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By Mariama Jobarteh
The opposition GMC party leader, Hon. Mai Ahmed Fatty has described the Quarantine Center at the Badala Park Hotel, as an enhanced prison due to the lack of basic necessities required for a better living condition.
The former Interior Minister who doubles as GMC party leader was on self-quarantine for 15 days at the Badala Park Hotel, following his return to the country from a private journey outside The Gambia in the last three months before the border closure.
While on his trip outside the country, the GMC leader had advocated for a border closure and declaration of a State of Public Emergency, which the government did following several calls and public demand amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hon. Fatty made these remarks at a press conference he organised at the GMC party’s head office along Kairaba Avenue on Wednesday afternoon.
“Basic necessities such as Face Masks and other needs are not available for those at the Quarantine Center at the Badala Park Hotel. Those who were picked up from the streets with only shirt are left like that for almost nine days or more and some of them were complaining bitterly that this is unacceptable. Imagine, during the Ramadan, we have only one meal a day. Some people were taken to rooms that were virtually empty except you watch a Tv. So it is like an enhanced prison and the Government should look into the issue,” he disclosed.
The GMC leader also urged government to take care of the families of those who are being quarantined, especially the breadwinners. “Some family heads are being quarantined and their families are not taken care of. “
Asked why he complied with the health authorities to be placed under Quarantine at the center instead of his him like some other government officials, Hon. Fatty said as leaders they should show a good example. He recalled a statement he made while serving as Interior Minister sometime in 2017 that people must obey the law or be consumed by the law, saying “I don’t want to be consumed by the law”.
“I followed the rule as it is for everybody and no one is above the law. We have a Quarantine Act in the Gambian laws even before this COVID-19 pandemic and the WHO has also recommended for people who travel from one country to another be placed under quarantine for 14 days”.
He praised the frontline health workers and called on the government to take care of them and focus on their welfare. He observed that some of the health workers have not seen their families for some weeks, adding that their moral is going down despite the great efforts they are doing. Mr. Fatty said he thought it imperative to publicize the plight of health workers, while urging the government to give more support and care to the health workers operating and implementing the system.
The former Interior minister and former Presidential Advisor said frontline health workers deserve more than what they are getting today and that, the government should increase their allowances and pay them.
Mr Fatty thanked the country’s private GSM operator Africell for the D12M donation to the frontline health workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic and called on other parastatals and private sector organisations to emulate them.
He also commended government’s emergency food aid support and advised them not to politicise the food aid.
The GMC leader used the opportunity to call on President Barrow’s government to open up and allow people to talk to him about their views on national developments, adding that the president should encourage having an all-inclusive government.
He also urged Cabinet ministers to respect the National Assembly and understand its importance.
“The National Assembly is the most important institution in the government and should be respected. The Cabinet ministers should get their facts correct and speak with decorum when they go to the National Assembly. Their language in the National Assembly should be very civil,” he remarked.