The Minister of Interior has urged men and women of the Gambia Police Force to work within the law, respect the fundamental human rights of Gambians and overall, the Constitution.

Mai Ahmed Fatty was speaking on Wednesday during his first visit to the Gambia Police Force Headquarters in Banjul since assuming office in the new government.

According to him, the Police Force overwhelmingly have good men and women but also they have others who have less regards for the law and do not care much about procedures and the Constitution.

“These few, we must all work together to change their attitude so that together we can continue to work as a team. There is nobody who cannot be reformed. When we work together as a family, we will be there. When you manage people, you find good and bad, tolerant and intolerant, hesitant, discipline and indiscipline, mature, and excellent etc but if you want to chose one group, and you will not work. We should influence each other, manage, lead and inspire. That is what you Commissioners and senior officers are expected to do” he said.

He further urged the senior officers to be tolerant with the junior ones and understand even their family problems because that can come along at work.  He urged them to be like families and understand that they are serving Gambians.

Gambia’s Army chief has reminded the Gambia’s 20th contingent heading for the Sudanese troubled region of Darfur, to always remember the principles of integrity, respect for diversity and professionalism as their guiding principles at all times.

Lt. General Masanneh Kinteh made the remarks on Wednesday during the farewell of the Gambian contingent heading for a peacekeeping mission in Darfur, a ceremony presided over by by the Minister of Women Affairs and overseer of the portfolio of the Office of the Vice President Madam Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang.

The 208 personnel including 12 male officers, 6 female officers and 19 female soldiers under the command of Colonel Musa Trawally are heading to the Sudanese troubled region of Darfur on humanitarian and peace support mission.

The responsibilities of the Gambian contingent still remain the securing of the Mission Headquarters in El-Fasher and the provision of escort duties to UNIMID High Command and visiting VIPs. Other aspects include providing the enabling environment for humanitarian support to Darfurians, on issues such as the resettlement of Internally Displaced People (IDP) and protection of civilian population from all forms of violence.

CDS Kinteh also advised the men and women to work hard to win the hearts and minds of their fellow peacekeepers as well as the civilian population.

“This would require a high sense of commitment and dedication to the service of the mission and the people of Darfur. You therefore, need to stay focus, alert and fit at all times and execute your tasks in a highly professional manner. You need to be tolerant, tactful and polite in the way you relate with your peers from different countries. You must have respect for all those you come in contact with and be willing to  share your experience with your colleagues” he advised.

According to him, the men and women should be part of the solution to the trouble but not the problem and are expected to do everything possible within your limits to help build and keep the peace. He urged them to execute their duties within the amdate of  UNAMID, observing the rule of law and paying due attention and respect for human rights and dignity.

CDS Kinteh further implored on the Contingent to behave professionally and avoid anything that will stain the good name of The Gambia.

“You must respect the religion, tradition and local culture of the host country. Consider the people of Sudan as your own brothers and sisters and treat them with honesty and respect” he concluded.

Gambia’s new President Adama Barrow arrived in the Senegalese Capital, Dakar, Thursday, March 3^rd in his first foreign trip since assuming office.

President Barrow is in Dakar for a three-day state visit, which is his first foreign trip and state visit since assuming office.

He was received at the Leopold Sedar Senghore International Airport by his host and Senegalese President Macky Sall, flanked by Cabinet ministers and other top government officials.

During the three-day visit, Presidents Barrow and Sall are expected to discuss matters of common interest and wide range of issue pertaining to Senegal-Gambia relations.

Later today, the two leaders will hold a press conference, according to a statement from the Senegalese presidency as reported by the Agence de Presse Sénégalaise (APS).

 This will be followed by series of engagements and signing of bilateral agreements between the two countries on Friday.

On Saturday at 11 am at the seat of the Senegalese Presidency, the two countries will sign and issue a Joint Communiqué which will end the state visit.

It could be recalled that during the recent political impasse, President Barrow spent several days in Dakar as his predecessor, former Presidenty Yahya Jammeh refused to step down after loosing the presidential election. He was sworn in at the Gambian embassy in Dakar and later returned to the country after the exile of former President Jammeh to Equatorial Guinea following an ECOWAS-led mediation to end the crisis.

Picture credit: Agence de Presse Sénégalaise (APS).

Gambia’s Interior Minister has said it is the new government’s intention to change the name of the Gambia Police Force to The Gambia Police Service.

He said the word ‘Force’ will be omitted from the name to be replaced by the word ‘service’.

Mai Ahmed Fatty made the revelation on Wednesday, March 1 during his first visit to the Gambia Police Force Headquarters in Banjul.

According to him, the change will help meet international standards adding that the Police is part of the service sectors and its orientation should be geared towards delivering services to the Gambian people.

“The philosophy will change but we will do this along with you. We will carry you along. There will be consultations and we will work together so that we can reform together and you can own this reform because at the end of the day, you are going to be the engine of change. So the change will come from you and the initiative will come from you” he told Police.

Minister Fatty assured that they will give the policy support to bring it into effect. He assured them that the Gambia considers them important and surely, in future, they will see change.

He used the opportunity to call on all officers to acquaint themselves with the Constitution of The Gambia saying it is the document that they work with. “You should also acquaint yourself with the old Police Act. Every time you look at it, you will find something new” he advised.

Review Police Act

Minister Fatty also announced that they will review the Police Act as it is outdated.

“We need to review the Act and not only that but I think we need to come with a new Act that will take into consideration the changes in society, technology and our international responsibilities as a nation” he concluded.

The 20^th Gambian contingent dubbed GAMCOY 20 heading to the Sudanese region of Darfur for peace keeping mission, Wednesday March 1, bade farewell at a ceremony held at the July 22^nd Square in Banjul.

The Contingent bade farewell to the Minister of Women Affairs and overseer of the portfolio of the Office of the Vice President Madam Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang.

The 208 personnel including 12 male, and 19 female soldiers under the command of Colonel Musa Trawally are heading to the Sudanese troubled region of Darfur on humanitarian and peace support mission.

The responsibilities of the Gambian contingent will include the securing of the Mission Headquarters in El-Fasher and the provision of escort duties to UNIMID High Command and visiting VIPs. Other aspects include providing the enabling environment for humanitarian support to the people Darfur, on issues such as the resettlement of Internally Displaced People (IDP) and protection of civilian population from all forms of violence.

Speaking at the ceremony, Vice President Tambajang told members of the Gambian contingent to be role models and maintain the good image of the country during their tour of duty in Sudan. She said President Barrow admires people in uniform and that he will continue to support them taking into account that they are in the front-line in the maintenance of peace and stability.

“You are selected not based on merits but base on services to the nation and your exemplary characters. You are going to be our ambassadors, ambassador not only for the Gambia but as African ambassador,” VP Jallow-Tambajang added.

Peace she said is a challenging word and must be guided by the religion that you believe, saying humanitarian from the United Nations definition is serving somebody who did not have the privilege to peace, privilege to his livelihood and who have no privilege to stability.

“Your mission is a mission that you should respect, thus, it is significant you respect the communities that you are going to serve. When you serving a nation, you must be guided by their culture that way you will be easily integrated into their community, the society and finally you will be qualified to be ambassadors of The Gambia” she concluded.

Masanneh Kinteh, the new Chief of Defense Staff of the Gambia Armed Forces said it is a pride seeing the contingent leaving for a humanitarian and peace support mission which would strengthen the tremendous successes that The Gambia has registered in Darfur over the years.

“Peace is one of the deepest desires of mankind. It has remained one of the basic yet elusive yearnings of human race. The conditions that threaten peace and security are increasing daily, thus, making it necessary to evolve new techniques and capacity that will transform them. Therefore, adequate training, logistics support and international partnership in peacekeeping operation with increasingly more complex UN Mandate is required to curb the threats that have over time, changing dynamics with irregular opponents” he said.

CDS Kinteh thanked the Commandant of the Gambia Armed Forces Training School and his team for the quality training provided to the troops and the British Armed Forces through the British Ambassador and the Defense Attaché accredited to The Gambia for the facilities of the pre-deployment training through the Royal Gilbraltar Regiment.

He said the contribution of the Gambia Armed Forces to peacekeeping missions worldwide has grown significantly in recent years. He said The Gambia has been steadfast in its commitment to help keep the peace in the region, and has stood by Darfur throughout this conflict period to restore their hopes and dignity.

He advised his men and women to stay focus, alert and fit at all times and execute their tasks in a highly professional manner.

Gambia’s Interior Minister has said that there will be no more executive directives asking the police to do what is unlawful.

Mai Ahmed Fatty was speaking on Wednesday during his maiden visit to the Gambia Police Force Headquarters in Banjul.

In the previous government of former President Yahya Jammeh, executive directives have been the order of the day in terminating services, effecting arrests and other ungodly activities in the country.

“You have no reason to be afraid in the performance of your duties. There will be no executive directives asking you to do what is unlawful. I will support you and as Father of the Ministry, I will be a good parent to the children of the family. You can go with pride and assurance that you have the fullest support of the Ministry of Interior and the government” he said.

According to him, his Ministry is bound by law and same applies to the Gambia Police Force. He reminded the Police Force that there are no more obstacles on their way because all have been removed for them to perform effectively, unless if they want to return it back by themselves.

Despite, he also reminded the Gambia Police Force to operate within the law saying the new government and the Gambian people want an indigenous Police Force, creative, transforming, build and creative so that Gambia will be consulted by other countries in solving crimes.

“You can do it and I know you have the competence to do it. What you lacked was motivation and the enabling policy support” he said.

Minister Fatty then assured the Gambia Police Force of the fullest support saying they will be empowered. He urged them to change, free themselves and use their knowledge to make sure The Gambia exports their efficiency within the ECOWAS region.

Gambia’s new Interior Minister Mai Ahmed Fatty on Wednesday made his first visit to The Gambia Police Force Headquarters since assuming office.

He was received by the Inspector General of Police besides senior members of the Police Command.

Speaking during a meeting with the minister, the Inspector General of Police Yankuba Sonko expressed delight and welcomed the new minister.  He assured that the Gambia Police Force is fully behind the new government of President Adama Barrow and will work more than ever to ensure a smooth transition as well as provide security to the nation.

He briefed the minister on the number of Police officers in the Gambia saying there are 6,000 Police officers under the Gambia Police Force.

“We have 52 Main Police Stations; 50 mini Police stations; 9 Police Intervention Units (PIU) bases; 10 mini-PIU posts countrywide. All units are working to ensure security” he said.

Interior Minister Mai Fatty in response said the Police are the people on the vanguard of maintaining law and order in The Gambia. According to him, with the sacrifice, commitment and dedication of the officers, the security of the country remains intact under the leadership of IGP Sonko.

He assured the Gambia Police Force of his Ministry’s fullest support and also extended President Barrow’s assurance and commitment to internal security in the country.

He made it clear that the government will empower the Gambia Police Force under the Police Act and substantially support the community policing project in order to continue to improve police public relations and in educating Gambians on the need to be law abiding and to see the police officers as friends and partners.

On the constraints of the Police, Minister Fatty said his Ministry will submit a comprehensive proposal to Cabinet with a view to reviewing the conditions of service of the Police Officers such as increasing pay scales, providing them with assurances etc.

“We need to make adequate arrangements so that your families will be comfortable and make them believe that they are cared for” he said, assuring them that this is a new dispensation and as Minister, there will be positive changes.

Minister Fatty reminded the Police that they are living in a region that is facing security volatility and uncertainty. He said terrorism has no boundaries, financial crimes and money laundering, cyber crimes etc are growing day by day and criminals are on the move.

“The Gambia must therefore upgrade its internal security apparatus in order to meet these challenges so that we would not be left behind. This entails institutional support, particularly, giving you the tools you need to effective, capacity training, both domestic and international and more so resources because combating crimes nowadays is an expensive business. The police have to have the logistics to be ahead of the criminals” he concluded.

The Minister was later led on a conducted tour of the Police Headquarters by the Inspector General of Police Yankuba Sonko.

Gambia’s National Assembly on Tuesday amended the country’s 1997 Constitution removing the upper age limit for holding office as President of the Republic of The Gambia from 65 years.

They also amended and voted by revising the compulsory retirement age of a judge in the Superior Court, extending the age at which a judge should vacate his or her office from seventy to seventy-five years.

Sections 62(1)(b) of the Constitution is amended by deleting immediately after the words ‘he or she has attained the minimum age of thirty years’, to the words ‘but not more than sixty-five years’.

Section 141(2)(b) of the Constitution is amended by substituting for the words ‘seventy years’ to the words ‘seventy-five years.

It is envisaged that this amendment will facilitate and encourage qualified, competent and experienced Gambians to be appointed as judges of the Superior Courts or be elected to political office.

Presenting the bill to removing the upper age limit for holding office as President, Interior Minister Mai Ahmed Fatty said the amendment will truly consolidate democracy in the country, eliminate discrimination against senior citizens who still have so much in terms of experience , expertise and competence to serve the country.

“This will therefore, cure that defect. The the amendment will enable any Gambian who has attain the age beyond 65 years to present him or herself as candidate for President of The Gambia” he noted.

Fatty reminded that The Gambia is a signatory to the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and it makes it discriminatory for someone who attain a certain age to be banned from participating in the political life of his or her country exclusively on grounds of age.

“As a signatory, we owe it to the international community and the Gambian people to comply with international laws. For the first time in the history of The Gambia, this amendment will also put the country inline with national best practice and enable us to stop for the first time, the violation of very important international instrument in which The Gambia is a signatory” he said..

Superior Court Judges

He said seniority is always cherished and commendable and it is acquired by age and years of experience. He said, for judges particularly those of the Superior Courts, the higher the age, the greater the wisdom.

He confirmed that the Gambia’s judiciary is suffering tremendously because of the lack of sufficient Gambian judges who are prepared to occupy the bench.

“As a result, we are left with a number of foreigners who are imported into The Gambia to occupy seats in the Superior Courts. Today, there are many cases at the Supreme Court awaiting  to be determined upon. This has not been possible because we do not have Gambians to take up positions in the Supreme Court and other superior courts. There are so many Gambians who are willing to serve the nation – imminent judges and lawyers who can serve in any tribunal around the world with distinction and are ready to come forward and enrich the judiciary but the age limit makes them impossible to do so” he said.

Minister Fatty finally made it clear that this amendment will therefore eliminate the ubiquity provision and enable the Gambia to truly realize the Gambianisation of the judiciary.

Gambia’s Parliament on Tuesday unanimously voted to reduce the current deposits payable by candidates aspiring for elections to public offices notably Offices of President, Member of the National Assembly, Mayor or Mayoress and Councillor, to the previous deposit figures.

The amendment was done during an Extra Ordinary Session convened under a Certificate of Urgency signed by the President of the Republic.

Tabled in the House by the Minister of Interior Mai Ahmed Fatty, the Election Amendment Bill seeks to encourage the widespread participation of the ordinary citizenry in the new democratic dispensation.

In the Amendment, Section 43 (1) of the Principal Act is amended in paragraph (a) by substituting for the words ‘Five hundred thousand dalasis’ to the words ‘ten thousand dalasis’.

“In Paragraph (b) by substituting for the words ‘Fifty thousand dalasis’ to the words ‘two thousand five hundred dalasis and in Paragraph (d) by substituting for the words ‘Ten Thousand dalasis’ to the words ‘one thousand, two hundred and fifty dalasis”.

Minister Fatty said the bill will address the issue of inequity and ensure political rights, adding that every citizen with full age and capacity should have the right without restriction to take part in elective positions.

According to him,the fundamental peg that the amendment seeks to remedy is age restriction by allowing every Gambian especially women and young people who are desire for public office to participate in elections.

“This year, the participation of the young people will be high. We need the young people in this August Assembly and even in Cabinet. Therefore, this amendment will remove the restrictive provisions to allow all to participate” he said.

Considering the economic status and strength of the people aspiring to participate in elective offices, Minister Fatty said it is vital to reduce the deposits as financial constraints deprived many from participating in past elections, whom would have been effective in contributing to national development.

Meanwhile, in Pursuance of Section 101(3), the President of the Republic accordingly signed a Certificate of Urgency on the matter dated 24^th February 2017, for the National Assembly to consider.

“The Extra Ordinary Session is therefore convened in accordance with Section 98(a)(i) and 101(3) of the 1997 Constitution of the Republic of The Gambia, according to Speaker Abdoulie Bojang during his opening remarks of the session.

“Section 101(3) reads: No bill, other than a bill referred to in sub-section (5), shall be introduced into the National Assembly unless it has been published in the Gazette, and such publication has been made at least fourteen days before the date of its introduction.; provided that where the President certifies that the enactment of the bill is required in the public interest as a matter of urgency, the bill may be introduced notwithstanding that it has not been published fourteen days beforehand” he said.

Gambia’s Interior Minister has described the lack of transportation means (official vehicles) for Members of the National Assembly as a national disgrace.

Mai Ahmed Fatty was responding to a concern by Hon. Samba Jallow, Minority leader and Member for Niamina Dankuku who raised the concern before the House during Tuesday’s Extra Ordinary Session convened to amend the 1997 Constitution and Election Bills 2017 respectively.

Hon Jallow said it’s a real disgraced for Members of Parliament to be standing on the highways begging to be transported to their various locations especially after official sessions. He said most of them join public transports using ‘Gele Gele’ all the time and they are representative of the people. He called on the new government to consider them.

Interior Minister Fatty replied that it does not in any way befit the office of NAMs to be hassling to take public transport especially after serving the nation in the august Assembly.

“National Assembly members are as important as Cabinet members, if not even more important because they pass laws and represent true Gambia. You are representing thousands of Gambians. It should therefore be inline with your Honourable name and job to be catered with mobility ” he said.

He then promised that this new government of President Barrow will be cooperative in every venture to make sure that MPs are fully catered for to be able to do their job effectively.

Gambia’s former Army Chief Lt. General Ousman Bargie says he loves peace that is why he is stress free.

Bargie was recently given a nick name ‘Mr No Stress’ during the Gambia’s the political impasse.

Responding to questions from journalists as to why he is called ‘Mr no Stress’ during a farewell ceremony in his honour after been redeployed to the Foreign Service ending his Army career, Bargie said with stress, one can easily commit suicide or do the unimaginable.

“Today, small kids are getting diabetes and other diseases because of stress. The people in the West fear stress more than HIV and Aids. They even monitor you when you are stressed because they know you can do the unthinkable. So, this is why am stress free. Let us be stress free, the Smiling Coast of Africa” he said.

According to him, with new President Barrow, everything is possible and brighter days are ahead for the Gambia.

He described his new assignment as another challenges saying he love challenges.

“Even If I face the biggest mountain in the world, I will try to see where and how to climb on that mountain.” He said

Meanwhile, Bargie who served as Army chief since the former regime of Yahya Jammeh is now deployed to the Foreign Service by the new President Adama Barrow. He is being replaced by former Military aide Masanneh Kinteh, who in fact handed over the mantle of leadership of GAF to Bargie some years back after he was also sent to the Foreign Service.

The Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) on Monday bade farewell to one of the longest serving Chiefs of Defense Staff, Lt. General Ousman Bargie in a symbolic and emotional ceremony.

Bargie who served as Army chief since the former regime of Yahya Jammeh is now deployed to the Foreign Service by the new President Adama Barrow. He is been replaced by former Military aide Masanneh Kinteh, who in fact handed over the mantle of leadership of GAF to Bargie some years back after after he was also sent to the Foreign Service.

Speaking to journalists at the ceremony, Bargie expressed delight for serving the nation in that capacity and yet still trusted and deployed for another assignment.

“I feel very very happy today as the day I was appointed as the Chief of Defense Staff. I am equally happy that I am relieved off that post and re-assigned to another new life. I am extra delighted in the sense that somebody I trained in the army has been my CDS and I took over from him and is again coming back to take the mantle of leadership of GAF. This is the happiest moments in my life” he said.

Dilating on his biggest achievements during his period as Army Chief, Bargie said is the maintenance of peace throughout the political impasse that everybody thought would have ended in bloodshed.

“My biggest achievement as CDS is that on the contrary of what everyone was expecting that war is inevitable, I said Allah will bless this country and it has happened. Even if I die today, I am happy” he said.

He described his stance during the impasse as a professional manner, distanced himself from politics and followed the Constitution.

“Don’t look for money, fame or anything. Follow the black and white paper and remember that you took the Quran or Bible and swore to the Almighty Allah that you will defend the Constitution and integrity of this country and nothing else. I took my stance effective December 2^nd, when Barrow was President-elect and Jammeh was incumbent. I was dancing for President Barrow. So, I took a decision long since but people could not understand me” he said.

He issued his last message by calling on all Gambians to support the new government saying the welcome accorded to President Barrow should translate into development.

“We need to work for The Gambia not President Barrow” he concluded.