Geology Director Declines to Comment on Sand Minin

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Geology Director Declines to Comment on Sand Minin

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Momodou

Denmark
11742 Posts

Posted - 24 Jun 2011 : 14:45:49

Geology Director Declines to Comment on Sand Mining
By Bakary Jammeh
24-06-11

The Director of the Department of Geology yesterday, Thursday 23 June 2011, declined to answer to questions posed by this reporter on the sand mining at Sanyang.

As a result of complaints by truck drivers, sand dealers and contractors, and claims by officials at the Sanyang quarry that they were working for the Geology Department this reporter went to the Geology Department at Kanifing close to the Gambia Hotel School to seek clarification. When he asked for the Director he was directed to his office where he met him. The director asked him to write his questions and this reporter wrote the following questions:
He asked the Director who is the right authority responsible for the sand mine. He also asked him why the same priority is not given to all trucks as claimed by the drivers and sand dealers.
This reporter further asked the Director what requirements truck drivers must fulfill before they are allowed to load sand from the Quarry. He was asked how much is paid before a ten wheel truck is loaded; how much for six wheel truck.
This reporter did ask the director who owns the orange trucks. He was also asked why the orange trucks are not loaded at the same place as the other trucks in the quarry.
The Director in response asked this reporter to go and tell his Manager to follow the right Government procedures if he wants to know any thing concerning the questions raised.
Prior to meeting the Director this reporter had returned to the Tujereng and Sanyang Quarries on Monday 20th June 2011, where he had met the man who had earlier told him that he was an official of the area council. The man made it clear on Monday that he is the one who made a mistake by saying that they were officials of the council when in fact they work for the Department of Geology.
Fakebba Senghore who is working at the site declined to say anything other than admitting that the Geology Department, which is under the office of the President is the rightful authority responsible for sand mining.
Yet another official said he cannot talk about who owns the orange trucks as that is not part of their responsibility but to issue receipts to drivers after loading sand.
Truck drivers, sand dealers and construction workers have all bitterly complained to this reporter that it is becoming unprofitable for them to continue with the sand business as some of the orange trucks are occupying most of the sites where one could get quality sand. They added that the income they used to derive from the sand business has declined after the orange trucks took over the quarry.
According to them, the orange trucks are given special treatment and no other truck is given access to get sand there other than those orange trucks. They added that the drivers of the other trucks would spend all their time on the queue before they could load the sand as they are often relocated to where mining of black sand is taking place.
A driver who prefers anonymity said they were relocated to the black sand mining area and they had to wait for the machine which separates the black sand from the white sand before they are allowed to load the remaining white sand. He said he does not know why the same priority is still not given to all of them.
Also speaking to this reporter a driver who met with this reporter at the quarry said the sand at Tujereng is of poor quality and even there it was closed on Friday 18th June. He said though presently the sand from Sanyang is of good quality, he was surprised why all the trucks are not given the same priority.

Lamin Bojang a truck driver added that it is difficult to say it, but that it is difficult for them to derive the little income they used to get from the business as they are blocked by the orange trucks.
He added that lack of equal access to the quarries at Sanyang where the quality sand is available has made it difficult for them to feed their families.
New Developments
This reporter visited the Tujereng sand Quarry on Monday 20th June 2011 to find out as to who is the right authority responsible for the sand mining but found out that the site was closed for sand mining and they were relocated to the new site at Sanyang Village where the orange trucks are said to be loading sand from. Further investigation will be done on this new development.

Source: Foroyaa

A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone

toubab1020

12312 Posts

Posted - 24 Jun 2011 : 14:54:01

A lot confusion here,"mistakes" ORANGE TRUCKS not YELLOW TRUCKS and again, NO PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY TAKEN BY ANYBODY ,Gambia really should get its act together and talk clearly about problems,but there again where confusion reigns nothing can change,assuming of course that change is wanted.

"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.

Edited by - toubab1020 on 24 Jun 2011 14:57:23

Momodou

Denmark
11742 Posts

Posted - 24 Jun 2011 : 15:04:41

No one wants to say who owns the Orange/yellow trucks because they don't want to be accused of giving false information.

A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone

toubab1020

12312 Posts

Posted - 24 Jun 2011 : 15:06:25

Good Observation Momodou

hadn't thought of that

maybe there will be a paragraph in the D.O. soon ? But what if ALL trucks were to be repainted in Yellow and Orange that would make things clear wouldn't it

"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.

Edited by - toubab1020 on 24 Jun 2011 15:11:05

kobo

United Kingdom
7765 Posts