By: Mariama Njie
Mr. Suntu Touray, Gambia High Commission in United Kingdom has commended Gambians in the diaspora for their immense support and contribution to national development in The Gambia.
Mr. Touray made this statement on Wednesday at a donation of medical items to the Kanifing General Hospital by Gambia UK Forces Community.
“Gambians in the diaspora are mainly seen for political issues and expressing their political views but they are much more than that, we have people in the diaspora with expertise in many fields who are now willing and ready to come back and give back to their own country,” he disclosed.
He stated that many institutions in The Gambia need support from the diaspora materially and also knowledge.
“For us at Gambia High Commission in London our main job is to foster relations between the Gambia and the Gambian in the diaspora and also bilateral country we are accredited to,” he said.
The Gambia UK forces are Gambians who have expertise not only in military but in IT and they are willing to share their experiences with institution in The Gambia, Touray stated.
He went further saying their task now is for the hospital administrators and other institution in The Gambia to open up to the Gambians in the diaspora.
However, during the presentation of the medical items Mr. Lamin Darboe member from Gambia UK Forces Community said the organization is a registered charity in UK, part of their activities is to give back to their country.
“We are from Gambia and we look around to see how we can contribute to the nation building, we realized that in The Gambia our health sector needs help,” he said.
He said the items are not much but will go a long way to enhance the Kanifing health sector.
Also Mr. Babucarr Saine, Administrator at the Kanifing General Hospital said they are incredibly delighted to receive their brothers from the diaspora in the hospital to donate medical equipment.
“Kanifing General Hospital is one of the biggest and the busiest hospital in The Gambia and we are serving one of the biggest catchment population areas,” he added.
He equally commended the Gambia UK Forces Community for the donation, saying it is timely and will go a long way in providing quality delivery services.