By: Momodou Justice Darboe
The Gambian leader Adama Barrow, chief of the Senegalese customs Dr. Mbaye Ndiaye, the creme de la creme of the Gambian society, movers and shakers of the country’s business landscape and high-profile guests on Saturday witnessed yet another watershed moment in GRA’s history as the Authority played host to the 6th edition of its taxpayer recognition and award night in spectacular style.
Hundreds converged at the five-star Kairaba Beach Hotel to be part of the unfolding history, which has now become an entrenched corporate culture at the Gambia’s revenue mobilization agency.
The GRA, under the futuristic leadership of Commissioner General Yankuba Darboe and safe navigation guides by a Board under the dynamic leadership of Madam Lucy Fye-Njie, some six years ago decided to give taxpayers greater awareness of their symbiotic relationship with the Authority by rewarding their compliance with tax obligations with recognition and awards.
Dressed in their marching outfits, it wasn’t difficult for the GRA staff to convince guests about the weight that the Authority places on this evolving institutional tradition.
The Gambia’s Kora maestro Jaliba Kuyateh and the country’s rising star widely referred to by his stage name Barham were joined by other artists in the provision of entertainment for the ceremony. The Gambia Police Band also rendered a spectacular performance by providing traditional, martial and patriotic tunes to the delight of the immaculately dressed guests, comprising, among others, of cabinet ministers, heads of parastatals, senior security officials, representatives of the international community, bankers, prominent business operators and a delegation from the Senegalese customs.
With hundreds of beautifully clothed tables festooned with flowers and ornamented with gold-plated plates, the stately Jamaa Hall of Kairaba Beach Hotel just a few metres away from the shores of the Atlantic Ocean was filled with a sense of pride and honour on the part of the nominees and winners, sense of appreciation and recognition on the part of the GRA as well as inspiration for the guests. It was not only a night of splendour, backslapping, pomp and pageantry but one that could also be remembered by taxpayers as the moment of GRA’s deep understanding and huge recognition of their role in spurring national development.
The Annual Taxpayer Award Ceremony is also very close to President Barrow’s heart.
Despite going through a raucous day on Saturday after an engagement at Faraba Banta campus of the UTG, the Gambian leader joined taxpayers at the Kairaba Beach Hotel in the evening in an apparent show of the great significance he attaches to domestic revenue generation for national development. The Gambian President had earlier hinted at the need for the West African country to significantly reduce its heavy dependence on donor goodwill for development.
He alluded to it in his speech on Saturday, which was imbued with words of encouragement, inspiration, appreciation and recognition to the GRA and those he called esteemed taxpayers.
The GRA Award Night was meanwhile accompanied by some gastronomic activities at some point. Despite the sheer number of people that attended the awards night, it was described as a gastronomic success as guests were treated to local, continental and international cuisines.