NEWS: Friends of Basse has new President, Executive

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Friends of Basse Has New President, Executive

By My Basse Staff

Friends of Basse (FoB) has elected a new president Momodou Bilo Krubally and an executive committee to run the affairs of the organization for the next three years. Elections took place recently through an online voting process which utilized virtual ballots emailed out to all eligible voters.

Mr. Krubally succeeds Alhaji Mamadou Sellou Jallow, making him (Krubally) the third president in the organization’s four-year history. Amadou Basiru Jallow, an editorial board member of My Basse, now occupies Krubally’s former secretary general position. The vice-president Maimuna Sey has retained her position as have Mutarr Jallow, Ousainou Krubally and Alhaji Saibo Drammeh for auditor, sports and fund-raising respectively.

Messrs. Samba Johm and Dawda Sankareh for public relations and project management respectively have not been returned to their positions. Newcomers Abubakarr Krubally, commonly known as “Kaks”, and Kawsu Sillah, now occupy the two positions respectively. Also new for the positions of chief and deputy chief financial officers are Mamadou Salieu Jallow and Filly Sabally respectively. Alhagie Sey, formerly a financial officer, now becomes deputy secretary general.

In a memo to the general membership on the organization’s mailing list, Mr. Haruna Farage, chairman of the polling committee, reported that the elections had gone well. “… the polling officers have successfully conducted the elections in a free, fair and transparent manner.” He declared: “With the publication of the election results, this marks the end of the elections.”

Outgoing president Jallow sent out a congratulatory note to the new executive team. “To my successor ….,” he writes on the mailing list, “congrats and you can count on me for anything I can do from my end.”

In an interview with My Basse, president-elect Krubally said he was excited about the direction FoB was heading, adding that he had observed an uptick in momentum for the organization in the recent months. “I look forward to working with all Basserians and friends of Basse to continue building on the great foundation we started,” he said.

With the new executive, FoB now has four representatives – vice-president, public relations officer, project manager and deputy financial officer – in Basse. Some observers in Basse have often complained that the Diaspora has more representation on the executive committee than the local community in Basse. With the deputy financial officer position, and the very important portfolio of public relations, both now going to Basse, some within the organization believe that the new additions will help FoB shed off some of its Diaspora-dominated identity and make it more proactive in its dealings with the Basse community.

Within the new executive, Europe holds the financial chief, fund-raiser and sport and cultural affairs positions, whilst those of president, secretary general, deputy secretary general and auditor go to the US.

As mandated by the Constitution, FoB has to conduct elections every three years for a new executive body. Founded in 2009, FoB’s main objective is to contribute, through every bona fide, facilitative means, towards the development of Basse. Among other accomplishments, the organization has donated medical supplies to the Basse Health Center, built an ablution facility at the Basse central mosque and financed soccer tournaments. It continues to sponsore a number of needy students in Basse.  

The organization relies mainly on membership dues collected each year to help bankroll its operations in Basse.

Meet the New Executive

Momodou Bilo Krubally/President                Maimuna Sey/Vice-President                Amadou Basiru Jallow/Sec. General

   Abubakarr Krubally/PRO                         Filly Sabally/Dep. Chief Fin. Officer       Mamadou S. Jallow/Chief Fin. Officer

    Alhagie Sey/Deputy Sec. General                  Mutarr Jallow/Auditor                          Kawsu Sillah/Project Manager

            Alhaji Saibo Drammeh/Fund-raising Officer                  Ousainou Krubally/Sports and Cultural Affairs Officer