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toubab1020
12309 Posts |
 Posted - 24 Feb 2011 : 17:54:38
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A move in the right direction bearing in mind the financial circumstances of the average Gambian,
BUT
I REALLY HOPE THAT MEMBERS OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION DO NOT SEE THIS MOVE AS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BLEED THE STATE COFFERS DRY BY BEING GREEDY.
http://observer.gm/africa/gambia/article/govt-committed-to-legal-aid-implementation-says-justice-jobarteh
Gov't committed to legal aid implementation Says Justice Jobarteh
Africa » Gambia
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Justice Lamin Jobarteh, a High Court judge and chairman of the newly established Legal Aid Agency, has reiterated the commitment of the government of The Gambia to the implementation, without delay, of the 2008 Legal Aid Act.
Justice Jobarteh was speaking Tuesday at the Sea View Garden Hotel, while presiding over the official opening ceremony of a one-day Validation Seminar on the Consultancy Report of the Community Legal Aid Initiatives, conducted by the Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHDA). The seminar, organised by the Legal Aid Agency and funded by the UNDP office in Banjul, brought together stakeholders comprising of legal practitioners, law students of the University of The Gambia (UTG) civil society organisations, and media practitioners among others, who later brainstormed on burning issues relating to the challenges over the implementation of the 2008 Legal Aid Act, which replaced the obsolated 1993 Poor Persons Act.
Justice Jobarteh disclosed that within the three months of the existence and operations of the Legal Aid Agency in the country, a total of 21 cases in the provincial villages have been resolved by the agency within 21 days, something he described as a step in the right direction as far as fair and speedy dispensation of justice in the country is concerned. The High Court judge made references to both local and international instruments on justice delivery systems as contained in Section 17 Sub-sections (1) and (2), which made provision for protection of Fundamental Freedom and Rights. He said: “The government of The Gambia is committed towards justice delivery to the door step of everyone regardless of tribe and geographical location of the country.”
Justice Jobarteh went on to mention the numerous contributions made by the Gambian consular based in the Kingdom of Spain, whom he described as not only a true philanthropist, but a true friend of the Gambia and Gambians based in Spain through offering of legal services among others to them whenever the need arises. The High Court Judge also informed the gathering that the said consular had just delivered a 40-foot container full of medical items to the Bansang Hospital, which made the said hospital second to none in the country in terms of medical equipments, even the prestigious RVTH.
He finally thanked the IHDA for what he described as a job well done, considering the comprehensive and detailed research work done by the institute, which covered both the urban and provincial villages across the length and breadth of the country. Charles Thomas, executive director of the Legal Aid Agency, gave a detailed historical overview of the Agency, right from the outdated 1993 Poor person’s Act to the 2008 Legal Aid Act enacted by the National Assembly and assented to by the president of the Republic of The Gambia,
He stressed that legal aid is a constitutional provision and its successful operation required support of both government and the private sector. He expressed gratitude to the government of The Gambia for supporting the Agency in its drive towards achieving the objectives of access to justice for all. The Legal Aid Agency boss also thanked the IHDA for conducting the consultancy work.
Edmond Foley, the lead consultant and Mrs Sheilar, director of IHDA presented the draft consultancy report to the audience for adoption and recommendations. The 32-page consultancy draft report covered issues such as assessment of legal aid initiatives in the Gambia, identification of capacities within the existing legal aid initiatives, mapping of gaps and areas that required support, identification of organisations with potential of running community legal aid services, and identification of key areas that need to be established and operationalised as legal aid clinics in the country.
The report did not leave out examination of the level of understanding of the legal aid concept within the communities, to assess the suitability of legal aid to the needs of the communities and selected international best practices among others with specific references made to different existing legal aid organisations in the country such as FLARE, the Association of Female Lawyers of The Gambia among others.
The report also captured a brief background of the IHDA, which was founded in 1998 as a pan-African non-governmental organisation based in Banjul, The Gambia. The seminar participants later broke into groups and brainstormed on some of the key issues they either considered well captured in the report, or left out and needed to be inserted for the purpose of having a comprehensive legal aid operational report in place. The recommendations and suggestions were welcomed by the consultants and the organisers as they promised to accommodate them without delay pursuant to the spirit and letters of the Legal Aid Act 2008.
Author: by Sanna Jawara
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 24 Feb 2011 17:55:57 |
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