Muhammad Faal, a five-month old baby of Haddy Yasine Bah is suffering from brady-Cardiac 52-60 bpm and systolic murmur. He was recommended by the RVTH Medical Board to go for urgent overseas treatment to restore his health problem.

According to his medical report, Muhammad suffers from bradycardia, congenital, heart block and congenital heart disease ASD. The report further states that reported with staphylococcal skin injection and had brady-cardia 52-60bpm and systolic murmur.

“He was born normal but developed boils on his head after 6days of birth. He weights 2.6kg, he is pink, (at 19 days old) not cyanosed p52-60bpm, RR 42 Grade iii systolic murmur loudest upper left sternal edge and there is no other congenital abnormality” states the RVTH medical report.

The parents of the little Muhammad are seeking for assistance from philantrophists and organisations to come to the aid of their son.Those who may wish to support Muhammad can contact the parents on 9832103 or 9946607 or via email amdyfaal@yahoo.com

Ousman Jammeh, the secretary of state for Energy, has warned against illegal electricity connections, saying that Nawec, the national water and electricity company, will enhance its surveilance capacity to detect this malpractices, expose and prosecute the culprits.

The Energy secretary of state also disclosed that Nawec is embarking on a massive introduction of pre-payment meters to minimise the problem of unpaid bills.

These statements were contained in a speech delivered on behalf of SoS Jammeh, yesterday, by Babucarr Jallow, the permanent secretary at the Department of State for Energy, during the official commissioning of Batokunku Wind Project, funded by a German engineer, Peter Weissferdt and his wife Gitta Weissferdt.

“The development of energy infrastructure is an expensive business and Nawec needs the financial resources to maintain and expand its services to deserving people of The Gambia,” said SoS Jammeh, while appealing to Nawec customers, including the people of Batokunku to honour their dues to Nawec.

According to him, the Batokunku Wind Project marks the beginning of a new innovation, as the project consists of single wind turbines capable of generating 150KVA for the whole village.

“Eighty (80) compound have been connected to the distribution grid of the project and will be supplied with electricity generated from the wind turbine. The excess energy will be sold to Nawec through its grid,” he said.  

SoS Jammeh highlighted the significance of the project, as it utilises a natural resource that is “renewable and undepletable”. He emphasised that under the dynamic leadership of President Jammeh, energy and renewable energy in particular, has been given the priority its deserves.

“This is because the government of The Gambia is aware of the benefits of utilising all forms of renewable energy for the socio-economic transformation of our country. We cannot rely on the petroleum resources alone to meet our development challenges in the energy sector,” he said.

For his part, Alagie Gaye, the director general of the Public Regulatory Authority (Pura), said the occasion marks an important milestone, which started some time ago with an initiative by the residents of Batokunku to bring energy to their community using renewable energy. According to him, his institution received an application for a license to distribute electricity at Batokunku in Kombo South in December 2007.

He thanked NAWEC for their cooperation, noting that the wind energy will go a long way in boosting the morale of the village.

Peter Weissferdt, a German engineer and the man behind the whole initiative, said the project started in 1999 and a 150KVA wind converter with a total height of 40 meters and 27m in diameter was shipped to The Gambia.

“The basic idea was to produce green electricity with the wind converter, supplying its energy more or less free of charge to the people of the village,” Mr Weissferdt emphasised.

Other speakers at the ceremony included Water Klotz, the task force leader of Nawec, Alagie Fafa Jatta, the Alkalo of Batokunku and Alex Dacosta, the senior communication officer of Pura, who chaired the ceremony.

Migration is an old age problem that is not in any way limited to the developing world alone. Brought about by a series of problems, migration unravels a whole lot of societal constraints in its wake. It, however, remains a subject of argument as to who suffers more from its sweeping effects; the losing community or the recipient community.

While problems of migration in some communities manifest themselves on the work force as affected settlements turn into mere deserted pieces of land, as can be seen with rural-urban migration, (which is more common in developing countries like The Gambia); in some other quarters, the impact is felt on the social services.

This is quite obvious in the recipient communities, and it is common in both the developed and the developing world. Criminality in all its manifestation as well as overcrowding, among a host of other problems, are all common phenomena in such places. These create an added burden for the authorities responsible for such communities. This is why African governments have taken it upon themselves to stem this deep-rooted phenomenon.

In The Gambia, the government’s development agenda caters for migration. Suffice it to say that the process of decentralization is on track. Take, for instance, the rural electrification project, which aims at not only enhancing the ground for business opportunities, but also to bring about a better living condition for the inhabitants in the provinces by providing them with the basic social services that go with electricity.

The renewed vigor with which government is promoting agricultural production takes into consideration the overall effort of stemming internal migration. If the people can take care of themselves through agricultural production, they will have no reason to migrate to the urban centers only to hang around and become liabilities. Instead, they will become true servants to their nation rather having to depend on government, as has been the routine.

Besides electricity supply and agriculture, there has also been improvement on availability of portable water supply. In most major towns in the country, you can find just as much facilities as one would expect in big cities like Serekunda and Banjul. The Gambia government is by no means relenting in its effort to making sure that Gambians, wherever they are, enjoy equal opportunities and quality livelihood.

Editor

Is it only me, or do other people get aggravated when they try to log on to the internet each morning only to discover that once again the Gamtel network is down or not functioning?

At first I began to think it was only wireless connection users suffering the problem, but now I have realized that the entire network is failing all its users.

With the internet being such an essential method of communication these days and a way for economic growth for many companies, people must be losing money daily because they cannot get ‘on line’ to do their normal business.

Are we all expected to start using the old fashion (snail) mail again to do business? There is no one alive that can forget the inefficiency of that system.

I never see a day go by without Internet users getting frustrated. All they do is to give up and leave. In spite of this, they still have to pay the price for a non-working system.

Now, radio ‘kang kang’ has it that there is going to be a big price hike for Gamtel users plus higher costs for the Internet. If this is true, we are bracing for a bad out look. What we are paying for right now is extremely poor service, and to raise prices at this time while we are receiving such poor service, will suggest a serious oversight.

The Internet is not just about friends writing e-mails to other friends; it is about businesses being done efficiently and quickly. Your Excellency, you are the only one who can make correction to this situation, everyone else seems to think it will just pass.

Most workers are getting complacent about this and, in turn, this is felt in business all around The Gambia. Even Gamtel has had to resort back to issuing hand written receipts.

A concerned citizen

Lovelines

My boss loves me and wants to have sex with me. I am a girl of 20 being works for six months. I have a boyfriend who I love so much. The problem I am facing at the office is that my boss wants to have sex with me. If I don’t he is ready to send me away from his office.  I am the only child of my parents who is solely responsible (care) for them.

Sukai

This is just like an order (message) from a in-law and the death which needs to be delivered. If you don’t deliver your in-law’s message he will definitely take its daughter back and if you refused to deliver death’s message, he will surely kill you. What next? Your problem does not require anything than wisdom. Beg Allah to guide you, but the following might do the trick if you play the card well.

Each time he come up with the idea do not frown, panic or annoy. All you need to do is to be confidence of yourself, relax and change it to a family (a father and daughter) joke. Each time, always tell him in a lively manner that ‘oh, you are my father, since the first day you accepted me in this office I have adopted you to be my father and if I do anything relating to that with you, is like I am sleeping with my father…’ Always tell him this in a respectful manner and follow with smiles. And never have you forgotten to treat him like father each time.

I think with that you will win his heart; before you know it he will surely lose interest on you and you will become his favorite adopted child. But mind you, do not be with him in an isolated place for long to avoid rape that you will not be able to say out! Good luck!

Lovelines

It is over 1 year that I have been chatting with a babe; still she cannot understand my feeling. I am frustrated; I don’t know what to do.

Baldeh

Your text did not sound as if you ever told her that you love her. Chat is different from approach a girl. So if you are interested in her you better express your feeling and tell her that you want her as your lover girl. Without telling her you will remain with your feeling while she will have attention for someone that is attracted to her. So you need to be confidence do not hide your feeling. Good luck!

She requests for credit

Lovelines

I just won a lady’s heart two days ago and now she called me and wanted me to send her credit. Do you think she is not a money lover?

Sundab

Her fast request does not mean that she is a money lover at the same time it does not portray her fine before a man that is not social awareness. Before you class her to be money lover you need to use your initiative. First send her the credit and wait for her next action or you tell her you don’t have enough money for the credit and still watch her reaction over the statement. Through this you will be able to categorize her. Good luck!

Pressures are on me

Lovelines

I am a young lady. Already I have a child for a man, but all my people hate this man for no reason. They are pressurizing me to leave him but I can’t hence I love him beside I don’t want to raise my child as a single mother.

Ida

Ask those of them that are giving you pressure to give you a cogent reason that made them hate this man and what is his main offence that made them to hate him so much without thinking of feeling and happiness with your future. Should there be a true love exist between two of you tell your family that you can’t leave this man. At the same time it is your life let them leave you to marry someone you love. Tell the man everything and let him tell you his mind about you and your child. If he really wants to marry you. Tell those disturb you to leave you it is your life. Without time wasting let your man arrange for marriage if they refuse follow your heart (no what I mean). It is your life one child one father is not the best; wrong choice can sometime lead to difficulty in marriage and divorce. Good luck!

I am in love with two men

Lovelines

I am dating two men at the same time and both of them want to marry me .

Deraffet

You must be a super lady but without desire. Initially you suppose to know the type of relationship you want. If you are dating two men simultaneously you should be able to compare between the two and make your choice before it goes deep to extent of both registered their final intentions. What you need now is ability to choose between two of them in which no one can do for you except yourself. Choose one and tell the other that marriage between two of you is impossible because you have someone to marry. Good luck!

Method of approach

Lovelines

I want you to avail me method of approaching a woman.

Zubarou

There is no special method than confidence and self comportment. Be sure of yourself and ready to receive the answer from the opposite sex no matter what. And do not think that any lady you meet must give you positive answer. Positive answers are what normally create embarrassment and shyness. So be mindful it is not do or die affair. Approaching a lady you can start with admiration when you stop her or when you are together, give her good compliment and through her reply fire on with confidence. Good luck!

I love my cousin

Lovelines

I am a young girl and I have a cousin that is also a young boy. I love this cousin of mine to be my lover but I don’t know how to tell him because I am shy.

(Name withheld)

If I must say according to your text, you are still young to think of boyfriend at your age. There is nothing bad in having a cousin as a boyfriend or girlfriend so far the society we are in the Gambia permit such marriage, but if you surely have ambition 15/16 years of age as you said is still young. There is no one I can blame for this but parents who doesn’t know that early friendship or marriage is a phenomenon. For more explanation to your problem call Lovelines. Good luck!

Friendship nothing more

In my heart there is a love problem. For good 8-year I was dating a girl later I was told that her cousin is flirting after her. It is over one year now that she left me and she totally lost interest in me without trust me anymore. Each time I call or see her the only thing she tells me is for us to be a good friend and nothing more. Since then I can not love any one, what can I do?

K-K

There is nothing you can do than to put it behind you so that you will be able to move forward. Stop thinking about her and accept her friendship. You can not blame her, for the past 8-year have you ever make a move to marry her and her cousin might have promised her marriage in which you never think of. So be a man and take heart regard her as your friend not lover so that you will be able to love any girl that you come across. Good luck!

My father says no to my marriage

Lovelines

I am a regular reader of Lovelines. A man who love and care for me wanted to marry me, he sent kola nut to my parents last month to ask for my hands in marriage. My entire family member agreed but sadly, my father negates to the marriage and said he doesn’t want the marriage. My fiancé and I sent his close friend to him still he said no.

Farijah

What was the reason given by your father to turn down you and your fiancé intention? There must be a reason. So far the entire member support you and your fiancé talk to your mother, brothers and sisters to invite the Imam to intervene on this matter because who find a wife find good thing and who find a husband find happiness. I surely know the Imam and some elders from the mosque will surely be able to convince him. Good luck and remember to invite Lovelines to the wedding!

He wants me to inform my mother…I do, but still needs sex

Lovelines

I have a problem with my boyfriend he is 17 and I am sixteen. We have been dating for a long time now. He said I should let my mum know about our relationship because he has already told his mum about me. I told my mum she advises me but my boyfriend want to have sex with me. But I don’t want to do it with him now as I am still a student and wanted to pursue my education further after my grade 12. He always angry with me each time I let him know that I can’t have sex with him. I don’t want him to be angry same time I don’t want to have sex because I am just sixteen years. Please help me!

Sainabou

Have you ever heard the wise says that "one servant can not serve two masters?" And they also say "two masters cannot captain a boat." Like I do say, ‘love is the child of illusion, and parent of disillusion.’ You are still young to think of boyfriend. I can not ask you if truly you understand the meaning of love as the world is moving we have to move with it. Yet I will like you to know that so far you chose to have boyfriend despite your mother advises (which I do not know) but, you suppose to make your study your boyfriend but instead you have time for boy, you should know that you either accept to have sex or you forget about the relation. As a sister I will advise you to forget about intimacy (love) for now and face your study. Check your dictionary to know the meaning of these three words ILLUSION, DISILLUSION and FALLACY. Then listen to your heart because either a boy or man who is following a girl or a woman must surely ask for sex no matter how they pretend to be satisfy they still want to do it with their partner even the impotent man do wish to sleep with a woman whenever they are together. It is only the nature that prevents such man. A word is enough for the wise. Good luck!

I think he is having affairs with his neighbor

Lovelines

I am a girl of 18 while he is 19 but I suspect that he is having affairs with a girl next to his compound. But he told me that he was not having affairs with the suspected gal. I don’t know what to do because I love him so much and how can I prove that he love me and know if he was saying the truth?

Lisa

Suspicious is like a two edge dagger. You have to believe in yourself. Read Lovelines issue of May 30, which deal with "how to know if he/she loves you." Since your man has told you that nothing between him and his neighbor accept it but tell him that if it is true any day you find out it is going to be the end surely he will control himself. At the same time think of what the other girl can offer him that you are not giving him or which you can not do, make amendment where necessary you will see that he will love you than ever. Good luck!

He is funny and knows how to treat a woman

Lovelines

I have being in love with my boyfriend for 3 years until I met another guy we are both working together in the same establishment. We are attracted to each other even though I know he is married with a child. He is so funny and always make me laugh beside he know how to treat a lady. While my boyfriend doesn’t call, not romantic even interested and only visit I occasionally compare to my new man.

Khaddy

Well I do not know if you are a spinster or single mother. Anyhow, what make you boring of the whole affair according to your text, you didn’t say it. First and foremost since you know this man is married despite the fact that he measure up to your standard, think twice to know what you want because you said he is a married man with a child. Why are you boring about the whole affairs is it because of your boyfriend or the co-worker, do you think he want to marry you if it is part of what you feel for him, do you ever think you will become intruder into his marriage, so are you ready to be a good second wife and what do you think about the wife at home finally, would you like your husband to be hijacked by another lady working with him in his office in future when you get marry? Think about this before Lovelines can remove the boringness and give a call when you are ready. Good luck!