BB Dabo Paints Picture of Gambia’s Sick Economy

BB Darboe

The Gambia’s former Finance Minister has painted a gloomy picture of the country’s sick economy, arguing that the government could no longer “disguise the phenomenal increase” of the country’s “domestic and external debt over the past two decades.”
“We all know that the Yahya Jammeh government is notorious for deceitfulness, and for the opacity, or total lack of transparency, of its governance practices,” said Bakebba Camara, the Vice President of the Campaign for Democratic Change Gambia (CDCG) who deputized for the CDCG Chairman Mr. Bakary Bunja Dabo.
“But the truth can no longer be hidden behind a mask. Over the past few years, on each occasion of presenting the annual budget, successive Finance Ministers have been forced to groan under the burden of debt servicing as well as to admit to growing concern over the size of the debt stock,” he said.

Venezuela Weightlifting Federation Elections

http://www.iwf.net/2013/08/30/venezuela-weightlifting-federation-elections/

Pedro León Torres was re-elected President of the Venezuela Weightlifting Federation on 20 August 2013 at a ceremony held in the headquarters of the Venezuelan Olympic Committee.
Twenty associations affiliated to the Venezuela Weightlifting Federation participated in the Elections and elected Pedro León Torres with 74 votes out the 79.

Gambia’s Former Military Officers Missing In Action

Col Ndure Cham

Where is the expert security analysis of former serving officers of the Gambia National Army (GNA) in events of abductions and executions of their colleagues by President Jammeh? The fact of the matter is that there is no credible security expert on the Gambia. Where is Lt. Col. Sam Sarr; where is Lt. Binneh Minteh;  where is Lt Kejau Touray;  where is Major Pa Modou Ann; where is Major Momodou Bojang; where is Col. Baboucar Jatta; where is Col. Sainey Bayo and many other former high-ranking military officers roaming the streets of United States, UK and elsewhere?

Minister’s Statement Shatters Journalists’ Hopes

Minister Nana Grey Johnson

By Abdoulie Nget

After yeas of unconvincing environment for Journalists and journalism in the Gambia, journalists were hopeful that the appointment of the new information minister Nana Grey Johnson, a veteran journalist will smoothen the media environment but his words during the press freedom day were more of a caution than encouragement for journalists.

His appointment came at a time when the Gambian media is faced with marathon challenges, with three media houses (Teranga FM, The Daily News and Daily Standard) arbitrarily closed, arrests and detentions of Journalists and GPU vice president Baboucarr Ceesay, Abubacarr Sadykhan and Alagie Jobe of Daily Observer. Grey-Johnson’s appointment as a long serving writer and journalist in the Gambian media has injected new hope in the hearts of media practitioners, thinking he will make a different. Contrarily, the way and manner he delivered his statement at TANGO shattered hopes of the hall well parked with journalists, diplomats and media sympathisers.

Minister’s Statement Shatters Journalists’ Hopes

By Abdoulie Nget

After yeas of unconvincing environment for Journalists and journalism in the Gambia, journalists were hopeful that the appointment of the new information minister Nana Grey Johnson, a veteran journalist will smoothen the media environment but his words during the press freedom day were more of a caution than encouragement for journalists.

Kasa Renews Call for Baba Leigh’s Release

Dudu Kasa Jaata- Gambian Politician

Dudu Kasa Jaata, a vocal opposition in the Gambian has on Monday renewed his calls fro the Gambia government to release the detained Imam Baba Leigh after months of detention with out trial.

It could be recalled that Imam Leigh whisked away from his family since 3 December, 2012, by the plain cloths suspiciously the Gambia’s spy agency and since then his family are left in limbo as they are yet to know his whereabouts talk less of seeing him.

The out spoken politician label the Gambia’s human right record as among the worst due to what he call bad governance that the current regime is manipulating and handling the affairs of the state, adding that people are tired of witnessing bad news day-in-day-out.

Kasa Jaata- Gambia needs Political, Media Reform

Regardless of international intervention, the Gambia needs a reform in the way and manner in which politics and politicians as well as the media situation are been handled in the country, said Dudu Kasa Jaata, a vocal political activist in The Gambia.
The verbal politician made these remarks in a three paper statement reacting to the Gambia government’s refusal to accept the EU’s 17-Points Dossier earlier this year, which touched on media and political reforms amongst others.