President Jammeh inspires private sector operators

President Yahya Jammeh has extended his government's hand of friendship and support to the Gambian private sector, describing it as “an indispensable sector in the overall development of the country”. He also promised to ensure that government continue to create an environment conducive to the growth of the sector while he advised operators to consider coming together for the purpose of consolidating their investments and prospects of increasing business relevance and profitability through the formation of joint ventures and partnerships.

The president was speaking Friday evening at the Senegambia Hotel during the GCCI 2009 Annual Dinner and Awards Night. In very equivocal terms, President Jammeh told the gathering of businessmen and businesswomen that his government needed their active, enlightened and honest participation to wards the goals laid out in the country's Vision 2020 Blueprint as well as in the direction of the numerous efforts to transform The Gambia into a city State in the shortest possible timeframe.

President Jammeh praised the organization of the event, describing it as offering an opportunity to come together to “discuss the ways forward, review and accept shortcomings and reward excellence”. The Gambian leader also said his government does not and cannot possibly regard the private sector as rivals. “We see you as partners,” he said, “partners on a journey with a common destination. A destination where poverty will be history, where destitution will be a thing of the past and where everybody will be able to live in peace and tranquility,” he said.

The president told the assembly of distinguished businesspeople that although it has been a while since he was able to grace the occasion with his presence, he has always been delighted at the convention of the GCCI Annual Dinner every year.  He also advised the country's organized private sector to give good consideration to the possibilities and prospects of creating mergers and forming joint venture and partnerships in order that more Gambian enterprises may be able to enjoy economies of scale and better competitiveness on the sub-regional, regional and global scale.

He also challenged the Gambian private sector to consider the agro-processing industry with greater attention and to make efforts to invest in the area, listing the numerous potential benefits and competitiveness that investment in this sector may hold for its investors. Among others, the president mentioned the local availability of fruits and other necessary raw materials as worthy reasons why an astute investor may foray into this area of opportunity.

Speaking earlier, Bai Mattarr Drammeh, President of the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry thanked Dr. Yahya Jammeh for honouring the event with his august presence. He also commended his league of “dedicated and committed board members as well as management committee groups” who he said, have committed enormous time and resources to assist the business community even at the expense of their own businesses.

“My mission is a very simple one,” said Mr. Drammeh. “It is to promote the business interests of our business community. To improve the business know how of its members, to consolidate operations, to get assistance to raise and manage capital, to improve cash-flow and enhance credit worthiness.”

He also praised a number of government ministries, ministers and senior functionaries for the support they have given the GCCI in its efforts and activities. “Our collaboration with government has been very fruitful to say the least. We have a very close working relationship with the Ministry of Trade, the Ministry of Finance and the New Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs under Hon. Yusupha Kah,” he said.

“We continue to receive support from Abdou Colley and we are positive that the new minister Mr. Baboucar Jallow will also open his doors anytime we find a need to consult with him. We appreciate the commitment and support we receive from the National Assembly especially the WTO committee and especially Mr. Kolley, a member of the WTO committee of the National Assembly.”

He said the entire business community is proud to be associated with the GCCI Annual Dinner and Awards which he said aims to promote and nurture business excellence, and motivate business entities to do more for the economic growth and social development. He then went further to reiterate the President's earnest call to the business community to wake up to the new realities of the changing global business landscape, which he said necessitates the coming together of entrepreneurs in the creation of joint businesses which would be larger in size and better able to compete against regional and global competitors.

“My dear colleagues in business, I want to start my statement with a note on diversity in business, as a means of survival. There is a change in world business due to the current world economics- crisis and this change is being shaped by the tides of prevailing markets conditions of the world and will affect every business especially businesses in smaller economies. However, the emerging giants of Asia and South America have positioned themselves and are promoting South-South cooperation in business. And, if Gambian businesses are to survive, we will have to embrace diversity and tolerate foreign investment.”

Watch out for details in tomorrow’s issue.