By: Fatou Krubally
Dr. Malanding S. Jaiteh, a geospatial expert, testified before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry that he conducted a four-day training for Banjul City Council (BCC) staff in 2021 without a formal contract and did not maintain records of the trainees.
Dr. Jaiteh explained that he initiated contact with the BCC by submitting a letter offering his services, which included a draft contract titled “Provision of Service.” However, he never received a signed copy and did not follow up to obtain one. Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez remarked, “You were supposed to request for a signed copy,” to which Dr. Jaiteh responded, “I agree.”
The training, aimed at supporting tree mapping and environmental management, combined lectures and fieldwork over four days. When asked for the names of the eight participants, Dr. Jaiteh admitted he had no list. Gomez noted that documenting such information was his duty as a consultant, and Dr. Jaiteh conceded, “I agree with you.” Regarding documentation, Dr. Jaiteh stated that he retained the PowerPoint slides used during the training but did not produce a formal report. Gomez asserted, “The slides cannot be a report.” An “Assessment Report and Guideline” booklet related to the project was submitted as evidence.
Dr. Jaiteh confirmed he received 90 percent of the agreed fee, totalling 449,000 dalasi. When questioned about the current operational status of the GIS system developed during the project, he stated, “I don’t know,” explaining that the software license expired in December 2021 and he was not among its administrators. He emphasized that his role was limited to training personnel and developing the system, with ongoing monitoring and evaluation not included in his terms of reference.
