President Jammeh and his officials have finally acknowledged that Gamtel is now a failed state enterprise. This acknowledgement was made when Gamtel Staff Association met with the Gambian leader. During the meeting, Jammeh made reference to the company's 'past glory', meaning he regretted removing or victimising those innocent and  hardworking officials who made Gamtel what it was.

Now, Jammeh is once again trying to bribe Gamtel by giving the company a mere piece of land in Kanilai. Oh, we know Jammeh is lobbying for a huge Gamtel station in his home village of Kanilai while Gambians cannot have a decent telecommunication network. What a shame! It is true that Gamtel ceased to be the best public corporation because we the staff, who have worked so hard and witnessed the company's progress since its inception know better than Jammeh or any of his officials. So obviously, he cannot tell us any thing that we have not already known about the company.

Although presidentJammeh also said the company does not belong to his ruling APRC party, he has since 1994 when he seized power with his fellow desperate soldiers, pretended to own Gamtel. ever since he seized power, Jammeh's APRC political party continuously used Gamtel vehicles and equipment during political campaing. In fact, all the opposition political parties had complained about this but he said he didn’t care.

I remember when he threatened to fire some Gamtel officials for not properly covering and installing proper equipments during his political events. Today the same Jammeh is telling us that Gamtel belongs to everyone. What has this man taken us for? Idiots or what?

The vice president also urged the management and staff of Gamtel to 'redouble their efforts and commitment' to ensure that the company regains its 'glory' in the telecommunication industry. So you can see the same plea for 'glory' comes up again! Glorifying what? corruption?

The most shocking thing of all is the question: what has Yankuba Touray to do with Gamtel? Fisheries and Gamtel? But we knew what was going on. It was the same Yankuba Touray who served as the National Mobiliser for the APRC and Kaba Bajo who messed up former managing director Bakary Njie. Now that Bajo is gone, Yankuba Touray is continuing his misdeed with Gamtel. This is why people here are angry. How can one keep on working so hard for such ignorant officials to destroy for the sake of corruption?

Secretay of State for telecommunications, Fatim Badjie-Janneh who knows nothing about GAMTEL and telecommunication, also spoke the need for 'patriotism' and urged the company's staff to desist from any 'unpatriotic acts'. What can this small girl tell us about patriotism? We have been patriotic and sincere to our country before she was born. Her problem is that she and her boss don't want to allow us our God given rights to complain. So that's why we are angry. Being angry does not mean one is unpatriotic. If that's the case, then the APRC government has a serious image problem.

Since these corrupt officials know that people are writing to other press houses complaining, NIA operatives started disguising as GAMTEL employees and started going around asking people their email addresses. This school drop-outs at the NIA make us even laugh.

For Katim Touray, the new managing director of GAMTEL, I know he is just there for a matter of time before Foday Sise or one untrained guy takes over.

The fake donation of six bags of sesame, being the harvest from their farm in Kanilai done in public view was just for political reasons, and I pity my colleagues who have now turned themselves into politicians because we know they would regret their deeds.

As to the fire outbreaks, Jammeh knows that it is only his security boys who are capable of doing such despicable acts without being noticed, and he (Jammeh) should be very worried. These desperate soldiers must not vent their anger on public property; they only have themselves to blame for overthrowing an elected government. That is why Katim Touray told President Jammeh to allow GAMTEL do an internal investigation on the two fire incidents at our headquarters in Banjul and Brikama branch, because Jammeh's NIA will only spread the same old lies again to victimise and scapegoat the innocent employees for the incident.

I hereby advise Jammeh and his team to stop interfering and politicking in GAMTEL. This is the only way that will bring back the company's 'past glory'. But if they keep on trying to compete as to how much they can ‘EAT’ or ‘CHOP’ from GAMTEL, then the company would surely collapse and a day will come when all those involved will be prosecuted. So be warned!

A GAMTEL insider