Gambia’s Constitutional Review Commission officials, politicians brainstorm on reforms
Banjul, Gambia (PANA) - The Gambian Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) and political party leaders Saturday met here to discuss issues of constitutional reform and preliminary submissions from the public, officials told PANA.
The CRC considers such dialogue relevant to the on-going constitutional building process leading to the drafting of a new constitution for The Gambia as mandated under the Constitutional Review Commission Act, 2017.
People's Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism female wing leader Amie Sillah supports presidential age limit of 30 to 80 in the draft document presented.
She said the president could not establish charity organizations but members of his/her family could.
Gambia’s Democratic Congress representative Dr. Demba Sabally said political party funding should be liberalised.
“Source of funding for political parties should not be the business of the state,” he added.
United Democratic Party leader and sacked vice- president Ousainou Darboe supports a system of government that is a hybrid of the presidential and parliamentary systems.
He added that a person of dual citizenship could not be a president, adding that age should not be an issue in presidential requirements.
Former ruling Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction interim leader Fabakary Tombong Jatta supports the presidential system of government.
He said there should be no age limit for presidency, and that dual citizens could not be president, adding that he preferred absolute majority in elections.
Jatta further said political parties should present their financial reports to the government for public consumption.
He also supports marbles system of casting vote and counting instead of ballot papers in elections.
Momodou Sidibeh of Gambia Moral Congress party supports term limits for the presidency.
People's Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism party’s Fatou Touray also supports the presidential system of government, saying that ministers should be put to public scrutiny first before appointment.
Filly Suso supports presidential system of government, adding that presidential term limits should be introduced and that there should not be any academic requirement for the presidency.
-0- PANA MSS/RA 12May2019
