Members of The Gambia's law-making body last Friday convened at the Sea View Garden Hotel and Resort, to validate the Strategic Development and Investment Plan of the National Assembly of The Gambia 2009-2014.
The goal of the project, among others, is to develop within the context of the UNDP capacity development project, the enhancement of sustained capacity development of the National Assembly to enable them "better deliver its core functions of representation, legislation, appropriation, scrutiny and oversight".
In his opening addressing, Hon. Fabakary Tombong Jatta, the Majority Leader and Member for Serrekunda East, said this was the first strategic development and investment plan of the National Assembly of The Gambia, geared towards enhancing the function of an independent and efficient legislature in The Gambia.
The Majority Leader said the plan would facilitate and ensure comprehension that will also avail them to discuss and necessarily validate to ensure ownership of the adoption by members of the Assembly and the National Assembly service staff.
He underscored the numerous contributions of the United Nations Development Programme, noting that it has been a very strong partner of the National Assembly of The Gambia in many development programmes.
Speaking earlier, Mr. Chalis Camara, a representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the Civil Service highlighted the important role National Assembly plays in any democratic state, noting that this plan if validated would go a long way towards building the capacities of the members of the Assembly.
He urged the members to carefully look into the document so as to come out with concrete ideas that will help in validating the document.
Also, speaking at the validation, a representative of the UNDP, Mrs. Sirrah Ndow revealed that the plan was part of the UNDP sponsored programmes, geared towards building their capacities to carry out their works without any hindrance.
Madam Ndow stated that the UNDP would continue to support the National Assembly, both in institutional and capacity building programmes. She noted that the importance of the strategic development plan cannot be over-emphasised. As she put it, it would go a long way towards assisting National Assembly members and their support staff.
