Saturday 7 March 2015

3rd March, 2015. Tuesday. No Gambling!


Again a visit to the bank, this time for money for the ironwork.  Things are developing fast with the building and the men are already up to the top of window level and need the ironwork for the ring beam and the pillars.  We delivered the iron to Nemasu and then drove on to Naata.  Poor Abdoulie, when we arrived he had had calls from the other two teachers who were sick.  Momodou Jawo has a terrible toothache and Abi had some kind of fever.  Ever the practical one Abdoulie had put his and Momodou’s classes together and was taking them all.  Abi’s class was being taken by a young boy.  This is common practice in Gambia, a young person is called in where teachers are absent and helps in the classroom, teaching by rote letters and numbers.  Unfortunately Mr Jallow had broken down on the way to school and was getting his bike fixed.  We delivered the boxes of requested items and sorted them by class age for the teachers.  The caretaker wanted to talk to us about the water supply, the nearby well which they have been using for drinking water has ceased to work and they are having to walk a great distance to another well where they are only allowed a small amount of water as it is being rationed.  The mop and brushes used for cleaning the classrooms are broken or spoilt and they need Vim and disinfectant for the toilets.  Also the toilet being used by the small boys has a door which has gone through at the bottom and the frame is spoilt with usage and splashes of urine!  Off to the market, and there was Mr Jallow, all effusive and affable as usual, his bike fortunately fixed.  I left him and Steve having a meeting and I went into the market to buy the cleaning materials.  We also removed the toilet door and later took it to our local welder to have a new frame and plate fitted.
By this time it was mid afternoon and so we went to relax in the Wild Monkey so I could use the Wifi whilst waiting for our early dinner.  Tuesday is quiz day and so this evening we set off to Colours bar to take part in the weekly quiz.  When we arrived we were told that a new ruling from today means that there is no gambling in the Gambia, all Casinos have been closed.  The quiz master had decided that we would not pay to enter the quiz and there would therefore be no monetary prize, so we were in it for the fun of it!!  All the usual banter between the teams who are mostly ex-pats living around the area, we came a poor third!  Lots of questions about Star Trek, of which we know very little, especially the name of the bar tender in one of the episodes!  Poor Agie, Ousman’s second wife is now without work as she was working in the Casino at Brusabi, just up the road from us, everything is closed and locked.

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