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BY WISE MAN

The people of  Western Division have scathingly criticized the Gambian President Yahya Jammeh and his APRC government for  not allowing them  to commemorate the Gambia's   43rd Independence Anniversary last Saturday. They lamented that  Governor Abdou Badjie who was acting on orders from the top  told them to postpone the event until further notice  due to the Operation Clean the Nation otherwise "Set Settal".

According to our correspondent,  the people of Western Western  were taken by storm  when it was announced over  Radio stations  in Brikama on Friday night by the Governor that this year's  independence celebration in  his administrative area  has been cancelled until further notice due to the Saturday Set Settal. This announcement has upset the people of  Western Region and has even prevent them to participate actively  in the Set settal because they viewed the Operation Clean the Nation as a forced labour imposed on Gambia's by President Jammeh, says aour correspondent.

Abou Bojang, told freedom Newspaper  the Gambian president is trying to relegate  the country's national day which he said , is regretably   unfortunate .  "What we can now smell is that President Jammeh is paying more attention to the July 22nd Military Takeover  celebration than our own independence day.  The President  should remember that independence day is more important than   the July 22nd Military Takeover . The independence day  has historic significance  while July 22 is nothing but a raped on democracy and celebrating it  will no doubt send wrong signal to junior officers," he said.

Kebba Sanneh a student told Wise man,  "how can the president do this to us? he him self is from Western Division, independence comes once a year while the set settal is a monthly issue, Jammeh  is not showing us good example as the president"he pointed.

Fatou Cham,  a teacher and a parent said that they were busy putting fishing touches to celebrate the event with much pomp and pageantry as they have already bought new uniforms and shoes for their kids. She went on to described the government's move to cancel the event as unfair. "

It would be recalled that The Gambia gained Independence from Britain on 18th February 1965 and  since then  this date  is  celebrated throughout the country at their various dates.