The Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) last Friday held a Business Awards Dinner for the year 2008 at the Kairaba Beach Hotel.

The annual award ceremony, which seeks to promote enterprise growth and sustainable development was jointly funded by Africell and EcoBank Gambia Limited. The winners of this year's awards are Muhammed Jah, managing director of QuantumNet - Businessman of the Year; Fatou Jeck Cham of Jeck Entreprise - Business woman of the Year; MA Trading - Small Medium Entreprise (SME) of the Year; Guaranty Trust Bank - Bank of the Year; Gambega - Industrialist of the Year;  and Africell - Service Provider of the Year.

Speaking on behalf of the president, who was also the chief guest of honour, Vice President Dr Aja Isatou Njie-Saidy, hailed the partnership and cooperation between the government and the private sector. Describing the private sector as the engine of growth, the vice president acknowledged the GCCI's contribution to the development of The Gambia and gave assurances of government's continued support.

Dr Njie-Saidy called for  closer collaboration between the private sector and the public, noting that in spite of the resiliency of The Gambian economy, preventive measures are still needed to enhance and sustain the economic growth of the country. The vice president asserted the government's resolve to maintain and nurture the conducive environment in the country, to which she attributed the coming of several commercial banks to The Gambia.

Welcoming the gathering earlier, the president of the GCCI, Bai Matarr Drammeh, expressed gratitude for the promising state of the Gambian economy  in spite of the Global Financial crunch. Drammeh spoke of the GCCI's commitment to enhance private sector and public partnership. He noted that the GCCI has been supporting education by providing scholarships to students, among other things.

The GCCI president also seized the opportunity to urge new businesses to register with the GCCI and the old ones to pay their dues on time. He also commended the speaker of the National Assembly for a consultative meeting held earlier between the business community and the National Assembly to discuss the possible impact of the current Global Financial Recession on the Gambian economy.

The Businessman of the Year 2008, Muhammed Jah of QuantumNet, commended the government for creating the much needed environment and for giving him the opportunity to operate successfully. The Secretary of State for Trade, Industry and Employment, Abdou Colley, described GCCI as a worthy partner of government.

Prizes were given to the president of the Republic of The Gambia and SoS Abdou Colley, in recognition of their dedication to the welfare of the private sector and the general public at large. The award dinner was attended by the speaker of the National Assembly, government officials, members of the diplomatic and consular corps, the business community and a cross section of the society.