Diamond Properties holds press briefing

Diamond Properties will be organising a mega raffle draw branded as ‘HARR-JEH’, a Mandinka word meaning luck.

This information was revealed by the organisers at a press conference held on 6 July 2011 at Timeless Restaurant in Brusubi, West Coast Region.

Speaking at the conference, the Chief Executive Officer of Diamond Properties, Ousman Jahateh, said the raffle draw would give every Gambian the opportunity to win valuable prizes at a cost of D100 from the selling agents and selling points throughout The Gambia, to enable rural dwellers to equally benefit from the draw.

Diamond Properties was established in 2010 by two young Gambians, Ousman Jahateh and Amadou Sowe, with the aim of providing opportunity for every Gambians, particularly low in-come earners to acquire real properties.

The prizes to be won are as follows: a fully furnished 3-master bedroom house, 4x4 TIGO Vehicle, 5 air tickets to the UK or D22,000 cash, 200 winners of cash prizes of D2,500 each and 1,000 bags of rice.

There shall be weekly prizes of food items, school fees, Ramadan gifts, Tobaski gifts and Christmas gifts.

He further pointed out that apart from conducting raffle draws the estate is also offering other services such as property sales, leasing, renting, estate development, construction and property valuation.

“The Diamond Properties has employed 15 young Gambians that are working with the company and lot more who are on daily wages across the Greater Banjul area,” he said.

Part of the proceeds accrued from the raffle draw would be used to support the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital in Banjul, the National Disaster Management Agency to support flood disaster victims across the country, and 200 secondary school students and 5 UTG scholarships for one year will be awarded after the successful conclusion of the raffle draw.

According to Mr Jahateh, plans are underway to establish Green Gambia Foundation, an NGO that will support environmental-related programmes and activities, especially in waste disposal management within the urban area.

This new foundation will work with youth groups across the country in ensuring that the environment is conserved for the future generations to come, he says.

Ismaila Ceesay, Chief Executive Officer of IC German Construction Campany, says his company, established in 2006, is a partner to Diamond Properties in the area of construction.

Diamond Properties has similar vision with that of IC German Construction Company in supporting and empowering the Gambian people to improve their socio-economic development and livelihoods.

According to Mr Ceesay, IC German Construction Company builds houses, apartments, hotels and lodges at low cost out of quarry dust with only 10% of cement.

“The buildings have durability life-span of 100 years and it is built with the new technology currently used in South Africa, Europe and the Middle East, in such a way that it can resist earthquake, natural disasters and other environmental hazards,” he said.

The house that is being raffled was constructed by IC German with the latest construction technology.

With his 37-year experience in construction (mainly abroad, particular Germany), Mr Ceesay has come to join the Gambians to bring more development to the country.

In addition to his construction business, he is also engaged in agricultural activities, Mr Ceesay says, adding that his nine-hectare garden/farm in Kombo Mandinari  employs 60 women farmers working on different types of vegetables, fruits and other crops.