Dear Editor: 

I have returned from the provinces some time ago. Am happy that the Echo is running without interruption. May it continue like this! Mr. Sankareh I am sure you are aware of the sale of 50% of the shares of both GAMTEL and GAMCEL to an unknown Lebanese Company or Individual(s). Yahya Jammeh did this as a result of the sustained pressure mounted on him by World Bank and IMF. The two Britton Woods institutions conditioned Jammeh to privatize some government Para-statals in order to end the continuous misuse of funds generated by these institutions. The saddest thing about it is that the buyer and the seller share the same biological parents. So what the IMF and the World Bank are trying to stop cannot be stopped under the current situation.

               Most times, Jammeh will write a letter to all the Para-statals, mostly GATMTEL & GAMCEL, for them to transfer millions of Dalasis to State House (the President's Office). Two months ago, the Secretary of State for Information and Technology, Neneh Macdol Gaye, told National Assembly members that most of GAMCEL's Cell Sites up country could not be completed because of the unavailability of the required equipment. She said that it is not because there is no money, but the profit realized by GAMCEL & GAMTEL has been used to fund the AU Summit.

             I believe more in that statement of Neneh Macdol when I met a friend just recently who is an auditor. My friend happens to be part of the auditing team that has been auditing all Government Para-statals for the past 4 years; this year inclusive. When I heard of the sale of GAMTEL & GAMCEL, I first contacted him and he confirmed the story. He said that the two institutions are on the verge of being bankrupt. From their audit findings, they realized that millions of Dalasis have been transferred to the President's Office. He said that when he asked the Finance Manager, the response was that it was an order from Yahya Jammeh and any body that fails to honour it will dance to the tune. 

Now the big question is, will the World Bank and the IMF realize Jammeh's tricks?

Sincerely,

A concerned citizen.