State
House, Banjul, March 30, 2020 – President Adama Barrow has said that the new
Constitution, premised on strong foundations and all-inclusiveness, will
provide a safe haven for all citizens to enjoy the path to peace, freedom and
prosperity.
The President made this remark in receiving
the draft new constitution presented by the Constitutional Review Commission
(CRC) at State House on Monday afternoon.
The drafting process took the 11-member
Commission, headed by Justice Cherno Jallow, under two years to consult, draft,
review and submit a validated new constitution to His Excellency, President
Adama Barrow.
The exercise was meant to provide Gambians
with a constitutional framework to enjoy their rights as citizens of the
country.
“This springs off from the belief that every
Gambian should comfortably relate to the constitution, and that our
institutions must be structured for sustained performance,” President Barrow
said at a ceremony attended by Speaker of the National Assembly, Chief Justice
of The Gambia and a cross section of Cabinet Ministers.
He added that it would promote and nurture
best practices, as well as maintain the country’s values as a nation.
“Accommodating our diversity allows us all to
enjoy the fundamentals of democracy, freedom and the rule of law,” he
maintained, noting that the new constitution will allow government to focus on
development, and create the environment for all to enjoy their citizenship and
realise their full potentials.
The attorney general and Minister of Justice,
Abubacarr Tambadou described the submission of the new constitution by the CRC
as progress that is “most profound and satisfying” for him.
He said a number of bills tabled before the
National Assembly for enactment, on top of this new constitution, will
radically transform the legal landscape of the country, particularly with
respect to the country’s criminal justice system.
“[It] marks another fulfilled promise to the
people of this country. You promised a new constitution within two years and
you have delivered on your promise. It is now up to us, the Gambian people, to
uphold our part of the bargain,” Aboubacarr Tambadou said.
In June 2018 the 11-member Constitutional
Review Commission was sworn into office and mandated to execute their
assignment in two phases: First, to review the 1997 Constitution of the
Republic of The Gambia and write a new constitution; second, to prepare a
report with regard to the new constitution.
The CRC Chairperson Justice Cherno Jallow
reported that they adhered to those statutorily established functions and
exercised their discretionary powers “in a fair and balanced manner”, bearing
in mind at all times matters that it considered to be in the best interest and
future of The Gambia.
“Constitution-building is a serious business,”
said Chairman Jallow. “But it is also a herculean task, especially when the
drafters of the new constitution are confronted with tons of wishes and
aspirations for inclusion in that constitution,” he added.
Mr. Jallow said when President Barrow tasked
them to review the 1997 Constitution; he was emphatic about the need to develop
a constitution that will serve the test of time. Hence they were grateful to be
given both the strength and the commitment to achieve that for their country
and as their leader expected of them.
