By: Dawda Baldeh
Tensions flared in the National Assembly as numerous Members of the National Assembly (NAMs) engaged in a heated debate over the certificate of urgency attached to the Victim Reparations Bill presented by Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dawda A. Jallow.
“I want to make it clear, I am not opposed to the Victims Reparations Bill. What concerns me is the insistence on attaching a certificate of urgency to it. If the government has been committed to this since 2017, why wasn’t this bill considered earlier? We need ample time for a thorough discussion and understanding of this crucial legislation,” argued Hon. Madi Ceesay, NAM for Serrekunda West.
Lamin J Sanneh, the NAM for Brikama South, echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the need for time to deliberate on the bill and consult with constituents before making any decisions.
“You cannot expect us to address such a significant bill in just three hours. We require sufficient time,” Sanneh asserted.
Gibbi Mballow, the NAM for Lower Fulladu, characterized the debate on the urgency of the bill as dramatic.
“How can we overlook the urgency of this bill? Are we deceiving ourselves?” he questioned.
Mballow reminded his colleagues that the President deems the bill’s urgency necessary. He emphasized the timeliness of the bill and stressed the need for swift consideration.
“This should be treated as a matter of urgency. The victims are eagerly awaiting reparations. We must consider this promptly, allowing us to allocate funds in the upcoming budget,” he added.
Taking a different perspective, Hon. Amie Colley, the NAM for Foni Brefet, expressed support for the bill but raised concerns about the allocation of funds.
“We are not opposing this, but I am particularly concerned about how these funds will be disbursed to the victims. We need assurance that the money reaches the deserving victims and not others,” she stated.
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