President Yahya Jammeh on Wednesday received at State House the Board of Directors of the Gambia International Airlines. The board briefed the President about their operations as well as seek advice from him.

Addressing the GIA Board of Directors, President Jammeh observed that the company is being weakened by conflicting and competitive camps within. These he said has been the cause of the company's setback in the area of hajj operations.

Commenting on the problems surrounding the hajj arrangements, President Jammeh said government should not be blamed but rather the late hajj arrangment by GIA. He also cited the weakness of the GIA Board of Directors in ensuring what he called "a unified management system".

The Chairman of GIA Board of Directors, Bai Ndongo Fall gave and overview of the operations of the company since 2002, highlighting the airline's constraints in the area of flight operations. He disclosed that the company has registered revenue losses in that area. Mr. Fall informed the President that GIA is working hard to fulfill its role in the forthcoming AU Summit.

In another engagement:

The Catholic Christian Community in The Gambia paid a courtesy call on President Yahya Jammeh at State House to update him on the forthcoming ordination of the new Bishop of Banjul and to thank him for his immense contributions to the Catholic Church in The Gambia.

Speaking at the occasion, President Jammeh stressed that religion, which is indispensable in the life of any human being, must never be misused to foment trouble.

He asserted that there are people who hide behind religion to cause mayhem on innocent individuals will find no place in The Gambia. He then promised to assist the Catholic Christian Community during the ordination of the new bishop.

For his part, Father Peter Gomez, the Vicar-General of the Catholic Diocese in The Gambia, thanked President Jammeh for his keen interest in the development of the Catholic Church in The Gambia. He said the Catholic Education Secretariat has been working in fruitful partnership with government in its endeavour to give the young people of this country, regardless of their religious affiliations, a good start in life in order for them to contribute to national development.
Mr Bai Matarr Taal, the Secretary of State for Fisheries, also called on religious bodies to respect one another.

Kartong Housing project group calls on Jammeh

President Yahya Jammeh also received members of the Kartong Housing Project Group, who briefed him on the development of the housing project and other engagements.

Mr Gerard Dubois, the spokesman of Kartong Housing Project, told journalists shortly after their audience with the President that they discussed their housing development project which is located at Kartong, which costs about D20M.
He added that they would also like to construct a golf course in The Gambia that will meet international standard, besides raising funds for the construction of a new Campama Psychiatric Hospital.