Seedy Kanyi, Managing Director of Gambia Transport Services Corporation (GTSC) has expressed his Institution’s utter devastation and disappointment with the attitude of the Senegalese Transport Union in their unwavering efforts to block more than one Gambian bus to enter the Senegalese territory.
GTSC Boss made this disclosure barely forty-eight hours after GTSC bus full of passengers was blocked on Friday 14th February, 2020, by purported members of the Senegalese Transport Union to enter Senegal at the border town of Karang.
This is the second time in a space of two months when GTSC buses are deny entrance into Senegal by the transport union, arguing that allowing more than one buses to enter Senegal is not in their best interest as a Union.
This latest development has generated wider condemnation among Gambians of all walks of life calling on the government to act now rather than later, many others also called on the Senegalese authorities to prevail on the situation that is inimical to the good neighbourliness of the two countries in respect to the ECOWAS Protocol on free movement of goods and services.
“Disappointment will be the understatement, we are devastated, and we are disheartened by the continuous blockade of our buses by the Senegalese Transport Union. We have had series of meetings with the Karang Transport Union on almost four occasion and all these meetings we have agreed to respect all the protocols but for only for them to turn around otherwise is a great disappointment to us,” GTSC Managing Director, disclosed.
He added: “This is the first time we send two buses a day due largely to the press release issued by the government relative to the accord it signs with the Senegalese government that becomes effect January 6th, 2020. We acted on this notice and started sending two buses, the first one was allowed but the second one was blocked, some members of their union put rocks under the wheels of the buses to deny it from moving and entering into Senegal, they blocked the road and our driver has no choice but to come back to the country.”
GTSC Boss explained that the blockade led to some fracas between its customers and members of the Karang Transport Union that lasted for an hour, adding that the company has no choice but only to return its customers to the Corporation’s depot, refund their fares as well as offer compliment of a dinner.
“We were able to bring back all our customers safely to our depot, we refunded all of them their fares and give each five hundred dalasi (D500) for their dinner and for all the troubles they undergo as a form of compliment. We want to reassure our valued customers that everything will be resolve soonest,” MD Seedy Kanyi disclosed.
He added: “We know that Government of The Gambia promised to challenge this issue to the highest level diplomatically and also we are aware that the Senegalo-Gambia Secretariat through Ambassador Foday Secka has been moving back and forth in order to resolve this matter. We can assure our valued customers that through these laudable channels been exploited surely this matter will soon be address.”
The Gambia and Senegal undoubtedly, are the two closest African countries that shares border, however, periodic conflicts relative to trade and economic interest across the borders continues to bring the two countries to loggerhead culminating into series of border closures and reopening many times during the era of former President Yahya Jammeh.
