By Nelson Manneh
The Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) on Monday the 20th of May 2019 engaged the National Human Right Commission on the current Constitutional review process.
The closed-door meeting took place at the CRC main conference hall in Kotu.
Justice Sulayman Cherno Jallow the Chairperson of the CRC, narrates some of the activities that they had gone through. He said since the beginning of the process, they have been engaging relevant stakeholders and citizens in the process. He said that they are tasked to review the 1997 constitution and write a new constitution with a report.
“In doing so we deem it necessary to seek the opinion of all stakeholders and all Gambians at large. We collect information from them, analyse it, weigh it and determine whether it is relevant or not which is not easy; that is why we have a team of experts, researchers, statisticians, transcribers among others,” he said.
He said they started the process by engaging the citizens by touring the whole country and they are now on the external consultation.
Justice Jallow said the CRC endeavours to collect information from citizens both at home and abroad, adding that the process is challenging but is worth it.
“The good thing about the consultation is that we receive different opinions on the same subject matter and that has been helping us in getting to this stage. There are some who cannot attend but they contribute by writing to the CRC,” he said.
Jallow said at this point, they have not formulated any position as they are combining opinion, that human rights and citizenship are certainly key in any constitutional development process.
He commends the National Human Rights Commission for honouring their invitation.
Lawyer Emmanuel Joof the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission assured the Chairperson and the entire team of the CRC of their support in the process.
“We are the youngest Commission established so far in the country and are endeavouring to work to expectation,” he said.
