By Mariama Jallow
The Chinese Embassy in The Gambia on 5 December, handed over five vehicles to the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC), at a ceremony held at the Council’s Head office in Kanifing.The vehicles comprised two skip trucks, two pickup trucks and one SUV {Sport utility vehicle}.
The aim of this Chinese benevolence, as Mansa Banko gathered, is to assist the Municipal Council further strengthen it’s capacity in emergency response and in providing quality services to it’s residents.
The two skip trucks are for domestic use, in that, they are expected to be utilized for collection of wastes from the localities, while the other two pickup trucks are meant for use by the municipal police unit of KMC. The Sport utilty vehicle is said to be earnarked for the Council’s Administration.
His Excellency Ambassador Ma Jianchun, who is apparently impressed with the Council’s new dispensation,described KMC as the economic centre and most populous “city” in The Gambia.
He opined that under the leadership of Mayor Ahmad Talib Bensouda, the Kanifing Municipality has been developing fast, and people’s living standards had been improved continuously.
“The gesture is to assist the Municipal Council further strengthen it’s capacity in emergency response and in providing quality services to it’s residents. And to complement the efforts by the Council and the Kanifing people in creating cleaner and better urban environment,” stated the Chinese chief diplomat in the country.
Ma Jianchun also alluded to the long-standing partnership and friendly ties between the Asian giant and this small West African nation. He recollected that the Independence Stadium in Bakau was granted and built by China in 1984. The Ambassador further cast his mind back to the city-to-city exchange frequently carried out in the 1980s, between Kanifing and one of the Chinese cities.
The diplomat held the view that, “KMC is a place full of passion, dynamism and hope”, noting that over the past year, one of the most prominent phenomena he has noticed, is that “the city {Municipality} has become much cleaner and more organized”. And, that cleaning exercises have been constantly initiated and carried out, while sanitation vehicles have been busy circulating on the streets.
He expressed hope that the donated vehicles would contribute to the work of KMC and the daily lives of the people in the Kanifing municipality.
In receiving the vehicles, the Lord Mayor of KMC returned gratitude to the Embassy of China, but he told his audience the gesture wasn’t a surprise as it’s not the first time the Chinese government had been offering gifts to the people of the Gambia.
Mayor Bensouda said since the 1970s to 1980s, The Gambia had learned a lot and benefited a lot, from the people of China.
The KMC boss described China as a country that sees other developing countries as partners, and help them in moving forward. He also informed the ceremony that since his assumption of office, the Chinese have taken six councilors and five of his staff, on capacity building training.
Bensouda termed KMC as a young energetic Council that is trying to move forward and give the best of services to its people. He is optimistic that the donated vehicles would enable his Council achieves considerable success in the areas of sanitation, maintenance of peace and order; and in ensuring that the administration is well-equipped and efficient to the needs of the people.
The Mayor reassured the Chinese people that KMC’s doors are always open to them for partnership. He also promised that the vehicles would be put into good use.
