The Manager of Yiriwa FM, Pa Modou Bojang, informed Media Agenda’s current affairs that he was technically detained on Tuesday the 26 August, and Wednesday the 27 August 2008 of last week over the battle of ownership of the Yiriwa FM, a developmental radio station in rural town of Brikama in the western region. He said, that was the second time he was being interrogated at the NIAs offices.

According to reports the interrogation of  Bojang  came in the wake of a dispute involving one Basiru Darboe and Aboubacatt Al Turkey , a Malian citizen who have being residing in the country for a very long time, over the ownership of the radio.

Darboe’s lawyer Lamin Jorbateh have since written a letter to the radio, which lawyer Lamin Mboge counsel for radio confirmed receiving and he too send a similar letter on behalf of his client to the other party.

The  radio was visited by the NIA operatives and  some questiong were made.The radio has  not  been stop for their normal programme as the dispute is  being handled by the NIAs.The radio is curently going with programmes, said the  manager.

The Ummul Qura Foundation on Sunday the 31 August 2008 certificated 150 orphans. Who took part in a month long training during the summer holidays. The training took place at the Foundation’s school grounds at Latrikunda Sabiji. These 150 are among 205 orphans that the Foundation is sponsoring.

Delivering his speech on the occasion Sheikh Tjan Jonga, who is the course director, told parents that the month long Programme is only possible with the support of the Sheikh Eid Bin Muhammad Al-Thani, a charitable foundation in the gulf state of Qatar.

The course director inform the gathering that this year’s course took a different format, apart from the normal classes , in which children were taught the quran, and other teachings of the Islam, these  students also had conferences with some very knowledgeable people . Our President of the Ummul Qura Foundation and Dr. Mohammed Jah were among such facilitators.

Alhagie Mustapha Cham, president of the Foundation commended the sponsors in Qatar, and said if it were not their support; the training would not have taken place. He promised that his foundation shall never stop assisting the orphans;   they at the foundation are only following the teachings of the prophet.

Isatou Jammeh, who deputized for the director of Social Welfare department, Fanta Sisay said for them at the social welfare department, for them at the department, the welfare of the children, particularly the less fortunate ones, like the orphans who have lost one of their parents is their big concern. She talked about the extended family system which she said has a very important social factor and links, therefore we should stick to it

This is a system where the uncle can step in for a father or a nephew can equally do so for a brother. The gaps are easily filled. She said this is an important link but is now fading away.

She stress the need to assist other children whom she said also needed help. Isatou said the word is chaining and a lot more of things are changed equally. She said the number of vulnerable children and orphans are on the increased which posses a great concern to her government. She calls on the private sector and NGOs to put in their hands together in order to control this situation.

She reminded the gathering that orphans are to be taken care off, since prophet Muhammad himself was an orphan and other people took care of him.

The occasion was graced by the presence of the Imam Ratib of the Gambia, Alhagie Alieu Mass Kah who delivered the opening prayers. Certificates were given to 10 top students of the course. The top 10 was a female Mam Jara Muhammed Jah. Lectures and sponsors were also given certificates of appreciation.

New York, August 25, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned about the safety of three journalists and their driver who were abducted by an unknown armed group two days ago.

Somali photojournalist Abdifatah Mohamed Elmi and two foreign freelance journalists, Canadian Amanda Lindhout and Australian Nigel Brennan, along with a driver identified only as Mahad, were kidnapped along the

The National Union of Somali Journalists said they believed the abducted group was being held in the northeastern village of Suqa Holaha on August 24 but local journalists and a relative of Elmi received a tip that they have moved since to Jowhar, a town 50 miles (90 kilometers) north of Mogadishu .

The reasons for the abduction are still unclear. Local journalists told CPJ that it appeared to have been to be a well-planned operation using three vehicles.

“ Somalia continues to be the most dangerous place for local and foreign journalists in Africa ,” said CPJ’s Africa Program Coordinator , Tom Rhodes . “CPJ calls on both the Transitional Government and the Islamic Courts Union to adhere to their public statements to do everything possible to ensure the safe release of these media workers.”

According to local reports, Mogadishu ’s interim mayor, Mohamed Osman Ali, condemned the abduction and is investigating. Government military spokesman Dahir Mohamed claimed that suspected members of the insurgent Islamic Courts Union—a coalition of Islamic courts fighting the transitional government—that make up the Lower Shabelle Administration are behind the kidnapping, local journalists said. The transitional government and the Islamic Courts Union have been fighting a civil war since December 2006, when the current government wrested power from the Islamic Union. The union’s spokesman, Sheikh Abdirahim Isse Adow, told Reuters that they were not behind the abduction and would “do all that is possible to save them.”

According to HornAfrik journalist Abdullahi Hasan Suleiman, the three were abducted upon their return visit from a refugee camp in Celasha Biyaha, roughly 12 miles (20 kilometers) north of Mogadishu .

In a separate incident the previous day, police arrested journalist Ahmed Jeylani of Radio Voice of Holy Koran in the Bondhere district of Mogadishu. Police detained the journalist overnight without charges and released him without stating the reason behind his arrest, the National Union of Somali Journalists told CPJ.

The violence in Somalia has taken a heavy toll on journalists: Seven Somali journalists were killed because of their work in 2007—the world’s second-highest count behind Iraq . More than 50 others have fled Mogadishu , according to CPJ research. Two were killed earlier this year in separate incidents.

 Freedom is possible only in a democratic political system in which governments are accountable to their own people, the rule of law prevails, and freedom of expression, association and belief are guaranteed. This can only be achievable where freedom of the press is found. Read this report to know whether you are in a country that allows the freedom of the press in order to enjoy the above.

Out of 195 countries and territories in the world assessed, 74 countries (38 per cent) were rated Free, 58 (30 percent) were rated Partly Free, and 63 (32 percent) were rated Not Free. This shows a global picture of the situation of freedom of the press in world. This represented a modest improvement over the 2005 assessment in which: 73 Free countries, 54 Partly Free, and 67 Not Free countries. However the findings of the 2006 represents a negative shift from the survey results of five years ago, which was the last recent high point of press freedom.

Read to know where your country or region falls in terms of how free your media is or how suppressed it is. This is an authentic survey conducted by Freedom House, a reputable international media NGO, based in New Yoke the USA.

Mali tops Africa as one of the countries with a FREE media status; she is followed by Ghana, Mouritius, South Africa, Cape Verde, Benin, Namibia, and Sao Tome & Principe. They are among 74 countries with similar records. The world list is toped by Finland and Iceland with 9 points each. These countries were followed by Belgium, Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

 The Gambia is once again rated as NOT FREE, among 21 other Sub-Saharan states which included states like Burundi, Angola, Chad, and Liberia. These countries are among other 63 countries worldwide, in a total of 195 countries in the world where a survey is conducted. The Gambia stands number 77 out of the 195 states that do not have a free press.

The Gambia like others who where rated NOT FREE, has a hostile media environment, we have seen in the past crackdown on journalists and in some cases mediums have been closed down without court orders. Journalists have been detained beyond the 72 hours limits and in most of those cases there were no charges against those detained journalists.

Apart from the above cases cited, there is this unfinished case of the killing of Deyda Hydara. 

The legal environment for the Gambia is one yet to be desire. The two laws that are in place is no way that can guarantee us a place in a FREE MEDIA state, and these are the Newspaper Amendment Act of 2004, and the Newspaper Registration Act of 2004. These laws need to be taken out of our books of laws if we are to make any head way for a FREE MEDIA state.

 According to the ratings by Freedom House Gambia score a total of 77 points, 24 for the legal environment, 33 for political environment, and 20 for economic environment. This placed her 77 out of 195 countries. The Gambia’s status has been one of NOT FREE since 2002. with 66, in 2002, 65 in 2003, 63 in 2004, 72 in 2005, 73 in 2006 and 77 in 2007.

The five worst –rated countries continue to be Burma, Cuba, Libya, North Korea, and Turkmenistan., in these states independence, media are either non inexistence or barely able to operate, the press acts as a mouthpiece of the governing regime, and citizen’s access to unbiased information is severely changed from 2005-6, reflecting an extreme level of repression and stagnation of the media.

How ever on the contrast, Western Europe continue to boast the highest level of press freedom world wide; in 2006, 24 countries(96 percent) were rated FREE and 1 (4 percent) was rated Partly Free, and there were no NOT FREE in the region.

In the Sub- Saharan Africa, overall 8 countries (17 percent) were rated Free, 19 (39 per cent) were rated Partly Free, and 21 (44 per cent) remained Not Free. Press freedom conditions continued to be dire in Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, and Zimbabwe, where authoritarian governments use legal pressure, imprisonment, and other forms of harassments to sharply curtail the ability of independent media outlets to report freely. All three countries continue to rank in the bottom 10 performers worldwide.

 In the Americas, 17 countries (48 percent) were Free, 16 (46 percent) were rated Partly Free, and 2 (6 percent) were rated Not Free in 2006. Just under half the countries in the region have media that remain classified as Free, although this includes the Caribbean, whose countries generally have very open media environments, offsetting the les rosy picture in Central and South America.

The Asia –Pacific region as a whole exhibited a relatively high level of press freedom, with 16 countries (40 percent) rated Free, 10 (25 percent) Partly Free, and 14 (35 percent) rated Not Free.

Central and Eastern Europe / Former Soviet Union, for the combined CEE/FSU region 8 countries (28 percent) out of a new total of 28 countries, after Montenegro’s independence- remain classified as Free.  10 (36 percent) are rated Partly Free, and 10 (36 percent) are classified as Not Free

Middle East and North Africa region continued to show the lowest regional rating , with just 1 country (5percent) rated Free, 2 (11 percent) rated Partly Free, and 16 (84 percent) rated Not Free in 2006.During the year the average region wide score declined , as did the average score in the political subcategory.

These conclusions are reached through an examination of the level of press freedom in each country which currently comprises 23 methodology questions divided into three broad categories: the legal environment, the political environment, and economic environment. For each methodology question, a lower number of points are allotted for a freer situation, while a higher number of points are allotted for a less free environment.

The legal environment category encompasses an examination of both the laws and regulations that could influence media content and the government’s inclination to use these laws and legal institutions to restrict the media’s ability to operate. An assessment of a positive impacts of legal   and constitutional guarantees for freedom of expression; the potential negative aspects of security legislations, the penal code, and other criminal statutes; penalties for libel and defamation; the existence  of an ability to use freedom of information legislation; independence of the judiciary and of official media regulatory bodies ; registration requirements for both media outlets and journalists; and the ability of journalists’ groups to operate freely.

Under the political environment category, in order for the Freedom House global surveyors to reach   a conclusion an evaluation to a degree of political control over the content of news media is established first. Issues to be examined include the editorial independence of both state owned and privately owned media; access to information and sources; official censorship; and self censorship; the vibrancy of the media and the diversity of the new available; the ability of both foreign and local reporters to cover the news freely and without harassment; and the intimidation of journalists   by the state or other actors, including arbitrary detention and imprisonment, violent assaults, and other threats.

The third and the final category is the economic environment. This category examines the economic environment for the media. It includes the structure of media ownership; transparency and concentration of ownership; the cost of establishing media as well as of production and distribution; selective withholding of advertising or subsidies by state or other actors; impacts of corruption and bribery on content; and the extent to which the economic situation in the a country impacts the development and sustainability of the media.

We will bring you detail reports on each country under the three categories: FREE, PARTLT FREE and NOT FREE.

The Gambia has a high population of 63,000 orphans, the causes of which are due to several factors ranging from poverty and other preventable diseases, like HIV/Aids, tuberculosis and malaria. Reliable reports indicated that 44 million in 34 developing countries are likely to lose a parent in the next years to come thus leaving them to become orphans.

Ummul Qura Foundation a charitable organization started its operations some 14 years ago in the Gambia. As   part of its activities of sponsoring orphans, the Ummul Qura Foundation for Islamic Studies and Research began its second Islamic studies course on August the 2^nd 2008 at its headquarters in Faji kunda in the KMC municipality. A total of 150 orphans are participating in a one month long summer classes.

 This shows that apart from helping the orphans with clothing and money they are also into offering some other form of social services by educating the orphans, said Abubacarr Mohammed Loum chairman of the occasion and vice president of the project.

Speaking at the start of the course Sheikh Mohammed Jonga the course director   indicated that the course is sponsored by the orphans committee of Sheikh Eid Bin Muhammad Al-Thani Charity Association, a charitable organization, based in the Gulf state of Qatar. He said a similar course is done in sixteen other countries in Africa, Asia and Europe simultaneously, and 27 Islamic organizations of which his organization is one of them are conducting the courses. A total of up 3700 orphans altogether are benefiting from such a course worldwide .Jonga told the gathering.

The President of the Foundation Alhagie Mustapha Cham said the foundation is currently sporting 205 orphans. This number rose over the last 14 years from 35 orphans to 205 today. He informed the meeting that, they still have more than 200 applicants who are yet to be sponsored.  Cham said we are not only in the business of giving out hand out but also trying to educate these orphans in their religion.

Ms Fanta Sisay director of Social Welfare who is also the guest speaker inform the gathering that The Gambia has up to 63,000 orphans. She implore the foundation to do more in also sensitizing the donors who are only concern with children whose father are dead but the ones whose mother’s too die need assistance. She calls on the religious leaders and elders of our communities to help in preaching our children to have respect for our religion and cultures as our homes are getting out of orders.

Other speakers included The President of the Gambia Supreme Islamic council Alhagie Cherno banding Drammeh and his vice Dr. Jah, all of who call for discipline and respect for our culture and religion.

                                                                                                        Mariama Ceesay

WAJA’s objective is to build the capacity of its membership in this part of our continent, said Alpha Sall the project Coordinator of the West Africa Journalists Association WAJA, in an exclusive interview with Media Agenda’s Mariama Ceesay.Sall was in Banjul from the 28-31 July 2008 conducting training for 30 Gambian journalists in skills improvement workshop in collaboration with The Gambia Press Union (GPU).

He told the MA, that WAJA signed a four project with the ACBF some one year ago and the project is in full blossom implementing its plans of action which is basically training journalists in the region. We are aiming at training journalist of all cadre, be it investigative, sport, health and all others specialties of journalism. Association did discover that there some of our members who are weak in other disciplines of our profession so the need for such a project.

Asked how many countries have the project conducted training of this kind, Sall said we have conducted training in eight countries namely: Senegal, Sierra Leone, Niger, Burkina Faso, Bissau, The Gambia and Liberia. As you may know we are 15 countries so we are only half way. We will be in Banjul again in October of this year, for a regional workshop and at that work shop we hope to give award of excellence to deserving candidates. 

In brief remarks at the closing of the Gambia’s workshop, Coordinator Sall encourage the participants to make good use of the knowledge gained at the workshop and said he was impressed that the Gambia is one of the best in female representation at the WAJA workshops so far.

Madi M.K. Ceesay former president of GPU and current director of Media Agenda who officiated over the closing ceremony told participants that they should work hard to become journalists worth their salts. He call on them to do all what it takes one to become journalist rather than join the lists as most of our critics will say. To do that one has to read and read every thing that you can lay your hands on.

As reporters he told them that their duty is to collect information, put it in order, and deliver it to the reader with accuracy, clarity, simplicity. He concluded by extending the thankfulness of the Gambia Press Union to WAJA as a regional body for their far sightedness. He ended congratulating the participants for what he describe this wonderful achievement.

Are we a pessimistic people? The former majority leader and member for Upper Fulladu West, Honourable Churchill Falai Baldeh, seems to believe that we are. In a recent exclusive interview with this paper he said that Gamabian people look at the negative rather than the positive side of things. We really must disagree. Optimism and pessimism are worldviews one holds when one is not faced with very harsh realities. At the moment many people in The Gambia are struggling to pay for the basic commodities required for life such as food and energy. In this reality it is very difficult if not impossible to be optimistic as only a fool would think that prices are coming down any time soon. Perhaps people might be optimistic about getting a job or a wage increase if they are already lucky enough to be employed, but if bitter experience has taught them that this is effectively a waste of time then we must say they are realists rather than pessimists. A pessimist will believe that the negative will happen even when there is a chance that there may be a positive outcome. Perhaps the homourable member should have said that Gambians are realists.

In fact many would say that even in the face of harsh reality the people of this nation take their trials with amazing good grace. Even though many of our people are living in dire poverty without access to many services, this is still a peaceful nation. In many other parts of the world we have seen food riots but not in The Gambia. A remarkable stoical acceptance is what sets us apart from other nations and this is an attribute we should laud.

The Center for Democracy and Development (CCD) & West African Civil Society Forum (WACSOF) organize a two day regional consultative meeting on conflicts in the Senegambia zone of West Africa in Banjul The Gambia from the 24 -25 July 2008 at the Kairaba Beach Hotel. In this second part report it takes the reader through discussions, and presentations of participants. So read on to understand what transpired at Kairaba Beach Hotel, Banjul the Gambia.

The meeting ended calling on governments in the Senegambia zone to be tolerant and allow the warring factions at a round table conference, with their security guaranteed. The religious leaders were also urged to preach peace in their sermons. The civil societies were as well call upon to be accountable to the people

PEACE & CONFLICT IN SENEGAMBIA CURRENT CHALENGES: Ebrima SALL:  made a presentation on the Political Economy of the Senegambia countries. He indicated that there are also structural problems apart from the economical ones. The links between economy and politics is not an easy thing, for him its one which is complex.  One can put it like this, conflict is part of life and politics is managing conflicts. Sall is of the view that if one did not see the linkage between politics and the economy, then the whole thing becomes complex.

He said when one looks at what happen at the Senegambia region, one will see the fragmentations very clearly, but never the less we have a lot in common. He opinion that the fragmentation is done in a very profound way, in the region we have some visible differences. This is manifested when we come to religion and culture; all are the same as well as the people. All the countries are running a republican system. Sall said if integrations did not work here then we need to ask questions, since we have a lot of commonalities. The economies are almost all tax based. He said that most of the people in the sub region are poor people.

The fact of the matter is we do not have interstate conflicts but internal ones. The boundaries were imposed on us, which we regret we only learn to live with them. What we have in the Senegambia region is what we have elsewhere. He said before the structural Adjustments, trade was more liberal than in Senegal. Under Structural Adjustment, the IMF did encourage re export trade. Sall feels that in the transport sector, is an absolute scandal when one cannot jump in a car and drive to Senegal. This he said is a negation of idea of the free movement of people and goods.

The OMVG has none of its major objectives met. Like the building of a bridge across the rivers, I think they should have a look at the objectives once more. The number one issue we should deal with is the state. Number two is we should fine a way of transcending the borders to over come the fragmentations. Better attempts should be done by looking at a wider level and not on one to one basis like the Senegambia confederations. So long as we do not look at integration at our own levels, it is not possible at a West African level.

On Border and Insurgence dynamics, Halifa Sallahpresenting a paperbelieves if you want to find the sources of conflict one has to find out the contradictory aspects… we have seen the issue of Gambia, Senegal and Guinean Bissau. During colonialism Portugal colonized lower cassamance and in 1889, Portuguese allow lower cassamance to go to Senegal. He said if one wants to deal with the conflict one has to take in to consideration the religious aspects, because before any military action the militants consult their spiritual leaders.

The late leader of the casamance said casamance was never governed as Senegal but West African nation like any other nation. It was in 1962 when certain people convince Casamance to go with Senegal.   War he said is a continuation of politics, since war is a continuation then there has to be a political stability. Administration of the people should not be left with the governments alone the people should take part. Freedom of expression is power so there cannot be any integration without harmonization of policies.

Aminata Diaw talking about   ethics’ and cultural dimensions saidintegration can only be meaningful when it is put in its proper context of culture. She said we should be counter balance with citizenship. These conflicts in our regions can only be resolved in a sub-regional way. We cannot talk about peace if we do not construct viable democracies in our various countries.

Dr. Siga Jagne first took the floor. She indicated that one cannot talk about the casamance conflict without touching the Gambia. The whole conflict has an economic problem. She mentions the closure of the Gambia/Senegal border which did has an enormous economic hardship on the Gambia. Jagne, s presentation was on the Casamance conflict and the spillover effect on the Gambia.

She indicated that every conflict on the continent has refugees here in the Gambia. This is a small countries that has very little economic base and eventually such inflow of refugees affects us a lot. She underline the conflict prevention precussions which she thinks help us still maintained the peace we have; otherwise the Gambia can also simply go into flames of conflicts. She said the spillover effect is not only from Casamance but as said earlier from all over the continent.

Siga said though Gambia is a peaceful country but with the world food crisis it is taking a lot of toll on our economy. The refugee population is such that many are now engaged in prostitution; just take a walk around the Senegambia hotel areas you would have seen some of these things am saying.  She indicated that the civil society has to take the bull by the horn to deal with conflict issues.

Seynabou Male Cisse, talked on the Women in War and Peace Processes. She indicated that women play a very important role in feeding families and also plays a vital role during conflict. They were the Red Cross people during the casamance conflicts. Women at village level they do participate in socieo-cultural level as well. The women are also compelling by conflicts to vacate their farms and other small income generating activities as a result that increases their impoverishment.

The women of casamance did participate in the conflict resolution by organizing them into marching passes and other activities. They were organized into learning groups to understand issues like protocols. It is our firm belief that the women should be educated so that they can easily take control.

Professor Barry said the discussion on the casamance issue are not opened particularly within Senegal, it is a taboo to talk about it. The Senegalese government did divided Casamance into sections like Kolda region, Tamba region and so on that is not the issues. He said it is the question of decentralization the center of the power never wanted to leave.   

He believes the fundamental issue is we have talk. Cape Verde is an example in term of governance. Cape Verde is the only state where you can find two former head of states who meet driving and the head of state could be easily met. So the whole issue is one of good governance.

In his intervention, Cisse talked about the rebellion bonus, he said those who know of the great lake war will know what am talking about, and there is a need of a political solution to this crisis. He pointed that there is a recycling of war lords within the region. Recently he we have seen the recycle soldiers rushing to Abidjan. Secondly, concerning the criminal economy, there is the illegal production of cannabis. The people concern are saying that because there is no alternative means of income so the production has to continue. Cisse indicated that more and more land will be use in the cultivation of cannabis so far as there is no alternative. He cited the case of Gambia whose forest laws are rigorous so they end up coming into Casamance for wood and coal.

Concerning a solution to the casamance crisis the government of Senegal has at one time asked Gambia and Bissau to take off hands from the negotiations. One cannot find solutions to the casamance crisis without the participation of the two countries.

The issue of the civil activity at the level at casamance, they are doing well in the Casamance. In February 1998, the civil society organized a very important meeting in casamance. He said the people of casamance are tied of this crisis and government of Senegal is not taking the issue seriously.

CONFLICT PREVENTION, Penda Mbow in an intervention on preventing conflicts, said we have to implore our traditional set up that are already in existence, like certain family names that joke and easily settle conflicts. We have to maximize that existing set up. Generally speaking this goes beyond jokes; this in a frame work of conflict prevention can be very useful.

On early warning and early response mechanism in the Senegambia countries Mousaa Dabal said in Guinea Bissau the army is a problem. They are involved in politics and every other thing, And as long as the army is not reform nothing will be right in that country. He said the council of the wise is a protocol of the ECOWAS who can serve as mediators at some conflicts areas. They are at the disposal of the civil society in conflict prevention areas.

Dauda Garuba (CDD) he talk on CCD/WACSOF intervention. Ecowas did say they have spent over 75% of its budget on peace building. If that money could have been spend on development, we will have more impact, which is if the early warning is heeded to by stake holders.  

Amadou Taal, interim chair of the Gambia Civil Society Forum, said when ECOWAS was being conceived at the time conflict resolution was not a priority. He said we cannot leave without conflicts but what we need to do is to learn to manage conflicts. He noted that ECOWAS has not being working closely with the civil society, which should be in place. He cited the signing of EPAs. Poverty he said can spark off conflicts, a clear case is the food crisis which has witness demonstrations in the region.

In another contribution one said the issue of youths being frustrated in their home countries due several factors, one of those is the lack of gainful employments, and they then venture into leaving their homes by dangerous routes. It is the opinion of the speaker that if youths are force to abandon such routes and they are frustrated at home could lead to uprising against their states. So that is an early warning it has to be taken seriously to avoid conflicts.

Civil Society Engagement in Peace processes and Post Conflict reconstruction in Senegambia was another area that certain civil society shared experiences with the conference. Mohamed Mbodji of RADDHO said it is only better that one understands the issues is one is to effectively participating in conflict resolutions. He noted that one has to differentiate the types of conflicts, like the one in Liberia was different from that of Casamance.

Despite the decentralizations in Casamance, like the division of casamance into upper and lower casamance, the conflict is there. They try direct discussions with the people in certain areas but it was a very difficult exercise, because there were name callings which almost lead to fighting. When it comes to the economy especially in terms of wood, one discover that the rebels connived with certain government authorities.

Abdou Boye of Youth Ambassador of Peace, our activities is within and outside of the Gambia. 880 contact hours is the standard contact suppose ton be between the teachers and students. After a survey we realize that in the Gambia none of the school meet that standard. The YAP work in cross border activities, we went o casamance and had some contacts with the people there, and this goes back to 2004. In our summer camp activities we camp young ones from the sub-region and we discuss issues of peace and conflict resolutions. In the last camp which was in 2005, we were able to make presentations to both government and key stake holders

Musa Sanneh of WANEP, for us we are active in the area of election observations off course with other civil partners. We participate in small arm business because this arm trafficking has some effect on peace and conflict.  WANEP was mainly goes into sensitizing the people and in some cases arm destruction are done in presence of many. In turn communities are given some projects as a form of compensation. He argued that arms can be a very contributive in triggering conflicts.

Nget thinks that if issues connecting to the casamance conflict cannot be discussed in Senegal, a state that has a big stake when it comes to conflict resolution then there is a problem.

What the civil society is doing in Guinea Bissau, is one of sensitization, this was in an intervention by a participant from Guinea Bissau He argued that the civil society should be accountable to the people as well.

The issue is to look at the political demand and then from there we see where to go. Unless that is done we are no where close to solving the conflict issue of casamance, that was an intervention from Halifa Sallah.

During the President’s recent Dialogue with the People Tour Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) presented a cheque to Gamworks as their counterpart contribution towards the construction of Kayupa Road in Churchills town.

Last year, a contract was awarded to Sinco Spa to the tune of D12, 504,500 for the construction of the same Kayupa Road and the rehabilitation of the Brikama Car park in Banjul.

There are three issues here. The first one is how many contracts are we talking about now?  The second question is that one of the contracts involves the Brikama car park, but the Brikama car park is left out in the other one. So which of them is Sinco Spa handling and which one is Gamworks dealing with? And the third one is why the construction of the same road is given to two organisations?

It appears to be a repetition of the Basse Mini Stadium project, in which D13 million was reported to have been spent on a contract that should have cost D6, 500,000.

That was a needless waste. These are funds that could have been judiciously spent on our poverty alleviation programmes.

Why are these things happening again and again? Who feeds fat from the lapses?

We believe that Gamworks, given its track record of project implementation in this country, has a reputation to protect. We expect only the best from this agency.

Gamworks was established as a genuine implementing agency that will serve the Gambian people endeavouring to develop The Gambia. So they must strive to correctly reflect the needs and demands of the people and fairly meet their demands; and faithfully discharge the mission of implementing government projects with credit.

If we are to advance, our implementing agencies should always maintain close ties with the people and serve their interests at all times. With a sense of responsibility, they should see to it that not even a nail or block is wasted.

“What is not good for the beehive, cannot be good for the bees.”

Marcus Aurelius

The recent comments made by the celebrated Arabic pioneer Sheikh Oustaz Dumbuya are very welcome indeed. He has called on all businesspeople and those responsible for recent increments in the price of basic commodities to reduce prices. He made his comments in an exclusive interview with The Point. He said it essential that those in business show absolute sympathy to those less fortunate than themselves and the poor in society. “We should be mindful that the rising cost of food and basic commodities will have the most negative impact on poor people,” he said. He is correct in what he says but we must bear in mind that the increasing price of food is a global problem and in a lot of cases simply beyond the control of The Gambia’s businesspeople. What must not be tolerated is the exploitation of people, particularly those who are suffering the effects of poverty. Anyone who is aware of this kind of behaviour must report those responsible immediately to the authorities who must be swift and decisive in their response.

For this reason we support Sheikh Dumbuya in his appeal to government to set up a task force that would monitor the activities of businesspeople so that there can be a concrete price control system.He said it is shameful to see that fishmongers are now selling three pieces of fish for D100 while one kilogram of meat costs D75 in the market. These prices are fast rising beyond what people can afford and he is absolutely correct in saying that something must be done.

On the issue of foreign currencies depreciating against the Dalasi he said, “ the Gambian government has worked tremendously to ensure that the Dalasi appreciated against major currencies therefore businesspeople have no cause to complain.

This is of course correct but the other side to this issue is that the money which flows into this nation in the form of remittances is now worth less to those who are receiving it. This combined with the rising cost of food is causing great suffering to many people and is also something which must be considered when we discuss the issue of exchange rates.

There is no doubt we are facing a crisis and it is very heartening to see intervention by such high profile figures. Only constant discussion and analysis of the problem will lead us to a solution that benefits everyone.

Forex Bureau Rates:

M J Finance 9965635

Buying

GBP  =              D39.00

US    =              D19.00

5000CFA =        D235.00

EURO =            D30.50

Swedish Kroner D310

Danish Kroner= D370

Selling

GBP   =             D41.00

 US     =             D21.50

5000CFA            D 250.00

EURO                D33.00

Kroner                D340.00

Danish Kroner     D425