GRTS radio has announced the arrival of a consignment of donated Japanese rice at the port of Banjul. The rice has been coming in consignment since 2004. It is donated to The Gambia by Japanese government, through its agency, JICA, Japanese International Cooperation Agency.
Though the donation is meant for alleviating food poverty in the country, most of the rice is sold to Government civil servants and ruling party militants. The rice that use to come in 25 kg bags, will now come 30 kg ones. The rice which is popular with people here, is to be sold at D250 per bag. Proceeds from "the sales will be paid in a special account said to be meant for meeting costs in the agricultural sector.
There is no famine in the Gambia. The money paid by civil servants and "party militants" (the usual euphemism for political thug is "party stalwart" so I am surprised at the forthrightness of the writer) will go to a special account, but they are buying the rice at a subsidized price and can earn more by selling the rice on the market. Japan is subsidizing political thuggery in Africa.
More:
What really is going on in the Gambia?
from the New York Times:
U.S. Suspends Development Aid to Gambia
By CELIA W. DUGGER
Published: June 17, 2006
The Millennium Challenge Corporation, an American aid agency that provides large grants to well-governed poor countries, suspended Gambia's eligibility, citing a sharp deterioration in press freedom, political rights and anti-corruption efforts. As elections near, the government has barred opposition parties from holding public gatherings and has arrested opposition leaders, according to Freedom House, a research group the aid agency relies on for country evaluations.
Think about that. There are some regimes even the Bush administration won't subsidize but that Japan's Liberal Democrat administration will. What are they getting for their money? A vote on the International Whaling Commission? A contract for Toyota? Support for their permanent UN Security Council Seat?
Here's another story about it:
Gambia: Japan Gives 3814 Tons of Rice to Gambia
The Daily Observer (Banjul) May 24, 2006
Alhagie Jobe
The Japanese government, through the Japanese Food Aid Programme for The Gambia, yesterday handed over 3814 tons of rice to the government of the Gambia at a ceremony held at the Gambia Ports Authority warehouse in Banjul.
The Japanese Food Aid Programme aims at ensuring food self-sufficiency which is a key factor for socio-economic development. It also aims at helping Gambians to satisfy their basic needs and improve their living conditions.
The provision of this rice is the result of a grant agreement amounting to 180 million Yen amounting to D450 million between the two countries signed on 25 April 2005 within the framework of a food aid program, which is one of the priority fields of the Japanese cooperation in The Gambia.
Handing over the rice, Mr Hisanobu Hasama, Consular at the Japanese embassy, representing the Japanese Ambassador to The Gambia, said the 3814 tons of rice are offered to The Gambia in order to meet the basic needs of the Gambian people. He said being aware of the difficulties faced by the Gambia government in ensuring food self-sufficiency in the country, the Japanese government has been extending food aid in a regular manner for the purpose of improving the living conditions of the Gambian populations.
Mr Hasama said the government of the Gambia can realise socio-economic projects by utilising the counterpart fund which would be constituted by the Gambian authorities. He expressed hope that the project of the provision of agricultural support service approved by the government of Japan last year shall give the maximum of benefit to the Gambian population.
Mr Hasama then reconfirmed that this food Aid programme is a symbol of solidarity and friendship between the two countries noting that the government of Japan is willing to support as much as possible The Gambia's self-reliance efforts aimed at meeting socio-economic and sustainable development. He expressed hoped that the food aid will promote and strengthen the excellent relations already existing between the two countries and called on the authorities to make sure that the rice is distributed as soon as possible.
In receiving the rice on behalf of the Gambia Government, Yankuba Touray, secretary of state for Agriculture, said the latest gift is the third time that the government and people of Japan are giving such aid under the Kennedy Round (KR) programme, to The Gambia. He said the assistance is welcome owing to the fact that rice is the staple food of this country and always in high demand. He said as agreed with the Japanese government, proceeds from the sale of the rice will be lodged in a seperate account at the Central Bank of The Gambia meant exclusively for counterpart funds for KR 2004 which he said will be seperated from the account of KR 2003.
SoS Touray added that as agreed with the government of Japan, bank statements will be submitted regularly to the government of Japan for confirmation of the deposits of funds in the Central Bank of The Gambia noting that proposals for the utilisation of the counterpart fund have been approved by the embassy of Japan in Dakar and proceeds for the sale of consignments of rice will be utilised for funding the country's ongoing agricultural improvement programmes.
SoS Touray thanked the Government and Japan for the assistance which he said will help the Gambia address the issue of food security at the household level "but concomitantly will allow The Gambia to mitigate the key constraints facing the agricultural sector through the implementation of our agricultural improvement programme." He assured the Japanese government that the rice will reach all Gambian households and the proceeds of the monetisation process will be utilised soley for the intended purpose.
The ceremony was chaired by Badara Loum, permanent secretary at the department of state for Agriculture.
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