 |
|
| Author |
 Topic  |
|
Janko
Gambia
1267 Posts |
 Posted - 21 Sep 2008 : 00:38:37
|
I was talking to a friend yesterday who is very concern about landownership in the Gambia today. He is not only worried about the prices being pushed to a limit unaffordable by ordinary citizens but also fears that Gambia could one day be like Zimbabwe, S. Africa etc where most of the land is owned by few none Gambians.
Is his fear conceivable or schizophrenic, should there be a strict control mechanism over who owns land or is it good as it is, or the control could be better then it is?
|
Clean your house before pointing a finger ... Never be moved by delirious Well-wishers in their ecstasy |
|
|
turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 21 Sep 2008 : 02:19:58
|
as gambians require the capital for business, they have to sell their land to foreigners. That is a capital transfer from outside to the gambia. that is the economic reality. that is not any different from any other country. since gambia does not have any established economic assets like Turkey that seem selling everything from mobile operator to the mining company or even ports, the only way to get capital from foreign is to sell the land.
but off course the concern above is not paranoi but valid. gambian government is not capable of making smart decision as they do not have skills of managing the country.
Land ovnership may have some restriction for foreigners. For example long term leasing options. Most brits buy land but they don't care if that is an investment opportunity. For example, i may be interested in land as an investment because i have eternal link with gambia, my daughter and relatives. But, typical british or european just want to settle there for long term. So, long term land lease can be option. I am sure many brits would like to lease land for next 10 or 20 years but at the end, they give up the land. Government can regulate the leasing alternative.
They may limit the size of land being sold to foreigners i.e. 1000 m² or less for residential purposes. 2000m² for cottage in country side.
what else? |
diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
 |
|
|
Janko
Gambia
1267 Posts |
Posted - 21 Sep 2008 : 11:40:27
|
turk
I hear you.....
What is the say of contributing brothers and sisters; kayjatta, Santanfara, dbaldeh, dalton1, Karamba, kaanibaa, kondorong, Njucks, shaka,Nyarikangbanna and all the great minded brothers and sisters herein, what’s your say.
|
Clean your house before pointing a finger ... Never be moved by delirious Well-wishers in their ecstasy |
|
|
|
Santanfara
3460 Posts |
Posted - 21 Sep 2008 : 14:02:53
|
Janko, this is a very patinent topic, a very vital one. i have reported about this issue a while ago. our folks are selling strategic lands to westerners for the money that they spend without even knowning it. it may make some commercial sense for a few but for many it doesn't.
our lands to us is like what the native red indian chief in America told the new white settlers, i can't remember his whole statement but he stated that "land to us is our mother. we have our ancestors burried in it, we live by it and we worship it." this might not be the case for Gambians but what is true is the fact our country is too small, and selling-off the lands means potential problems in the future topic more.
Janko, the man who wantd to buy your friends land is crazy i think. we need to discuss this topic more. |
Surah- Ar-Rum 30-22
"And among His signs is the creation of heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colours. verily, in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge." Qu'ran
www.suntoumana.blogspot.com |
|
|
|
Santanfara
3460 Posts |
Posted - 21 Sep 2008 : 14:12:29
|
quote:
Originally posted by Janko
turk
I hear you.....
What is the say of contributing brothers and sisters; kayjatta, Santanfara, dbaldeh, dalton1, Karamba, kaanibaa, kondorong, Njucks, shaka,Nyarikangbanna and all the great minded brothers and sisters herein, what’s your say.
A native American quote about land janko. quiet interesting.
http://www.ilhawaii.net/~stony/quotes.html
"One does not sell the land people walk on." ...
Crazy Horse, Sept. 23, 1875
Luther Standing Bear Oglala Sioux
1868-1937
"The American Indian is of the soil, whether it be the region of forests, plains, pueblos, or mesas. He fits into the landscape, for the hand that fashioned the continent also fashioned the man for his surroundings. He once grew as naturally as the wild sunflowers, he belongs just as the buffalo belonged...."
Canassatego
"We know our lands have now become more valuable. The white people think we do not know their value; but we know that the land is everlasting, and the few goods we receive for it are soon worn out and gone."
|
Surah- Ar-Rum 30-22
"And among His signs is the creation of heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colours. verily, in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge." Qu'ran
www.suntoumana.blogspot.com |
|
|
|
njucks
Gambia
1131 Posts |
Posted - 21 Sep 2008 : 16:48:53
|
quote:
Originally posted by Janko
.... to a limit unaffordable by ordinary citizens but also fears that Gambia could one day be like Zimbabwe, S. Africa etc
that will never happen here. firstly unless i am wrong there are only two type of land ownership in the gambia.
customary ownership, where you have to be an indigene, member of a village, kabilo etc and the land falls within the local system with the kabilo/Alkali administering it.
second, once land is transfered from customary ownership to a private individual, i.e a sale, it has to be registered with the State and a Lease obtained.
the word lease is self explanatory. it is only leased to you for a period say 99 yrs.
i'm sure the majority of the land sales is from one gambian to another |
|
|
|
Janko
Gambia
1267 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2008 : 00:30:29
|
"...the word lease is self explanatory. it is only leased to you for a period say 99 yrs..."
99 years, that’s two lifetimes and that piece of land would never return to cultivation, secondly the lease is extendable.... forever. The gardens are getting smaller and smaller and that is not due to population increase.
To be continued …….
|
Clean your house before pointing a finger ... Never be moved by delirious Well-wishers in their ecstasy |
|
|
|
turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2008 : 05:45:17
|
that reminds me my old town in Turkey. We had a small town called silivri that has agriculture as the main activity. As migration started many eastern turks migrate to the our town, first we, natives of the town, had better situation as land owners. Later, because of demand or openning business, we started selling our land. Of course we got capital, some of natives of the land did good investment and grow as industrialist or trader but many sold their land and spend the money on consumption instead of investment, they lost everything. Now, in our town, the people who migrated years ago running all the business. Natives are less significant players in economic activity.
Typical tourist would have the land and live maybe only portion of the year. There may not be any agricultural work or noone lives in the land big portion of the year. A typical gambian would have a compound and live with many in that land or there would be some kind of agricultural activity. So now land is not used as resident or economic activity. If the gambian selling the land did not have good investment and spend on consumption, that will have very very bad impact on the gambians. No wonder everytime I go to gambia, it looks gambia is getting better, but in general people are becaming poorer. The small percentage of people would have western wealth standards but larger population got screwed because of income is distribution is not fair.
|
diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
|
|
|
kayjatta
2978 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2008 : 08:07:32
|
I do not think there is anything to worry about this, janko. people should sell their land to others who has the capital to put it into better use. It is no good to the economy to hold onto a piece of land you cannot develop. Land is a means of production, therefore it must be put to its optimum use within the limits of the environment.
Besides, ultimately the government has the power of emminent domain... |
|
|
|
njucks
Gambia
1131 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2008 : 10:20:53
|
quote:
Originally posted by kayjatta
............................. power of emminent domain
in fact these are the words i was looking for. Emminent domain. All land becomes to the State. we only get leaases from it. after the lease period you will have to seek permission for a new lease.
|
|
|
|
kayjatta
2978 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2008 : 10:32:47
|
| There you go, buddy ... |
|
|
|
Janko
Gambia
1267 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2008 : 14:34:50
|
You are right Kay, “It is no good to the economy to hold onto a piece of land you cannot develop.” That would depend on the kind of development, if any at all; turning the land into a good means of production or from being productive to none productive is the question.
Ironically more than 90% of these lands are used for residential purposes not industrial or productive in any way. As turk said, most of the income generated from these land sales is used for consumption and not investment, and at the end of the day less land is left for cultivation and thereby poverty is increased.
|
Clean your house before pointing a finger ... Never be moved by delirious Well-wishers in their ecstasy |
|
|
|
kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2008 : 19:41:40
|
I think the biggest threat is not who owns the land but what its used for. Given that a latge number of these plots are held in small pieces, is a threat to commercial agriculture and food self sustainance programmes. Most of these plots are still undeveloped.
Njuks
There is another type of land ownership which is called Sates Lands. These are lands that are not leased or customary. They are not leased because it belongs to the state. Only when the sate disposes it off can an issue of lease come it. However, state land cannot be converted as a free hold. It belongs to the state and the can by a proclamation, take over a given land. This is is the case for all lands from Banjul to Kombo St. Mary's Division. Beyond that its customary law and rightly, eminent domain can be used even in the provinces.
The land owenership in the Gambia still folows the colonial ordinances and because Banjlu and the Kombo St. Marys first became part of the Colony and the Protectorate followed later, our land issues still follow that pattern up to today. Even after independence, the issue of a colony and protectorate cannot be eradicated from our minds.
State lands can be given to nationals at fees of less than D300.00 unless the rules have changed mainly to to civil servants. Kotu was assigned in this way for less than D100.00 per plot to cover survey fees and the seal at the AG's Chambers. However, under the law, a livable dwelling must be erected within 2 years of allocation. By the way recent sales of state lands have gone through the roof to D150,000.00 around Old Yundum. State lands are also leased for 99 years.
This is how many got lands in Kotu after 1994 when they "seized" lands previously allocated but undeveloped by Civil servants.
These seizures did not break the law of the land but the allocation is suspect beacuse as public property, they should be open to the public. Those who were smart enough built a single room house on their plots and as such have qualified to hold on their land beacuse a livable dwelling was erected.
Customary lands are not required to be leased but must now be registered with the Area Council and signed off by the Alkalo and the Chief and the Local Government Officer(LGO). Income tax must be paid.
The difference between a lease and and a Free hold is that, under a lease, whenver eminent domain in invoked by the state, the land owner is accroded full protection and MUST be compensated the to the True Market Value of the land because the state has broken its own contract with the land owner. In a free hold, its more or less based on what good negotiating skills one brings to bear and ofcourse politacl considerations.
So lease your land even if you live in Yoro Bawol because guess what, when the petroleaum comes up, leased hold property owners might be laughing all the way to the bank.
|
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
|
|
|
shaka
996 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2008 : 19:58:06
|
| If almost all of the the nation's green belt is sold of to real estate, i am surprised there any sought after land left. Is the president's call for back-to-the-land feasible when almost all arable land are sold off not for agricultural purposes but real eastate or grabbed for the president's personal business?. If this trend continues Gambia will be importing up to 95% of it food for consumption in the very near future. Land is sold in this small nation as if the country is the size of Nigeria or as green as Congo. There is no smart business in disposing of limited arable land to real estate. What this government is doing is simply criminal. I don't want to be a doom prophet but this tiny nation's future looks very gloomy indeed. |
|
|
|
kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2008 : 21:39:06
|
Shaka
I cantt agree more. Arable lands are now being converted to residential hosusings. Infact i am as sure as there is death that almost all the land from Bijilo to Kartong have mainly been designated agricultural lands by the previous Government. The owners now apply to change the designation to residential. I think that should be looked into. |
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
|
|
|
shaka
996 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2008 : 22:22:33
|
Kons i worry for this small country. By the time this greedy and clueless government is done with us, even vultures and hyenas would not want to dwell in Gambia, for there will be nothing left for them.quote:
Originally posted by kondorong
Shaka
I cantt agree more. Arable lands are now being converted to residential hosusings. Infact i am as sure as there is death that almost all the land from Bijilo to Kartong have mainly been designated agricultural lands by the previous Government. The owners now apply to change the designation to residential. I think that should be looked into.
|
|
|
|
Topic |
|
|
|
| Bantaba in Cyberspace |
© 2005-2024 Nijii |
|
|
|
Topic Locked
