Dear Editor,
From the tone and line of questioning of the commissioners so far, the Local Government Commission has all the hallmarks of a kangaroo Commission.
The commissioners are not listening to the evidence answers being given to the commission by the witness.
Instead, the commissioners are looking for their own evidence answers to satisfy the malicious intent that prompted the setting up of the local government commission.
The last session was like planting the evidence to solve the puzzle rather than following the evidence to solve the problem line of questioning.
The local government councils are not properly funded. The local government councils are not properly structured and the local government councils do not have the necessary political and economic development powers to undertake the volume and scale of development projects in the council areas.
But the commissioners asking the questions didn’t want to know that.
They push on the shortcomings in the governance of the local government councils but not the reasons why the shortcomings occur.
It’s like Essa Faal at the TRRC posing leading questions to the witnesses edging them on to say that Jammeh ordered the killings, rape and torture of the victims as if the individual servicemen have no personal responsibility in the heinous crimes against humanity committed.
If President Barrow is really interested in the good performance and delivery of public services in the local government areas, let the central government decentralise political and economic development powers to the local councils.
The central government must recognise that the elected local government chairpersons are the political CEOs of the council areas answerable to their constituents.
The idea that the president can appoint unelected governors to be the bosses of the elected local government chairpersons is a democratic outrage.
About the implementation of the TRRC Report, well, what about the mass murderers set free by the commission? General Saul Badjie is roaming free in The Gambia?
Will those adversely mentioned in the report have the right to challenge the decisions against them before a court of law?
The president can talk about implementing the TRRC Report because he’s not in coalition talks with Jammeh now.
If you believe in what the president is saying about the TRRC Report, you might as well believe in Jammeh coming back next month. The TRRC was a stupid policy idea anyway. And the local government commission is a stupid witch-hunt commission.
I didn’t like one bit how the commissioners pose questions to the witness in the last session. It felt like the witness was in police interrogation under caution.The local government commission is a witch hunt commission and a waste of public money.
Yusupha ‘Major’ Bojang
Scotland, UK
Re: PS Sanyang justifies ‘force’ to reinstate KMC CEO
Dear Editor,
Where rights of an individual are presumed to have been violated, the only place for redress is the judicial system. Forcibly breaking the door and entering an office is itself criminal in nature. I am of the opinion that since the council is a legal entity, which could be sued and be sued, the most appropriate measure was to seek a court injunction and not otherwise. Government cannot be seen to violate the law or found wanting for being complicit in an illegal activity. The law is the law and nothing more.
Lamin Fatty
Re: 10 honoured at Heroes Awards
Dear Editor,
Congratulations Fatu Camara yet again for a successful event. The nominations missed one -The Scorpions team that represented us at the Afcon in Cameroon. The heroics that team pulled should be recognised. In fact, that performance deserved national honours. I am a football fan, so, my two cents. Keep grinding Fatu, the sky is your limit. I am most proud of you
Tijan Masanneh Ceesay
USA
Fatou Camara’s reply:
Tijan Masanneh Ceesay, they received an award last year. GFF received it on their behalf.
