By: Kebba AF Touray
Three National Assembly members have respectively introduced Amendment Bills on rent, public order and local government.
Honorable Madi Ceesay, National Assembly Member for Serrekunda West, Honorable Sulayman Saho, Member for Baddibu Central and Hon. Yaya Sanyang, Member for Latrikunda Sabiji, all members of the United Democratic Party (UDP), introduced the bills before the legislative body for scrutiny, consideration and amendment.
Ceesay presented the Rent (Amendment) Bill, 2023, Saho introduced the Public Order (Amendment) Bill 2023 and Honorable Sanyang, Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2023.
The Rent (Amendment) Bill, 2023 seeks to improve on the Rent Act 2014, by raising value specified for a low-cost rental premises in line with contemporary times. It also intends to enable the ordinary person to afford to pay his or her rent monthly rather than face the burden of paying for six or more at any given time.
The rate that rent is increased is also carefully considered to ensure that the tenants and landlords do not suffer, as a reasonable percentage will be allowed at an annual increment of rent.
The Bill requires landlords to provide valuable service, seeking for the proper upkeep of premises that tenants occupy for the period agreed by both parties.
The Public Order (Amendment) Bill 2023 seeks to amend section 5 of the Public Order Act to bring it in line with international best practice and the guidelines issued by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Thus, the provision which requires applying for a license to hold a public procession is being replaced with a process requiring notice to be granted instead.
It is envisaged that the new process with its adequate checks and balances would give effect to the constitutional right to peacefully assemble.
The Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2023 seeks to give the nominated and elected members of the local councils voting rights as opposed to the 2002 Local Government Act, to ensure that the interests of all Gambians are represented in the local government.
It also seeks to enhance effective representation; as local councils are supposed to represent the interests of residents in their community.
All the Bills have undergone the first reading stage of the assembly, and they now wait for the second reading and further legislation processes.
