A
delegation of Gambians living in Norway and their Norwegian and Bulgarian
partners interested in investing in The Gambia have called on His Excellency
President Adam Barrow on Friday morning.
In
her introduction, the Minister of Trade, Regional Integration, Industry and
Employment (MOTRIE), Honourable Dr Isatou Touray, said the visiting team was on
a scoping mission but added they were pleased with what they had discovered in
the country.
A
Gambian resident in Norway and an activist, Ndey Jobarteh, said The Gambia did
not exploit the Scandinavian opportunities and it is time to engage the
Norwegians.
She
briefed the president of the activities they did to prepare the visiting team
and the immediate actions, taken during the visit to support the health and
energy sectors amongst others.
She
expressed the urgency to work on bilateral relations between the governments of
The Gambia and Norway.
Another
Norwegian born Gambian, Mamadi Ceesay, managing director of a Norwegian Gambian
organisation, Norga, said they sell the best of two worlds that is The Gambia
and Norway.
He
further divulged their plans to work on a Norwegian model to encourage The
Gambia to work with specialists so that it can eventually sustain its own
development.
Their
plan includes to create jobs for one thousand youths throughout the country as
they work towards their target of five thousand youths.
Omar
Badjie of the Ministry of Trade gave a brief of the engagements of the
Norwegian and Bulgarian delegation with the different sectors.
He
reported that the team was impressed with the potential found in The Gambia,
after visiting the hospital, the team immediately committed to send two
containers to support the hospital and also commit to send biomedical engineers
to provide technical support in the operation and maintenance of the
machines.
They
also pledged to provide generator for the immediate needs of NAWEC while they
work with the Ministry of Energy on long term renewable energy sources for
rural Gambia.
Other
sectors of interest to the team are tourism, construction and agriculture
including plans to revive the groundnut milling plant at Denton Bridge (Saroo.)
In
his response, H.E. President Barrow said he was pleased and proud that Gambians
are answering his call to rebuilding The Gambia.
He
asserted that the past twenty-two years was difficult and it was risky to be
political candidate.
The
president appreciated the efforts of Gambians and how they compromised
everything for the change to take place.
He therefore called for all to work hard for the change to reflect on
the people.
The
president commended the Gambians in Norway as ambassadors for their country,
and said all Gambians are now free to return home.
He
reiterated that they fought for the change based on the principles of
democracy, and he said with democracy, there will be respect for human rights
and rule of law.
He
appreciated the efforts by the Ministry of Trade working with the other
relevant ministries to reduce the bureaucracy which led to signing of
Memorandum of Understanding with the partners. Time is important and his
government is ready to do business.
President
Barrow informed them of the challenges inherited including what he described as
“a broken economy and the former government work on ‘pay as you go’ taking soft
loans for three months to fix things and went back to the same cycle.”
On
the structural changes at his office, President Barrow shared the changes they
have done to decongest the Office of the President by reassigning the different
portfolios to the right line ministries.
He
elaborated on the targets set in the various sectors, top on the agenda is for
the energy to have short term measures in the first six months and have a long
term solution to solve the energy crises.
On
tourism, they plan to have a year round tourism which would include marketing
The Gambia to bring back the Scandinavians who used to be one of Gambia’s main
targets for the tourism sector.
President
Barrow concluded that when there is development, then democracy will thrive
forever and called on all to join in nation building.
The
visiting team included Mr Ba Jabbie of Norga; Gambian Activists in Norway, Ndey
Jobarteh and Neneh Bojang, a legal practitioner and other Norwegian and
Bulgarian investors.
Source:
Office of The President
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