Wednesday June 19, Banjul International Airport :
Wednesday June 19, Banjul International Airport : For all intent and purposes, the airport is first port of entry point for any country, of course, needless to mention, sea and land border entry points. Last night, I journeyed to Banjul International Airport at Yundum to see off family and acquaintances in pictorial below. In the interest of brevity, so much queries have been registered in this medium by me and others relating to the sheer negligence, incapacity and sanctimonious arrogance synonymous with The Gambia government along with its institutions- public and private. It’s been several years since a major rehabilitation work at the airport had been launched and completed with an introduction of departure/arrival fees charged to passengers. The scorching heat in the ambient environment of the passenger terminal is despicable and annoying to state it mildly. Water leakages during heavy downpours and human conditions inside the terminal left much to be desired. The Gambia can’t get it right and it pained me with every fibre of my being ! Dozens of 12 million Dalasi per luxury vehicle are being allocated to unproductive officials, whose marginal utility to national development index, is negative. Sadly, this is happening against the backdrop of over 100 billion Dalasi national debt representing over 120 percent GDP/debt ratio. This is a colossal failure administratively and managerially in biblical terms. Allocating a 12 million Dalasi vehicle to a 90-year-old IEC Chairman in a bankrupt country such as ours, defies conventional logic. The Gambian experience is mortifying and this was not what we bargained for in December 1st, 2016 presidential elections which ignominiously ended two decades long autocratic rule. In the last opinion piece, I addressed the warnings of Inspector General of Police regarding insults. It was written nonchalantly and omitted key salient points the IGP needed to pay attention to, thus : under 1997 Constitution, the police force is tasked to enforce laws and not to enact laws. The Republican institution charged with the sacred task to enact laws under the said Constitution is the National Assembly. Technically, these are bills that the President must accede to and sign into law. Given this proviso, the IGP must not act under impulse or be sentimental in the discharge of his official functions. There are clear and unambiguous laws about blue-color crimes vis-a-vis corruption of which the office of the Inspector General and the Department of Justice can work in tandem and in valiant efforts prosecute culprits in this domain and go after street criminals and restore order for the distressed society. This can be done without delay. Inspector General Toure, as much as you are determined and motivated by call to duty to restore order and calm for a tranquil society, Gambian Constitution reigns supreme and must be adhered to in letter and spirit to the hill ! It’s my optics that the country is failing in so many categories and these are self-inflicted wounds that could have been avoided. We must go back to the drawing boards, if President Barrow is willing to listen in the supreme interest of the nation for future generations. The current state of the nation is in dystopia and not sustainable. Musa Bassadi Jawara
1. Senegal reduced fertilizer prices by 50%
A three month old government in Senegal reduced fertilizer prices by 50% pegging their price at D800 .The seven year old Barrow government announced a measly and insulting D50 discount pegging their price at D1100. The new government of Senegal convened four cabinet meetings in two months dedicated to Agriculture and farmers , mobilized an additional 20 billion CFA in emergency funding to be added to the previous 100 billion the previous government allocated for the sector . The Senegalese minister of Agriculture Dr Mabouba Diagne has a PhD in the field as well as years of practical experience as an expert and entrepreneur. President Faye has never met or known him prior to his appointment. He is not affiliated with pastef or any political party . He was hired entirely on the merits and given the task of transforming this vital sector and he comes as a prepared professional with the full backing of a president who prioritizes agriculture and Senegalese farmers .
Our Gambian farmers on the other hand are suffering tremendous depravation of resources , attention and leadership . The minister of Agriculture Demba Sabally is utterly unqualified and the president doesn’t care about the terrible plight of farmers . He is keeping this terrible minister in place because he , Amat , seedy Njie and others are his chosen apostles to help him do the dirty tribal politics he believes is critical to his political survival .
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