The president of the Egalise Bellac Foundation in France has expressed his total disappointment over what he called ‘the failure of projects’ his organisation initiated in Siffoe village, Komba South. Dr Serge Thevenot was speaking to reporters Monday shortly after meeting the vice president and minister of Women’s Affairs, Aja Isatou Njie-Saidy at her office at State House.

Accompanied by four others including the French ambassador to The Gambia, Serge told reporters that the basis of their discussion with the vice president was to inform her about some of the difficulties they are encountering in Siffoe village, with regards to their projects such as micro-economic credit and self-generating income and tree planting projects among others.

He said that even last year they brought some materials expecting it to be distributed, which is yet to be done. He added that the organisation even planted some 100 trees in the village but that when they came back this time, they realised that most of them had died because they were not watered. Serge however, admitted that they noticed great improvement in the health facility as doctors and nurses working there are doing well.

He said: “For that of the health centre, we are satisfied with what we saw and we saved some money for their salaries and other internal issues.” He further expressed disappointment over the article readin the Daily Observer newspaper online that seriously exposed the manner and way the people were running the projects in the village, resulting in most of them failing.

Serge expressed satisfaction over their discussion with the vice president, saying the latter equally expressed disappointment over the way the projects failed in Siffoe village and assured them that the government would put in place a monitoring team that would ensure that things are done in a more proper manner as well as ensuring sustainability of these projects.