Saturday 22 August | Ebrima Janneh
The owners of the Chinese Fish Meal Factory - Golden Lead who are the source of the most egregious environmental pollution in Gunjur are seen in a disturbing video wining and dining with the Gambian Minister of Fisheries James Gomez.
Amid a groundswell of disconnect in Gunjur and among other agencies about the environmental battering and aggressive depletion of local fish supply by the Golden Lead Fishmeal Factory. Our very own corrupt Minister of Fisheries - James Gomez was in the private residence of the owners of Golden Lead Factory. In front of a visibly uncomfortable Minister of Fisheries, is a glistening white table cloth groaning with mouth watering varieties of food and drinks.
The video is a big blow on the face of Gunjur and environmentalists groups fighting the scourge of environmental degradation caused by the pollution of Chinese Golden Lead Factory.
No doubt the Chinese owners were seen smiling from ear to ear, in effect, telling the people of Gunjur that no matter your empty noise making, we have one of your Les Grosses Legumes - The Big Vegetables in the name of the Minister of Fisheries in our pocket.
The blight of lack of leadership and corruption is the problem that is crippling our country into the bottomless abyss of poverty. Bribery and corruption becomes a way of life for some of our public officials, alas. This, incurably debased their commitment to the common good of their polity.
Shame on the Fisheries Minister - James Gomez, shame on the Gambia government if they refused to address head on this blatantly display of bribery and corruption. The Fisheries Minister has compromised himself for openly siding with the owners of Golden Lead Factory when there is a court case against the company still ongoing. Conflict of interest? Most definitely.
It is time for the people of Gunjur to stop their factional schisms, get their acts together and start fighting in one voice against pollutions, exploitation and denigration of the people of Gunjur by the notorious Chinese Fish Meal Factory - Golden Lead owners.
The compromised leader like the Minister of Fisheries in the Gambia is not interested in our agonies, health, environment and life as long as their insatiable appetites are partially being wet by largesse given to them by Chinese interest.
Down with corruption, down with exploitation, down with pollution, down with bad leadership and down with stooges of exploiter. And down with oppressive silence in the face of bribery and corruption.