Senegalo-Gambian Ministerial Meeting Ends in Fiasco

-Senegalese Ministers Boycott Meeting

By Ebrima G. Sankareh, Editor-in Chief

After much chest pounding, political gimmicks, empty rhetoric and unprecedented hoopla about Senegalese attempts to destabilize The Gambia only to be followed by a dramatic diplomatic u-turn of a joint Ministerial meeting, our neighbours have once again, humiliated the Kanilai reclusive Head of State by boycotting the high-profile meeting. A Technical Committee of Experts’ Meeting preceded the much talked about two-day session at the Kairaba Hotel. At the opening ceremony yesterday, Gambian Foreign Secretary Crispin Grey-Johnson in a speech replete with metaphor and political sarcasm about betrayals, expressed optimism that after much talk and no progress, this time round the two nations should work towards togetherness and set aside everything that puts them apart. Johnson according to our state house operative Kissy Kissy Mansa, had confidently told the Kanilai reclusive Head of State Yahya Jammeh that several Senegalese Ministers in the areas of Transports, Security, Trade, Customs, Forestry, Agriculture & the Environment, Fisheries, were to attend the high profile meeting.

However, after numerous deliberations by Technical Committee Experts yesterday, the ceremony proper was slated for today, Friday. Vice President Isatou Njie Saidy was to open the session and to be attended by numerous dignitaries among them Parliamentarians, Permanent Secretaries, Foreign diplomats including the British and American High Commissioner and Ambassador respectively.

            Well, according to our most competent sources, only the Senegalese Foreign Minister showed up. President Jammeh feeling defeated and dejected by his guests, immediately asked the Foreign Secretary to cancel the programme, revoke all invitations to Foreign Embassies, as well as the reception and news conference that were to follow the session. In a word- FIASCO!!! Says Kissy, it remains to be seen if Grey Johnson will not be sacked because the embarrassment this time, is just beyond description.

            In a related twist, says Kissy, sacked Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs Willy Joof who was only discharged yesterday for what local papers described as “want of prosecution”, has been rearrested and charged with more serious crimes this time.