Executive Meeting 11/17/2012

Participants via Skype:  

Muna Sey

Alh. Sellou Jallow

Alh. Saibo Drammeh

Haruna Farage

Bakary Jallow

Cherno B. Jallow

Mamadou Salieu Jallow

Pa Joof

Wuyeh Yerro Sanyang

MB Krubally

Date & Time: 11/17/12 @ 17:00 GMT

Agenda:

·         Welcome and opening prayers

·          Financial Update - 10 Minutes

·         Scholarship Program update and moving forward – 15 Minutes

·         Facebook mosque update (roof and ablution areas) – 20 Minutes

·         Hospital Material update – 15 Minutes

·         Elections preparation – 15 Minutes

·         General Meeting – 10 Minutes

·         Next Meeting date – 5 Minutes

Opening:
The meeting was opened with a prayer lead by Cherno B. Jallow.  Following the prayers, the president Alh. Sellou Jallow yielded to secretary MB Krubally to chair the meeting. 

Financial Update:

MB Krubally: Based on the email communication received from respective members the current available balance in Friends of Basse (FOB) accounts are as follows:

·         In Alh. Sellou’s possession – 426.15 EUR

·         In Ous Krubally’s possession – 80.00 EUR

·         In FOB Account, (Gambia Account) – D7310.00

·         In FOB Account (US Account) - $1766.00

·         In FOB Account (UK) - £20.00

·         In MB Krubally’s possession - $40.00 (Sarjo Jallow’s membership payment)

The treasurers will create a spreadsheet that will from here on help keep a better track of FOB funds by separating them by respective currencies. 

Projects Updates:  Prior to this meeting, the executive members (Alh. Sellou, Alh. Saibo, Filly Sabally, Maimuna Sey) on the ground in the Banjul area had a meeting and Alh. Sellou was asked to briefly inform the attendees of what was discussed. 

Alh. Sellou shared with the team that he was not able to speak with Dawda Sankarey since his arrival in the Gambia, as a result he was not able to give an updated account of the projects on the ground.  He however communicated that the funds for the 2012 Scholarship Program was sent to Dawda Sankarey. 

At this time, Alh. Saibo Drammeh took over the conversation while Alh. Sellou checked with his contacts in Basse to find out if Dawda did receive the money.  Alh. Saibo continued to brief the team on FOB’s financial status as shared above.  Alh. Sellou then confirmed via Alh. Saibo that Dawda did receive the scholarship funds but he will have to wait until he hears back from Dawda to give an accurate account of the program. 

Alh. Saibo concluded that the current executive on the ground will be traveling to Basse to get an update on the projects and also conduct a town-hall meeting.  They will send an update on the projects and details of their trip.  They have been directed to reach out to the members on the ground, try to get Basserians to come on board and hopefully help move the association to the next level.  

Coming Elections Preprations: As stated in the constitution, the next general elections for the executive committee will be held in February 2013.  Discussions were centered on how to reach out to FOB members to run for office. Meeting attendees agreed that for the association to move forward and to be more effective, we have to have a strong presence on the ground. 

It is however noted that the responsibility lies in the hands of Basserians to come on board and to run for office.  The executive team on the ground will conduct a town-hall meeting in Basse over the next week and they will do their best to solicit members to run for office. 

It was brought to the attention of the executive that some members on the ground were not happy that despite paying their membership dues, their names were not listed on the website. 

Another issue that was brought forward was the notion that FOB is perceived as a Diaspora association with almost no presence or involvement of local Basserian.  Meeting attendees somewhat agree that they have heard of such claims but others countered that folks on the ground have been reached out to and like all Basserians we cannot force anyone to join. 

Discussions continued with the agreement that the current executive and election committee members will work on getting more nomination from the folks on the ground.  However to run for office, one has to be a paying member.  Serious effort will be made to hopefully find a reliable person or persons to hold the presidency and other higher position within the executive. 

The executive members on the ground will get the names of those members that have paid their dues for their names to be published on the website. 

The election committee will send out communiqué announcing the coming elections and the need for members on the ground to run for office.  Muna Sey will also solicit our sister population to hopefully get some on board. 

The executive members on the ground will do an extensive research as to what needs to be done to get a serious and effective team on the ground moving forward. 

Next Meeting: The meeting was adjourned at around 7pm and the next executive meeting will be held on Sunday, December 2, 2012.  Meeting announcement will be sent.

General Meeting: As we wait to hear from the general membership on the meeting announcement, the executive will look at a good date to hold a general meeting.