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Isatou Njie Saidy former vice president of the Gambia denies taking part in Jammeh’s tyranny.
Isatou Njie Saidy former vice president of the Gambia denies taking part in Jammeh’s tyranny. appearing before the TRRC on Thursday 3rd of October 2019 which was broadcast live on QTV.
Isatou Njie Saidy is the longest serving government official in the history of the Gambia who was a minister of health then later became the Vice President of the republic The Gambia from 1997 to 2017.
In his opening speech Essa Faal brief and encourage her to speak the truth in other to help the commission in its mission. He also warned that it is criminal offence in the country to lie in the under oath and to also lie to the commission. After the general questions about her background Madam Njie was asked about her role in the former regime’s time.
When she was asked about the April 10/11 2000, she denied giving orders to Jatta to shoot at demonstrators. Stating that she only heard the problem and doesn’t know what happened.
when she was asked whether she knew that there was a demonstration or problem in Brikama, she said she only heard about it after the demonstration. She strongly stood on her ground that she doesn’t know anything about the demonstration.
During her testimony, Njie Saidy denied playing any front-row role in Jammeh’s reign of terror, saying throughout she would only hear of crimes only after they have been committed. This made TRRC counsel Essal Faal who was clearly running out of patience at some point asking the former vice president which country she was living in but Njie Saidy stood her ground telling Faal she was living in The Gambia.
All that Njie said in her testimonies was “I don’t know” or ” I don’t Remember” “It could be”
When she was asked about the decisions taken at the meeting she told the commission she doesn’t remember. when evidence were brought to her that she gave orders to deploy an army, Njie said she didn’t give orders.
“They brief me on the issued but the decisions made its been a long time i cant remember. we dont keep minutes because it was an emergency.” Babucarr Jatta could deploy an army without my knowledge”, she said.
German gov’t funds €1.3m Gambia’s energy stabilization project
On Wednesday 2nd of October 2019, The German supported project for The Gambia’s energy sector was launched. The 1.3 million euro worth project is to enhance the development of the existing power generation capacities. It’s been funded by the German Federal Foreign Office and implemented by GIZ and NAWEC under the leadership of The Gambia ministry of Energy.
The GIZ project emanated from the visit of the German president to the Gambia in December 2017, who pronounced Germany’s readiness to support The Gambia to stabilize electricity supply.
The project that followed his announcement has helped to reduce the occurrence of total blackouts in the Greater Banjul Area from many hours per day to a current situation of only few blackouts per month.
The minister of Energy and Petroleum, Fafa Sanyang, said the government of The Gambia through the Ministry of Energy accords special priority to improving access to reliable, affordable and efficient electricity to all citizens of the country.
He said The Gambia electricity sub-sector was mainly characterized by insufficient generation capacity, limited transmission and distribution capacity and double-digit technical and commercial losses.
“With support, the electricity sub-sector is gradually changing,” he declared.
Minister Sanyang said the measures will enable NAWEC to run its power plants more reliably, to extend the life span of the engines and to significantly save resources on maintenance.
Managing director of NAWEC, Alpha Robinson, said the project has given them the tools and technology and they must embrace it because technology and innovation are the future.
“The technology is central to the success of NAWEC,” he said.
He said Gambians should embrace change and technology in order to shift beyond where they are today.
The ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in The Gambia, Stephan Roeken, said the partnership is not only in words but in deed.
He said the project is an important element because it will strengthen the partnership between both countries and reduce the blackout in the Greater Banjul areas.
He said government is responsible for people especially in a democratic country to manage NAWEC in the near future.
The German experts of the GIZ offered extensive mechanical and electrical training to NAWEC’s technical experts.
The project funds allows for the procurement of a generator, an oil and fuel lab, and more than 75 km of fibreglass cable, two new radio towers and other things needed to create a digital communication infrastructure for NAWEC.
The project focuses on installation of independent communication infrastructure and data collection on the transmission and distribution network, provision of quality testing equipment for oil and lubricants, procurement of 800KW generator for peak shedding and capacity building for NAWEC staff.
Police arrest 2 with fake gold worth over D14m
On Wednesday 27 September, 2019, Gambian Police arrested one Maimuna Bojang of Sanchaba Medina and Seedy Trawally of Kerr Serigne. The arrest is as a result of them illegally possessing fake golds worth D14, 280, 00, The point newspaper reports. They were arrested at Senegambia around 11a.m and under dentention at the Police Headquarter in Banjul as the police continue to investigate into the matter.
A source who is familiar with the matter reported that the suspects wanted to sell the fake gold to one Nkere Fofana Crazneit, a male Gabonese national, at the tune of $280, 000 U.S. dollars which amounts to D14, 280, 000.
Sources at the GPF who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the two suspects on that fateful day decided to meet with the Gabonese man at around eight to nine in the morning with five grams of real gold in order to convince him (Gabonese), pretending that they had another 10 kilos of real gold.
“The Gabonese became suspicious and decided to inform the police about the development. When the suspects arrived for the second time at around 11 a.m., they entered the room of the Gabonese who alerted the police for their arrest. In fact, I can tell you that they were with a fake receipt too and wanted to extort $280, 000 U.S. dollar from the man. They were later escorted to their various houses respectively,” our source added.
At Maimuna Bojang’s house, our source explained, a marathon search was conducted and the police discovered in her bedroom seven kilos of fake gold, four pieces of gold, with each equivalent to five kilos, fake gold dust which is about five kilos and also a gold weighing machine among others. “Nothing was found at Trawally’s house after a search was conducted by the police.”
“The police are investigating the matter in order to know the source of the fake gold and some of the people have been involved in the scam. The amount of fake gold discovered from Maimuna Bojang is about 50 kilos of fake gold.”
In a separate but related issue, our reporter has been reliably informed that the first accused person Maimuna Bojang and one Alhagie Abubacarr Bah, defrauded a Gambian businessman.
“The two also pretend that they had original gold and told the Gambian businessman that they wanted to sell it to him. The man accepted not knowing that the gold was faked. They took almost 1.4M dalasis from him. The matter was reported to the police and the case was under investigation.”
Point reporter who has been investigating the matter for the past five days was also able to have copies of the receipt about the $280, 000, certificate of analysis and other document containing the logo of Guinea Bissau government.
Point reporter during his investigation was also able to establish that Seedy Trawally was staying in Guinea Bissau. “He was called by the first accused person, Maimuna Bojang, to come to the country as they were to engage in some business transaction in the country. Trawally come through Senegal and then The Gambia.”
The police spokesperson ASP Lamin Njie told The Point that he was not aware of any such development. He, however, promised to share any available information as regards to the matter.
DAY 3: Corby Big Films Week 3.
DAY 4: Corby Big Films Week 3.
MONDAY 21st October
An evening at the SAVOY with BAFTA-winning ‘Blue Planet’, cameraman, Doug Alla
Douglas “Doug” Allan, FRSGS, is a Scottish wildlife cameraman and photographer best known for his work in polar regions and underwater. Allan is one of twin brothers born in Dunfermline in Scotland, the son of a photographer and photojournalist who ran his own photography shop in the town.
7-9pm ‘Frozen Seas’ – the final film of the festival celebrates the team behind David Attenborough with special guest, BAFTA-winning ‘Blue Planet’ Cameraman, Doug Allan taking your questions after the screening. Doug will also be selling and signing copies of his remarkable book ‘Freeze Frame – a wildlife cameraman’s adventure on ice’.
DAY 2: Corby Big Films Week 3.
SATURDAY 19th October Environmental Films Day at The Core at Corby Cube
2–5pm – ‘A Breath of Fresh Air’ – 12 video shorts / workshops – features a message from David Attenborough, ‘Tori the Eco Warrior’, a re-recording of Joni Mitchell’s ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ and live Q&A with the BAFTA nominated producer and director.
FREE EVENT – just turn up or to guarantee a seat
7.30–9.30 More details and tickets for ‘Wilderland’ available from www.thecorecorby.com – or call 01536 470470
COST £15/£13 Concessions.
Day 1: Corby Big Films Week 3
EVENING: In association with The Core at Corby Cube, HD Media are pleased to present an evening with mountaineer Simon Yates.
7-8pm ‘My Mountain Life’ an Illustrated talk.
8-9pm ‘Beyond The Void’ Documentary Film
More details and tickets for this event availble from – or call 01536 470470
COST £15/£13 Concessions.
Corby Big Film Week 3
HD Presents HD Mediacic Big Film Week 3.
This is a celebration of Cinema. To be held on the Friday 18th October to Monday 21st October 2019. Its is going to be a 4 days film, focusing on environment of the United Kingdom. .
It is going to be a special event and the four days will involve film screening in two sessions, morning and evening.
CEO of Special Movie Awards (SMA) Award Mr. Wilfred U. Adams is an invited guest of the event and he will be in attendance.
Fishmongers and fishermen cry over shortage of fish and low catch in tanji
Electrical fault caused Liberia school fire
The fire that killed 27 children in a Koranic school in a township east of Liberia’s capital, Monrovia, two weeks ago, was caused by “electrical shocks”, according to an investigation conducted by the Liberian National Fire Service.
Fire Service Director Alex Dixon told reporters they also found a motorcycle parked inside the building “with gasoline in it.”
He did not say if it had a role in the fire.
Words of sympathy, financial and material assistance are still pouring in to console the bereaved families.
The Liberian government has promised to rebuild the school.
D5 Creation