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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
 Posted - 24 Apr 2012 : 07:11:24
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FOROYAA NEWS EDITORIAL;
"On 20th April 2012, the Gambian public witnessed the biggest joke when APRC supporters with music blasting the chambers of the National Assembly and fanfare consuming their spirit congregated at the National Assembly in the name of commemorating the opening of the first session of the National Assembly by the President. Our investigation revealed that they really believed that the occasion marked the opening of the fist session of the National Assembly after a general election.
The first presidential address to the National Assembly started on the wrong footing by the Speaker calling it a state opening of the 4th legislature even though he read the content of section 77 of the Constitution which requires the President to address Parliament at least once in a year and the President also gave the impression that he was opening parliament by declaring that the legislative session was now opened. There is no where in section 77 which mentions the opening of the session of the National assembly through a presidential address.
We are wondering how this is possible in a country where the rule of law is supposed to be upheld and ignorance of the law is not deemed to be an excuse. It is all the more perplexing when the public is informed that the newly elected National Assembly members were taken through an induction programme to prepare them for their duties. The President has no constitutional mandate to come to the Parliament to open it. He has a right to address Parliament and Parliament has a right to invite him or her to come and address parliament. The First session of Parliament which marks its opening took place on the 19th April 2012.
The President’s role is very simple. He is to cause it to be published in the gazette to state where the first session is to take place. Section 97 reads: “The first session of the National Assembly after a general election shall be held in such place in the Gambia as the President may, by proclamation, appoint.”
Section 99 buttresses the point that a proclamation should be published in the gazette stating date and place for holding the first session of the National Assembly which should witness the election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker and the swearing in of the members. Section 99 reads “the National Assembly shall stand dissolved on the day immediately preceding the day appointed in accordance with section for the first session of the next following National Assembly.”
Hence, contrary to the notion of the APRC supporters, the first session took place on the 19th of April and not on the 20th April.
One would assume that the proclamation for the first session of the National Assembly to be held on 19th April 2012 at the National Assembly building has been published in the Gazette. If this had not been done then the Constitution is still being honoured with disregard.
Foroyaa will investigate to find out whether the subsidiary legislation has been given the force of law."
DAILY OBSERVER NEWS;
OTHER ISSUES IN NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS FROM RELATED BANTABA TOPIC;
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Edited by - kobo on 24 Apr 2012 07:21:31 |
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