Gainako Newspaper

In a serene closed door ceremony, the President of the
University of Limoges, Professor Jacques Fontanille and
the Vice Chancellor of the University of The Gambia,
Professor Andreas Steigen jointly signed a Memorandum
of Understanding thus officially agreeing to work together
towards the establishment of a Master of Arts joint
degree beginning in September 2009. This took place on
Wednesday, 25th June 2008 in Professor Jacques
Fontanille's office at the University administrative building
in Limoges, France.

"This agreement is long overdue" said Professor Steigen who has worked hard to make sure the
agreement is made official.
The two universities started a bilateral cooperation in 1999 when Dr Jean Dominique Penel, who was
a French technical assistant responsible for education at the French cooperation in Banjul, contacted
Professor Jean-Marie Grassin, the then Head of comparative literature at the University of Limoges,
to create an extension Master of Arts programme in The Gambia so as to boast the human resources
in the higher education institutions such as the University and The Gambia College. The intention was
to equip the French department of the University of The Gambia with the human capacity necessary to
run the programme under the university administration. Since, several Gambians have graduated with
distinction from the University of Limoges and some others are expected to do so soon. This
cooperation has always been under the direct supervision of the French cooperation in The Gambia.
Once the agreement is put into effect, it would guarantee the following:

1. A joint Masters degree directly conducted and supervised by the Universities of The Gambia and
Limoges. It which will be conducted adopting the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System
(ECTS) which was decided at the Bologna convention. This system would assure that there is
harmony in the transfer of credits, the conduct of courses and more importantly, it will give
international value to the degree awarded as well as set the standard for the courses to be provided.

2. A properly coordinated exchange programme where some students and lecturers in each institution
would travel to the partner institution. This will ensure a closer collaboration and provide the necessary
training particularly for the Gambian students.

3. Gambian students would graduate with a dual certificate from the two institutions thus given them
the opportunity to apply for Ph. D. in any university of their choice with little or no difficulty.

The agreement is a part of a framework agreement that defines other areas of cooperation as well as
the possibility to conduct Masters professional degrees in areas of interest to be defined by the two
institutions.

The President of the University of Limoges, Professor Fontanille, when asked what this means for the
two institutions, he had this to say:

"We have had a long standing collaboration with The Gambia and have, with time, provided training
for several Gambians who are in very high positions today and are serving in different capacities. We
have now moved a step further by signing an international agreement that will solidify, expand and
strengthen the already existing collaboration. We hope to provide more assistance particularly in the
area of professional degrees. I also believe it is due now to seal this collaboration with an official visit
to The Gambia which is scheduled for the next convocation in January 2009."

The Vice Chancellor, Professor Steigen endorsed this by saying that it is an added opportunity to
expand to other professional degrees in areas very pertinent to The Gambia. He added a cautionary
note though when he said that "I believe getting few agreements and collaborations which would be
constantly and effectively supervised and strengthen would be better than getting too many but which
could be poorly handled as we do have a problem with following-up on established running projects."

Others present during the august ceremony were Mr Michel Thera, (Delegated Vice President for
International Cooperation, UNILIM), Ms. H�l�ne Dejoux, (Director of International Cooperation,
UNILIM), Dean Jacques Migozzi, (Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of
Limoges), Professor Michel Beniamino (Senior Lecturer and Coordinator of The Gambia-Limoges
agreement, UNILIM), Dr Momodou Tangara (Coordinator of The Gambia-EC projects in The
Gambia and an alumnus of the University of Limoges) and Mr Cherno Omar Barry (a Lecturer of the
University of The Gambia and a Ph. D student of the University of Limoges).

The Memorandum of Understanding has been prepared under the close supervision of Dr Pierre
Gomez, Head of the French unit at the University of The Gambia and Professor Beniamino of the
University of Limoges. The final documents were translated by Cherno Omar Barry who also served
as interpreter during the signing ceremony.

This is one of many other agreements already signed by the University of The Gambia. Some of the
partners of the UTG are the Saint Mary's college of Maryland, the USA, a university in Sweden,
Leeds Metropolitan University, Saint Mary's University of Halifax, Canada but to name a few.

............................................................NEWS
GAMBIA'S COUNTRY-SIDE;
........A FORGOTTEN TERRITORY
.............................By Solo, Banjul correspondent..........June 23rd, 2008
This reporter travelled through the length
and breadth of the provinces and found out
that despite the high sounding propaganda by
the Gambian bureaucracy, the country- side
is totally neglected like a forgotten territory.

The country-side of the Gambia has been
awash with a heavy down pour of rain which
came with a wild and ferocious wind that
destroyed corrugated iron roof buildings,
grass huts and uprooted trees at a time when
the peasants are engage in sowing their fields.

The down pour of rain occurred on Saturday21st June 2008
This reporter who traveled throughout the country saw corrugated roof houses and grass huts
destroyed by the heavy wind. Speaking to farmers whose buildings have been destroyed; one man
said he does not actually know what to do because as he said while he is trying to work quickly on his
fields, he is challenged by the necessity of repairing his damaged houses. Another said that while the
rain is a blessing to human beings, this kind of rain is a catastrophe to them. He expressed wonder as
to how he could repair his damaged houses because as he said his food stuff is also destroyed by the
rain.

Apart from the destruction by nature, farmers are challenged with the lack of food, the lack of
capacity to buy fertilizer or its high cost, and the high cost of renting tractors to plough one's field.
In many parts of the provinces closer to the Senegalese border, farmers are seen coming from lumos
(weekly markets) at the border on the Senegalese side with bags of rice. According to them a bag of
rice is far cheaper in Senegal than the Gambia; that a bag of rice across the border is a bit less than
2000 Cfa francs which if exchanged to the Dalasi, would amount to just about D500 Dalasi. When
asked about the cost of transport, many said they simply use their horse carts to transport it to the
Gambia. When this is compared to the price of rice in the provinces of the Gambia, a bag of rice has
gone as far as from D850 to D950 Dalasi.

Some farmers' expressed anger as to why the Senegalese Government is able to supply their farmers
with fertilizer and farming implements but the Gambia government is refusing to do any such thing for
them. The price of fertilizer in Senegal remains at D550 Dalasi across the border but cost D700 Dalasi
inside the Gambia sharing the same border areas.

In places where there are tractors available for ploughing, ploughing one acre of land cost a farmer
D360 Dalasi. Many complained of its cost but tractor operators also complained of the high cost of
fuel and spare parts.

In places like URR, there are complaints that police are affecting the arrest of those petty fuel dealers
in rural villages surrounding Basse and even those away from the provincial town, on the pretext that
they did not have license to sell fuel. One fuel dealer told this reporter that the police are taking over
two thousand dalasi from each dealer caught selling fuel in exchange for his or her release. They asked
what they could do except to accept to give the required bribe especially at a time when they have to
work on their fields.

This reporter also spoke to some people who expressed the fact that dealing fuel is more beneficial to
them as it prevents everyone from going all the way to Basse to buy few litres of petrol. They said the
URR has more motor cycles than any region of the Gambia and their major means of transaction is
done by motor cycles; that asking everyone to go to Basse to buy fuel is unreasonable and
unjustifiable. They asked for the representatives to make it an issue at the National Assembly.

This reporter went to the provinces at a time when the present crisis engulfing the whole country
because of the shortage of gas oil. He has seen drivers refusing to ply long distances but maintaining
the same fares and some increasing fares. This reporter paid D275 Dalasi from Barra to Bansang and
30 Dalasi from Bansang to Basse. One had to avoid the Sandu road completely because of its worse
state. In some places like Wuli Chamoi, transports could not pass due to the destruction of the road.
Passengers had to drop and push the transport from the ditch before it could pass. It is best described
as a forgotten country. Nothing seems to be working in the country-side.

To the surprise of the visitor, the only visible sign of state apparatus is the road blocks deliberately
placed almost every two kilometers on the high way. Over 30 so-called check points by the military,
police and the immigration can be seen between Essau and Fatoto. It is incredible how the military
insists on searching every luggage as if the Gambia is in a state of insecurity or under alert.

This reporter observed how some members of the security would move with a motor cycle away from
the established check point and create their own check points on the high way. These are the type of
security personnel who would insist on searching the belongings of especially those who are seen to be
newly arriving from abroad, all in the flimsy name of security. Infact if it were not the miniature security
check points and unnecessary and illegal searches, the movement of goods and services would have
been very swift in the North Bank of the country. The state should be aware and investigate this self
established or unauthorized check points meant only to usurp bribes from travelers who are also
Gambians like them.

To allow the security personnel to feast on the poor and ignorant travelers especially at a time when
the suffering has overwhelmed the common person is not illegal and unjust but disheartening to say the
least.

...Journalist Jaw Manneh's D-Day adjourned;
...............Dida Halake in hot soup
...................................By Yero Jallow...................June 23rd, 2008
Reliable sources coming from Banjul indicated that the sedition trial of
Journalist Ms. Fatou Jaw Manneh's has been adjourned to July 2nd
2008 due to absense of the defense Counsel Jobarteh and the state
Prosecutor who were said to be at a supreme court sitting.

This snail-dragging case suffered yet another set back, noting the many
adjournments observed about this case.

Our source also added that former Observer Managing Director Dida
Halake was seen at magistrate Buba Jawo's court for sedition charges.

The said charges were said to be dropped but the source hinted that Mr.Halake was escorted back in
custody for possible other charges.

At the time of filing this report, Gainako couldn't connect to Gambia's Government side, as to why
Dida Halake is still languishing in custody, now that his sedition charges are dropped.

............................Tribute to My Brother
...............MBYE BABOUCARR MBOGE
..........................By Momodou Olly Mboge, Oslo, Norway......June 23rd, 2008
Brother Mbye you are gone but you'll always be with me as long as I am alive. Rest In Peace. I love
you. The poem below by Jenn Farrell who lost a loved one resonates with the way I feel towards you.
I will never forget you.
...............................In My Mind
................................................by Jenn Farrell
........................Somewhere in my dreams tonight
..............................I'll see you standing there
............................ You look at me with a smile
............................."Life isn't always fair"

......................You say you were chosen for his garden
............................His preciously hand picked bouquet"
............................God really needed me,
............................That's why I couldn't stay"

......................It's said to be that angels
...........................Are sent from above
...........................I've always had my angel
...........................My brother - whose heart was filled with love

.....................Wherever the ocean meets the sky
...........................There will be memories of you and I
...........................When I look up at that sky so blue
...........................All I see are visions of you

..........................."While there's a heart in me, you'll be a part of me."

............Poem Available at http://www.netpoets.com/poems/death/0521002.htm

Writing a tribute to someone dear and close brings in all kinds of feelings and emotions. I am writing
this tribute to my brother with misty eyes and trying to keep back tears. My heavy heart is loaded with
sadness and my mind is in overdrive with all kinds of thoughts.

However, thanks to the fact that faith in Allah's power and guided by the light of Islam I am certain
that Mbye, you've joined mom and dad in Heaven. I am certain you are happy where you are.

You lived a comparatively short life full of contradictions yet with a light heart full of love especially to
your three beautiful daughters Adam, Sukai and Aisha.

Tomorrow will be 40days since you answered the call of your Creator. We shall do the traditional
prayers and know that the Almighty will make Jannah your final resting place side by side with mom
and dad. The Almighty was the one who blessed us with your grace and beautiful smile coupled with
your kindness, hard work and thrift, traits which I wish I possessed and he is the one who knows best
why this is the best time to be in his company.

Little did I know that talking to you on 14th May whilst you were in your hospital bed would be the
last time I will ever hear your soothing voice. You deceived me with your strength and liveliness. You
sounded like you were just about to walk out of hospital, not knowing that thoracic aneurism was the
culprit consuming you.

I shall miss your encouraging and infectious optimism whenever I was about to throw in the towel in
this worldly struggle. That very fateful day when we last spoke and I told you I had finally submitted
my Master thesis, you said to me this was just the beginning and that you hope I will top it up with
more achievements. Well, God willing indeed I shall follow it up to the end so as to be an inspiration
to our beautiful children you left behind. As you always said, it is better late and than never.

Though we last saw each other nearly ten years before heaven called on you, I still feel that you are
alive. Your sense of humour and your hearty laugh has already created a void in me and affected my
demeanour. I remember whenever I call home and asked how are things in the Gambia and you
would answer with your usual phrase 'Bro town nehut, fi moy chengolama base, waya nak santa
yalla, we are still getting on regardless'.

Mbye thank you for being Mbye and you'll dearly be missed. Rest In Peace.

I wish to thank friends and family whose phone calls and words of encouragement kept me sane and
hopeful. I must mention good people like Momodou Laama Jallow (Raleigh, NC) Pa Baboucarr Njie
(my cousin who is more like a brother)(Raleigh, NC), Youssou Mbye(Raleight, NC), Abdou Mbye,
Ous Sallah (DC), Ya Kumba Faal (LA), Gibril Faal (UK), Assan Jagne(Gambia), Haddy Faal
(Oslo), Ahmadou Kabirr Njie (Stavangar) and my other siblings Omar Mboge(UK), Fatou
Mboge(Ghana), Amie Bojang Sissoho(Gambia) and the many more friends and family at home and in
the diaspora.

I know you guys would prefer not to be mentioned in public but this is the only way I can express my
gratitude.

Special thanks to Pa Omar Faal (Damel) who is not only a brother but someone who is never tired of
my family's welfare. All during my brother's illness you were there for us and right now you took it
upon yourself to look after three daughters he left whilst I am in far away land. I just want to say

THANK YOU

......................................Essay
...........Critical Bones
....................................By Baba Galleh Jallow......June 22nd, 2008
It was a hot afternoon in dusty city. Poplin lay lazily on his couch, his
eyes closed, his mind roaming around the world from one object and
issue to the other, hoping that sleep would come soon to shut his mind
and give him some respite from all the troubles of this scheming world.
All of a sudden, an unusually loud bang sounded on his door. Before he
could ask the obvious question, his long time friend burst in, looking all
hot and agitated.

'Hey Kookah you almost broke my eardrums,' Poplin said, as he
lay back into his couch.

His friend Samba Kookah dumped his duffel bag on the floor and instead of sitting down, paced
angrily up and down the sitting room, his eyes red hot, his teeth clenched, his entire face a mask of
creases and dust-soaked sweat. Poplin had never seen Kookah this agitated before. He sat up.

'Hey what's up man? You not acting normal.'
'I don't give a damn,' Kookah fumed. 'I have to deal with this guy! I have some serious bones to pick
with him!'
'What guy? Has someone offended you? Did you get into a fight?' Poplin stared hard at Samba
Kookah, who was now angrily grinding his teeth as he paced up and down the room.'
'You know who I mean. I told you about him last night.'
'But Kookah, come on, man. What did he do to you? Why don't you leave him alone?'
'He should leave me alone! Just now when I was riding in the van he sat on my mind and made me
forgot myself and all the other passengers held their noses and looked at me. Some of the rude girls
were even laughing at me! The fucking beast!'
'You did what in the van? Oh come on. Even if something smelled and people held their noses why
should anyone think it was you?'
'It was me man - it was loud! Why should he make me do that in public?'
'Come on Kookah; you can't blame him for being in your mind. He didn't put himself there. You put
him there. Why not try to forget him?'
'I did not put him there!' Samba Kookah yelled, glaring at his friend. 'I don't want him in my mind but
he stays there all the time! When I sleep he's in my dreams. When I wake up first thing in the morning
he's on my mind. The other day I nearly cut my hand at work because he sat on my mind like a devil!
He's a fucking devil and I have to deal with him!'
'Now, okay Kookah,' Poplin said, trying to calm his friend down. 'Let's look at this issue logically. Tell
me one thing - one bad thing this guy has ever done to you or said about you. Just one thing so I can
understand why you have such critical bones to pick with him.'
'He thinks that he's better than me and everyone else!' Kookah fumed.
'Did he ever tell you he thinks he's better than you Kookah?'
'He never said it but I know it. The way he looks at me, the way he smiles, as if he knows everything
and I am a fool!'

'Now come on Kookah. I think you are being extremely unreasonable and unfair to this guy. Do you
remember telling me how he used to be so kind and helpful to you? When your wife grabbed your
neck and called you a woman because you didn't have fish money didn't you say he gave you lots of
money when you told him? And when your wife slapped you and called you good for nothing because
you couldn't pay the rent did he not give you money to pay? As far as I know this guy has done you
only good. It puzzles me why you are so hostile to him now. There must be something you're not
telling me.'

'There's nothing; nothing! What I don't understand is why he keeps sitting in my mind all the time! He's
a fucking witch and a beast and I must deal with him.' 'You really gotta be kidding me Kookah. Aha!
You remember telling me about the time you called yourself Mbota and told a lie about the chief's wife
to him and someone overheard you and the chief's police arrested him and tried to force him to reveal
your identity? Didn't you say he chose to go to jail than reveal your identity? And you know the chief
would have killed you because he trusted you so much and you betrayed his trust by lying about his
favorite wife. But this guy suffered for you and spent three days in jail rather than disclose your
identity. Should you not be grateful to him rather than making an enemy of him?'

'I was grateful to him but he thought I was a fool and he thinks he's better than me. Just because he
helped me doesn't mean that he's better than me. And that's what I don't fucking like about him and I
have to find a way to deal with him, to expose his vanity, to make him vanish off the face of the earth!
Look what he did to me today, in public, how he put me to shame?'

'Kookah, Kookah, Kookah.' Poplin was getting impatient with his friend. 'Look, you need to sit down
and have a glass of water. My final advice to you is this: stop bothering yourself about this guy. He has
done nothing wrong to you. If you do not drop this silly idea of having critical bones with an innocent
man, a man who has done you only good, nemesis will soon be your lot. Just forget about him man.'
'So you are now threatening me ha? You are now taking his side even though I am your friend! Then
let our friendship end here today! I must deal with him and I must deal with him and I do not need any
advice from you!'

Samba Kookah angrily grabbed his duffel bag and stormed out of the room, banging the door loudly
behind him. At the compound gate he missed a step and went sprawling face down into the sandy
street. A chorus of children's laughter greeted his fall as he blew the sand out of his mouth . . . He was
having a really bad day, the worst day of his life! Picking himself up and ignoring the laughter of the
rude children, Samba Kookah angrily strode away. He had to deal with that impudent bloke who
thought that he was better than the entire world! Just let him wait and see! He knew exactly what to
do!

.............................................Breaking News:
...............D-Day
.... For Journalist Fatou Jaw Manneh;
.......................................By Yero Jallow.......June 22nd, 2008
..................APRC VS. Journalist Fatou Jaw Manneh
For over a year now, Journalist Ms. Fatou Jaw Manneh has been tried
by the APRC administration for comments she made about a democratic
process online.

Sources close to Ms. Manneh's court file in Banjul informed this reporter
of the current situation about her case. According to this impeccable
source, Ms. Manneh's defense Lawyer, Lamin Jobarteh will complete a
final submission to the Magistrate Buba Jawo of the Kanifing Court on
Monday, June 23rd 2008.

Our home-based analyst noted that once that happens, the magistrate can
make a final ruling or adjourn it to another day, but all are certain that the
adjournment in this snail-dragging case left many questioning the interest
that the APRC has in Ms. Manneh's case. While many said it is scare-crow
tactics, others said Ms. Manneh's Activism is very spicy.

Family sources who spoke with this reporter hinted that Ms. Manneh is in high spirit, notably was seen
drinking green tea locally 'attaya' earlier on the day before her court's D-day .

At the time of filing this story, we called some of Ms. Manneh's friends in the US who wish her well in
this trying moment. In the past, Gainako editors has cautioned Magistrates handling this case the need
for 'due diligence' and making sure justice is truly rendered. In side line, Ndey Jobarteh and Jabou Joh
spear-headed a petition known to be the call to the international community where in collected
signatures supporting the petition were sent to different organizations with the hope of seeing an end to
this case.

Meanwhile Gainako's magnificent reminder to the APRC and the presiding magistrate is that the
international community's eye is on them; and that 'justice delayed is justice denied.'
....................................

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