The Gambia can finally play international matches at home again. After four years away, their national team of local players will have home crowd support. This matters greatly as they prepare for the CHAN championship qualifiers. They face Algeria in the final round, with a home match scheduled for May 3 at Independence Stadium.
Coach Alhagie Sarr started training his squad yesterday at Yudum. He welcomed players back and explained how practice would work. The team began technical preparations under his guidance. They aim to beat Algeria and make history. A win would mark their first appearance in this major African football championship.
The April 2000 killing of schoolchildren stands as the worst atrocity during Yahya Jammeh's 22-year rule in The Gambia. Students without political ties were killed just for asking the government to be accountable.
Jammeh wanted everyone to believe he ran a peaceful country through excellent leadership. He measured success through building roads and other visible projects. He thought students could never organize protests themselves, considering all he claimed to have done for education.
Vice President Njie-Saidy falsely blamed students for the shootings despite admitting she lacked proper information. The government later passed a law protecting security forces from punishment for actions during public disturbances. Officials never...
The Gambia gives out diplomatic passports much like party favors these days. These special travel documents should help officials represent the country abroad, but many holders have no real diplomatic duties. People use them mainly for personal travel or business instead of serving national interests.
Those with political connections often receive these passports without merit. Some misuse diplomatic immunity to avoid security checks or taxes. This hurts the national reputation abroad when travelers expect special treatment without doing anything for The Gambia. Every undeserving passport holder takes away an opportunity from someone who could actually help the country grow internationally.
The government needs strict rules about who...
The only internationally certified forester in The Gambia quit after 23 years, exposing serious problems at the Department of Forestry. Buba Bojang left because less qualified people received promotions instead of him. He worked without electricity or internet in his office. His resignation letter claimed that someone had removed important papers from his file. The department appointed a military officer with no forestry background as director despite staff protests.
This breakdown affects forest communities across the country. Local forest committees manage about 350,000 hectares but need government support for their work. These groups face delays and uncertainty as department expertise disappears. Illegal logging increases as...
Government officials receive prime land at regular citizens' expense across The Gambia. This practice started after independence continues today in places like Sukuta Salagi. Officials deserve homes, but every Gambian needs shelter regardless of social status. Community lands should benefit residents first. Public workers build mansions on seized ancestral property.
Beautiful estates in Sukuta belong mostly to non-natives who obtained plots through government connections or money. Officials seize community lands, declare them layouts, and distribute plots among themselves, forcing original inhabitants away from ancestral areas. The current administration maintains these unfair policies that create inequality.
Land management systems...
Murder suspect Ousainou Bojang finished testifying yesterday in Banjul's High Court. He claimed all prosecution witnesses lied about him under government orders. When Justice Ebrima Jaiteh asked why anyone would lie, Bojang said officials knew he went to Casamance because of problems with a female friend.
He specifically named five witnesses he believes made false statements against him. The defendant stated that Officer Ebou Sowe gave him tea that made him fall asleep before waking up in a cell. He denied ever seeing the alleged murder weapon. The Director of Public Prosecutions claimed Bojang was present when police found the gun at the Brusubi field.
Bojang insisted he never handled firearms as a security guard. He maintained he...
A human rights group slammed the formation of a National Muslim Elders Council, questioning whether it legally exists. President Adama Barrow launched this council last Friday, calling it important for peace. He named himself patron, promising office space, a bank account, vehicle, and monthly fuel.
Barrow asked council members to pray for national stability, saying development needs peace. The new body includes 17 executives and 87 regional members. Its president, Muhammed Lamin Touray, stated they want to work with the Supreme Islamic Council and other Muslim groups supporting presidential development efforts. The council aims to advise on religious matters and strengthen relationships between religious institutions.
The Edward...
A Banjul court sentenced Bakary Jarju yesterday after he admitted to guilt for impersonating a public official and obtaining money through false claims. Magistrate K Baldeh imposed a two-year prison term for the first offense and one year for the second, with both sentences running at the same time but ultimately suspended. The court ordered Jarju to pay his victim, Amadou Baldeh, D75,000 as compensation.
The magistrate warned the convicted man that any similar crime during his suspension period would trigger immediate service of his original sentence. Police officers Inspector Jaiteh, Inspector Lamin Jammeh, and Cadet ASP Sheriffo Ceesay handled the prosecution throughout the case proceedings at Brusubi Court. Before sentencing, Jarju...
A lawmaker from Banjul North wants authorities to look into recent suspected suicide cases. Momodou L Bah told The Standard that three cases reported in one week should worry everyone across the country. He said these incidents represent real people with families who must deal with grief afterward. Bah believes the cases reveal how little support exists for mental health issues nationwide. He described many people suffering quietly because they fear judgment from others.
Bah points out that cultural attitudes, legal problems, spiritual beliefs, and lack of professional help all contribute to the problem. Many people try to appear strong instead of sharing their struggles, which makes their situation worse. The legislator called for...
