The seeming inability of The Gambia Government to put an end to the deaths of young Gambians in high seas could be also traced to the lucrative nature of the business of irregular migration to not only traffickers, but also the marines unit of The Gambia’s military.
The Navy has been instrumental in foiling irregular migratory voyages, but the unit has been arrogating to itself the authority of disposing of, by way of sale, the boats and engines in the process. Whenever a boat was intercepted, the Navy would hand over its human cargo to the Gambia Immigration Department (GID) and retain for itself the seacraft and its paraphernalia. It would then sell it without the Government’s imprimatur. This practice is one of the variables for CDS Cham’s disgraceful fall.
We hope the acting CDS will ensure the Navy doesn’t continue regarding the “Backway” as a milk cow.
