The Association of Health Journalists (AHoJ), of The Gambia, has now turned to be GRTS staff bantaba as six of the nine executive members, elected at a clandestine congress, are all from the state broadcaster.
The congress, held on Saturday at The Daily News office in Churchills Town, witnessed stepping down of Pa Modou Faal as the president of the association.
Fatou Touray of Gambia Info newspaper is now the president while Dodou Bojang of GTRS and Annia Gaye of Foroyaa newspaper are the 1st and the 2nd vice president respectively.
Other members of the executive are Francis Mendy of GRTS as the Secretary General, Foroyaa’s Amie Sanneh who is the wife of Dodou Bojang, the 1st vice president, was elected as the assistant secretary general. Ida Jobe of GRTS as the treasurer, Ebner Musu Jassey as the public relations officer. Mama Jaye and Sally Jarjue, both of GRTS are elected as co-opted members of the executive.
However, though this is the second or the third time some of these people are elected in the executive of the association, it’s obvious that most of them as not seen to be good followers of the ex-president and were not making any meaningful contribution as executive member, even most of those ordinary members were not good followers.Research has proven that only good followers can be good leaders, if you are not a good follower it is obvious that you will not be a good leader as well.
A senior official at the Embassy of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, in Banjul, has noted that the West and its allies, particularly France, came to Libya to steal the resources of the Libyan people.
Libya is said to be Africa's third largest oil producer, and the country had been exporting 1.6m barrels a day.
Zeyad Abulgasim Muhamed, Director of the Ambassador's Office at the Libyan Embassy, said the West came to Libya to destabilize the country with the intention of stealing the resources of the Libyan people while they are claiming to be protecting civilians.“They are supporting the rebels, the terrorists,” he said.
He further said:“Libya is a sovereign country, before the West intrudes the country claiming to be protecting the people, the people should have requested for their support first.But Libyans never called them to come and protect them.Their agenda is to steal the resources of Libya and Africa at large.”
The Libyan rebels are now exporting oil from rebel-held areas of eastern Libya and European Union officials said the rebels are allow to export oil as long as revenues from the oil did not find their way to the Gaddafi government or state oil company.
“We are able to protect ourselves.The West has their agenda for intruding in an independent Libya.These are the facts on the ground and they are trying to conceal it. They just want to convince the world that Libyan people are terrorists and that Libya is a country where there is no harmony among the people,” the Libyan official said
Brief economic impact of the uprising
Libya is on a strategic location in the international trade, it’s the gateway of Africa due its proximity to Europe.It is a close route either by sea or air to Europe.It is a close link between Africa and its international trading partners so there is no doubt that any conflict in Libya will have a negative impact on Africa’s international trade.
The collapse of exports from Libya has helped drive up oil prices, which recently hit a two-and-a-half year high.
Already some countries, both within and outside Africa, are already paying of the crisis.Countries like the Gambia is already feeling the pinch of the crisis as the prices of petroleum products continue to skyrocket and authorities continue to blame it on the international market which is also due to the short supply from Africa’s third largest oil producer.The increment of the prices of petroleum has caused NAWEC to increase its price of electricity and Gambia National Transport Association has also increased the fares of transportation nationwide.Prices of some basic food commodities also continue to increase.
International conspiracy against Libya
Mr Abulgasim Muhamed has noted that there is an international conspiracy against his country and that the intervention of the West is ‘illegal’. “What is happening in Libya is purely an internal matter.It doesn’t constitute any threat to international peace and security,” he explained.
He added that intervention of the UN Security Council and the NATO forces is illegitimate.“The UN Charter had specified, categorically, the jurisdiction of the Security Council relating to issues that are threat to international peace and security.
The situation in Libya does not pose any threat to international security and peace as the conflict is within the borders of the country, “how can that be a threat to international peace and security”, Mr Abulgasim Muhamed asked rhetorically.
The Libyan official observed that the speed it has taken to mobilize the UN Security Council and the eventual release of a resolution demonstrates that there is an international conspiracy against his country.
He explained that the uprising, in Libya, started with rebels taking up arms against the central authority.He said this demonstrate that they are not peaceful demonstrators but they are armed people who are up to something different from what people externally seems to think.
He said: “The Libyan government was compelled to undertake certain measures dictated by circumstances to protect civilians, especially those terrorists, like the Al-Qaida who are involved in the uprising, killing civilians and taking some as hostages.So the security forces responsible for combating terrorism were compelled to result to arms to bring down such elements in society.”
The Libyan official condemned the western media for not giving true information about the situation in Libya, saying they (western media) are not giving the true picture of the situation.
In conclusion, Mr Abulgasim Muhamed, thank President Yahya Jammeh and the government and the people of The Gambia.
