Crispin Grey-Johnson

The Gambia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York has been appointed as Secretary to the country's newest created Department of State for Higher Education & Research effective January  1st. 2007.

A press release from the office of the President reads: "It is hereby announced that His Excellency, the President of the Republic of The Gambia, Alhaji Dr Yahya AJJ Jammeh in the exercise of the powers confered upon him, under Section 71 (1) and 71 (3) of the Constitution of the Republic of The Gambia, has appointed Mr Crispin Grey Johnson as the Secretary of State for Higher Education and Research, with effect from 1st of January 2007."

A career diplomat, Mr. Crispin Grey-Johnson, was a  graduate teacher of English Literature at The Gambia High School from where he took up international appointmemnt at The Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa , Ethipia for many years. In the wake of the July 1994 coup that propelled the monstrous regime of Yahya Jammeh to power, Grey- Johnson abandoned his mission and joined ranks a move that raised eyebrows among many who knew him. In the Clinton years, he was the Gambian Ambassador in Washington for a brief spell.He later served as Gambian High Commissioner to war ravaged Sierra Leone. 

For now though, it remains to be seen what this former researcher and schoolteacher could do with President Jammeh's newly proclaimed status as a medical doctor especially, in the area of medical science for a country whose University has no academic freedom.