The Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Fabakary Tombong Jatta has tasked lawmakers to play active role as representatives of the Gambian people.
He made the statement this week at the opening of the induction training for the legislators of the Sixth National Assembly of the Republic of The Gambia,at the Assembly complex in Banjul.
“More importantly, we want all of you to play a very active role as representatives of our people, and this programme will provide you with necessary insight into how best you can do that as a representative of the people”, Jatta remarked.
“Like all of you, I look forward to serving in a National Assembly where inputs of Members can be expressed constructively and freely, without fear or favour,” he added. He also expressed optimism that the debates they would have would be well-informed, meaningful, and respectful.
“This is an exciting period in the life of our democratic government as our National Assembly is more diverse than ever before and as such, offers a unique opportunity to develop and deepen our democratic culture”, he told the members of the Sixth Legislature.
While urging on the parliamentarians to take the induction programs seriously, he also tasked them to follow the program attentively, telling them “we do not want anyone of you to have issues with the rules of procedure or committee oversight activities”.
The new Speaker informed that the training would help them have much more idea about their powers and privileges as the representatives of the Gambian people. He said that there is a lot of work to be done in this Sixth Legislature, but that their immediate focus is to set the Committees in motion and all other institutional arrangements.
“We must also ensure that the programme of the National Assembly is designed to effectively do the oversight, monitoring, and evaluation of government departments,” he challenged lawmakers. He also tasked them to give serious attention to the ways in which they interact with the public and rededicate themselves to the true meaning of keeping the doors of the Assembly open.
“Together, we must continue the transformation of our Parliament and ensure that it remains relevant to the many challenges our people face and the hope they have invested in all of us,” said Speaker Jatta. He hailed the Resident Representative of the UNDP and all the development partners for their tremendous continued supports to the National Assembly.
“I have been briefed about your tremendous support in building the institutional capacity of the National Assembly over the years. I look forward to strengthening these relations for the mutual benefit of our two institutions”, the Assembly chief intimated.
