National Assembly Speaker Receives Freetown Mayor

Mayor Williams, accompanied by a five-man delegation, is in the country as guest of the Banjul City Council.

In her welcoming remarks Hon. Fatouma Jahumpa Ceesay said the visit is most welcome, noting that the two countries are one, adding that The Gambia and Sierra Leone share many things in common. She advised the two mayors to work closely together in order to revive the historic ties that have bonded The Gambia and Sierra Leone, noting that the two countries had been one time ruled by one country (Britain).

She said African leaders should be encouraged to come together. According to her, Africa has a future, but that that future lies in the hands of we Africans.

"We Africans should work together to make sure we come back close to each other as before," she added.

For his part, Mayor Williams indicated that they were happy to visit The Gambia, noting that the two countries share both political history and cultural lineage.

"I have seen a lot of things and systems here that we could take back to Freetown," he said.

Speaking earlier, Samba Faal, the Mayor of Banjul, said that the twin relationship of the two Councils should not be let to lie dormant. He also affirmed that The Gambia and Sierra Leone have the same culture. He maintained that there are lots of good practices and experiences that could be shared, and advocated for an amicable, fruitful working relationship.

Hon. Fabakary Tombong Jatta and Hon. Momodou Sanneh, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the National Assembly, respectively, also spoke at the occasion.

In a separate engagement, the chairpersons of various committees of the National Assembly held meetings to discuss the forthcoming State opening of Parliament scheduled for 27thMarch, 2009. They also dilated on the National Assembly's annual work-plan and duties of the committees, as well as review the programmes of the past year.