By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan The Minister of Justice, Dawda Jallow, has expressed his hope that the country’s political leaders would reach a consensus on the retroactivity of the president’s first term when they meet Goodluck Jonathan in Banjul next week. “I cannot confidently say that we will reach an agreement but I am very hopeful as the discussions continue next week with Jonathan,” Minister Jallow told journalists at the Airport yesterday evening, 25th February 2021. The nation’s Justice Minister and several other political leaders flew into the country yesterday evening after jetting out to Nigeria for talks with former Nigerian…
Author: Yusef Taylor
Yusef Taylor
Yusef Taylor, commonly known as Flex Dan is an editor and practising journalist based in the Gambia with a keen interest in human rights, the economy and good governance among many others. He continues to break news on the economy, human rights violations and is highly engaged in security sector reforms, constitutional reform and the transition of the Gambia from dictatorship to a democracy, the NewGambia. Yusef has been working with Gainako as a media practitioner from 2015 to date. He has a degree in Civil Engineering with 5 years of Design Consultancy experience.
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT Multi-talented Gambian Actress, Mariama Colley beat nominees, Jennifer Lim and Cecile Sinclair to win the Long Story Shorts International Film Festival’s Best Actress Award in Romania. An elated Mariama announced her victory on social media this morning [22nd February 2021] as “another win for all the wonderful cast and crew of MÉBÉT and the Gambian Film Industry.” When Gainako contacted her to find out how it felt to win such an award in Europe she said “it feels great to be recognized on an international platform. Really grateful and humble.” Besides being a professional actress on…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT Gainako’s investigation reveals that two delegations of Security Officers travelled to Spain and Germany with Businessmen who submitted bids on the Aluminium Number Plate Bid one year before the contract was awarded. This investigation reveals pictures of the trip to Spain and the Security Officers that travelled to Germany on a trip that appears as a clear conflict of interest. The eventual winner Comfort Quality Services submitted a bid of D65.7 Million, over D20.2 Million more than the second-highest bidder. The call for tender which required bidders to supply a fixed amount of Number Plates (65,000),…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT Team Gom Sa Bopa President, Killa “Ali Cham” Ace, visited the Gambia’s main prison, Mile 2, to donate gifts to inmates and guards on Friday 6th February 2021. Most importantly the visit afforded the opportunity for the Rapper/Activist, to meet the Prison Director General Ansumana Manneh and discuss the “Uplift Project”. The “Uplift Project” is designed to stem the recycling of inmates after completing their sentence. Gom Sa Bopa members including Pa Malick Jobe and Yusef Taylor commonly known as Flex Dan were well received by the Director General. In the meeting, Killa Ace discussed the…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT “My Dad used to say, don’t tell me what you value. Show me your budget, and I’ll tell you what you value”. These are the words of then United States President-Elect, Joe Biden speaking on successor President Donald Trump’s Budget priorities. Turning our attention to the Gambia, after four years of Governance what has President Barrow showed to be his priority? This is the focus of this publication. To ascertain the Barrow Government’s actual expenditure, we conducted some analysis using the 2019, 2020 and 2021 Approved Budgets which contains the Government’s Actual expenditure for 2017, 2018…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT The Ida Bass Kidney Foundation (IBKF) is a UK registered charity providing medical care and support to Gambians such as free Kidney Dialysis treatment at the main referral Hospital and other medical support such as donations of medical equipment and more recently face masks. As the country prepares preventive measures for the second wave of Covid 19, IBKF will be donating a total of 1.6 Million Disposable Facemasks to up to 20 different institutions at the Kotu Central Medical Store on Monday 25th January 2021 from 12 Midday. The donations are made possible through the assistance…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan left the Gambia earlier this week after his second round of Constitution talks with Gambian Political Stakeholders. This prompted a media briefing spearheaded by Professor Adebayo, the Head of International IDEA Africa, on the Constitution talks. Citizens Alliance (CA), one of the parties which participated in the talks, also held a media briefing where their party leader, Dr Ismaila Ceesay highlighted the importance of consensus on the Constitution saying “when there is no consensus, what will happen is there will be no Constitution until [after the] elections and perhaps the next…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT The Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs (MoFEA) published the approved 2021 Budget in the first week of January 2021 featuring a total expenditure of D35.1 Billion from all government funds. According to the budget approved by The Gambia’s National Assembly, total expenditure from the Government’s Local Fund (GLF) comes to almost D22.1 Billion. According to the 2021 Budget Speech delivered by Finance Minister Mambury Njie, “the coronavirus pandemic has impacted negatively on general economic activities, resulting in less than anticipated revenue collections and increased expenditures”. More Revenue from Loans and Grants On the revenue front,…
By Biran Gai and edited by Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT It took only three weeks to implement the “Lighten Freetown Street” project which installed 33 solar streets lights along a street in Bundung, all in one day. The project was conceived, planned and executed by residents and supporters of a community in Bundung. It all began when community leaders Musa Jammeh and Alhagie Sowe proposed the idea which was supported by Sulayman Jammeh, the Councillor for Bundung Ward. Three weeks later street lights had been procured, youths have been mobilised for installation all to the tune of D25,000 to complete the…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT Supporters of outgoing President Trump stormed the United States Capitol building yesterday 6th January 2021, two weeks before President-Elect, Joe Biden is expected to take his oath of office. Soon after protestors overpowered security officials and stormed the building, Vice President Mike Pence, presiding over the Senate was evacuated to a safe location. The Senate floor had to be cleared until Security Officers dispersed rioters and took control of the building. An announcement from Washington DC Police Chief indicates that four people have been killed as a result of the riot which disrupted the US Congress…