Breakdown of cranes at the Gambia Ports Authority had put the country’s pride reexport trade in serious jeopardy, informed sources told Kairo News.
“All the cranes, except one, have not been operational since August 21st,” a trusted source said. “This is the second time the machines use for offloading containers at the port. A lot of businesses and container owners have been desperately waiting for shipping vessels to dock. While some are still waiting at the crowded port, the likes of Maerskline have left with cargoes bound for the Gambia.”
Some business owners have since been wandering at the port. “They don’t know what to do with their customers who could not get their ordered goods. Some of these customers have started running out of food stuff, and started calling container owners .”
Big business owners are also worried about the slow pace of offloading at the seaport. The heavy congestion at the Gambia’s seapirt will crate shortages of staple foods and price hikes, as shipping vessels have already started charging container owners fees for the delay.
A source familiar with port services has warned the Gambia to address crane problem immediately to avoid turning the Gambia Port into a ghost town. “If you don’t fix such a problem, how can you guarantee instability caused by shortage of essential goods in the country.”
The Gambia has been heavily dependent on re-export trade to service its economy.
Ends
There are two sides of the problem, notwhitstanding the mechanical faults and the grounding of the cranes which is the result of negligence, financial mis-management and bad management, there is the re-export trade proper which lost more than 70% of its volume compared to the year 2000.
The re-export trade is gone to other coastal countries, Senegal and Guinee in particular forever. Never will these countries closer to landlock destination countries such as Mali and Bourkina Faso resort back to Banjul. Gambia has lost its economic incentives and advantages based on cheap port fees and fast turn around time for vessels. More over the harrassment foriegn businessmen face at the border post makes it another problem in addition to the distance disadvantage to destination countries.
You see when you have a STUPID and greedy president who cannot forsee all these economic problems and only interested in linning his POCKETS, this is what you get.
Banjul is in for a BRUTAL awakenning. Hope the 2million Gambians citizens will brace up and remove the PUNK head at the State House sooner than later.
Deyda, I cannot agree more with you. Reading your invaluable comments and interventions which I find devoid of political hypocrisy, naivety and religious bigotry gives me hope that there are well intentioned Gambians with clear reasoning.
My heart bleeds for our beloved country Gambia. It really pains me when everyday I see this country sinks because of a “punk head at the State House” (to borrow your words) and worst still, Gambians sit down and let him be. Yahya Jammeh will definitely not be defeated by manifestos. We have to rise up and remove this man otherwise the longer the monster stays in power we and our children are doomed. I am still surprised that after all this idiot has done to Gambians over the last 20 years, he has Ministers, religious leaders, military officers and educated people supporting him today. This man is evil and bad news to every Gambian regardless of ones tribe, religion, political affiliation, economic status etc. “Jammeh must go now” should be the prayer in every mosques and church.
Thanks Papa, it’s always a pleasure reading you.
Gambians have no other choice but to get this punk out of office soon before chaos strikes our beloved land.
Those of us on the ground are really feeling the pinch.
Deyda. …
You have “spoken” well and have identified the crux of the problem…It’s a pity that a once thriving re export sector has been destroyed beyond “repair”..
Unfortunately, the people don’t seem ready to rise up and chase this “punk” head out of town, but those who seem convinced and “ready”, are just too far away to convince the masses… leaving only the “ill prepared” and largely disadvantaged manifesto “touting” guys to do the job…
What a mess…Not convinced even prayers can solve it, but it’s worth trying…
Peace & Love….Bless to all…