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Gambia Finance minister argue with lawmakers on validity of D700m
It was a vehement debate between the Finance minister and members of the FPAC committee, as they argued on validity of the money used by President Barrow as food aid package to Gambians.
*Finance and Economic Affairs Minister Mambureh Njie said that they have not done any extra-budgetary expenditure aside from the amount adopted by the National Assembly to respond to covid-19.*
The Finance minister speaking in an interview with journalists after he was invited on Thursday by the National Assembly Finance and Public Accounts Committee (FPAC) to elaborate more light on the D700 million that have been taken from the national budget to make a quick response to covid-19.
“The most important is that the amount appropriated by the National Assembly is still respected and we have not done any extra-budgetary expenditure,” said Mambureh Njie.
He explained that, out of the 24 virements, 20 of them were all on travels,but currently there is a travel ban.
“So it was very clear indication that we can use those funds especially the intent; is all about the covid-19 related and we need to respond. We should be proud of ourselves that it is our money that we are using at this moment. We are accountable and we are doing it in the right way.”
The Finance minister further explained that the second virement is 100 percent coming from the savings they made from that debt adjournment.
“I said it’s very clear that we relied and guided by the Public Finance Act 2014 and the 1997 Constitution. The Public Finance was done after the 1997 constitution and it’s a delegated authority and what we have relied on is very clear on section 29 on the virement and the powers vested on the ministry and the minister in particular to reallocate funds,” he said
Source___The Point
Gambia reports 18 Covid-19 cases
The acting director of health services, Dr Mustapha Bittaye on Thursday revealed that one person has tested positive for Covid-19, out of the mass screening made in Bakau last Sunday.
The latest case brings the total number of recorded Covid-19 cases in The Gambia to 18.
Dr Bittaye said: “A new laboratory confirmed case has been recorded bringing the number of Covid-19 cases to 18. Another probable case has also been recorded. Both the newly confirmed case and the probable case are result of samples collected from the mass screening held in Bakau.”
He said while the confirmed case shows symptoms similar to Covid-19, the presume case is asymptomatic.
“Out of a total of 194 test results received, 192 tested negative, 1 inconclusive and 1 positive and 5 people have been taken into quarantine.”
The country right now has 101 persons under quarantine, 8 active cases and 3 presume cases. A total of 1029 tests were made, 18 positive, 323 completed quarantine, 737 contacts track down and 310 completed follow-ups,” Dr Bittaye added.
The new case is confirmed to be a Senegalese national resident in Bakau.
Credit___Standard Newspaper
Gambia National Assembly indicts Finance minister of disdain, pressurize penalty
Members of the Gambia National Assembly have regretfully find fault with the budget transformation process instituted by the government to help contain the coronavirus pandemic.
The government make known a D500 million emergency fund and a D734 million food support from this year’s approved D21 billion budget to overcome the coronavirus outbreak, but lawmakers on finance and public account committee described the decision as “illegal” in the absence of a parliamentary approval.
Sidia Jatta, Fatoumatta Njai and Ya Kumba Jaiteh all went against that the minister of finance did not have the transformatio powers to transfer funds from one public account to the other without the approval of the National Assembly who consent to the original allocation bill.
“It is the position of the law that I am defending.You do not have the authority to do a virement because technically it was the parliament which decided on these laws and to change it you must come back to parliament to seek authority but you failed to do that and that is why I said you are in contempt of the parliament because we made it clear to you in our last meeting. It is not that we are opposed to expenditure on Covid-19, in fact for us the expenditure is too late but you insisted and went ahead to do something that is even worse than the first process,” Sidia added.
The Member for Banjul South Fatoumatta Njai said: “The ministry of finance is in contempt of what the National Assembly has approved and I think it’s about time we started enforcing strict penalties to ensure everybody adheres to the rules because this committee has powers as the high court.”
She encouraged lawmakers to look into the matter for a bona fide penalty to apply on the minister because he cannot be in his corner and start viring money without the authority of the parliament and those in leadership agencies.
Source___Standard Newspaper
Gambia’s King of Kora gives fair warning against Covid-19 negation
Kora king Jaliba Kuyateh has given fair warning that there is no room for rebuttal in the battle against Covid-19.
Speaking to The Standard at his house, Jaliba also make known that a conspiracy theory that the authorities are putting together financial resources through the use of Covid-19 as a launch-pad may worsen national efforts in controlling the escalation of the virus.
“It’s unfortunate to hear people say this [Covid-19] is a conspiracy and that it is not real. Some people are saying it’s politics because government is using the outbreak to solicit funds. But it [Covid-19] is real and it is affecting the world,” Jaliba, who was speaking in an interview with The Standard, he make known.
As said by the kora legend, The Gambia is singly at risk of the Covid-19 escalation because, in his words, the country’s borders are porous.
“We cannot dismiss the fact that Covid-19 is a threat to The Gambia because people freely enter the country without using recognized entry points. Also, this pandemic has caused fear and panic across the world so, let us intensify the battle against it,” he added.
*The multiple award-winning kora ambassador has already released a Covid-19 message on promoting prevention measures. In it, Jaliba highlighted the weak nature of the country’s health-care system, the need for the observance of social-distancing rules and how the pandemic has overwhelmed even the most powerful nations of the world.*
Source___Standard Newspaper
Gambia: 2 imams pronounced guilty for conducing friday prayers
Magistrate SB Joof of the Brikama court yesterday pronounced and sentenced two Brikama imams Karamo Camara, a Gambian and Yusupha Camara, a Bissau national inhabitant in Brikama, to a fine of two thousand dalasi each, in failure to pay or serve one month in prison.
“The two imams were found guilty of a one-count charge bordering on closures and restrictions on non-essential public places contrary to the emergency powers regulation 2020.
As said by the police prosecutor Sub-Inspector Bobo Jarju, the first put into trial Karamo Camara, on 17 April 2020, at Brikama Darsilameh, intentionally and illegally led congregational Friday prayers in a mosque, going against social distancing guidelines and committing an offence.
As for Imam Yusupha Camara, a Bissau national, he was found leading congregational Friday prayers at Brikama Gidda.
In their appeal of alleviation, the two imams pleaded to the court to temper justice with mercy saying this is the first time they have a problem with the law and promising never to do it again.
In passing his judgement, the trial Magistrate Joof said: “I have listened to the plea of mitigations of the convicts and I will also put the consideration that this is their first time and they did not waste the court’s time. I will also consider the essential services they are rendering to the public. But not withstanding these facts, the convicts violated the statutory laws which are to protect the people and save their lives from Covid-19 pandemic. We should all endeavour to abide by the rules and regulations of not just The Gambia but the international community which is the WHO.”
He said the disobeying of this law could prove fatal, before passing the sentences.
Source___Standard Newspaper
‘Barrow Must Not Drag Feet On Constitution’
An establishing member of the opposition Citizens’ Alliance has urged civil society organisations and politicians to put coercion on President Adama Barrow to speed up the draft constitution to the National Assembly.
Dr Ismaila Ceesay, a political science lecturer at the University of The Gambia said the president cannot joke with the draft constitution as aversed to the 1997 draft constitution.
Dr Ceesay’s comment is the most recent among many Gambians who said they have a suspicion President Barrow may use the Covid-19 pandemic to hold up passing the draft to the assembly and then later to a public vote.
Many others suggest that the President may not be happy with the arrangement which states that the term of the coming into force of the constitution should count as the first term of the current president under the two term-limit provision.
“So, this means that the current president can only serve for a maximum of ten years. He can’t serve more than ten years. In other countries this clause has been left open leading to much controversy. We made a lot of research in this very carefully and listened to what the people have said to us and we have consulted our experts on this subject and there was unanimity at the research and the consultation stage that this is something we needed to address,” Justice Cherno Jallow, the chairman of the Constitutional Review Commission had said when the draft was ready sometime back.
However, speaking to The Standard yesterday, Dr Ceesay further commented: “This draft was sent to the public at the same time it was to the president. So we know what is in the Constitution. The concerns that they might come up with tactics to delay the process might be well founded but one thing we expect the Barrow government to do as soon as possible is to take the necessary actions needed to expedite this to the National Assembly and also come up with a comprehensive timetable from here to 2021.”
Source___Standard News
Banjul Breweries in close proximity tabled at Assembly
The Commissioner General of the Gambia Revenue Authority has said government has no authority to reverse a verdict made by the shareholders of the Banjul Breweries Limited to stop their operations in the country.
Yankuba Darboe was among important government officials and members of the National Assembly choosing committee who met the BBL officials on the announced decision to leave.
He also added that one thing government can do is to hope and commit “other interested buyers to take over the company, if discussions to encourage current owners to stay in the market fail.
“Banjul Breweries is one of the tax compliant companies, paying a lot of taxes and also contributing in terms of employment. In any case, you can only take a horse to the river but you cannot force it to drink”, Darboe said during the interface with the management of BBL who appeared before the assembly committee on trade yesterday to explain their decision to close down operations in The Gambia.
The GRA boss added: “Government can do all kind of encouragement to them, but if they want to withdraw, there is nothing we can do other than hoping for the best that there may be other interested buyers and then we will work with those people.”
Banjul Breweries make it known that their closure of operations in The Gambia citing “technical and economic reasons informed by an increase of excise tax” by the government last year but the increase was later amended from 75 to 35%.
Commissioner Darboe said the company has be fond of a lot of tax incentives from the pass and the current governments, claiming that their closure is far away from tax trek as stated.
“I think the shareholders wanted to give up because otherwise they would not have closed the company while negotiation is ongoing with government and until I see some magic happening, I am not hopeful that they are coming back.” Darboe said.
Source__Standard News
Gambia drivers and roadside vendors complain over open gutters
Many commercial drivers and roadside vendors along the Westfield Junction and its satellite areas have disgruntly lodge a complain over the open gutters beside the road.
The gutters around Westfield –Jeshwang highway are uncovered and dirty. Similar gutters alongside Westfield -Kairaba Avenue are also uncovered causing difficulties for drivers, commuters and roadside vendors.
Speaking to The Point in a series of exclusive interviews about the uncovered gutters, Ebrima Jallow, a roadside vendor along the Westfield- Kairaba Avenue Highway expressed his disheartening concern on the uncovered gutters, saying the gutters are “very dirty and evolving bad odor” to the people within that area.
He said the situation becomes worst in raining season and causes water stagnation in the gutters making people to accidentally fall in the gutters.
“We (vendors) have been rescuing people in the gutters during the rainy season on several occasions,” he said.
However, he pleaded that the Kanifing Municipal Council should cover the open gutters in order to prevent accidents as well maintain hygiene of people.
Source___Point Newspaper
Banjul City Council calls quick distribution of Gambia gov’t food aid
In spite of the launch of its own food bank, the Banjul City Council says it would be perfect if the central government speed up the issuance of food aid to inhabitants of the city as Covid-19 limitations threaten to give rise to food insecurity in many Gambian households.
The BCC not long ago set up a food bank but the town hall has demonstrated its readiness to work with the central government to help keep hunger at standstill through the distribution of food aid to residents under the Covid-19 partial lockdown.
“The government has asked us to send them data on the number of compounds and houses in Banjul and we’ve done that since on Thursday and we’re now keeping our fingers crossed,” spokesman Bah disclosed.
“We believe they [government] will involve us because as local government authorities to complement the efforts of the central government.”
He told The Standard that the earlier the government engaged local governments in the distribution of relief aid, the better as the population faces prospects of hunger.
“We are patiently waiting but we want it [distribution] done quickly because people have been asked to stay at home and this can cause food shortages,” he predicate.
Source___Standard News
Gambia: URR village pressurize to cast out family over Covid19 case
The Ministry of Health has said a community in Upper River Region has pressurized to cast out the family of the only Covid-19 case in the area.
The acting director of health services, Dr Mustapha Bittaye told journalists yesterday: “The ministry of health has intensified psychosocial support and sensitisation support in a village (Numuyel) in URR as the community threatens to banish the family of the only confirmed case in the village.”
“All the 109 test results received all tested negative. 90 percent of these test results are samples of the mass screening conducted in Bakau. Three high risk contacts of the recently confirmed case have been traced. 101 low risk contacts have been regularly followed up to ascertain manifestation of symptoms of Covid-19,” he said.
He said five connected contacts of the recently recorded case in Central River Region have been taken into quarantine and the compound is under total isolation. “The country currently has 101 people under quarantine, 7 active cases.”
Source___Standard News
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