Dr Ismaila Ceesay: Injustice against one Gambian is an injustice against every Gambian
Dr Ismaila Ceesay, presidential aspirant under Citizens’ Alliance has called on the closure of the Golden Lead Fishmeal factory in Gunjur, saying “they are very destructive, very exploitative, they are not here for the interest of The Gambian people, they violate environmental laws, they violate labour laws, they employ our young people and pay them less than the value of their labour, they dump their waste in our seas killing our marine resources. The lives of the future generation of this country is at stake”
The Citizens’ Alliance leader was at Gunjur beach on Friday where he visited women vegetable gardens under threat from the expansion plans of the controversial Chinese owned Golden Lead fishmeal factory. Dr Ceesay told the women gardeners that he was there not only to emphertise with them, but to resist the expansion plans of Golden Lead into the vegetable gardens where these women earn their livelihood, saying: “We are going to resist, sacrifice our lives, our political careers, we’ll sacrifice everything to ensure that these women stay, not only stay but ensure that we empower them by providing them with the tools they need to do their gardening”
Dr Ceesay concluded by urging Gambians to resist what is happening in Gunjur because it is Gunjur or Kombo South who is the victim today, it could be Kombo North or Foni tomorrow, “so every Gambian must resist this injustice and nonsense”
As part of his visit to Gunjur beach, Dr Ceesay also visited the fish smoke houses which is predominantly run by women. Expressing his outrage on the condition of these women, the CA leader said:
“ We visited the smokehouse at Gunjur beach today. I could not withstand the smoke and the heat for 30 seconds. But these women live and work there. It’s where they make a living. The conditions are harsh, hazardous, and cancerous. No woman should earn a livelihood in such conditions in the 21st century. #Dignity”
It could be recalled that GunjurOnline published about the latest act of economic aggression of the owners of Golden Lead as they move to expand their factory by displacing women vegetable gardeners all of who depend on gardening for their livelihood and to pay for the education of their children from the proceeds of their garden produce.
The people of Gunjur especially the youth are at a melting point as the menace of a Chinese Fishmeal company continue unabated. We call on the relevant authorities to act, and decisively before it’s too late! The company is conieving with unscrupulous selfish individuals to continue destroying the livelihood of the community as well as continue polluting the environment as a result of their operations on the shores of Gunjur. It must stop and without any further delay.