By: Christian Conteh
The President of the Gambia Bar Association has added his voice to the continued call for the implementation of Gambia’s Truth Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC).
According to Salieu Taal implementing the TRRC Report recommendations will ensure the ‘Never Again’ slogan becomes a reality in the new Gambia.
He was speaking whilst welcoming about 60 new lawyers who had successfully completed their legal studies and had been called to the bar quite recently.
“The TRRC has unearthed the truth and now the next step is to ensure justice is achieved for the victims and the entire Gambian population. Implementation of the TRRC recommendations will finally close the chapter on the era of impunity. It is our collective duty to ensure that Never Again is not merely a slogan but a reality in the new Gambia,” Mr Taal said.
He used the occasion to congratulate the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission for completing its report despite challenges and constraints. He equally commended the Attorney General and Minister of Justice Dawda Jallow for ensuring the report was distributed to all the primary stakeholders and made available online.
“The ultimate credit goes to the government of President Adama for establishing the TRRC and availing the funds to support the process. We are happy to note that the government has received support to prepare a white paper.”
Meanwhile, the Bar Association President informed the public that there has been proposed legislative reforms to the Legal Practitioners Act to enable the General Legal Council handle and resolve complaints against its members (lawyers).
“The General Legal Council, which is the regulatory body that handles disciplinary matters of lawyers, has proposed legislative changes to the Legal Practitioners Act to enable the council to handle and resolve complaints against lawyers more efficiently and expeditiously and as a bar, we will be reviewing and strengthening our constitution to enable us to better regulate the conduct of our members,” he concluded.
