Keep The Gambian Flag Flying

Dear Editor:

I am a British national with many friends in The Gambia and I am grateful that I can be sure of reading the highest calibre of information written in the most professional manner in The Gambia Echo. My degree is in the English language and believe me - I am not being sarcastic when I say that you people write excellent English. I hope that you will always be there to present balanced and fair views of the many current problems "back home".

Many things have troubled me over the past few months but I think the current rate of exchange of the dalasi is one of the most frightening signals of the short term economic future of The Gambia.

My friends and I built a nursery school in Serrekunda last year and we were hoping to build another at the end of this year. However, with the current rate of exchange, we would have to find a quarter of the building costs on top of the actual cost just to satisfy the exchange rate without any benefit to the people.

This also applies to school fees for the 19 students we support and already our donors are saying the money could help more people in places like Asia and India.

Two of our regular donors were to make a trip to The Gambia next month to distribute goods and funds to the schools, but they have changed their destination to Goa because they say, The Gambia is too expensive. How many more tourists will take the same view? How long will it be before the country loses its biggest revenue earner?

Surely, this must also affect the many thousands of Gambians who live abroad and need to send money back to help their families.

I have seen the roadside signs that say that President Jammeh plans to turn The Gambia into an economic superpower. Can someone please send an economist to show him how?

Sincerely,

Jennifer Baker, Manchester, UK.

Editor’s Note: Ms. Baker, we are humbled by your assessment of our newspaper; a medium that began a year ago, primarily to inform, educate and where possible, entertain Gambians and friends of The Gambia. Running a newspaper is a daunting task more so, an online newspaper beamed on a country well noted for its policy of press gagging and dismal human rights record. As you may have known, the entire staff of The Echo are non-native speakers and writers of your language-the English language. The pieces you read here are the result of years of studies, trials and tribulations and, we have never rested our laurels in this sacred endeavour of learning. It was Duke Sheffield who once wrote “of all those Arts in which the wise excel, Nature’s chief masterpiece is writing well.” Herein lies the fact that language is a currency and since we do not write in Gambian languages to communicate with our readers, we will always appreciate it, if people like you can come to our rescue when we err. We do not mind sending you some of our reports to help with the editing. It is our hope that one day, The Gambia Echo will be a vibrant paper that can employ Gambians and serve as a springboard for those with a flair for writing to develop their creative potentials for a better nation..

            May we also take this opportunity, to extend our profound appreciations to you and your great team of Samaritans for the excellent contributions toward Gambian education? Like you, we are equally worried by the fragile Gambian economy and only pray that slowly but surely, things will be better. Once again, thank you for the compliments.

E.G. Sankara.