Introduction - UNDP The Gambia

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
In the private sector however, there are very
few women with high-profile positions except
in the banking sector. There is, unfortunately,
not a single woman who heads a bank or a
large private company in this country,
although several are found at the top and
middle management levels. There is a dire
need to increase the empowerment and
participation of women at senior management
cadres.
Reduction of Child Mortality, Improvement
of Maternal Health and Combating against
HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other Diseases: If
the MDGs on health are to be achieved, the
private sector must be encouraged to invest
more in health infrastructure, especially in the
provision of hospitals, health clinics and the
training of health personnel. This should also
include the promotion of the use of traditional
medicine and traditional healers, and the
establishment of traditional healing clinics,
such as the centre set up in Berending in the
North Bank Division, which offers facilities
to outpatients.
Other opportunities that exist in the health
sector for private sector participation include
the provision of health insurance schemes,
catering and food services, laundry and
cleansing services.
Both HIV/AIDS and malaria are killerdiseases
that threaten the Gambian
population. Both are depleting the already
limited human resource base of the country
and if the current rates of infection of both
diseases are not reversed, the labour supply
and the domestic market of the economy will
be adversely affected. This is a threat to the
survival of the private sector.
A reduced mortality rate however assures the
survival of the population, a sustainable pool
of human resources and a domestic consumer
market, which are vital for the development
of the private sector.
Without doubt, private sector participation in
the health sector, as suggested above and
within the context of the opportunities and
challenges offered, would greatly contribute
to the achievement of the MDGs. It is in the
interest of the private sector to promote the
development of a healthy human resource
base for the economy, as an ill population is a
threat to the very survival and viability of a
vibrant private sector or private sector-led
economic development.
Environmental Sustainability: There are
several issues, challenges, opportunities and
constraints in the relationship between
environmental sustainability and private
sector development. First, water supply in
The Gambia is almost entirely in the hands of
the public domain and, until recently, there
was very little private sector participation.
This situation has changed with the
emergence of Gamwater, a local company
established by a private entrepreneur to bottle
water for the export and domestic markets.
Environmental sustainability also includes
environmental protection and conservation.
The private sector is the largest producer of
industrial solid and non-solid wastes, some of
which are highly toxic. These include those
emitted by cement, plastics and soap
factories, breweries, hotels and restaurants,
wholesalers and retailers.
Solid waste disposal, which is yet to be
quantified in terms of daily tonnage disposed,
continues to pose the biggest challenge to
local authorities like the Banjul City Council
and the Kanifing Municipal Council. The
limited number of dumping sites in the urban
areas and the overflow of garbage in the
neighbourhoods around the dumping sites
continue to be a major threat to the population
located in these areas, such as in the Bakoteh
area and around Banjul.
The conflict between private sector land use
and environmental conservation and
preservation is also a threat to the
maintenance of enhanced environmental
sustainability. For example, the current
practice of sand mining along the South
Atlantic coast of the country for the building
and construction industry has caused severe
coastal erosion. It also continues to threaten
the survival of the tourist industry as beaches
and the seaside are the major attraction and
resources of the tourist industry.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Building Capacity for the Attainment of the Millennium Development Goals in The Gambia National Human Development Report 2005
27