By Nyima Bah
The Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industries GCC1 has officially launched an advisory board to serve as an expert body providing advice to the chamber in transforming pledges to action with a comprehensive equity strategy that spans the workforce.
The advisory board, formed in accordance with the constitution of the institution, is the fourth organ of the chamber and consists of former presidents, VPs, and CEOs of GCCI in recognizing their efforts in serving the institution and other private sectors.
Speaking at the event, president of GCCI Edrissa Mass Jobe, said: “It is good for all of us that sustenance is maintained for as long as possible and this event today is to form an advisory board and to recognize the services that they have done for GCCI over the years. We have a lot to learn not only from how GCCI has maintained its relevance to both the business community and to the society over this long period of time but we also have to recognise and acknowledge the job that was done by these people. And they are here to help mitigate the function that includes certain things that we have problems dealing with in the past, the most prominent being the transition from one group to another, the public spiritedness that is required sometimes is always a problem. I have discovered that most Africans that are entrepreneurs go to public enterprises without being public spirited.
Abdoulie M Touray, former president of the GCCI, said according to the history of the Gambia particularly on economic policies, of all the policies that were initiated, none has been sustained, same for the capital markets. “So, this will serve as a stepping stone that other institutions both public and private should follow. Collectively, we have over two hundred years of experience managing and running the chamber of commerce and I am delighted it has been institutionalized because what we want to do is to be of service. Once you leave that, service you want to leave a legacy and this initiative will serve as a legacy for all of us,” Touray said.
Almamy Taal, former CEO GCCI stated: “We need a new theory of development, an inclusive vision of how we will transform our societies, and building institutions is the only way we can do development. If we can create the ecosystem that gives value in our societies then we can develop as a country because in the last 50 years many countries like Singapore have done it and they are developing. But the leaders we have must not only be public spirited, they should be accountable. They must do things transparently because at the end of the day, it is the people’s trust and money and all of us must one day render an account.”
