By MuhammedSailu Bah Information from GPA sources indicates that the Board has reviewed the decision of the US Coast Guard to impose conditions of entry on vessels arriving from the Gambia. The notice was issued on Monday, 22 June by the United States Government authorising their Coast Guard to impose conditions of entry as from 6 July on vessels arriving in U.S. waters from Gambian ports due to the latter’s failure to maintain effective anti-terrorism measures, the Gambia Ports Authority (GPA) management was approached, as the most appropriate institution regarding the matter, for their response to this new development. When this reporter visited the GPA head office in Banjul on Tuesday to know what the official Gambian position is regarding the sanctions and how the authorities intend to engage the US officials in addressing the issue, he was directed to Mr. Ansumana Gibba, the Public Relation Officer (PRO). However the GPA PRO confirmed that he is aware of the issue which he read in the newspapers but cannot dwell on it. He suggested that the reporter meets with the managing director but who was said to be on a board meeting at the time. The managing director’s Secretary took his contact details and promised to deliver the request for an interview. When the reporter returned yesterday, he was told by the Secretary that the response of the managing director was that the matter has been discussed and that a press release will be issued in due course. ]]>
