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Gambia Gears Up For Economic Growth
Friday, 01 July 2011 00:13
(JollofNews) - As global economic slump continues, Government of The Gambia is set to implement plans paving
the way for accelerated growth and employment. The just ended 3rd Economic Forum was held from 29th-30th June, 2011 at Kairaba Beach Hotel in Kololi, under auspices of the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment. This year's summit is centred on the theme: "Developing the Productive Sectors to Accelerate Growth and Employment in the Gambia".
The year’s forum was organized in collaboration with Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Gambia Investment and Export
Promotion Agency (GIEPA), the Growth and Competitiveness Project and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Among other things the occasion aims to enhance economic growth and generate employment for poverty reduction by partnering with the private sector, civil society and development partners. Speaking about the country's economic growth, Vice-President Isatou Njie-Saidy remarked that the importance of productive capacities for economic growth and employment with consequential impact on poverty reduction is evident in the development experience of developing countries which have managed to achieve sustained and substantial poverty reduction over last 30 years. "The hallmark of their policies is that they consciously sought to promote economic growth and have done so through deliberate policies aimed at developing domestic productive capacities," she said.
While expressing a positive outlook on involved efforts geared towards investment promotion, innovation and structural transformation, Vice President Njie Saidy further noted that increased agricultural productivity, accelerated industrialization and building up of international competitiveness in trade sectors have been basic objectives pursued in a way focusing on real economy targets.
She continued "As we continue to reflect on the importance of developing productive capacities and finding ways and means of achieving that goal, it is important to note that effective interaction and dialogue between the government, private sector, NGOs, development partners and civil society plays a key role in creating a coherent policy framework and effective support measures and structures for the development of productive capacities, which is the main objective of this summit."
The UNDP 2010 Global Human Development Report has placed Gambia 151 out of169. Additionally, the Gambia Bureau of Statistics revised estimates indicate that the country's economy grew by 5.0 in 2010.
For Bai Mahtaar Drammeh, President of Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), the government's key role is to act as a regulator and to establish efficient domestic regulatory framework with national policy objectives. "Country's interest first and then market interest. This should be the operative guiding principle for Government's policies in driving economic growth," he said.
In light of on-going deliberations, the economic forum is expected to serve as platform to encourage dialogue among public, private sector and civil society for better understanding of each other’s respective roles in the development process. This would result to a genuine partnership built to harness opportunities for economic development.
Written by JollofNews
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Comments
WOW, Mike! Is that you? I really got on your nerves , didn't I? You see, Mike, the truth really hurts.
BTW, who told you I am APRC? If challenging you on all your nonsense you can't substantiate, makes me APRC, so be it.
Our modern footprint lingers everywhere.
You should see the e/mails from my APRC Gambian friends this week...who know where my footprints are well marked in Gambia.
Soriba..you are a disingenuious and disrespectful Joker.
Furthermore...you are a disgrace to the APRC.
Laugh, (at yourself) is all you can do when you are unable or unwilling to answer critical questions. I guess this is the end of our discourse. Your credibility lingers, Mike!
He's a good APRC Gambian joker.
Comment
Which “effective interaction dialogues” are being referred to here? When ALL & ANY vibrant business/es public/privately owned, are being manipulated, confiscated, monopolised, dominated & OWNED by king-syndola-D-GREEDY of kanilai?? Where did the sexed-up “5.0 growth statistics” came from, which should have impacted on the Gambian Dalasi which’s now effectively reduced to replacing the former status of the CFA/Bissau currency???
... and I am still waiting for your respons on this one.
Again, I clap my hands for the long narrative.
Mike, many Brits, many european nationals, and other nationals from all over the world are makings fortunes through business and are successfully conducting philantrophic projects in Gambia, years before and after "your" time.
So, what conditions or circumstances are different in their cases compared to your case and that your friends?
Therefore, Mike, I ask again:
- what really went wrong?
- what was in there for Mike that Mike
did or didn't get?
And please dont tell me to ask those people you supposedly helped. You are the one doing the talking here...
Lastly, tell your friends that no is forcing or begging them to come to Africa. With their type of attitude, it is Infact a blessing in disguise that they keep away.
To the best of my knowledge....all bar none returned to Britain...with no succcess in furthering there business.
Two in particular complained of losing £70,000 in one case and £120,000 in the other.
I am not one to tell there tales of woe..but the letters to me, indicate great disapointment and a complete lack of support from government.
Many have said...we will never return to Africa.
Doing business in Africa comes with great risks.
The headline.."gearing up for growth"
leaves me disilusioned.
I must give praise to the British government for there support from 2000 to 2006.
They made every effort.
Everything collapsed.
This was again highly embarressing for me.
For I had trusted the Gambian government,,,al l the way through.
After.the trade failures...there now came the sports failures.
The costs to myself...of over £200,000
are well documented.
However...I still support Gambian's and especially the online media...and journalists.
I trust this fully explains..what happened?
Did I make mistakes?
Sure...I should have gone to Spec savers.
In April 2006.
I have lettersfrom youth and sports indicating that Youth and Sports definately wanted the seats from Arsenal.
The asking price was £200,000
Arsenal agreed to donate all the seats Free of charge to Gambia.
All that was required was shipment.Y&S's were to organised payment for the shipping through Gambian offices.
I even went to Manilla to meet the IT partners there..and had already established an IT company in Venezuala
The British company...was awaiting the go ahead.
Then the Minister was removed..DR Janneh then left for the US...and the seats from Arsenal...were referred to The Office of The President.
President Jammeh replied asking I give the same support to the new Minister for Youth and Sports.
He never ever responded.
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