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By  Pa Louis Sambou    The premise of thought of most fair-minded people is no doubt that, dialogue is always preferable to anything else to the contrary. So, in principle, the concept of a National Dialogue is commendable. However, ‘a “ National Dialogue Meeting ” to what end?’, is also an equally rational question for any citizen to ask. Well, it is the question for me anyway.    With the exception of one or two whose opening statements touched on public policy subject matters, one would notice that the issues raised by all other opposition party leaders or representatives who spoke during the opening of this National Dialogue Meeting (NDM) are matters which are already within the remit and competence of the Inter Party Committee to address. As the sponsor, President Barrow’s opening remarks and speech was so unhelpfully vague as to the objective, it offered no comforting opening to the enigma at hand. So, with an unclear and undefined objective, one wonders upon what basis and again

    By Sheriff Saidykhan  Dr. Cherno Omar Barry the Deputy Executive Secretary (DES) of the Senegalo-Gambian Permanent Secretariat has said that there's need for  dialogue to quel off the on going political crisis in Senegal.  “Now there's national dialogue being called, hopefully that could be an opportunity to begin to discuss with the President to find solution. Why we are monitoring, we know there are efforts going to ensure there's peace and stability,” he said. In his interview on Coffee Time show with Peters Gomez on Tuesday, he said the Senegalo-Gambian Secretariat is aimed at ensuring peace, security and general development. As a secretariat he said they are concern of the current political instability in Senegal.  “Now if there is instability, because of the riots that are on going right now - so we are concern. Then there is a peace rupture,” said Dr. Cherno Omar Barry. He added that Gambia and Senegal shared a thinning geographical boundary. Any political crisis

    Release Over 100 leading figures led by members of The Elders and the Future of Life Institute, have issued an open letter calling on world leaders to take a bold new approach to address ‘catastrophic’ risks to humanity. The letter states that ‘long-view leadership’ is needed to tackle the ongoing impact and escalating risks of the climate and nature crisis, pandemics, nuclear weapons, and ungoverned AI. It also illustrates that millions of lives and livelihoods are already impacted by these threats and world leaders’ inaction and failure to cooperate will drive humanity toward ‘greater catastrophe’.  The Elders, including Mary Robinson, Ban Ki-moon, Graça Machel, Juan Manuel Santos, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, together with the president of the Future of Life Institute, Max Tegmark, have been joined by former leaders, Nobel Laureates, scientific experts, youth activists, business leaders, philanthropists and influential figures from across public life to urge decision-makers to embrace

    By Sheriff Saidykhan Alagie Saidy-Barrow, former TRRC Investigator has Critiqued President Macky Sall's election postponement till December 15th 2024. His pronouncement has sparked an international condemnation, calling on Macky to reconsider its decision and call for election.  In his regular Coffee Time contribution on Tuesday Alagie Barrow said the trappings of power continue to hypnotize him. “When I hear what President Macky Sall is continuing to do in Senegal I could not help but wonder if he too has reach a point of no return. The simple man among us will tell you Macky did everything according to due process. That one man can wake up and go to the TV and tell the people that he has  indefinitely suspended the election, and it means nothing to our democratic crusaders” argued.   Being President in Africa he said, can be hypnotic and mesmerizing. “Combine presidency with the unaccountable powers. And the President will get lost in the trappings of power. He will never wan

  By Sheriff Saidykhan The China-Gambia Alumni Student Association (CGASA) has over the weekend been officially launched at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Conference hall in Bijilo.  The launching brought together dignitaries, student's and people from different walks of life.  Speaking at the launching ceremony, the Minister for Higher Education Reasearch Science and Technology Professor Pierre Gomez applauded the initiative, saying it will strengthen the already enduring bilateral ties between the Republic of the Gambia and the People's Republic of China.  Seedy Njie, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly said over the past decades, the two countries have a long standing brotherly relation.  He said the association will further concretise the existing bilaties ties between Banjul and Beijing.  Lamin Ceesay, the President of the association went down memory lane to catalogued the historical background of the association.  “The Asssociation is legally registered on the 9th October

  Team Outpost The Ministry of Health in partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO) have warned the general public against the dangers of Tobacco and electronic cigarettes in the country.  It is against this backdrop, the public health officers in collaboration with National Environment Agency (NEA) have recently confiscated e-cigarettes and other illicit tobacco in accordance with the Tobacco Control ACT. Speaking at the presser held at the Central medical store in Kotu on Friday 2nd February 2024, Momodou Gassama from the World Health Organisation (WHO) said smoking is a killer product, adding that active or passive smokers all die due to smoking. He said 13 per cent of children are smokers. “Tobacco is a killer and nearly 8 million people die because of Tobacco use. 7 million actively smoke directly die. 1.2 million people die extra  because of passive smoking.  Whether you smoke actively or passively, smoking kills. 8.2 million people die every year as a result of smoking

      The Outpost Team The newly-elected executives of the Association of Health Journalists, (AoHJ) recently, paid a courtesy call to the Officials of the National Nutrition Agency, (NaNa) headed by the executive Director, Malang N. Fofana, to formally introduce themselves and as well as to forward their activity plans for the year 2024 - 2025. The executives were Sally Jarjue the President, Secretary General Ousman A. Marong, Assistance Secretary General Sheriff Saidykhan and Treasurer Bakary Manneh. Addressing the executives, the Executive Director, of NaNA, Malang N. Fofana expressed gratitude for receiving the AoHJ executives.  He assured the executives of his agency's support in all AoHJ's activities adding that there will be more capacity-building trainings for AoHJ members. “Your request for the capacity building training is in line with policies and strategies. We will work on that together. What we need is for you to formalize things and back them with a draft MoU. We