By Sainey Darboe:
He is a self-confessed ‘accidental president’, but his profligacy as a gaffe-machine is making his government the butt of savage jokes,while imperiling relations with vital allies.
While delivering the state-of-the nation address at the National Assembly yesterday, president Barrow wrongfully addressed the People’s Republic of China as Republic of China, effectively recognizing the autonomous Island of Taiwan which is seeking to break away from Beijing.
Swiftly moving to curb the fallout from the howler,the Gambian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an apology saying:
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad of the Republic of The Gambia wishes to extend its profound apologies to the Government of the People's Republic of China for the typographical error contained in the President's State of the Nation address.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs conveys its deepest regret and reassures the People's Republic of China of The Gambia's adherence and commitment to the One-China Policy and strengthening of our excellent bilateral ties”.
This is not the first time president Barrow is grabbing headlines for all the awry reasons. During a visit to China last year, President Barrow bungled a media interview in which he was pressed about ‘one China’ policy.