By Binta Jaiteh
Hon Madi Ceesay, National Assembly member for Serrekunda West Constituency revealed that four bills were successfully passed in the first ordinary session of 2023.
In an interview, he said, the sixth legislature was able to continue with the job of the fifth legislation and they successfully passed four bills into the act, including the very important torture bill.
“Without that bill people who are accused of torture will not have any punishment. As we all know during the past regime there has been a lot of human rights violation a lot of people faced torture it was the command of rule during Jammeh’s time.”
Hon Ceesay pointed out that 99% of torture is done by state machinery the police, Army, and others are people who inflict pain on accused persons to have information.
However, he added that Mutual Legal Assistance Bill is another crucial bill now put into Act because they all went through the committee stages and once a bill is read a third time it will automatically come into Act.
“The bill takes care of the accused persons that are in the country and supposed to be transported to their country for trial. Or people who are in other countries Gambian national-facing trial or accused of therefore the country can request for them to be handed over to the Gambia for it to take place and it is bulky,” he explained.
Meanwhile, he said during the first ordinary session, the Minister of Health responded to the questions of the parliament regarding the issue of the AKI that resulted in the death of over 70 children, noting they assured that all the recommendations that were given most of them have been done some on the financial issue are still pending, the government should train pharmacist so that medicines that are coming in will be properly checked.
“Parliamentarians have also questioned ministers on the continuous presence of ECOMIG Forces in the country, the Foni intrusion by Senegalese soldiers, water issue and agricultures a lot has been discussed as far as the country concern. In summary this is the overview of the first ordinary session,” Hon Madi Ceesay gave a brief overview of the First Ordinary Session.