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Momodou
Denmark
11833 Posts |
 Posted - 27 Jun 2007 : 23:27:03
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Foroyaa Editorial
THREATS TO STRIKE ARE THE EARLY WARNING SIGNALS TO RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENTS
THE VOICES OF WORKERS AND PENSIONERS NEED TO BE HEARD
After the National Assembly reviewed the gratuity of Secretaries of State and National Assembly members, Foroyaa wished to remind the SoS for Finance that the review of the earnings of pensioners should follow with immediacy. Anybody having a family who is earning less than 1 dollar a day is living in abject poverty.
Furthermore, the pensioners are entitled to freedom of association. They can create an umbrella National Pensioners Association to articulate their concerns and promote the interest of their members.
Foroyaa welcomes the news that the declaration issued by the Dock and Maritime Workers Union asking the GPA to revoke their plan to terminate the services of their members by the end of July has been heeded by the government.
The ABC’s of democracy are steadily being learned by all sectors of Gambian society. Undemocratic governments always see an organised people as a threat. Democratic governments, however, see people organised into associations as instruments for ensuing transparency, accountability, justice and peace.
In short, democracy can only be guaranteed in a country if there are Associations of persons with the aim of protecting the just interests of members. This helps democratic governments to formulate just policies and receive feedbacks regarding their implementation.
It is increasingly becoming clear that political associations in the form of political parties are just one form of Association. Most people have always looked up to political parties to fight for social justice.
This has been so because of the failure to build democratic associations that can look after the day to day concerns of their members.
Once such associations are mature and organised they will be able to negotiate with democratic and competent governments to address the concerns of their members and work to replace governments which are insensitive to their concerns.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 74/2007, 27-28 June 2007
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11833 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jun 2007 : 23:31:14
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DOCK WORKERS AND GPA
“Security Heads Intervene”
By Yaya Dampha
The security heads have decided to pour oil on trouble waters by engaging the dock workers and the management of the GPA in a dialogue with a view to settle their problem.
This meeting came in the wake of the decision of the dock workers to embark on strike if the management of the Ports terminate their services as planned.
The GPA recently wrote a letter to the dock workers and informed them that their services will be terminated by the 31 of July. The dock workers later called a press conference and chided the management of the ports.
The dock workers have stated, among other things that they are not employees of the GPA; that they are recruited by the commissioner of labour and they work alongside the GPA.
Speaking to this reporter shortly after their meeting at the Ministry of Interior, the dockworkers said SoS Sonko had advised the stakeholders to handle the matter with care. They said SoS Sonko had also asked them to call off their strike and further told the management of GPA to write back to them (dockworkers) and informed them that they have cancelled the termination of their services.
They said the Inspector General of Police, Benedict Jammeh also asked a Manager at the Ports Mr. Jobarteh as to who appoints dockworkers. They said Mr. Jobarteh said that the dockworkers are not employees of the GPA. They said the IGP then opined that their services cannot be terminated by the GPA.
The secretary general of the Dock Workers Mr. Landing Sanyang commended the SoS for Interior, Director General of NIA and the IGP. He said they have played the role of peace makers and called on them to convince the GPA to cooperate and abide by what was recommended.
Sanyang said the dockworkers will wait for the GPA to write and inform them that they have cancelled the move to terminate their services.
Pa Kebba, an adviser to the dockworkers, called on the members to respect what was agreed at their meeting with the security heads. He however stressed that if the GPA did not honour what was said, they too will have no choice but to embark on a strike. He commended the security heads, who, according to him, have told the GPA the truth.
He said they have all agreed that since dockworkers are not employees of the ports, then they cannot terminate their services.
The dockworkers said the meeting was attended by the Interior SoS, Commissioner of Labour, GPA Managers, PS Works and Infrastructure, Director of Administration at Ports, DPS Trade and DG National Intelligence Agency.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 74/2007, 27-28 June 2007 |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jun 2007 : 11:06:54
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| things are coming to a halt slowly and surely |
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| Bantaba in Cyberspace |
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