Barrow’s powers should be limited
Dear editor,
I think it’s high time that The Gambia repeal the law that gives President Barrow the power to nominate five MPs. This power is subjected to abuse by the executive. If the Supreme Court rules in favour of the executive, may God forbid, I can imagine what impact that will that have on other nominated MPs including the speaker of the house when national interest is at stake. However, Prexy Barrow is making his re-election for the 2nd term in office difficult on a daily basis due to the flaws in his decision-making and lack of leadership.
Alhagie Darboe
What is MoBSE and GTU doing about the Marina Incident?
Dear editor,
The Ministry of Education and Gambia Teachers Union as well as the Council of Principals must intervene in Marina International School to support the principal and the school. Allowing a court to interfere in disciplinary matters of the school will only undermine school authorities and weak discipline in schools as well as dilute quality of education!
The particular incident reported about a 13-year old boy driving a car to school should rather see the parents arrested by police for endangering the life of their child and not to take the principal to court for disciplining that child and his parents!
If this court decision stands then a dangerous precedent would have been set that would see irate kids misbehaving in school yet the principal cannot do anything because parents can get a judge to interfere and stop a principal from doing his or her job. That would be a huge disaster for not only education but also for the entire society!
And who is this judge and from which court? Why are our journalists not giving that information in their stories? The court is a public place and judges are public officials whose decision is also public information. Therefore citizens have right to know and journalists have a duty to give full information.
Who is the judge and from which court?
Madi Jorbateh
Boraba
Lawyers Mboge and Jallow are incompetent
Dear editor
Truly speaking, these people are definitely professionally incompetent. Just approach Barrow and ask him for permission to represent him in court but do not dictate any particular Judge to act otherwise. The most unfortunate thing about your claims is that Ya Kumba had every right to either support or against any motion based on her belief and reasoning.
To pick one of your claims (her stance against the supplementary budget) are you claiming that the Judge should hold her culpable for her stance against the bill and send her out? This is complete rubbish from you so-called professionals.
Mulie Dubois
Misplaced priorities
Dear editor,
As an independent observer, I find the move to recall Hon. Ya Kumba Jaiteh from the National Assembly, by the president, ill-advised, as it is not supported by the 1997 Constitution. Indeed, the attempt moves us backwards to the dark days in our history when administration by fiat took precedence over the law. I know other people have a different opinion, but I’m not getting into a debate over the matter. Rather, I am drawing attention to a deep paradox.
Following harrowing testimonies of witnesses who have appeared before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) so far, what can be more urgent and less controversial, for the Barrow administration, than the interdiction/accelerated retirement/forced resignation of security officials who stand accused of participating in atrocities? In the received wisdom of the Wollof sages, “gumbo tal na lenen ludul tob i tenn” translated as “The blind person has other concerns than (playfully) jumping over open wells”.
RR Jones
Banjul
