Teacher wants commission for persons with disability

As the public consultation of Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) reaches its climax, inhabitants of Busumbala village and the surrounding communities have expressed their opinions as to what they want to be included in the new constitution.

Abbie Jammeh, a teacher of GADHOH Basic and Nursery School, in Brikama said that the new constitution should establish a commission that will take care of matters of people with disability. “Such commission should be responsible for the day to day activities of the disability people with a view to look into some of the issues affecting them in the country,” she said

Sign language, she added, should be officially recognised as one of the local languages in the country and that there should be free education for persons with disability; starting from primary school to the university level. She said that this would encourage them to go to school.

“There should be a sign language interpreter at the National Assembly and also, it should be compulsory for all TV stations in The Gambia to employee sign language interpreters,” she stated.

She argued that it’s government’s business to ensure that persons with disability are employed.

Abbie Jammeh, opined that there should be a body responsible for the appointment of the speaker of the National Assembly. She pointed out that the president should not be given the right to appoint the speaker as it’s the case. “The president should not do something without the approval of the lawmakers and that the grade 12 requirement for presidency should be maintained.”

“Election for alkalolu should not be included in the new constitution. It will create disunity within our communities. However, district chiefs should be voted because they are governing lot of people,” One Yankuba Drammeh said.

Bami Ceesay and Momodou Sellu Mbaye both dwelled on the significance of the public consultation. Commission for health, agriculture and teachers, they said, should be established.

Brufut Meeting 

At Brufut, residents also expressed their opinions regarding what they aspired to be included in the new constitution.

One Sedou Mutarr Bojang, opined that the 15 years requirement for naturalisation is too much. He said it should be reduced to 12 years. Bojang also argued that the death penalty should be maintained.

Lamin Nano Manneh suggested that the teachings of constitution should be embedded in the education curriculum.

Death penalty, he argued, should be removed. “There should be two term limits for the chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission and his commissioners.”