary congress of UCLGA, from July 7- July 11, in Accra, Ghana.

Galga was represented at the congress by Samba Faal, Sunkary Badgie, the chairman of Brikama Area Council and the executive secretary of Galga, Alhaji Mustapha Njai.
The Ghana congress, which was attended by at least 2,500 delegates from Africa and beyond, was hosted by the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana.

The main theme amongst others focused on the role of local government in peace building, local leadership challenges in Africa, innovative practices in the provision of basic services at local level, promoting inclusive local governance, local government responsiveness to climate change and municipal international cooperation.

Papers were also presented on the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, local economic development, job creation, social inclusion, civil participation, sustainable development through environmental and ecosystems balance, and city development strategic planning as a development tool, among others.

The congress concluded with the following recommendations:
The congress re-elected the president of UCLGA, Father S Mkhatshwa of South Africa, who was nominated by Galga and was unanimously elected by the congress.
The congress called for unity in action to make a positive impact and difference in the lives of citizens of African.

The next meeting will take place in September 2008 in South Africa and Galga is invited as an active member.

Author: DO

The ppp regime at a glance

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:29:24 GMT

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

The Protectorate Peoples Party (Rural Gambia Party) then later renamed Progressive People’s Party (PPP) did not do much in terms of development for the country after the White Colonial Masters departed our shores.

The PPP did very little in terms of expanding the Gambian economy and its sectors to be what we all dreamt about and see today in the Gambia. However, I will give the former PPP regime credit for their direct or indirect efforts individually or collectively to get us our independence from White colonial rule and whether Sir Dawda did much to champion our course or the course of the Royal Family is another issue.

I am still in limbo as to what warranted the Knighthood? Was it service to the Gambia or service to Buckingham Palace, you may be better at answering it than me, over to you? What is true and out in the open is the fact that the Royal Family and the UK Government do not confer title to the rank of SIR if you have not performed a service to them or the Umpire.

The PPP also did very well in keeping the peace and Sir Dawda’s approach to hiring and firing people also contributed to the peace a great deal. Sir Dawda did well in his man management techniques of the average Gambian and as evident even in those days all the other political parties were fronted by his former recruits and lieutenants except the PDIOIS.

Some honest social scientists will tell you that the peace to a great deal was the work of lack of newspapers, lack of a TV Station, lack of a university, lack of radio stations, lack of massive scholarships as we witness today. All the above are recipe for social unrest and civil strife in any country devoid of democracy, development coupled with a leadership that is irrespective to change as we had then.

The social principles and observations remained that a conscious people could not be put in the dark for longer than necessary and an informed public is a difficult and volatile people to handle.

So Sir Dawda and his following and followers were very good at keeping this country in the dark and its people given just enough information, consciousness and literature to live on and not overtly bombarded with qualifications, scholarships, information, etc, to make them revolutionaries and social dynamites. So therefore, the PPP survived long after their sell by date to the detriment of this country and its inhabitants.

The PPP did well with the rice, oil and groundnut marketing sectors before and leading up to 1987, when we had that back breaking Economic Recovery Programme (ERP). To this day I still remember as a child how my grand mother use to blend some rice and some coos to give us something to eat on better days and on blue day we only rely on leaves and god knows what.

The crux of the matter remains for how long will the IMF, THE World Bank subject us to ongoing terms and policies in our quest for national development. However, I must state here that then the Gambian population was only about 800,000 and less bellies to feed and less people to look after.

Compared to today Sir Jawara would have had a good job on his hands as we are twice that number today. In his time we have also been hit by rice shortages time and time which has never happened under the present regime so far. The Seccos blossomed under Sir Dawda a plus I will give him and a lesson I will advice the present regime to revisit, subtracting all the ills that dogged the Gambia Cooperative Union (GCU). Please bring back the SECCO so that the rural finance will resurface and the pressure on urban dwellings will lessen. Remember the seccos sponsored our rural weddings, our rural christenings, our rural constructions, our rural spendings and all our rural lives run around the Seccos.

When the Seccos are on the beat it is another Gambia and the whole countryside is transformed into mini carnival and we all go wow. Please bring back the seccos, bring back life and please bring back rural loans, inputs and finance. Remember it is One Country, One Love, One People and One Destiny.

To be continued

Author: by Momodou Camara

The youth and crime

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:11:52 GMT

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

If there is anything that The Gambia can boast of, it is its culture of peace and stability; that invaluable commodity that is in short supply right across the continent.

The fact of its existence in The Gambia defies the realities in the rest of Africa and beyond.

But we owe a lot to our traditional social setting just as much as we do to our religious inclinations for this prevailing culture of peace and stability we enjoy.

However, what prevails in other parts of the region suggests that our peace and stability is a fragile one, and its influence must not be underrated.

The spate of reported violent attacks, killings and extra judicial behaviours, especially among the youth folk has reached unacceptable proportion. Almost everyday, we hear about the murder of some innocent person. Sometimes, these deaths are reported in quite obscure circumstances.

There is no doubt that indiscipline is a key factor, and that is what should make it the business of all. But the fact that these murder cases have become frequent among the youth folk of this country (the future leaders) makes it an even more disturbing concern for all.

The death in Banjul of the young Cherno Jagne rekindles ongoing debates about the attitude of our youth. The question everybody should be asking is what is it that is responsible for the growing barbarity among our youth?

The answers are obvious. The situation is such that young people have never been so exposed to the negative influence of the digital world than they have been at anytime in the past.

The bulk of the blame is found in the heart of our sitting rooms, where violent and mind-degrading films are watched. This way, our homes have become breeding places for liabilities, thanks to the negative forces associated with the Hollywood establishment and the like.

Of course we are obliged to mention that some, if not all of these films are supposed to be watched by people of specified age limits.

But this has been defied by not only commercial video owners, but even parents themselves. Minors are in the habit of watching films that are not meant for them; and the result is blatant manifestation of disrespect, hooliganism and all sorts of repulsive behaviour.

If we are to beat down the rate of crime, especially among our youth, we must wipe out the spots that serve as breeding grounds of undesirable elements in the society.

This responsibility rests on all stakeholders in the business – parents, video club owners, entertainment centres, etc. The future of a better Gambia depends on a breed of positive minded, responsible, development oriented, and peace loving youth.

Author: DO

Banjul Muslim Elders pray for July 22nd celebration

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:15:51 GMT

Thursday, July 24, 2008

The Imam Ratib of Banjul, Alhagie Cherno Kah and other Imams and Muslim elders in Banjul, last Sunday, conducted special prayers at the Independence Drive Mosque ahead of the July 22nd celebration and the rainy season.

The aim of the worship (Ibadat) was to invoke Allah’s blessings on President Yahya Jammeh and the nation for successful observation of the 14th anniversary celebration and a blessed rainy season.

Speaking at the gathering, Alieu Mboge, committee leader of Banjul Muslim Elders said, "we are here today to pray for the commemoration of July 22 celebration and the 14 years of revolution. The importance of this prayer is to ask Allah to bless President Jammeh and his government for maintaining peace in this country”.

For his part Dr. Ebou Samba, vice chairman of Banjul Muslim Elders said "what we are doing here is to pray for President Jammeh and his government, because the peace we are enjoying here is not prevailing in most other countries in the world". He said that they will continue to pray for peace to remain in The Gambia for ever.

Present at the meeting where hundreds of Muslims in Banjul, including Abdoulie Taal, chairman of Banjul Muslim Committee.

Author: by Omar Wally

Further Hope for Peace in Our Sub-region

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 05:00:12 GMT

Friday, July 04, 2008

Yesterday marked the conclusion of the four-day meeting of the ECOWAS ‘Zonal Strategic Planning Meeting’. The meeting was held at the Jerma Beach Hotel, with all member states present.

The main objective of the meeting was to “strategise and plan on operationalising the bottom-up approach to conflict prevention and peace-building in our sub-region”. Within this wide ambit, the meeting was to develop specific strategies and action plans for the promotion of dialogue and conflict resolution in West Africa’s troubled spots, as well as employing the interventions of civil society organisations.

It is a widely held conviction that without the participation of civil society, intra-regional peace cannot be easily achieved or any lasting peace expected.

According to the strategic plan, the participatory approach to conflict prevention, management or resolution should more decisively include civil society and should replace the top-bottom approach of heads of government and institutions trying, often times ineffectually, to resolve problems that basically and inextricably require the involvement and co-operation of civilian populations.

It is for this oversight or omission in the past that the sub-region has witnessed inordinately protracted armed conflicts in the sister states of Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Cassamance.

While the meeting may have adopted some pertinent strategic plans and re-orientations, it is the legitimate expectation of civil society everywhere in the sub-region that these plans and orientations that were evolved here in Banjul would be implemented in the short rather than the long term.

We say this because our inter-governmental organisations, including ECOWAS, are getting very well known for a lot of talk and little implementation. The same goes for IGO-sponsored bodies and programmes. Decisions and resolutions have, broadly speaking, become more declarations of intent than results to be put into action. Governments in particular have been known to reach agreements at different fora and then act as if the agreements never existed.

Sometimes they seem to be taking decisions at meetings only to return home to create the conditions for their non-implementation. One method is to file away conference dossiers and get back to nationalistic preoccupations. This is what seems to be the unhappy scenario of co-operation initiatives in our sub-region. This is exactly what the population does not want to see happen to the strategic plan and new orientations for security, conflict prevention and peace-building in our region as designed and agreed here in Banjul.

Furthermore, in seriously implementing the plan, the four Zonal bureaux responsible for its co-ordination should ensure close collaboration with all the existing and potential local networks and collaborators for peace.

This will have the effect of replacing duplication and dissipation of effects with a mutually informed plan of action.

Now that a plan has been devised, let it serve as an opportunity to translate intentions and aspirations into reality. Let it be translated into action because action not only speaks louder than words, it is also what all great achievements are built on.

Peace Corps Bids Farewell to Njongon School

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:10:14 GMT

Thursday, July 03, 2008

A young American lady who has finished her term as a volunteer at St. Michael’s Basic Cycle School has bid farewell to the community and school recently.

Rebecca Spotts, commonly known as Haddy Saine has ended her duty in the Njongon community after two years of successful sojourn in the community.

Haddy Saine (Rebecca Spotts) said she came two years ago and was posted at the Njongon School where she taught and lived. She said, “Since then the children and people in the village have been good to me. I found out that everybody is welcoming.

The peak of my stay were the times I had with the girls taking them on excursions and teaching teachers computers, being with them was gratifying.”

Asking Rebecca how she felt returning home, she said “I am returning home with mixed feelings, sad to leave and excited to see my family in the US. I hope to be back one day to see everybody again. All my work was concentrated on the school because I came for education.” She further urged others emulate the school as a lot is happening in there.

Sang Pierre Mendy, in his speech, said they were sad to see their hard working friend in the person of Haddy Saine leave for good. “It is sad to see friends part, but God will bless her in all she did for the school.” The school presented gifts to her. Other surrounding villages presented gifts to her as well.

Author: By Augustine Kanjia

Source: Picture: Rebecca Spotts

Obituary notice

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 04:21:37 GMT

Thursday, July 03, 2008

The entire Marong & Giteh family in Tabacco Road Banjul regret to announce the death of their husband, father grandfather

Afang Yaya Marong

which sad event occured on Wednesday 2nd July, 2008 at RVTH.

Burial took place the same day.

This sad news is extended to all families in The Gambia and abroad.

May his soul rest in perfect peace.

Author: DO