By MUHAMMED S. BAH
The National Assembly members on Monday 5 December 2016 moved a motion of solidarity and condolence to Fidel Castro the 
former Revolutionary leader of Cuba who died on the 25th November 2016 at the age of 90.
The motion was tabled before the National Assembly members by the Hon. Speaker Abdoulie Bojang which was later moved by the deputy speaker Fatou Mbye and seconded by the Majority leader Hon. Fabakary Tombong Jatta.
In moving the Motion Hon. Deputy Speaker Fatou Mbye referred to Fidel Castro as a man of Honour and dignity.
“The demise of former leader Fidel Castro is a great loss to The Gambia, because he was a friend, a comrade, sincere and reliable friend to the outgoing president of the Republic of The Gambia and Gambians at large,” she remarked.
Hon. Mbye highlighted some of the assistance Fidel Castro rendered to the Gambia since the advent of the July 22nd ‘Revolution’; they include health, and infrastructure.
She commended Castro for his contribution to the development of the nation particularly during hard times.
Pointing out some of the contributions made by Fidel Castro, Hon. Mbye said, Castro has played a vital role in the establishment of Gambia- Cuba relations as well.
“Hon. Speaker when the Gambia was in need former president Castro was a friend indeed, with his death Cuba has lost a hero but the Gambia has lost a champion,” she remarked.
In conclusion she prayed for Castro to rest in perfect peace.
In seconding the motion Fabakary Tombong Jatta majority leader also prayed for the deceased to rest in peace.
Hon. Jatta also gave a brief history of Fidel Castro’s revolution, citing that he governed Cuba from 1959 to 1976, as the prime minister, and from 1976 to 2008 as President.
“Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz was born on August 13, 1926, near Birán, in Cuba’s eastern Oriente Province. He was the third of six children, including his two brothers, Raúl and Ramón; and three sisters, Angela, Emma and Agustina. His father, Ángel, was a wealthy sugar plantation owner originally from Spain who did most of his business with the American-owned United Fruit Company, which dominated the agriculture in that region at the time” Hon Jatta explained.
He further noted that Fidel was from a very rich family; after all he sacrificed to fight for Justice.
On his part Bala Garba Jahumpa Minister of Works and Infrastructure said he wished to extend his condolences to the people of Cuba on the demise of whom he called a great leader, Fidel Castro.
“Hon. Speaker I stand before you not only as the Minister of Works and Infrastructure but indeed as the First Gambian Ambassador to the Republic of Cuba in 2001,” he remarked.
He said during the advent of the July 22nd ‘revolution’, Cuba under the leadership of Castro, has a great tie with the Gambian government.
He noted that Many Gambians have studied in Cuba in the health sector and engineering among many other fields.
Other speakers were Hon. Samba Jallow Minority Leader, and Hon. Babucarr Nyang member for Banjul South Constituency.
