The
Gambia Golf Association (GGA) has postponed all its meetings and tournaments in
2020, including the 2020 Gambia Open which is due to take place later this
month as the world’s scientists work on finding a cure for the covis-19 in the
coming months.
Presently, the corona virus pandemic is
affecting every country, community and household day by day, hour by hour.
On
17 March 2020, The Gambia recorded its first and to date, the only case of
corona virus so far.
The
Gambia Golf Association (GGA) is encouraging everyone to heed the World Health
Organisation’s recommendations on hygiene and safety, as strictly as possible,
in order to contain the virus and protect the most vulnerable people in our
societies.
“GGA
regrets to inform our Members, Partners, Fellow Golfers and Sponsors, that due
to the unabated “stealth transmission” of corona virus across the world”, it said.
The
decision followed the National Sports Council’s prudent decision of ordering
the postponement of all sporting activities in The Gambia, as well as urging
the closure of sporting facilities with immediate effect.
According
to GGA, “together we can fight the corona virus scourge, especially if
everybody takes individual responsibility for our public health and safety.”
The
2020 Gambia Open golf tournament had been set to be organised by The Gambia
Golf Association (GGA), in partnership with Fajara Club at the Fajara Club Golf
Course from 25-29 March 2020.
The
Gambia Open is an international event, which is also the Gambia’s national
championship event for golf. The tournament was dedicated to the memory of Sir
Dawda Kairaba Jawara, GGA’s first Chief Patron, who died peacefully aged 95 at
his home in Fajara, on Tuesday 27 August 2019.
Sir
Dawda’s personal contribution and that of his government, to the game of golf
in The Gambia is unparalleled. Therefore, it is befitting that the first Gambia
Open Golf Tournament following his death, is dedicated to his memory, said GGA
ahead of the tournament.
The
late Sir Dawda was a keen golfer and used to compete regularly in the Hassan II
Golf Trophy in Rabat, Morocco.
In
his autobiography KAIRABA, Sir Dawda stated that he was introduced to the game
of golf in 1962, thanks to the persistence of J.P. Bray, the last British
holder of the post of superintendent of the then Gambia Police, also known as
the Gambia Constabulary.
Sir
Dawda Kairaba Jawara was a trained veterinary surgeon and Gambian politician,
who served as the first Prime Minister from 1965 to 1970, and then as the first
President of The Gambia, from 1970 to 1994.
Both
of Sir Dawda’s surviving wives, a few of his children and some of his
grandchildren also took up the game of golf. One of his sons Ebrima, is a
founding member of the GGA and is currently the association’s president.
Since
its inception in 2009 as the National Governing Body for Golf in The Gambia,
the GGA has regularly held tournaments and has since paid out almost GMD1.2
million in professional prize money.
