By Landing Colley
Persons with disabilities have frowned on lawmakers for rejecting the draft Constitution – as they described the rejection ‘a blow to the nation.’
The group challenge comes one day after the draft Constitution failed to secure 45 votes – after 23 lawmakers voted against the Bill leaving 31 people voted in favor of it.
Binta Badjie, president of GADHOH said: “this is a miss-representation of what the Gambian people want because the draft Constitution is not an idea of few people but the entire Gambia as CRC consulted the whole country.”
“It is the voice of the people that is captured in the constitution and the National Assembly member refused to respect the view of the Gambian people. I see this thing as an attack to the person with disabilities community. In the history of The Gambia we never have such a Constitution that is inclusive like this, and I think it is important that Gambia people should know that person with disabilities are systematically discriminated due to lack of inclusiveness,” she said.
Dodou Loum, an executive director of GADHOH said “I felt disappointed when the National Assembly rejected the draft Constitution. The deaf community feels sad as the current Constitution only mentioned respect of right for person with disabilities, but it does not specifically say anything about sign language.”
“The new draft Constitution highlights the important of sign language and we believe that when this new draft constitution is pass and becomes a law then the duty bearers will be compelled to utilize the sign language,” he added.
According to him, they have been advocating for many years and now they believe that the need for advocacy has come to end since it is voted out. He added that the National Assembly member are not working for the Gambia people which they represent and now they are making decision that the Gambia people are not in support.
He added that “The National Assembly failing to approve the draft Constitution means they have very little regard for the deaf people.”
GADHOC development officer, Lamin Ceesay also said: “I feel very sock because this draft Constitution is very much inclusive especially in the area of person with disabilities. I see no reason why the National Assembly rejected it . It is a threat to person with disabilities all over the Gambia.”
