By Adama Makasuba
The Gambian vice president Dr IsatouTouray has said people have taken her remarks about the country’s youth ‘out of context’.
Dr Touray said during a distribution of food package for 84% Gambian households amid Covid-19 aimed at easing the burden of the virus impact, that she described the manual labour work as “dignified and great job opportunity for Gambian youths” and that “the youths are lazy” and “do not want to do such work which are being done by foreign nationals.”
But her statement drew criticism from many sections of the Gambian society. Politicians and youth leaders lambasted Dr Touray for what they called “disrespectful statement” and urged her to withdraw it.
Dr Touray told Gambia national television [GRTS] that “we want to thank also the security forces they have been very useful in this process because you can see the observation, I made the last time with regards to lack of labour and how people are taking it out of context.”
“They are taking it out of context as a government it is our duty to focus, it is our duty to work and to give and respond to the circumstances they are – because this is an emergency,” she added.