The British High Commission in The Gambia as part of its Bilateral Programme Budget Fund Initiative, last Friday signed contracts with the West Africa Network for Peace Building (WANEP) and The Point newspaper, to support its democracy projects.

The British Bilateral Programme Budget Fund Initiative is designed to complement the other works of the British High Commission in The Gambia. This year’s budget is designed to promote sustainable development or low carbon economy, poverty reduction, human rights, democracy and good governance issues. Alongside the signing of the contracts, the UK plenipotentiary in The Gambia also presented two cheques amounting to seven thousand five hundred pound sterling to the two institutions.

Pamela Cole, director of WANEP, received the cheque on behalf of the civil society and Pap Saine, managing editor of The Point newspaper, received the cheque on behalf of his media institution, at a presentation ceremony held at the British High Commission Office in Fajara.

WANEP received a cheque for five thousand pound sterling whilst The point newspaper received two thousand, five hundred pounds sterling. Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Phil Sinkinson, the British High Commissioner to The Gambia said the sums are meant to support the democracy projects of the British High Commission. According to him, the project allocated to WANEP is to provide capacity building training for the civil society and the local government authorities to enable them to operate more effectively.

The amount handed over to The Point newspaper, he said, is meant to help in the areas of human rights, governance and the rule of law. According to High Commissioner Sinkinson, in the next twelve months, they will be running a weekly information column covering issues such as the rule of law, the right of children and women, gender, good governance and health matters in The Point newspaper. He then noted that both projects will help contribute to a healthy, transparent and open debate on issues which are central to the democratic processes.