Gainako Newspaper

It has been reliably reported to this paper that some extremist
personalities linked to the ruling APRC party have taken the
law into their own hands and purportedly pretend to be
watchdogs to control the prices of commodities in the shops.

This reporter is reliably informed that so-called vigilante groups
have been formed in Bakau, Brikama and Serrekunda to
terrorize innocent shopkeepers into submission to reduce the
prices of their commodities.

According to an informant, so-called vigilante groups calling themselves, 'Economic Controllers" in
Serrekunda are pretending to have been backed by law to summon shopkeepers to their office to
question them as to why they are selling a certain commodity at a certain price.

This reporter is following the trail of some people pretending to be state officials calling themselves
Economic controllers'; that they have been given the mandate to summon shopkeepers to their office
for questioning. When this reporter questioned the culprits as to the whereabouts of their office, they
simply murmured the word Serrekunda. When he insisted in knowing their names they declined and
hurriedly left the scene.

This reporter later learnt that these so-called Economic controllers have frightened one shopkeeper to
follow them to their office where they threatened him of severe consequences if he does not stop
selling eggs at D5 dalasi.

Information received by this reporter earlier on spoke of a similar group in Bakau who are
impersonating themselves as public officials, telling shopkeepers that they are mandated to make sure
that prices are kept low. According to sources, these harassers of petty traders usually target Fula
shopkeepers and terrorize them to reduce prices or else they would deal with them mercilessly.

But further reports indicate that Fula shopkeepers in Bakau have braved themselves to deal with the
matter forthwith; that their first action is to go to the police to ascertain the legality of the group and
further proceed to alert the police of any such miscreant bent on disturbing them again.

Practice has shown that youths supporting or pretending to support the ruling party APRC used to
create so-called vigilante groups to curb what they called the indiscriminate increase of prices. The
story behind this action is that these innocent young people are deliberately misinformed or
indoctrinated to believe that they are fighting for justice for the poor and that the state which is being
confused with the party and the Law is behind their actions and that nothing would come out of it.

With these wrong notions, these young people are manipulated to terrorize innocent shopkeepers in
the name of so-called Economic control'. Little did their idle organizers know that the state is running a
liberal economic regime which does not recognize any price control of any sort whatsoever; that
everything should be left to market forces to determine cost of commodities? If that did not satisfy
anyone he or she should simply make effort and convince the powers that be and ask them to change
their policy instead of engaging in economic terrorism by terrorizing innocent traders.

The Government must come clear and educate the citizenry on the exact nature of what a liberal
economic regime is all about and further put a definitive halt to this embarrassment of retailers who are
neither the executive nor the importers.

...............................Interview with Chairman
...........HABIB MBYE
.......AGERA: "Is Driven By One People; One Community For ATLANTA"
.......................................By GON...................... July 2nd, 2008
GON: Mr. Chairman Congratulation on your recent interview
with Freedom Newspaper; How was the interview for you?

MBYE: These Interviews are really seen as an opportunity for
free publicity - (laugh), and the opportunity to talk about the
Gambian community in Atlanta and July Fourth, because it has
become bigger than an Atlanta event. My goal is really to focus
your readership to the July Fourth, and invariably to tell you
about, Atlanta Gambia Emergency Association (AGERA) and
its impact to Gambians all over the Diaspora, and hopefully not
about me per se.

GON: If it is ok with you briefly share with our readers your
background.

MBYE: My name is Habib Mbye. I am originally from the Banjul area; migrated to the US in 1978
and live in Atlanta with my family - my wife Fatou; My niece Aji, my sons Saul and Pa Doudou, my
daughter Ndey Fatou, and some close family members. I am a civil servant currently the Chief Code
official for Fulton County, Georgia Government Mechanical, Erosion and Sedimentation code
compliance Divisions.

GON: Of Course, you will no longer guess the fact that we will be talking about AGERA today at a
critical time for the long time vibrant association. What does AGERA mean and what are your goals
and objectives?

MBYE: AGERA, the acronym stands for: Atlanta Gambian Emergency Relief Association. In short,
we organize the community for the sole purpose of providing relief when people need it most. After
the massive arrest of Gambians by the INS, it became clear that there is a need for an organize
structure that all Gambians can belong to and utilize in the event of unforeseen calamities hitting our
community. As "Tumarenkes"(foreigners) in a foreign land, it is important to get organize and be
ready to intervene and make crucial difference when the need arises especially when everything thing
in the US is driven by how well finance you're. We provide empowerment and enrichment in many
forms: access to resources, elevate the earning power of the community and provide mentorship for
our young ones.

GON: It is a known fact that AGERA help people in all kinds of problems, ranging from
Immigration, health, family issues, jobs, funerals and et cetera... What else have you achieved as an
organization?

MBYE: Prior to the formation of AGERA in the metro area, there were really divisions in the Atlanta
community, and the July Fourth was used as an issue to settle differences among individuals and
organizations. AGERA was able to bridge that divide over the years, and has really increased the
revenue base of the July Fourth and its growth in attendance, diversity of programs which ultimately
became a win win for the Gambian nation. Of course, people can speculate and second guess what
we do but I will say may be this is one accomplishment we may not be able to claim anymore. But, we
will do whatever it takes to reach out to our critiques and all Gambians to keep alive the spirit of
oneness, by God's grace.

Secondly, we cannot forget the successful "Meet the Diaspora Summit" which AGERA helped
organized which, forever change the Socio-Political landscape of Gambian politics in the Diaspora.
Finally, in the education front, we are always helping our community to register in computer classes for
their own development. If I could borrow a statement from Ambassador Bammy Jagne "AGERA is
one organization that Gambian communities everywhere should emulate", and really that is the
kind of organization we would always like to maintain.

GON: What brought about the formation of AGERA?

MBYE: Like I indicated above, some of
our community members were arrested at
the Atlanta Airport by INS agents and that
led the community elders to rally together
and spearheaded a financial campaign for
the release of our fellow Gambians. With
the voluntary help of our own Gambian
Attorney, Abdoulai Suwareh we were able
to win their release. It was really this incident,
and from this group that started the steering
committee which later became AGERA.

GON: Is it mainly a Gambian organization or does it extends its boundaries beyond?

MBYE: It is indeed a Gambian organization, and friends of the Gambia as stipulated in our
constitution.

GON: What approach does AGERA use to handle problems of registered members and
non-members? Who can or cannot be a member to AGERA?

MBYE: This is one area that we have spent so many hours trying to formulate: who is a member?
What does it entail? Who receives help from the organization?. Do we extend help to non-members,
or for that matter Gambians outside of Atlanta? When we were working on our constitution, this was
one area that we have debated and sometimes very heated. Some argued that all helps should be
restricted to members only, others argued that our role is to intervene in issues that affects the stability
of our community. These were very difficult issues and we still find them challenging, especially when
we are confronted with these situations. The issues are all stated in our constitution, and I would really
recommend your readership to visit our website at www.Agera-Gam.org and look at the constitution.
The reality is that AGERA is open to all Gambians and friends of the Gambia, and in terms of who
gets help from AGERA; it is basically every Gambian irrespective of active member, tribal or family.

I would like to further make some clarification to this issue of disbursement because one of our
colleagues in another newspaper have forwarded an email from me about this issue that I found to be
disingenuous at best. AGERA has a disbursement committee, and all requests for help would go
directly to this committee, and one has to put in context that most of these requests will come to us in
times of distress.

The email highlighted from me was a portion of communications between the entire group, after the
disbursement committee has already made its recommendation. Now, one can always second guess
all our decisions but in the final analysis they have always been opened and transparent. We have
made contributions to people from other states, the majority of the disbursement are given to people
that are non members. Now, this particular situation highlighted involved one of our own, who has
contributed tremendously to the success of the organization.

At every July Fourth, he is the one that collects close to $30,000.00 for AGERA. Now, if calamity
befell a family member of this individual, we believed it was the right thing to do and appropriate to go
the extra mile. In most cases for disbursements I am always mindful of personal information directly
from the community and as well as volunteers and these are information very incumbent for the
community members to have in front of them when making these very unscientific decisions.

It is impossible to have something that is error prove with the setup we have. We can not blanket
every community member in the same bunch some are fully engage and some choose to be
disengaged. What is evident is that AGERA has a control system in place for such discussions and
disagreements to occur, and as the Chairman I am only left with trying to convince the rest of the
members to see it my way base on my full experience with the request and the circumstances' and
participation .

In the final analysis, even with governments; when moneys are spent it is always controversial and
emotions do get involve, what AGERA put in place was to build a control system and all requests are
tabled and discussed - it may not be perfect but our doors are always open for suggestion and honest
recommendation from folks who mean well. The amount recommended in this particular situation was
not out of the norm for help given to people living in Atlanta, and we still believe that this was a help
for one of us. Our initial policy was that all deaths in the metro area, AGERA would be responsible
for the $1,000.00 funeral expenses and $500.00 for out of state. At some point, we did not have the
funding to continue with the policy and had to switch to case by case basis. Remember, even though
we have member contributions but we have not been able to get Gambians rally to this idea; therefore,
the only funds we get is from the July Fourth and you can see the financial realities we find ourselves.

GON: The launching of NADD in Atlanta under AGERA's wisdom was hailed across oceans and
continents. What happened in the later part? Was there any conflict of interest, knowing the fact that
some executive members in AGERA were also members of STGDP?

MBYE: This is another one of our Achilles hills that our critics would always like to exploit, and
cannot wait to remind us that we are apolitical. This issue was debated in 2003, and as a group all of
us decided that it can still be done because it is our role to introduce decision makers from the
homeland to an important constituency in the Diaspora, and was without a doubt a good numbers
game for the July fourth program.

I would like to take this opportunity to remind our critics labeling these allegations that out of over 15
votes casted only 2 voted nay, and if that is it not opportunism to go after that vote? If you remember
we extended invitations to all the political parties including the APRC, in fact our honorable
Ambassador was invited to be the key note speaker (then Ambassador Sey) and I still remember the
criticism labeled against us in the online forums for such a move. I have personally made a call to then
Secretary General, Mamburay Njie to have the government of the APRC represented. AGERA's
position was clear and we believe that we made the right decision. Some of our members are
supporters of APRC, some are UDP and without a doubt you have the people that are NADD
supporters. It is na�ve to think that we can run an organization without dealing with the political
dynamics. In the final analysis, AGERA's goal is to remain non-partisan; in fact we cannot wait to
provide a forum for President Jammeh or any decision makers here in ATL in the very near future.

GON: Any plans to unite Gambians again?

MBYE: AGERA understands that we are all different and we will continue to have differences, but it
can all be done with civility, respect, and at the end of the day to guard and work together for the
interest of the community. We are open to any project that will bring unity here and at home.

GON: Gainako followed the heated debates about AGERA and another rising organization in
Atlanta at the Gambia post. Is AGERA loosing it or is it just another development in the making?

MBYE: Gainako, the reality is that there will always be other organizations, and we welcome them
because in the final analysis it is our community that benefits. We are always open to what will enrich
our community but it needs to be done in an honorable way not in the expense of people's good name.
Remember, we have provided finances to this organization and most of our members paid their
contribution in the planning of their programs - now we wanted to give the organization the benefit of
the doubt, and we still believe that there are a lot of good people that are in it. It is just; again, some of
the folks that are using the organization to settle old scores, and that is unfortunate. It is not fair to
bring divisive tactics to the families in Atlanta.

GON: Seattle also celebrates July 4th but postponed theirs to July 11th, just to support you guys.
How do you complement their goodwill gesture?

MBYE: I tip my hat off to those Guys in Seattle for such a move without any dialogue. Seattle
Gambians voluntarily move their celebrations to another day just to avoid any conflict with ours. I
think that is a very commendable move and we should all learn from these gestures of camaraderie in
an effort to support communities even in distant cities. This is in an absolute spirit of being Gambians.

GON: This is a question that affects many organizations; Any financial malpractice in AGERA? If so,
what measures were taken to address such issues?

MBYE: This is one of the most unfair issues that anyone can label against AGERA, and I can tell you
in categorical terms that AGERA has solid control systems for all financial disbursements. Now, the
people that are in this organization as far as I know have not given me the inclinations to see them
otherwise. All payments made have to have two signatures; all Executive members have access to our
account; Financial Statements are distributed to members and the community at large. We are a
non-profit 501c entity and could be audited by the Government. Now there is no doubt that there are
certain areas that we can improve upon especially in terms of bringing in internal auditors to make sure
that people's money is being guarded well. We are open for suggestion and help from anyone who is
really interested in improving the transparency of disbursements and all transactions for that matter. In
the final analysis, the bunch of guys we have in AGERA have not given me reason to doubt them and I
can always vouch for their honesty and commitment to the building of a viable community.

GON: What are the sources of income for AGERA?

MBYE: Individuals; Local Gambian businesses and fund raisers like the July 4th weekend. With
more volunteers to help run the organization we may be able to start a massive effort to bring in
cooperate sponsors.

GON: I am sure you are interested in unity so I don't want you to bully those behind that
organization, but briefly share with us the honest truth regarding their emergence? Did they call on
some needs from AGERA that were ignored? What is being done by your executive to reach out to
them in a friendly manner in making sure these arising differences are completely resolved in a
brotherly manner?

MBYE: Let me be clear, we cannot bully anyone, and AGERA cannot stand in the way of anyone
or organization that would like to carve their own way in the building of the community. We have
worked with GFAA, and will continue to work with them. One of the fundamental objectives of
AGERA is to maintain stability in the Atlanta community, and to always try to heal our differences. As
the Chairman of AGERA, I will never allow this organization to degenerate into war of any sort - we
are way beyond that. We have not received any concern from GFAA, in fact the only communication
was asking donation for the mother's day picnic. As a group we have encouraged total participation
from all our members.

An open invitation was circulated inviting the community at large to organize the mother's day annual
event and the theme was for the men to host the event with that premise the call sounded very positive
and moving. It mushroomed to putting together a full fledge organization a surprise to everyone. It
puzzled a lot of people because the event for a long time was put together by three ladies with very
minimal support from the community and has always been very successful.

We sent two of our executive members to represent us at the first meeting which was seen as a
planning meeting for just the Mother's day event but the meeting was rescheduled because we had a
death in the community that weekend. The meeting was rescheduled and our representatives did not
make the re scheduled meeting. Now, you have to understand that some of our members were very
suspicious of GFAA but were willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, even though they were
attracting people with issues against AGERA especially when they decided to make it a permanent
structure, and most disturbing was the attraction of all the people that have agendas of some sort
against AGERA. Some of these folks started pitching the organization as a replacement for AGERA
and unfortunately with some of the vilest distortion you can ever imagine and all of them were
inaccurate.

I have contacted the leadership to officially let them know that their good intentions are being high
jacked by folks that would eventually bring divisions in the community. The response from the
leadership was very encouraging and positive and a meeting as already been proposed. Like I said,
majority of these folks are honorable and would do the right thing, and it will take the responsibility of
good people to maintain the good work that AGERA have started.

GON: Is it true that AGERA is sidelining organizations in the case of the alleged isolation of other
religious groups and tribes?

MBYE: Almost every member of AGERA is an active member of a local organization. We as
individuals and as a group have reached out to individuals, person's group's religious groups and any
alienated part of community for their participation. We are always reacting to perceptions, especially
when it involves alienating any part of our community

GON: July 4th is at the corner now. Why do you celebrate July 4th and never February 18th? Or
do you have plans to celebrate both in the future?

MBYE: Reasons of weather and local community members celebrating events in their families and a
relentless dedication of effort by Abdoulie Njie (Alburri) who spearheaded the task of organizing the
first symposium that brought most of our Gambian intellectuals in the Diaspora at that time to Atlanta.

GON: What can we expect on that weekend celebration; same old or anything new? I am sure
music already as can be seen on flyers.

MBYE: Our social committee chairperson, Moe has lined up "Fairy" for the first time, Kankuran,
Rap; he is working on the Hunting, Sabarr, Sayruba and a fashion show presented by the well
celebrated Atlanta fashion designer Anna Sanyang. Atlantans are really getting excited about the first
fashion show as part of the July Fourth activities.

GON: Do we expect discussion forums for community unity; political and/or health awareness?

MBYE: Again, this is one area that we believe is needed in order not to make the July Fourth as an
only party affair. The challenge is that unless you have something controversial, and very political in
nature the audiences for these activities do not really respond well. We have the political animals
among us - Banka, Musa, Alburri and Koto Sainey who are always trying to bring good programs
and make them part of the July Fourth. This year they were working on bringing Sam Sarr and Halifa
and other authors for the launching of their books, but unfortunately the timing did not work well.
Again, I am sure our critiques would have loaded their guns with the accusation of turning AGERA to
a political organization.

GON: Sports also is a main attraction to Atlanta's July 4th Celebration. What is their for the sports
fans?

MBYE: Our Sports committee leaders Basaikou and Babou have teams coming from across the US:
Seattle, New York (cancelled this year), Rhode Island to Miami in total of 12 teams. The tournament
will be held in a brand new pro soccer complex and very accessible to our local perimeter highway
I-285.
Sports was the catalyst in bringing the different States to participate in the early July 4ths and it will
always be the main attractions most of our budget aside from relief disbursements is consumed by
sponsoring the soccer team. In the pass we have use the sport events to showcase our soccer talents
to college Coaches and in some instances some players were invited to trials and some even awarded
scholarships.

GON: Thank you for talking to Gainako. We are consulting on our method of coverage in Atlanta.
We encourage Gambians across the US to come and support your cause.

MBYE: We are looking forward to seeing you in Atlanta. I like reading Gainako, especially your
intellectual features are a must read. I thank The Almighty for this opportunity and of course your
courage to create the space for us to illustrate some of the things going on in this community. Your
niche of a medium for people to communicate is giving access to communities that over the years can
only reach their constituency by paper or live meetings. May God bless you and your readers?

In closing I would like to take this opportunity to address some of the issues raised in the
Freedomnewspaper editorial. As the Chairman of AGERA, I am a member and everything I do has to
be cleaned to reflect my beliefs and what I am as a person. There are allegations labeled against me
and AGERA that I really found to be disturbing. Like I have indicated, these interviews are scheduled
to help the July Fourth programs and no doubt to respond to issues that have been circulated for some
time. All the members and I with functions would be glad to respond to all the issues raise, but we will
not engage in scurrilous and dirty war of words with anyone.

I have worked with Ablie, the one that is labeling these issues in the past and have given him the
opportunity to raise issues and as a team we have had our differences and there is always a table for
that. He has his issues, I have mind, and a whole lots of people in the organization have theirs. We are
in the people's business and we will furnish your readership with all the information Ablie has raised in
detail to tell the whole story - Financial Statements will be put out for everyone's consumption and a
detailed procedure of our disbursements and managing of accounts. We welcome questions and
criticism, but let us be clear I am absolutely convince that AGERA is a solid organization and run by
honest and committed people.

Finally, the issue about not holding elections - is absolutely right and as an organization we have
dropped the ball but it is important to also put this in perspective. Ablie has claimed that he was the
PR officer all these years, and elections were not being held. If this issue was a burning issue he could
have confronted the organization even with resignation if the organization refused to hold these
elections. The reality is that we have had changes among the executive members, people come and go
and like I said the organization has always being team driven and all decisions are always tabled. It is
ok to have issues against AGERA, but to start only looking at short comings of the organization to
bring it down is not an honest way of making a difference, especially from someone who held an
executive office all these years. AGERA will without a doubt take this as a criticism and make the
changes to accommodate any constructive criticism. Keep up the good work.

Thanks again. AGERA is driven by One People One Community for Atlanta.

GON: Thanks for all your efforts; Transparency is the key�best of luck during your celebration.

Only 29.9 % Attends School of Primary School
Entry Age Currently; Says Bureau of Statistics Survey
..........................By Solo, Banjul correspondent.................July 1st, 2008

.........ARE WE CATCHING UP WITH MDGS OR MOVING AWAY FROM THEM?
The Gambia Bureau of statistics conducted a survey funded by the United Nations children's fund
and the World Bank. The findings of the multiple indicator cluster survey 2005/2006 report have been
launched at the paradise suites hotel on the 30th of July 2008. This multiple indicator cluster Survey
was done by the central statistics department, now called the Gambia bureau of statistics, in
collaboration with the department of state for Basic and secondary education, Dept of state for Health
and Social Welfare, National Nutrition agency, women's Bureau, Gambia Family Planning Association
and the Department of community Development. The survey provides valuable information on the
situation of children and women in the Gambia, and was based in large part, on the need to monitor
progress towards goals and targets emanating from recent international agreements such as the
millennium declaration, adopted by all 191 united nation members states in September 2000, and the
plan of action of a world fit for children, adopted by 189 member states at the UN's special session
on children in may 2002. Both of these commitments build promises made by the international
community at the 1990 world summit for children.

According to the report, the survey was designed to provide estimates on a large number of indicators
on the situation of children and women at the national level for urban and rural areas, and for eight
local government areas, (LGAS) Banjul, Kanifing, Brikama, Mansakonko, Kerewan, Kuntaur,
Jangjanbureh and Basse. The survey also targeted 6,175 households selected for the sample, 6,171
were found to be occupied and 6,071 were successfully interviewed for a household response rate of
98.4per cent. According to the report, 9,982 women were successfully interviewed and
questionnaires were completed for 6,543 children. The survey which deals with child mortality,
Nutrition, child health, environment, reproductive health, child development, education, child
protection, also deals with HIV/AIDS, sexual behavior, and orphaned and vulnerable children. This
reporter focuses on only one part of the Report relating to Education.

The survey findings indicate that 19.7 percent of children age36-59 months were reported to be
currently attending early childhood schools. Out of this 20% of males and 19.4 percent of females
were attending some form of organized early childhood education programme in the Gambia.
Whatever that means. Early childhood school attendance is only 6.7 percent among the poorest house
holds compared to 41.6 percent among the richest households.

..Primary and secondary school participation
29.9 percent of children who are primary school entry (age7) are currently attending the first grade of
primary school. No marked sex differentials have been observed between boys and girls. 29.5
percent for boys compared to 30.4 percent for girls) Kanifing has the highest proportion (33.3
percent) of children of primary school entry age currently attending grade 1 compared to say Kuntaur
at 21percent. Children's primary school attendance is highest in the urban areas 35.5 percent than in
the rural areas, 27.4 percent According to the survey, the majority of children of primary school age
are attending school (61.0 percent) but however indicated that 39.0 percent of the children are out of
school when they are expected to be attending school. According to the households surveyed, the
report said children from the richest households have a higher attendance rate (75.8 percent) than
children from the poorest households (44.4 percent). Interestingly, across ethnic groups, children from
house holds headed by the Jola have a net attendance ratio of 72.9 percent and households by Wolof
and Fula have the lowest proportions each with 53 percent. The survey also showed that secondary
school attendance rates are relatively lower than those of primary school, with only 36.5 percent of
children of secondary school age attending school. Also, the survey shows that Basse is lowest for
both boys and girls attending school than other regions.

It has been discovered by the survey that boys have a higher transition rate to secondary education
than girls (61.5 percent compared to 51.1 percent). Banjul has the highest transition rate (91.3
percent) and Basse the lowest (34.2 percent). Finally, the literacy rates were highest in Banjul (65.2
percent) and lowest in Basse (13.2 percent). All those interested in children and women welfare or
are working to uplift the status of women and children should read this report.

...On the Power of Proverbs
...............................By Momodou Sabally..............July 1st, 2008
I have always marveled at the beauty and depth of America
since I set sail for this great land. Hitherto most critical of this
country because of its contemporary foreign policy, I have
come to be so adept into its history and the philosophy that
built it as expounded by its founding fathers and philosophers.
This is what led me to my refrain "America the beautiful
" because I see this country as an experiment in progress.
Surely my love for the land has not come without some price
as our resident philosopher could testify when I strolled with
him and my dearest wife Jai-Tee in downtown Manhattan and
I said aloud "America the beautiful" only to be reprimanded,
"what next baby." Of course I had to compensate my wife for
being so much enamored of America: "Jai the Gorgeous" I sang.

Yet beautiful as I see America both in philosophy and pragmatic evolution, I have not learnt anything
in this country that I was not taught by my most eloquent mom, Yaboye, through our rich cultural
heritage, as transmitted through our proverbs. For every new truth that I learnt in reading the
philosophy that built, and still breathes in, America I can recall one sweet proverb I picked from my
mom that summarizes it. Great and rich is our cultural heritage. Yet make no mistake, I have not only
read about these great truths in the USA, I have come to see these philosophies take a life of their
own and walk the walk in the streets of America.

It was a moment of deep pleasure this morning when I came across a paragraph on proverbs written
by the great American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson in his essay on compensation. This is what
the sage of Concord said:

"Still more striking is the expression of this fact in the proverbs of all nations, which are always the
literature of reason, or the statements of an absolute truth, without qualification. Proverbs, like the
sacred books of each nation, are the sanctuary of the intuitions. That which the droning world, chained
to appearances, will not allow the realist to say in his own words, it will suffer him to say in proverbs
without contradiction. And this law of laws which the pulpit, the senate, and the college deny, is hourly
preached in all markets and workshops by flights of proverbs, whose teaching is as true and as
omnipresent as that of birds and flies."

Emerson was expounding the law of compensation: how we pay the price for everything and that
nature always balances her budget. "The farmer imagines power and place are fine things. But the
president has paid dear for his White House." Says Emerson; Likewise "the barren soil does not
breed fevers, crocodiles, tigers or scorpions." And it is true that these and many such truths are told in
our proverbs.

I remember one such Wolof proverb depicting this same truth as Emerson so lucidly expounded in his
essay. It was a sunny morning in Latri Kunda at the Sakura Arts Studio of our most talented Gambian
artist Njogu Touray. Resplendent in its many colors was a painting of crocodiles swimming toward the
middle of a river. My limited capacity for the appreciation of art deprives you, dear reader, of the
magnificent elegance of this painting. I asked the creator of the work about this piece and he explained
that it depicted the Wolof proverb "ku munuta fey do fekeh ngenteh jessit", meaning, if you cannot
swim, you cannot attend the christening of crocodiles. For fear of insulting you, dear reader, I will not
attempt to explain the meaning of this proverb for it is true that only a fool will ask for an explanation
of the meaning of a proverb once it is narrated to them. But anyway, in the foregoing Wolof proverb is
a great summary of the law of compensation for those who understand.

Momodou Sabally
Author: HomeGrown

.........MASS AXI GAI
.REMOVED FROM OFFICE
...........................By Solo, Banjul correspondent......................June 27th, 2008
Reports reaching this reporter spoke of the removal of Mass Axi Gai,
the Secretary of state for Youth and Sports on Friday the 27th June 2008.

Mr. Gai who had recently threatened a young Point's sports reporter,
Mr. Ebou Manneh with death has been removed with immediate effect
by President Jammeh.

According to reliable reports, Mr. Gai will hand over to one Sheriff
Gomez on Monday 30th June. Sheriff Gomez up to his recent
appointment is the Director of the National Youth Service Scheme.
He is said to be a former Military officer and had studied in the UK
where he obtained a master's degree.

It is not yet known why Mr Gai is removed because hardly does the Gambian president give any
reason why he appoints people to positions of authority neither does he say why he dismisses them.
His method is more in tune with Autocracy than Democracy. But observers say Gai is not very
transparent in his dealings at the Sports ministry.

HALAKE CHARGED FOR SEDITIOUS
INTENTION AND GIVING FALSE
INFORMATION TO AMADOU SAMBA
....................By Solo, Banjul correspondent..............June 27th, 2008
The former managing Director of the pro-Government Newspaper,
the Daily Observer, Mr.Dida Halake was arraigned before Principal
Magistrate Buba Jawo at the Kanifing Magistrate court on Monday
23rd and Tuesday 24th June 2008 respectively.

The sacked managing Director was aided by lawyer Lamin Jobarteh
who informed the court that the accused has been in police custody
for sometime now and that the prosecution has already framed a
charge against him.

The police prosecution who earlier on told the court that they did not have intention to go ahead with
the charge against the accused person since they themselves were not satisfied with it, applied for a
short adjournment to enable them come up with a better framed up charge.

Counsel Jobarteh objected and argued for the prosecution to ask for an adjournment, that the
accused must first take his plea.

The magistrate on the 23rd then ruled that the accused should take his plea. The accused then pleaded
not guilty of intentional sedition.

The magistrate then struck out the case on the basis that the prosecution did not advance any genuine
reasons for their adjournment.

Halake however was later arrested as he tried to step outside the court room. He was later freshly
charged and brought to court on Tuesday 24th June, the following day.

The prosecution on the 24th then reframed the charge against him as thus; that he Halake as managing
Director of the Daily Observer has been charged with seditious intention contrary to section 52 (1) (b)
of the criminal code; that the former managing Director of the Observer was also charged with giving
false information to a public officer contrary to section 114 of the criminal code.

According to the particulars of offence, Halake uttered seditious words like �THERE WOULD BE A
REVOLUTION IN THE COMPANY.� According to the prosecution, this words constitute a threat
to the company.

On count 2, the accused on 12th June 2008, at the Observer Company, gave false information to
Amadou Samba, stating that �if the boss says I go then I go. Until then, it is revolution at the Daily
Observer, with me as the managing Director.�

Mr. Halake who appeared uneasy pleaded not guilty to the charges.Mr. Fafa E. Mbye now standing
for Halake applied for bail. He said even though the accused is an Ethiopian of British Nationality, he
has lived in the Gambia for the past 22years and is married to a Gambian; that his own property he
lived in, in Kotu is worth not less than 15million Dalasi; that they are applying for bail in his own
recognition and deposit the title deed of his propertyif need be, and even surrender his passport to the
registrar of the court.

The magistrate then granted court bail at the sum of D250, 000 Dalasi with a Gambian surety and his
Passport to be surrendered to the registrar of the court.

Sources however told this reporter that Mr. Halake could not have a Gambian surety making him
unable to meet the bail conditions. He is said to be still at the remand wing of mile two prisons
awaiting the trial.

Man Who Attempts Murder and
......Suicide, Hospitalised
........................By Solo, Banjul correspondent..............June 27th, 2008
A middle aged man, known only by the name Uncle, was rushed to the Royal Victoria Teaching
Hospital, after allegedly attempting to commit suicide at his home in Bundung, in the early hours of
Monday, 23 June, 2008.

The man, said to be a Sierra Leonean national, is described to be quiet natured by neighbours. People
who claimed to be close to Uncle purported that he has a problem with his wife, who is also a Sierra
Leonean national. They alleged that the man had earlier attempted to kill the wife but succeeded in
only lacerating her face with a knife that led her to be admitted at the Serekunda Health Centre. It was
said that after this incident, the man, himself, then attempted to commit suicide on the same day.

Sources further claimed that Uncle had threatened that he would kill both his wife and himself if she
should disappoint him; that shortly before the problem occurred, the misunderstanding led the wife to
leave and went to stay with her sister, somewhere in Bundung for about two to three months.

On this fateful day of the attempted suicide, sources claimed that Uncle locked himself in his room
drank poison and stabbed himself on the throat and was struggling for almost one hour before he
could be rescued by the Bundung Police officials.

An eye witness, who was at the scene when the police arrived, said he noticed fresh wounds on the
throat of the man being escorted out of the house with foam on his mouth and clothes stained with
blood. The police had to break his door and later rushed him to the Serekunda Health Centre.

Whilst at the Health Center, the victim laid helplessly on the hospital bed, for almost an hour, because
there was no ambulance to take him to the RVTH in Banjul.

A lady said to be his partner was also sighted at the Serekunda Health Centre. An ambulance was
later fueled which transferred him to Banjul.

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