A
clash ensued between the communities of Bakoteh and Manjai, and members of the
Police Intervention Unit during the weekend over the long standing issue of
dumping at the Bakoteh dumpsite.
The
dispute started on Saturday when a group of youth from Bakoteh and Manjai
protested against the dumping of collected waste and garbage from a cleansing
exercise held at the municipality’s biggest market in Serekunda on Saturday.
The
chaos resulted in the prevention of more than 12 trucks, loaded with waste and
garbage from being dumped at the Bakoteh dumpsite. The dumpsite is situated
between the townships of Manjai, Bakoteh and DippaKunda.
Personnel
of the Police Intervention Unit were present in what officials say was to
“facilitate the peaceful and smooth dumping process” following directives to
that effect from the authorities.
Earlier
on Saturday, two separate indoor meetings were held between Interior Minister
Mai Fatty, and the youth leaders of the Bakoteh/Manjai communities at the
Bakoteh Police Station and municipality offices, respectively, without
producing a positive breakthrough.
‘’The
President had instructed that every measure should be exhausted in order to
make sure that the interest of the nation prevails. The community of Bakoteh
also has serious concerns. The responsibility of government is to look at the
overwhelming interest of the country and of the citizenry,” said Mr. Fatty,
noting that they were working on behalf of KMC who had the primary role of
handling the situation.
‘’This
is not a problem created by us; we were invited by KMC which has the primary
responsibility of handling this situation over the past decades. Therefore, the government is working at the
invitation of KMC but also at the interest of the relevant ministries –
Ministries of Environment, and Local government,” he explained.
Hon.
Halifa Sallah, the National Assembly member of SereKunda, advised the youths to
find peaceful resolution to the issue in a court of law than engage in violent
acts by taking matters into their own hands.
A
presidential aspirant and leader of GDC, Mama Kandeh, echoed similar
sentiments.
Rohey
Njie, the spokesperson for the Bakoteh/Manjai community, said they will be
willing to have a dialogue with the government if the latter is ready to listen
to their demands.
‘’Our
demands are for the Bakoteh dumpsite to be shut down and let them take care of
the garbage that is already there. Why would we allow garbage to come?” she
questioned.
