By Nelson Manneh
Thursday November 23rd 2018, was another day full of engagement for Ousman Sillah, National Assembly Member (NAM) for Banjul North, on the final leg of his tour of Europe.
Sillah who had a meeting with the members of the Gambian community and friends of the Gambia in the Catalonian city of Mataro in the evening, first visited the Autonomous University of Barcelona earlier that morning. The meeting was coordinated by Fafa Touray, a Gambian in Mataro, who moderated the session and translated what was said for the benefit of Catalan friends of the Gambia. Touray was assisted in the translation by Dembo Sissawo. Mr. Sillah delivered the usual message he has been giving to Gambians and friends of the Gambia everywhere during his seven-nation European tour.
After the Banjul North NAM delivered his statement, questions were raised and answers given on issues relating to the enfranchisement of diaspora Gambians to start voting in elections; the timely access to national identification documents; the three-year coalition agreement, and fisheries agreements signed by Government, among others.
A Catalonian/Spanish woman politician also took the floor and gave a solidarity message. She called for the forging of closer ties and stronger partnership between progressive Europeans and their African counterparts, to curb the anti-migrant wave that is now building up in Europe. She urged Africans particularly Gambians resident in Catalonia, to learn the language in order to easily facilitate their integration in Spainish society. Mr. Sillah has since returned to Banjul on Saturday November 24th November, 2018.
