Sidia Jatta: COVID-19 outbreak has exposed the disorganized nature of our country terribly

Photo: Hon Sedia Jatta

By Ousman A. Marong 

The National Assembly Member for Wuli West Constituency on Friday said the Coronavirus dubbed COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the disorganized nature of The Gambia terribly. Hon. Sidia Jatta queried that the government has not prepared an inventory of all the poor, the needy and the vulnerable people in the country from Kartong to Koina, before declaring a State of Public Emergency.

According to the erudite parliamentarian, the government should have provided funding to cater for food provision and essential needs to the poor, the needy and the vulnerable people nationwide, to help them stay indoors for a particular period and prevent themselves from the spread and infection of the Coronavirus disease.

Hon. Jatta made this revelation at the National Assembly while making his contribution to the proposed adjournment debate on 45-days of State of Public Emergency.

“If they were organized, they have had an inventory of all the poor and the needy people, whether small or big, from Kartong to Koina, but we don’t have that. How are we going to deal with the situation? We have to do a lot of work to identify what needs to be done,” he remarked.

The Wuli West Parliamentarian called for support to the poor and the needy during this period of COVID-19. He argued that poor and the vulnerable people who depend on their daily work or business to get food for their families cannot stay indoors for 45 days without any support from the government.  He said the government has not released any funding to be given to the weak, the poor and the vulnerable and therefore he is not convinced to accept the 45 days declaration of State of Public Emergency.

“A lot needs to be done,” he stated, adding that he was expecting a comprehensive report on what has happened from the day of declaration of state of emergency to date.

He saluted the great efforts of the health authorities in the Upper River Region and urged government to support them execute their duties in these difficult times.

Hon. Jatta also cautioned his colleagues not to be complacent amid COVID-19, while urging them to go back to their respective constituencies and help the people to prevent themselves from the disease.

“I will tell this in the presence of all of you (referring to ministers and deputies) here that the Ministry of Health is not adequately sourced because if you give me 17 buckets for my people and my constituency has 46 villages what am I going to do with 17 buckets?” he asked.

Hon. Jatta insisted that the Ministry of Health is therefore creating a problem for the MPs.

“If you cannot cover everybody, stop it. That is creating problems for us if you cannot cover all the villages please stop it because it gives me a bad name. I don’t have money to provide for everybody. One of them came and said I heard about you. Why don’t you come to us? Are we not part of your constituency?” he further queried.

He finally proposed that the Parliament remains open throughout the COVID-19 period, adding that the situation is grave, and they must address it.

Gambia: Former GNA Officer Alagie Kanyie Testifies in FJC & Yankuba Touray's Case

By Ousman A. Marong A former soldier of the Gambia National Army (GNA) Alagie Kanyie has on Friday, March 22, 2019, testified in the ongoing trial of Yankuba Touray, ex-minister and a member of the AFPRC military junta; and Fatoumata Jahumpa-Ceesay, (FJC) an ex-Speaker of the National Assembly, at the Kanifing Magistrate's Court. The two accused persons, Yankuba Touray and FJC are jointly facing 3 counts of criminal charges, contrary to the laws of The Gambia. When the case was called before Principal Magistrate Isatou Janneh of the Kanifing Magistrate's Court, police prosecutor ASP Almameh Manga appeared for the Inspector General of Police whilst Lawyer Abdou Aziz Sissoho represented the accused persons. When the new charges were read, both accused persons denied the charges. According to the particulars of offence; the accused persons are jointly charged with conspiracy to commit felony, contrary to Section 368 of the Criminal Code and each of them face a single charge of interfering with information or witness, contrary to Section 36 (a) of the TRRC Act. The particulars of offence stated that the two accused persons agreed among themselves to influence, discourage or stop one Alagie Kanyi, a potential witness from testifying before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC). Testifying before the court as the first prosecution witness (PW1), Alagie Kanyi said he is working with the Gambia Immigration Department (GID) and he is a native of Jarra Sankuya in the Lower River Region (LRR). He said before working with the GID, he was member of the Gambia National Army (GNA). He told the court that he knew the first accused person Yankuba Touray in the army and recognized the second accused person as a former Speaker of the National Assembly. Narrating what transpired between him and the accused persons, Kanyi said there was a day in the month of January 2019, when he received a call from someone who identified herself as Fatoumata Jahumpa Ceesay. He added that the person who called him was speaking in Wollof and told him that it is Fatoumata Jahumpa Ceesay. Kanyi narrated that lady then told him that she recognized him at Edward Singhateh’s residence. Kanyi adduced that FJC referred to him as an orderly to Edward Singhateh and that she got his number from Yankuba Touray. He added that the lady also enquired whether the TRRC has called him (the witness). PW1 told the court that he responded that he was called by the TRRC in relation to the November 11, 1994 incident. Kanyi revealed that Fatoumata Jahumpa Ceesay told him not to mind them (The TRRC) and asked him whether his mother is alive. "I told her yes my mother is around and she told me to be doing good things for her so that she will pray for me," he said. The witness told the court that Fatoumata Jahumpa asked him where he was and he told her that he was in Soma going home to Sankuya. He said Fatoumata Jahumpa further asked her whether the number she called him on is the one he is using on WhatsApp and he responded in the affirmitive. Kanyi said Madam Jahumpa promised to send him something whenever she reaches Dakar because she was on a trip, adding that there was where their conversation ended. "When she cuts off the call, I then called her back and thanked her for the good advice. I told her that I need her advice because the TRRC is not easy," he said. He said the number he was using on WhatsApp is 7633692. He told the court that, this was his first conversation with Fatoumata Jahumpa Ceesay; adding that he has never had any previous communications with her. The witness said it was on the same day when Yankuba Touray called him around 9pm towards 10 pm and identified himself as Yanks with regimental number 10529. "He said is me Yankuba Touray and even told me his Army number which is 10529. I then respond to him yes sir because I recognized the voice and he told me did these people call you? I asked him which people. He then told me the TRRC," the witness narrated. He said Touray inquired whether he went to the TRRC and what issues did the investigators asked him. Kanyi said he responded that he was called by the TRRC but he was yet to be asked about the issues. He explained that thereafter, Touray told him don't mind them (the TRRC) and he Touray also enquired from him whether Fatoumata Jahumpa Ceesay called him because he gave her his number. Kanyi said he responded in the positive. “He (Yanks) told me don't mind them (the TRRC), these people are only here for two years and they will fuck off from there,” Kanyi testified. He said the following day when he called Touray to go first to the TRRC because he was their commander, ‘he told me don’t mind them’. The witness said that he then called Touray for the second time and asked about the people captured during the November 11 incident. He said Touray told him that those people dance to their own tune because their intention was to kill them (the AFPRC members). The matter was then adjourned to the 2nd and 5th of April 2019 at 2 pm and 10 am respectively for the continuation of hearing. Yankuba Touray flank on left, Alhagi Kanyi in the middle followed by FJC (photo credit Yankuba Jallow)