The protection of life and property is the fundamental responsibility of the government of the day as enshrined in the constitution of the republic of The Gambia.
GunjurOnline is concerned about a new phenomenon that is targeting compounds by perpetrators in the cover of darkness.
Burglaries
Recent acts of burglary in Gunjur has reached a stage where law enforcement and the community must come together to defeat these thieves breaking into compounds and doing away with hundreds of thousands of Dalasis worth of goods. Within a matter of days, there has been at least three reported instances of these highly sophisticated burglaries that if not mitigated could lead to loss of life as these thieves seem very aggressive in the process of breaking into properties to steal goods. Due to the state of emergency declared by the government as a result of the covid-19 pandemic, there has been reports of unusual numbers of strange and unfamiliar faces loitering around Gunjur and immediate surroundings. Some of these faces are believed to be those who normally work at the Gunjur beach but have had their work cut out as a result of the state of emergency in place.
Last week, there has been a report of theft of over one hundred pieces of 2 by 3 red timber wood worth tens of thousands from someone’s property. Similar timber theft attempts were made within a few days of the previous incident in another property in Gunjur. Thirdly, thieves viciously broke into the property of Baboucarr Manjang in the early hours of Thursday leaving with goods worth in excess of three hundred thousand dalasis.This is alarming and collective action is needed to stop this worrying phenomenon.
Environment
Pictures have recently emerged of the reckless and indescriminate dumping of household waste in Gunjur which is not only an eye sore, but a threat to the health and safety of those living around the places where these acts are being committed. It is understandable that there is no refuge collection and landfill facility provided for the community in Gunjur. However, we must all be responsible in the way and manner in which our household waste is disposed for the health and safety of the greater community.
Illegal sand mining in Gunjur
Sibindinto, Nyabadaa, Wulubaraa, Bambamboo all on the Gunjur coastline have disappeared as a result of the irresponsible sand mining practices by corrupt officials and business men only interested in their bottom line. Given that most women in coastal settlements tend to depend on horticulture and agriculture as essential sources of their livelihoods, the women in Gunjur are no different.
Sibindinto, Nyabadaa, Wulubaraa, Bambamboo are popular places where Gunjur women have earned their livelihoods for decades using them as agricultural land for rice cultivation during the rainy season and as horticultural gardens during the dry season. Sand mining threatened these lovilhoods as these areas lose their
fertile agricultural land ability due to unsustainable commercial sand mining activities. Uncontrolled and illegal sand mining activities on the Gunjur coastline has led to adverse environmental and economic challenges to the people of Gunjur as traditional agricultural lands have been destroyed.
As a people, we must act to protect our naturally endowed natural resources for the greater good of the majority and not the for the minority.
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