A delegation of Sierra Leonean members of President Koroma's APC ruling party, Gambia Branch, called at State House, yesterday, to pay their respects to His Excellency Alhaji Dr Yahya AJJ Jammeh. The group was received by the secretary general and SoS for Energy, Honourable Ousman Jammeh, the PS at the President's Office, Dr Njogu Bah and the PS, Foreign Affairs, Mawdo Touray.

The group expressed delight at the relationship between The Gambia and Sierra Leone, "two sister countries from way back in the colonial days", and in long graceful speeches thanked the President and the people of The Gambia for the fraternal peace and security that exists between Gambians and non-Gambians in this country.

"Our country and our President have much to learn from His Excellency President Jammeh. Our aim is to ensure that both our party, the APC and our President Earnest Bai Koroma will learn from President Jammeh. President Jammeh is a very popular leader in Sierra Leone as was evident when His Excellency came for President Koroma's inauguration.

President Jammeh was the only Head of State to stay two nights in Freetown. President Jammeh is not only popular in The Gambia and Sierra Leone but throughout Africa because of his Pan-Africanism," concluded the delegation's chairman.

Mrs Etta Kamara made a most moving address which we print in full on page ten.  Madam Musu Kanu of the APC Women's Wing followed with much praise for President Jammeh for the development of women in The Gambia during the last 13 years.

"When the president came to Sierra Leone, I was so proud because in his delegation he had so many women holding important portfolios in his Cabinet," said Madam Kanu, "President Jammeh is an example for all presidents in Africa on how to progress the position of women".

The secretary general in turn confessed that he had only come to listen, but being moved by such warm words and sentiments from the delegation, he had to respond. He described Sierra Leoneans as the "most law-abiding non-Gambians in the country".

He praised their commitment to the development of The Gambia and the professionalism of Sierra Leoneans, specially in the field of education. The SG acknowledged the long link between the peoples of The Gambia and Sierra Leone and promised a continuing fraternal relationship.

He was in no doubt that His Excellency will indeed receive and appreciate the message of the delegation. The SG ended with a joke, "APC only lacks the R for us to be one party".

Speaking earlier, the PS, Foreign Affairs ,Mawdo Touray, told the delegation that he had his tertiary education in Sierra Leone and expressed his gratitude for the relationship that exists between the two countries.

More on page  10.