By Kebba Ansu Manneh
Participants as the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) ended its first phase of National Consultation meetings, the residents of the Island city of Banjul, has called on Commissioners to critically consider presidential tenure limit and appointment of speaker of the National Assembly.
On Saturday, the 26th January, 2019 the residents also called for charter to be allocated to women, and proposed for youth service scheme in the new constitution.
The Banjul meeting marks the end of the National Consultation undertaken by the Constitutional Review Commission mandated by the National Assembly to review the 1997 constitution.
The Constitutional Review Commission team visited one hundred and four (104) communities and twenty six (26) schools across the country to engage Gambians on what they want or don’t want in the new Constitution with a befitting slogan Transparency, Inclusiveness, Participatory and Ownership to suit the process.
Among those who spoke at various communities within the country hailed the process as transparent and inclusive, by describing it as one of the best opportunities ever availed to Gambians since Independence for the Nationals to participate in Constitutional Building.
Hon. Fatoumatta Njie, the National Assembly Member for Banjul South also stated: “I am very happy that the Constitutional Review Commission is here today in Banjul South and have given my contribution but also feel proud for enlighten my people about the importance of this New Constitution”
“I am also appreciated the presence of the Commissioners to engage us and this has demonstrated that they are not dictating to us about what should be in this New Constitution,” she pointed out.
She further described the Constitutional Review Process as an opportunity that Gambians have never had, and the 1997 Constitution was imposed on Gambians by the Ex- president Yahya Jammeh, noting that experts says the 1997 Constitution was amended more than fifty times.
For the People’s Progressive Party lawmaker, she observed that the issue of the presidential term limit and the issue of the Speaker of the national assembly are the most intriguing issues that bubble in her mind.
“I think the presidential tenure of office needs to be very specific and also the issue of the Speaker should be a nominated member, because there is need to be a total and complete separation of powers”, she noted.
Njie also challenged the selection of nominated members by the President, suggesting that the nomination should rather be done by the various stakeholders because the nominees are to represent in the House of Parliament, be it from the Business Community, the Youths, the Women, the NGO Community and the Disables.
She added that such bodies will be in better positions to identify potential candidates who can work according to the mandate and responsibilities given to them.
“The Speaker should be nominated for the whole House, because obviously in the Parliament we have the Majority and the Minority and if the Speaker is voted for this will allowed members to vote for the most competent person.
I also think the National Assembly Members should get some qualification because from experience there are lot of issues that we should look into, so if you are not qualify you cannot be effective in the Parliament, “no’’ Njie pointed out.
