Presidential candidate without high school qualification ineligible – legal expert

By Lamin Jahateh

Lawyer Malick H.B. Jallow

Based on the Constitution of The Gambia, any candidate who does not have evidence of completing a minimum of senior secondary school education is deemed ineligible to be president, said a legal expert.

Malick H.B. Jallow, legal practitioner and senior law lecturer at the University of The Gambia, said the rationale for minimum education requirement stipulated in the constitution for president is to ensure that presidential candidates have a sufficient amount of exposure to formal education that will enable them deal effectively with the role of president.

The Point newspaper recently had an exclusive interview with Lawyer Jallow on the legal interpretation of Section 62 of the Constitution, which outlines the minimum requirement to be president.

Number of Gambians defaulting in repaying loans increased significantly

The number of people who took various kinds of loan from the banks in The Gambia and failed to pay has increased considerably in 2013, the Central Bank of The Gambia (CBG) says in a report.

The ratio of Non-performing loans (NPLs), loans given to customers which they failed to pay back, increased significantly, from 12.1 per cent in 2012 to 19 per cent in 2013, the quarterly report, released on Friday, of the Monetary Policy Committee of the CBG states.

The intense competition in the banking industry has left commercial banks in the country rocking the boat of bad debts.  This is due to unprecedented increased in lending to both the public and private sectors, which unfortunately led to increased risks of NPLs.

Vulnerable to bad debts

Monies from foreign donors to Gambia government reduced significantly in 2013

US Dollar notes

Grants to The Gambia, moneys donated by multinational organisations and foreign governments, had reduced by more than D1 billion (about US$ 2,632,000) in 2013, statistics from Central Bank of The Gambia (CBG) has indicates.  

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the CBG states in its quarterly report, released on Friday, that grants (to The Gambia) declined significantly from D1.8 billion (US$  5, 260, 000) in 2012 to D725.1 million (US$ 2,000,000) in 2013.

The Committee has not given any reason for this negative development.  However, in 2013, President Jammeh abruptly withdrew The Gambia from the Commonwealth, and also cut diplomatic relations with Taiwan; an organization, and a country that used to donate to the country.

Powering Gambia on solar energy can lower electricity bills

The use of solar energy as an alternative to fossil fuel can greatly reduce heavy electricity bills on Gambian consumers, a report by the International Energy Agency states.

The report has it that the development of reasonably priced, inexhaustible and clean solar technology will have significant long-term benefits for The Gambia’s electricity tariffs.

Solar energy could be Gambia’s predominant source of energy for decades to come and perhaps a lasting solution to the country’s energy problems, the report added.

It also states that solar energy will increase the country’s energy security, reduce pollution, lower costs of tackling climate change and keep fossil fuel prices lower than otherwise.

In Gambia, people are afraid to speak

Source:  unitedpatriotsworldwide.com

Opinion is said to be the cheapest commodity in the world – because every other person has one.  This might not be very true of The Gambia where people with contrary views on controversial issues are not able or willing to speak their mind.

Not only on controversial issue but people are mute on things like healthcare delivery and other social issues which they could comment on.

People are afraid of drawing attention of the authorities to some of the issues affecting their lives and livelihood including existing human rights problems and abuses and persuade the government to take action on them. 

Instead, most of the times, people only open their mouth in public to praise the government - sing the praises of the big men and women - but keep mute on real issues affecting them as if everything is ok. 

However, in principle the Constitution of the land has it that everyone has the right to freedom of opinion … and the freedom to express, impact opinion without interference.  In practice, this is far from the reality due to various restrictions that are continuously being enacted by the government. 

Citizens with divergent views on some of the national issues are either really afraid or legally not allowed to speak their minds.  People are getting more and more scare from speaking their minds on national topical issues.  Or if one is so strong with his/her opinion and cannot help button it, the person has to greatly censor him/herself.

People are afraid of speaking their mind for one of two reasons, or both.  Some are afraid that in the process of commenting, giving their view on something, they may be seen to be going against the government in which case they could be labelled as an opposition. Though being an opposition is not prohibited anyway! Besides, others are afraid they may fall foul of one of the various laws in the country that limits people’s expression and in which case they will face dire punishment.

It has got to a stage that even when you want discuss certain things with people on phone, you will simply be reminded that “please you are on phone”, as if somebody is listening to everything.  Whether that is the case, is another thing but this is an indication that people are afraid even to speak particularly if they hold a divergent view on a controversial topic.

The people have opinions but would not speak.

Fuel-wood energy threatens Gambia’s forest cover

Heavy reliance on the forest cover for fuel-wood (firewood and charcoal) continues to destroy The Gambia’s forest cover.

A report by the National Planning Commission says the over-reliance of the major urban centres on fuel-wood is destroying the country’s forest cover, causing deforestation and environmental degradation.

Consequences of deforestation

Continuous cutting down of trees for fuel-wood is contributing to desertification and low food production in the country and this could lead to increased hunger and poverty.

The report further states that valuable trees are fading away in The Gambia which can be used for medical purposes.

Rapid loss of forest

According to UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), the forest zone of The Gambia is 48 per cent of the country’s land area.  But from 1990 to 2010, the country lost an average of 1,900 hectares per year which is 3% of the forest cover due to fuel wood consumption.

Briquettes as an alternative

Lenja Guenther, the project coordinator at Green Tech, an environmental solutions company, said the use of renewable energy like briquettes can be a suitable solution to the threats fuel-wood consumption is posing on The Gambia’s forest cover.

Groundnut shells can be used as briquettes to substitute firewood and charcoal, she said.

IMF allocates $2m to Gambia for poverty reduction

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved the disbursement of US$2.3 million to The Gambia government to support programmes and structural reforms necessary to reduce the high rate of poverty and boost economic growth in the country.

 

The disbursement is following the IMF executive board’s completion of the first review of the government’s economic performance under a programme supported by the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement, according to a press release from the IMF-Gambia office on Thursday.

 

This last disbursement makes the total disbursements under the arrangement to about US$16.2 million.  

 

In May 2012, the executive board of the IMF approved a three-year ECF arrangement with an amount equivalent to about US$28.3 million for The Gambia to support the government's economic programme.

 

Economy still recovering

 

“The Gambian economy is still recovering from the severe drought of 2011,” Naoyuki Shinohara, deputy managing director and acting-chair of the IMF, said following the Board’s discussion of The Gambia.

 

The government’s policies and the support of the international donor community played an important role in enabling the recovery in agriculture to take hold, he noted.

 

However, he said there are downside risks related to The Gambia’s economic recovery such as the high domestic debt burden, weaknesses in the balance of payments, and inflationary pressures.

 

The domestic debt of the government increased to D11.3 billion, as at end-March 2013.

 

“High public indebtedness continues to pose risks to macroeconomic stability and significant costs to the budget,” Mr Shinohara affirmed.

 

Dutch couple renovates Batokunku Nursery School in Gambia

Front view of the new roof
After it is repaired

Géke Lagerburg and her husband Simon, both from Holland, have renovated the roof of Batokunku Nursery School which was in a very dilapidated condition.

The couple changed the entire roofing - the timber and corrugates - of the building which consists of two classrooms and the headmistress’s office.  The timbers of the previous roof were all eaten by terminates and the corrugate was very rusty.

The officials of the school said the condition of roof was such that if not refurbish, the government was going to close it down. That aside, if the rainy season meets the roof in such a bad state, small wind can blow the entire roof off or even without that when it rains, the corrugates leak like a sieve.

Inside of the new roof

It was because of the dire situation of the school that one of the teachers, Momodou Dambelle, has decided to prepare a donation paper to go to the hotel areas to look for sponsor who can come to the school’s aid.

It was in this process that Mr Dambelle met the Dutch couple, who were in the country for tourism, vacation.

Front view of the school
Before it is repaired

“When I show them the paper, they said they want to see the school for themselves,” Dambelle said.  “So we had an appointment for them to come to the school and they came to the school on the appointed day.”

He said many people, tourists, have promised to come to the school to give a helping hand but they never came.

“So, when they came here, they asked us what we want, the help we want,” the headmistress of the nursery school, Jalika Kassama, said.  “We told them that our urgent need is to help us make the roof.  Roofing is our headache now.  If the roof is not made, the children are going to suffer before the closing of school for summer holiday.”

Inside of the old roof

She said the couple then promised that they will do all they can to help the school to renovate the roof.  According to the headmistress, the couple also promised that if the roofing is successfully completed then they may give the school other relevant help needed.

In fulfilment of their promise, the couple sent in the money for the renovation of the roof through their contact in The Gambia, Amadou Demba. 

Now the work is completed, the school is having a new roof now. 

Baboucarr Jatta, a senior teacher at the school, said the help of the couple came at a very good time.

All the officials of the school thanked the couple for their “timely intervention” for making the school environment conducive for learning, once again.

Amadou Demba, who was the one representing the couple in the country, said he is happy because the entire process of the renovation was very successful.

“Also, I am very happy because though I am not a native of Batokunku, I see that the project is not helping only the natives of Batokunku but the whole Gambia,” he said.

He thanked the teachers and the carpenter for their cooperation during the work.

The Dutch couple pose with the teachers and the pupils of 
Batokunku Nursery School 

The sponsors, the Dutch couple said they supported the nursery school because during their visit to the school they have seen that the roof was in a poor condition. 

They also said during their visit they observed that the teachers are very kind and they really love the little children.

The duo said the teachers believe the kids are the future of The Gambia.

 

In this same vein, they - the couple – noted that whatever they do for the school, for the kids they are doing it for the future of The Gambia.

Now that the first engagement of the couple with the school is finished, they said they will discuss with the school officials to know what is most important to do for the school next.

However, the couple from Holland said now their plan is to involve the community in what they doing with the school so that the community can feel responsible for their own school.

Inflation increases as Gambian Dalasi loses value

Inflation - the rate at which the prices of goods and services increase, is forecasted to have increased more than the target of 5 per cent in The Gambia. 

This is primarily because the national currency, the Dalasi, continues to weaken in value against all major international currencies, the Central Bank Governor has said.

The Central Bank Governor made this remark on Monday during the opening ceremony of the ‘regional course on fundamentals of macro-economic analysis’. 

The weeklong training course organized by the West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM) underway in Banjul, is being attended by economists from central banks in the ECOWAS sub-region and other financial institutions. 

The Dalasi has depreciated against the British Pound by 12.62 per cent, the US dollar by 11.87 per cent and the Euro by 12 per cent. 

Governor Amadou Colley said in view of this unforeseen circumstance, the Central Bank of The Gambia (CBG) would therefore continue to implement prudent monetary policy critical to maintaining low, stable and predictable rate of inflation.

Among these prudent monetary policies the Bank is expected to undertake is price stability so as to promote economic growth by reducing uncertainty and preventing arbitrary redistribution of wealth.

The CBG Governor said in view of the uncertain economic environment, policy actions should be indicated by the prevailing economic circumstances of the country.

Civic education council capacitises ward councillors on Local Gov’t Act

The National Council for Civic Education (NCCE) on Thursday completed a two-day training for the newly elected ward councillors of the Brikama Area Council on the amended Local Government Act 2002 and Human Rights.

This training was held to enhance the capacities of councillors on their roles and functions as defined in the Local Government Act. 

It further strengthened the councillors’ understanding of human rights and human rights-based approach to development, thus increase their accountability to the people.

Ward councilors of the Brikama Area Council

Speaking on the occasion, Isatou Bittaye, programme officer of the NCCE, said the training is important in that good public governance helps to strengthen democracy and human rights, promote economic prosperity and social cohesion. 

The training would lead to the achievement of the objectives of decentralization in The Gambia, she said. 

The country’s decentralization has generally been considered to be a positive step towards making Local Governments more accountable to the poor by moving decision-making as close to the scene of action as possible.

The aim of the decentralization is to redistribute power, responsibility and resources to the local level.  It also redefined the division of labour and responsibilities between the central and the local governments. 

Enormous task ahead

For the acting-chairman of the NCCE, Alhaji Modou Joof, the tasks ahead of the newly elected councillors are enormous and expectations are very high. 

He noted that challenges and opportunities are evident but with self-reliant, faith and patriotism there will be light at the end of the tunnel. 

He told the ward councillors that with dedication, determination and hard work they will triumph against all odds and detractors.

Take risks

Mr Joof also told the councillors that they should not be afraid to take risks or being criticized.

“If you do not want to be criticised do not say anything, do anything or be anything,” he said.  “Do not be afraid of failing.  It is through failure you learn to do things right.” 

Teaching of Gambia constitution should be compulsory in schools

The teaching of the Constitution of The Gambia should be made compulsory in all schools in the country, the chief of Kombo South has said.

Alhagie Mustapha Touray said if the primary schools are too “junior” to start receiving teaching about The Gambia constitution, then the exercise should start from junior secondary schools up to the university. 

Chief of Kombo South, Alhagie Mustapha Touray

The tutors should come from the National Council for Civic Education (NCCE), he added. 

Chief Touray noted that it is only through teaching of the Constitution in schools that people will be more aware of their civic rights and responsibility.

The Chief made these statements during a two-day training on the amended Local Government Act 2002 and Human Rights for ward councillors of the Brikama Area Council, organised by the National Council for Civic Education (NCCE). 

The training started on Wednesday at the complex of the Brikama Area Council in Brikama.
His comments came shortly after the ward councillors outlined their expectations and objectives for attending the training. 

Most of the ward councillors said they are expecting to be conversant with the Local Government Act so they can perform their duties based on the Act. 

Chief Touray pointed out that if people are aware of the Constitution then understanding of the laws in the country would not be difficult hence it is necessary for the Constitution to be taught at school.

The Cleric Was Neither on a Vigil, After All

Imam Baba Leigh
Source: Front Page International blog

By Saikou Jammeh, a Gambian journalist 

The ‘disappeared’ Gambian Islamic scholar, who had been wildly speculated to have died, has finally
appeared, alive and ticking. But, after all, the astute cleric had neither been on a vigil. In fact, the past five months that he’d been away, whether he was regularly saying his prayers, is a question that is subjected to his confirmation.

For, Imam Baba Leigh was being kept against his will, arbitrarily, in a secretly-shrouded place where not even his wife could access to him. The Gambian state authorities, who had all along been telling the public, unfaithfully, that the imam was not in their custody, is the culprit here.

The prolonged detention wasn’t just a violation of the rights of the scholar, but it breaches Gambian constitution, which prohibits detention of suspects, even of a common criminality, beyond 72 hours. Yet more shocking is the government’s failure to give any genuine justification, legal or moral.

No wonder when Baba Leigh, visibly weak and frail, was paraded on the state-TV on Friday 10 April, following his release, he was a mere shadow of his former assuming self.

The outspoken cleric is no stranger to arbitrary arrest and detention, which in today’s Gambia, has become a norm rather than an exception. It seems however, that the near a half year of detention, without access to even a lawyer, is the stroke that perhaps not broke, but painfully lacerated the proverbial camel’s back.

Uncharacteristic of him, Imam Leigh was economical of the truth of the circumstances that surrounded his saga. He ironically praised the state that put him under the trauma of detention, apparently in jails whose conditions had been generally described as inhumane and degrading.

He even heaped blame on himself, and admittedly allowed to be left holding the bag of guilt, for a ‘crime’ which the state authorities were unable to muster courage to spill out, even after wallowing in Dutch courage that was the apparent stage-managed episode.

‘I am a human being and mistakes cannot be avoided, but the best human being is one, who makes mistakes, knows it and tries to rectify the mistake,’ Baba Leigh was quoted as saying. The imam however, left the ‘mistake’ unsaid. So did the Presidential Affairs minister, Njogu Bah, who as the cliché goes, roamed the bush before making his point, when he said:

‘When you comment on issues that you don’t have clear facts on, whatever happens to you, you are the cause of it…In the event that we cannot stay away from commenting, let us say things that will add to the peace and stability in the country, but not to comment on issues that can destabilise a country.”

Aggrieved workers should negotiate before going to court, says Gambia Trade Minister

Trade Minister Kebba Touray

By Lamin Jahateh

Workers who may be aggrieved on account of bad working conditions, paltry remuneration and other genuine concerns should do an exhaustive negotiation and dialogue before going to court, the Minister of Trade, Regional Integration and Employment has said.

Hon. Kebba Touray said any worker who feels hurt, aggrieved by deplorable working conditions and exploitative remuneration or any employment related issued should realize that social dialogue is a primary option for redress rather than taking industrial action, going to court.  Social dialogue is a tripartite discussion of government representative, the employer and the aggrieved employee.

“Industrial action should be last resort,” the Trade Minister said in a statement read on his behalf by Mass Axi Gaye, Minister of Fisheries and Water Resources, on Wednesday during the Workers’ Day commemoration held at the July 22^nd Square in Banjul. 

May 1^st is commemorated worldwide as Workers’ Day also known as May Day.

The Trade Minister’s comment came at a time when the industrial tribunals in the country are inundated with cases of unfair dismissal and other employment related matters.  Almost on daily basis, newspapers in the country publish court cases on employment matters going on at the court.

However, the Trade Minister said social dialogue, involving the relevant parties - the government, employers and workers - substantially aids amicable resolutions of industrial disputes if it is underpinned by good faith, work ethics, and professionalism. 

On the contrary, he said industrial action, going to court, tends to complicate and aggravate matters, resulting in high costs, particularly in terms of output and income losses.

Concerns of Gambian journalists left out in Info Minister’s Press Freedom Day speech

By Lamin Jahateh

Nana Grey Johnson, Info Minister

Key concerns of journalists in The Gambia were glaringly left out in the Press Freedom Day speech of the newly appointed Minister of Communications and Information Infrastructure, Nana Grey Johnson.

At the commemoration of World Press Freedom Day on 3 May 2013 at TANGO conference hall on Bertil Harding Highway, journalists in The Gambia expected that Communications Minister Nana Grey Johnson’s statement will touch on pressing issues of the media fraternity such as the closure of media houses like Taranga FM, Daily News and Standard newspapers in 2012. 

Journalists expected that Mr Johnson, a veteran journalist, would say something about the possibility of government reviewing the media laws in the country, as well as enacting a freedom of information bill, as it has been done in some other countries in Africa. 

The executive director of the GPU, Gibairu Janneh, said the media fraternity was optimistic that Mr Johnson’s appointment - as he is au fait with the ups and downs of journalists in The Gambia – “will signify the beginning of a new beginning” in enlarging the space for media freedom in The Gambia.

Madi Jobarteh, programme manager of TANGO – an umbrella body of civil societies in The Gambia including the GPU – emphasised that with the appointment of  Mr Johnson, the media fraternity was expecting that the closed media houses will be opened; expecting the media laws or laws that are not compatible with free speech and media to be reviewed. 

“We are happy of his presence (at the World Press Freedom Day commemoration) and we think he is going to turn a new page and see Gambian media fulfilling its constitutional responsibility,” Mr Jobarteh said.

The constitution of the land places an obligation on the media to hold The Gambia government accountable to the people of the country, he said. 

However, he noted, the media is finding it virtually impossible  to do this because of the self-censorship among the journalists each trying to avoid falling into the traps of the law on defamation and sedition. 

Journalists re-enforce call for freedom of expression in Gambia

By Lamin Jahateh

Journalists in The Gambia have renewed the struggle to ensure the “tiny space” of freedom of expression in the country is expanded so the media can flourish.

On the commemoration of World Press Freedom Day, 3 May 2013, journalists in the country processed from Africell head-office along Kairaba Avenue to TANGO, about half a kilometer, chanting the slogan “free speech, free press”. 

At TANGO, where the procession ended, a policy dialogue was held during which speakers were engaged in an analytical overview of the media situation in The Gambia and its ramifications on national development. 

The commemoration was organised by the Gambia Press Union (GPU) in partnership with The Association of  Non-Governmental Organisation (TANGO), an umbrella body of civil societies in the country, on the theme: “Safe to speak:  Securing freedom of expression in all media”.

Speaking on the occasion, Madi Jobarteh, programme manager of TANGO, said freedom of speech is critical to all other rights as it is an inherent right that gives meaning to all other human rights. 

“Freedom of expression is an inherent human right that no one can confer on anyone and no one has the right to take from anyone,” he said. 

Of all the rights that people enjoy, probably the right that is so critical to the enjoyment of all other rights is free speech. 

“What is the meaning of your life if you cannot say a word, what is the purpose of your citizenship if you cannot speak your mind,” Mr Jobarteh asked rhetorically. 

The right to live is a sacred right; right to association and right to vote are all fundamental rights that human being enjoy but to give meaning to all these rights free speech is central.

The media and journalists in The Gambia have seen numerous violations of press freedom and free expression for over a decade – ranging from arrests and detention, to exile, arsons, disappearance and in some instances, death or killing.

The GPU is therefore calling on the powers that be to critically reflect on the dire situation confronting the media and journalists in The Gambia.

The executive director of the GPU, Gibairu Janneh, appealed to the government, again, through the new minister of Communications and Information, Nana Grey Johnson, to reconsider the closure of Taranga FM, Daily News and Standard newspapers, which were closed in 2012.

“We are making our appeal because the GPU is in firm belief that the closure of these media houses adds nothing to the development of The Gambia.  At least we are all in the business of national development; each of us must be a contributor towards that development,” he said.

Using Skype, Viber in Gambia "strictly prohibited"

The use of Skype, Viber or any other internet devices to make or receive calls at internet cafés in The Gambia has henceforth been banned.

According to a directive from the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, through a press release issued on Friday, offering of international and national calling services at internet cafés using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, such as Viber and Skype, is strictly prohibited and considered an offence, although no penalty is specified.

More and more people in the country now make calls via the Internet instead of using mobile phones or conventional landlines. 

“Anyone who is engaged in this activity is depriving the country of the much needed revenue from international and national calls, required for the development of The Gambia,” PURA says.

The Gambia News Online was reliably informed that telecommunications companies in the country have lodged a complaint to PURA, as regulator, that they are experiencing consistent drop in revenue due to reduction in the amount of money spent on recharge phone credit by the public. 

This is primarily due to increase in the number of people using internet cafés to make not only international but also local calls, which cost virtually nothing.

However, with this new directive, internet cafés are strictly prohibited from allowing their customers to use the internet to make or receive calls via Skype, Viber or any other internet services.

Implementing this directive would cause serious confrontations between internet café operators and many of their customers who have already used to making calls via these internet devices. 

Prior to this directive, operators did not have any control over their customers who buy time to surf the net. 

The only restriction some cafés have is browsing pornographic websites, other than that customers could transact any business they want to online. 

“This is going to make me lose a lot of customers,” an internet café operator in Latrikunda German said. 

“Apart from Facebook, most of the people come here just to talk on Skype with their people abroad; now if Skype is prohibited it means many people will not be coming here again.”

Using Skype to call at internet cafés does not attract any additional cost apart from the cost of the time one uses to access the internet. 

For instance, if someone pays D15 to browse the internet for an hour in an internet café, within that time the individual can talk on Skype at no other cost.

Skype or Viber does not allow for free voice call, computer to computer, but both parties communicating can see each other when using a webcam.

“The only time that I talk to my husband is when I go to the internet café,” said Fatou Njie, who says her husband has travelled to the United Kingdom for studies. 

Fatou, who is currently taking the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, said she is not having a phone that is Skype-enabled neither does she have a laptop through which she can communicate on Skype at home. 

“Now prohibiting Skype at internet cafés is just going to make it difficult for me to communicate with my husband for a longer time like we do on Skype.” 

More than $3.5 billion needed to combat malaria in Africa

WHO country representative in The Gambia
Dr Thomas Sukwa

Africa needs to mobilize US$3.6 billion to fully fund malaria control plans and programmes from 2013 to 2015, WHO country representative in The Gambia has said.

Dr Thomas Sukwa said this amount is in addition to about US$4.4 billion already mobilised from international partners and African governments.

Speaking to journalists in Banjul during a press briefing ahead of the 2013 World Malaria Day on 25 April, the WHO country representative said there is need for increase in domestic funding in Africa, where the proportion of domestic funding estimated as part of overall funding was only 32% in 2011 compared to 43% in Asia and 86% in Latin America.

“To highlight the funding gap, a campaign for the three years will be launched on World Malaria Day [2013] under the theme ‘Invest in the Future: Defeat Malaria’,” he said.

History has shown that decrease in financial support for fighting malaria, particularly in areas where significant progress has been made, leads to a resurgence of the disease, thereby reversing years of efforts and investment. 

“Therefore, it is crucial that we stay on course as malaria resurgence will remain a persistent threat until the disease is eliminated altogether,” Dr Sukwa said.

Successful malaria control is critical to progress on all the health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - goals 4, 5 and 6 - as well as making significant contribution to progress in other areas including reducing school absenteeism and fighting poverty.

Passengers dismayed by increased ferry tariff

Say management of ferry services should rather regulate operations of ferries

News of the increment of ferry tariff across The Gambia come May 1^st has been received by users with utter disappointment, as ferry crossing at the Banjul-Barra crossing point continues to cause untold hardship to commuters. 

The Gambia Ferry Services Management Company Limited issued a press release on Monday announcing that the tariff for ferry services across the country will be increased by 25 per cent with effect from 1 May 2013.

In this vein, the price of ticket for individual crossing Banjul-Barra, the main crossing point in the country, will be increased from D10 to D12.50 when the new increment takes effect.

“I have not yet heard of the announcement, but if that is the case I will be very surprised,” said Ousman Jaiteh, who spoke to this paper on Monday at the Banjul ferry terminal. 

“Instead of making normal the operations of the ferries and reassuring people, they are increasing the tariff,” he added.

Ferry services at the Banjul-Barra crossing point have continued to be a source of nightmare for commuters in recent time.

For Amadou Marong, safety and security of the passengers crossing the ferry should be the primary concern of the management of the ferry services because as it is now “people are losing confidence” in crossing onboard the ferries (at the Banjul-Barra crossing point).

Samboujang Sonko, who is studying political science at the University of The Gambia, opined that the ferry services made “a grave mistake” when they bought ferries for millions of dalasis that are not pliable in the country since they are never used after about two years they have been bought. 

 
In 2011 the ferry services, through the Gambia Ports Authority, bought two “new” ferries to the tune of €6,345,000 equivalent to more than D250 million.

Since the commissioning of the ferries in July 2011, they are yet to make any commercial trip from Banjul to Barra.

“The ferry services should rectify their own mistake rather than pass it on to the people by increasing the tariff,” the student said.

“The input that they said is one of the main reasons for the increment of the tariff, the last time - like three months ago - I read from the Observer [newspaper] that the Taiwanese Embassy here [in The Gambia] gave a huge amount to The Gambia government to buy new ferries.  Where is that money, because since then we have not seen any new engine for the ferries; in fact the conditions of the ferries since then has continued to deteriorate,” he added.

In December 2012, the Taiwanese Embassy in the country presented a cheque for US$747,692 to The Gambia government for the procurement of three new ferry engines.

Is the Senegalese transport union informed?

The MarketPlace has tried in vain to contact the management of the ferry services to find out whether the Senegalese transport union is informed of the impending ferry tariff increment.

The last time the tariff of ferry services was increased in July 2005, it created a big confusion between The Gambia and Senegal leading to the closure of the Senegalese side of the border by the transport union.