Under the guidance of Egyptian Coach Tarik Siagy, The Gambia U-17 team will leave Banjul today for Sierra Leone, to play their second leg encounter against the Leone stars on Saturday.

The Gambia Civil Aviation Authority GCAA is said to be airlifting the player as part of the second leg encounter of the qualifiers of the 8th African U-17 Championship slated for Algeria in 2009.
The Gambia U-17 team have a big advantage over their opponents following their 4-1 winning performance in Banjul at the Independence Stadium in Bakau.

The Head Coach of The Gambia U17 team, Tarik Siagy, who spoke to Pointsports, expressed optimism that his team will collect the maximum points in Freetown. “We are well prepared for the game, the team is intact and the players are well focused,” he stated. 

The Gambia squeezed a 4-1 win over Sierra Leone yesterday at the Independence Stadium in Bakau in the opening first leg fixture of the qualifiers of the Africa U-17 Championship.

A first half strike from Gambia’s Saihou Gassama after two minutes of play earned  the young Scorpions the lead.

In the 45th minute Sierra Leone’s Zuma Issa Kamara was given matching orders from the central Referee  following an early  booking.

In the 49th minute of the second half, Sierra Leone changed the scores sheet to 1-1 through star player  Ayodele C. King.

Second half goals from Ebou Bojang   in the 55th  and 86th minutes  and from new entrance Fansu Mbemba Simaka in the 77th  gave the Gambia a  convincing win.

It could have been 5-1 had Alsanna Gassama not falied in scoring a penalty for the Gambia in the 25th minute.

 The Gambia has a great first leg advantage as it will take Sierra Leone to qualify if they are able to win beat the Gambia with a score line of 5-0 in Sierra Leone in two weeks time.

The winner of both legs will advance to meet the winner of the clash between the Ghana and Libya in the final qualifying round. Ghana defeated Libya 3-0 in the first leg encounters and is likely to meet the Gambia in the Second round matches.

The national U17 team of Sierra Leone’s arrival in The Gambia has been hindered due to flight difficulties Pointsports can reveal.

The Lone Stars of Sierra Leone were expected to jet into Banjul yesterday August 27th 2008 for their encounter with the darling U17 team of The Gambia in the CAF 17 Youth Championship preliminaries round first leg to be played at the Independence Stadium in Bakau.

Speaking to Pointsports regarding the arrival of the visiting team, the President of The Gambia Football Association, Mr. Seedy MB Kinteh, confirmed the matter and said, “the U17 team of Sierra Leone were expected yesterday but due to flight difficulties in Sierra Leone they could not make it and will be looking towards on Saturday for arrival.” He said that “ the referee’s has already arrived from Liberia and the match commissioner is from Mauritania.” President Kinteh added, “the game could be switched to Sunday due to the late arrival of the visiting team but it depends on the match commissioner and the referee’s approval. “If this is the case,” he said, “a press release will be sent to various media houses regarding the changes in the fixture of the game.” He further called on the general public to come all out to support the boys.

Meanwhile, in another development, Real de Banjul striker Ebou Bojang, who was on trials in America, has joined the U17 team at camp.

Speaking to Pointsports, the Head Coach of the Gambia U17 team, Tarik, expressed optimism that his boys are well prepared and are willing to fight. He said, “ the motivation is very high as the players are ready and the team is in track.” According to Tarik, “Ebou Bojang has finally joined the team in camp after having trials in the USA.” The Egyptian born coach then called on the general public to come all out to give support to the boys. In conclusion he said, “the boys need support as they are very young players and need the support of the public.”

The Leone Stars of Sierra Leone are expected in Banjul next week ahead of the qualifiers for the 8thAfrican U-17 Championship in Algeria 2009 slated for August 30thin Banjul.

According to the President of The Gambia Football Association Seedy MB Kinteh, The Gambia U-17 team is set for the encounter, stating that despite not being able to stage the second test game against Senegal in Dakar as planned.

He informed Pointsports that the match officials for the first leg match of The Gambia U-17 outing against Sierra Leone in Banjul are from Liberia.The match Commissioner is Mauritanian.

The team defeated Guinea-Bissau 3-1 in Banjul in a test match held in the early part of August.

The second leg matches will be played during the weekend of September 12th, 2008 in Freetown.

Sierra Leone made it at the preliminary stages following the withdrawal of Liberia in April.

After playing the first round matches and winning in both legs, The Gambia U-17 will need to play one more game to book their ticket to Algeria in 2009

Journalism is a noble profession and journalists are important members of any society because their function involves informing the public, educating the public and providing entertainment from time to time. Every country should strive to develop a viable press as part of its development programme.

Countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Senegal and other West African states can all boast of several media house producing newspapers daily, weekly, quarterly magazines or bi annual. In The Gambia during the colonial period there were well- known veteran journalists like Messrs Edward Small, Finden Daley. Noble Allen, Lenrie Peters, and Dixon Colley, who owned media houses and published newspapers on a weekly basis. Recently we can boast of Babucarr Gaye now deceased, Deyda Hydara who was brutally murdered by unknown assailants three years ago, Trawally, and others who are still active.

When war broke out in Liberia many Liberians flocked into The Gambia as refugees. Among these was a Liberian journalist Mr. Kenneth Best and his family, most of whom were journalists also. He soon noticed the lack of a viable press in the country and decided to embark upon opening a media house which he named The Observer. He first carried out a feasibility study and he was discouraged by those who expressed the view that Gambians were not a reading public and that a daily newspaper would not sell as people would not spend money on purchasing newspapers. Mr. Best was undaunted by this feasibility study and went ahead to establish The Daily Observer office at Sait Matty road in Bakau Newtown in 1992.

At the initial stages most of his family worked at the office as proof readers.

Mr. Best and his family and Gambian helpers including myself worked very hard to produce the newspaper and to keep it going. This was the beginning of a new era in the history of journalism in the country. It will be recalled that The Point newspaper owned by Deyda Hydara and Pap Saine, was established on 16thDecember 1991whilst Daily Observer was established 11thMay 1992.

As well as the functions of the newspaper as indicated above, it is worth noting that there is another fundamental function of a newspaper which is that of a watchdog. A watchdog is a dog kept by a householder to keep watch over his house and property. These animals are always alert and maintain constant watch over the complex. This is where journalists play a vital role; they are supposed to identify what is happening in the country and publish articles in the newspapers pertaining to those occurrences. This is where freedom of the press is essential, but unfortunately this issue is what results in conflicts between journalists and governments around the world.

Many countries boast of permitting press freedom in their individual states, but alas! This is not a reality. Journalists are not regarded as important members of the society and partners in the development programmes. They become the enemies of the state if they dare to publish any unpopular government policy or criticize them. Journalists in many countries are harassed, often detained by the authorities, tortured while in detention and killed in some cases.

The case of Deyda Hydara, a veteran journalist, is a case in point. He was brutally murdered three years ago and up to date his assailants have not been discovered and punished for such a hideous crime. It is a sorry and awful plight for journalists to be murdered in cold blood for executing their normal duties in the society.

President Ernest Bai Koroma President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and President Yayah AJJ Jammeh of the Republic of The Gambia have embraced each other as brothers for seeing the prospect that lies in good relationship and being the others keeper. President Ernest Bai Koroma, who won the incumbent Sierra Leone Peoples Party, has an enormous task to rebuild and cub out corruption. He only needs ideas from experienced presidents, meaning that he would confer with those that have stayed in power and have brought changes to their society like The Gambia.

Encounter explores from their tour from the Kombos to Kanilai and finds the secret behind the tumultuous welcome.

It was a hectic three-day ‘meet the development’ tour as soldiers, presidents, entourage, Sierra Leoneans, and Gambians followed behind the visiting president to see the reality behind President Jammeh’s developmental plans put in place. Sierra Leone, a country that has long been on the map had allowed corruption and bad governance to drain the country’s children to naught.

Thinking of the war as one of their visiting pastors, Pastor Conteh of the Weslyan Methodist church said that people had said in the 70s that, “If fet nor be na this country we nor betteh.” This was exactly what happened thinking that after the war like other developed nations who saw war before and are today the best but this is quite the opposite. The country has been counted as the least on the Human Index. President Koroma now seeks ways to bringing back the country to its previous glory. President Jammeh made sure President Koroma saw places like the Power plant at Brikama, Agricultural areas, the Ports Authority, Kanilai village and shown the Science Academy and the animal garden, the lonely hospital at Bwiam, a mare village with a massive functioning hospital, the AU Villa at Brufut. The hospital system in Sierra Leone is not enviable, others say it is good to see what is operating in Tee Gambia by not only looking at the structures but also looking at their administrative systems.

President Koroma apparently acknowledged his appreciation at all the structures he visited most of which are lost in their country. He was appreciative of the fishing plant at Gunjur, the Ports as well. At a State Banquet hosted at the Kairaba Beach Hotel the two Presidents had these kind words for each other:

President Jammeh says, “Gambia and Sierra Leone share a lot. Lots of our graduates studied in Sierra Leone thanks to Fourah Bay College. There are only three days in our world these are; yesterday, today and tomorrow. It is what you do today that determines your tomorrow. We have a university but Gambians are still going to Sierra Leone to study. My grand dad used to say, “Love your new trousers but do not forget the old one.”

As a new government its good to lean from mistakes but you need to learn from your own mistakes. Do not make promises, the best promise is, let us leave it to Allah. You passed through hard time, if you work with the people you will enjoy them. If you fail what the people want they will do what you don’t like. The work of a president is difficult.

We wish that we can work together to change the face of Africa, which despite out resources we are backward. We were taught that learning is better than silver and gold. Our colonial masters said this while taking our resources away. We have to make sure our resources are correctly exploited. If any one wants to exploit me the airport is open you can leave. Do not follow the word no problem from your officers, no problem means more problem. Follow up and see what is going on.

President Koroma, battling with numerous problems ranging from the people’s attitude, the party supporters who still fight for their party instead of putting that aside to work for their nation and also battling with drivers strike and other looming problems, thanked President Jammeh and the populace for a very formidable welcome accorded him. He said it shows how much President Jammeh is loved by his people.

President Koroma says: A good number of people are feeling at home in The Gambia and you have removed the alien card, I thank you for that. Both countries have had good relationship before diplomatic ties existed. We have had a lot in the past and Sierra Leone had supported The Gambia in education and others. You have a lot of Gambians we call the “Maraka” in our diamond area. Between the two of us there are a lot we can offer to our people. Sierra Leoneans have tie in the Gambia vise versa. President Jammeh told me Sierra Leoneans are supporting education, medical and others in The Gambia. AS he told me I said Gambians are enjoying diamond in Sierra Leone. I will not learn from my mistakes, I have only 5 years. I have come to borrow from your experience, Africans should take their own destiny. We have a common destiny and a common background. I am a new president I must learn from the old presidents. He has been president for 14 years I have moved around and I have seen a lot, we should be proud of your achievement. Your economy is growing, by working together we can overcome our difficulties. We have a lot to take back. As a nation we have more and we can do more than The Gambia.

I will invite you to Sierra Leone and will not take you to my home but to other areas. The determined president Koroma was born in 1953, a graduate from FBC determined to fight corruption and alleviate poverty. He is married with two daughters. His targets remain changing those who think the party colour is above nationalism as he puts it, “Our problems know no colour.” And urged all to love Sierra Leone while addressing Sierra Leoneans.

President Jammeh and Madam Isatou Njie Saidy decorated President Koroma at the Banquet. They embraced each other and called each other brother.