The Economy Booming: The People Dooming

The Gambia’s economy according to two recent fiscal theories is in a state of buoyancy. But does this translate to enhancing the lives of the ordinary people? KISSY-KISSY MANSA finds out.
A fleeting look at the state of The Gambia’s economy would render one to beam like a child presented with a new toy because of the experts proven reason that the country’s fiscal position is in good-shape.
If you dare stare at the economic position, you would jump to your feet and dance, but to no music because fiscal theories by both national and international experts predict that the economy is expected to perform even better. 

FINAL COMMUNIQUE OF THE 47^th ORDINARY SESSION OF THE AFRICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS

HELD IN BANJUL, THE GAMBIA

FROM 12 TO 26 MAY 2010

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1. The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Commission), held its 47^th Ordinary Session in Banjul, the Republic of The Gambia, from 12 to 26 May 2010.

2. Honourable Commissioner Reine Alapini Gansou, Chairperson of the African Commission, chaired the deliberations of the Session.

3. The following Members attended and participated in the Session:

Sammy Muraya (Sudan) and Stanely Nyamwata (Kenya) doing a role-play exercise at the workshop. © UNESCO Journalists from three regions inEast Africa affected by conflicts spent a week together exchanging experiences and learning new strategies for reporting on conflict in a way that contributes to peace. The 12 journalists, who have variously reported on strife in Northern Uganda,Southern Sudan and Kenya’s Rift Valley, participated in a conflict sensitive reporting workshop from 17 to 21 May developed and run by the UNESCO-supported Centre for Conflict Sensitive Reporting (CCSR) at Rhodes University.

Lawyer Darboe Maintains Party Leadership

Party delegates of the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) in Banjul, The Gambia has once again given Mr. Ousainou Darboe the chance to lead the party as a presidential candidate in the forthcoming general elections in 2011.
According to reports monitors in Jarra Soma UDP congress has it that Mr. Darboe went unopposed in the recently concluded congress of the party held in Jarra Soma, a town in the Lower River Region, though sources close to the UDP earlier predicted a tight race for the party’s candidacy.

SAAD M RASLAND GENERAL MANAGER THANKS PRESIDENT JAMMEH

I wish to write on behalf of my father, Saad M Raslan, who is currently based in Saudi Arabia to express his profound gratitude and appreciation to Your Excellency, the president of the Republic of The Gambia, Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya AJJ Jammeh, for the numerous development and the tremendous achievements that you have registered in The Gambia since 1994.

WAIFEM Regional Course on Good Corporate Governance

The Central Bank of The Gambia is hosting five days regional course on the subject "Implementation of Effective Risk Management and Good Corporate Governance Practices" in Banjul, The Gambia from 14 to 18 June 2010, organised by The West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM).

The course is designed to upgrade the knowledge and skills of participants in the assessment and management of financial risk. the course also aims at enhancing the understanding of attendees on the principles of good corporate governance practices. During the course participants will cover the following topics general overview of risk in the financial system, types of risks in the banking sector, instituting a risk management framework, tools and techniques, credit risk measurement and management techniques, commercial bank risk measurement and management techniques, etc.

Gambia: Most Peaceful Country in the Sub-Region- Chief Justice

NEWS BANJUL THE GAMBIA(MB- Chief Justice of The Gambia Emmanuel Akomaye Agim has said that The Gambia" is the most peaceful country " in West Africa. Chief Justice Agim was delivering his remarks during the opening of a seminar for economic and financial crimes for judges in english speaking countries in West Africa yesterday at the Sheraton Hotel and Spa in Brufut. The seminar was organised by The Inter Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) with support from the Commonwealth Secretariat. "You are all welcome to The Gambia, the Smiling Coast of Africa. 
"It is my opinion to say that and records has shown that The Gambia is the most peaceful country in West Africa". He also cited the latest Global Peace Index which rates the country 63rd most peaceful country in the world. Chief Justice stated that The Gambia has been ranked as the world’s 63rd most peaceful country in the Global Peace Index (GPI) for 2010. 

GRTS discovered More cocaine at Bonto Bonka

An additional 25 packs of suspected cocaine were discovered yesterday at the notorious Bonto Bonka by a GRTS crew.  The discovery came following a request by GRTS to take better pictures of the Bonto Bonka, which was approved by the executive director of the National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDEA) Benedict Jammeh.According to the public relations officer of the NDEA, Chief Inspector Abdoulie Ceesay, while the GRTS Cameraman was taking shots of the   Bonka with bright light, a bag was spotted in the Bonka. He said the crew immediately contacted the savvy NDEA boss, who quickly rushed to the scene. The NDEA spokesman added that the bag with the packs were then taken to the NDEA head office in Banjul and about 25 packs of suspected cocaine was found in it.

Gambia ranked world’s 63rd most peaceful country

News Banjul The Gambia (MB)- The Gambia has been ranked as the world’s 63rd most peaceful country in the Global Peace Index (GPI) for 2010. According to the Global Peace Index, released Tuesday, The Gambia ranks behind Ghana (48th) and Sierra Leone (53rd), Burkina Faso (57th) in West Africa, and ranks higher than Senegal (79th), Liberia (99th) and Nigeria (137th). Other West African countries rated are Mali (109th), Cote d’Ivoire (118th), and Mauritania (123rd).

Human Rights Activist Case Defence Make "No Case Submssion"

The on going trial of Edward Nebolisa Nwakame the Director of Alliance for Democracy and Good Governance (ADG) on Wednesday proceeded before Magistrate Hillary Abeke of Banjul Magistrates’ Court with the submission of ‘no case to answer’ by the defence counsel, Hagum Gaye.

In making her submission of ‘no case to answer’, the defence counsel for the accused Hagum Gaye submitted that there is no case for the accused person for giving false information to a public officer contrary to section 114 (a) of the Criminal Code Cap 10 Volume Three, Laws of the Gambia. She added that for the persecutors to sustain the conviction of the accused they must prove their case beyond all reasonable doubt. 

Plight of our elderly especially the females

As nature dictates, the elderly persons in our today's society at a certain stage in their lives, were heroes and heroines, who were once strong active and independent but with time to live on earth, they become frail and weak and in many case need support especially during the last days of lives.
Going by it, the young ones have to built concerted efforts in helping the elderly in their daily lives as they were the previous generations of people, they has worked extremely hard to get us the today generations where we are now. So it is indeed for us to pay due respect to them. When we talk about the elderly, they have always been in their days narrating stories to us how they had struggled to bring food to the family, pay for education, built the homes and ensure that our security is to the maximum.

Children And Human Rights

NEWS BANJUL THE GAMBIA(MB)-Children are among the most vulnerable groups on the earth especially in the African continent. They are also frequently the defenceless victims in the most degrading cases of abuse.
According to authentic figures, about 130 million children lack access to education worldwide, and over a 100 million are held in conditions amounting to slavery, back breaking labour, prostitution and begging.

Indeed, it is heart rendering to see children as young as 8 years engaged in child labour even here in the Gambia by assisting an elderly handicapped. They do so either begging or pushing whell chairs of cripples day in day out. Many of them can quite often be seen in towns in my country (The Gambia) like the capital city Banjul, Serrekunda, Brikama, Bakau, Farafenni, Soma, Bansang, Basse doing these jobs instead of going to school.

UNICEF and partners join together to help make the World Cup a win for children

NEWS BANJUL THE GAMBIA(MB)- According to information from UNICEF Office in Banjul has indicated that UNICEF cheered the kick off of the 2010 FIFA World Cup today. A series of partnerships and programmes around the global football championship will provide children with the opportunity to learn about their world, and help harness the power of sport to promote children’s rights.

“UNICEF is very excited to be able to give more children the chance to safely experience the thrill of the World Cup, whether they’re sitting in the stadium or watching from their own villages,” said Anthony Lake, UNICEF Executive Director from New York.

UNICEF calls on governments, donors and the private sector to end child labour

News Banjul The Gambia(MB)- Although the issue of child labour is not as serious here (in The Gambia) as it is in other countries, but still signs of it can be seen especially when girls below the age of 18 are encouraged, or sometimes, forced to work as housemaids, or to spend all day roaming the streets with a plate on their heads selling fruits or sweets, when they should be in school.

Gambia: Fuel Price Goes Up

News Banjul The Gambia (MB)- With effect from yesterday Wednesday, fuel price in The Gambia has increased, after an announcement was made over the state-owned The Gambia Radio and Television Services Monday 7th June 2010 announced that there would be increase in price of fuel starting Wednesday 9th June 2010 with is now effective in all parts in the country.

Drug Case Till End June

NEWS BANJUL THE GAMBIA(MB)- Twelve people of foreign origin – Venezuelan, Dutch, and Nigerian – have been charged before the Banjul Magistrate Court for drugs drug possession and trafficking offences. The accused persons have denied the charge.

All the 12 accused persons stepped into the dock as they were called one after the other, and informed the court that they were yet to secure legal representation. The court clerk was then instructed to read the three counts charges followed by an interpretation of the charges in the Spanish to four of the accused persons (sixth, seventh, eighth and eleventh) who claimed to have not understood the English version.

Gambia; Cocaine Worth over US$1 Billion sized from 12 Suspects

NEWS BANJUL THE GAMBIA (MB) -The National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDEA) of The Gambia has successfully made one of the biggest drug seizures in Gambian history in their quest to make the country a drug-free environment following the arrest of 12 suspects on Tuesday.

The suspects were said to have been involved in trafficking over 2 tonnes, 340kgs, 500 grams of cocaine worth over US$1 billion which was stored in a warehouse in Bonto and at the Baobab Island in Kuloro, Kombo East, Western Region.

Avian Influenza Poses Threat to Lives and Livelihoods of………

NEWS BANJUL THE GAMBIA(MB)- Avian Influenza poses a real threat to the lives and livelihoods of millions of people around the world, to the economy and to human health, words of Gambian Deputy Minister of Agriculture Mr. Kalifa Kambi presiding over the official opening of five days Sub- regional training of trainers for the Joint Rapid Response Teams in Banjul from 7 to 11 June 2010.

The training of trainers workshop comprises of experts from Agriculture, Health and Wildlife sectors from english speaking West African Countries namely, nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana and The Gambia. The training is implemented within the framework of the Support Program to Integrated National Action Plans for Avian and Human Influenza (SPINAP-AHI).The training is co-funded by European Commission (EC) and African Union Interafrican Bureau of Animal Resources (AU-IBAR).

GIABA Set for Seminar on Economic, Financial Crimes

GIABA to hold 3rd Seminar on Economic and Financial Crimes for
Judges in English Speaking Countries in West Africa, Banjul, The Gambia, according to a press release from GIABA communication Unit in Dakar Sengal said.

This training is in line line with its mandate to facilitate the implementation of measures against
money laundering and terrorist financing in accordance with acceptable
international standards, GIABA functions as a forum for member States to discuss
matters of regional interest and share experiences.

Gambian's Banking Industry Remains Sound- Declares Vice President

Dr. Ajaratou Isatou Njie, Vice President of The Republic of The Gambia, yesterday told the 8th annual meeting of the Board of Governors of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development that the Gambian banking industry is expanding significantly and remains sound as it does not have significant foreign liabilities.
Presiding over the official opening of the meeting at the Kariaba Beach Hotel on the outskirts of Banjul, she said "Despite the global financial crisis, The Gambia's banking industry is expanding significantly and remains sound as it does not have significant foreign liabilities. Total assets of the commercial banks increased by 18.7% from D12.5 billion at the end of December 2008 to D14.8billion at the end December 2009. "The banking industry's overall capital adequacy ratio and asset quality are satisfactory. 'The industry's average's risk-weighted capital adequacy was 18.1% at end December 2009, well above the statutory requirement of 8%," she stated.

Africa: Inadequate, unreliable and Very Expensive Electric Power

NEWS BANJUL THE GAMBIA(MB)- The Gambian Minister of Energy has told more than three hundred delegates that are currently attending five days regional forum that inadequate, unreliable and very expensive electric supply is hindering Africa’s development.

Honorable Sira Wally Ndow Njie Gambian Minister of Energy has said this at the official opening of the workshop on Organisation of Electric Power Structure and Associated Training of the African Forum for Utility Regulators (AFUR), hosted by The Gambia Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) in Banjul from 31 May to 4 June, 2010.