By: Kebba AF Touray
Sittings continue at the National Assembly as Lawmakers are faced with marathon issues of National concern, for consideration, ratification, and adoption.
The atmosphere for Tuesday June 26th started after the usual scrutiny, considerations and amendments of policy documents brought before them.
The select committee on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Youth and Sports, on their visit to institutions and agencies under the purview of the said Ministries within the Greater Banjul Area and the South Bank of the Gambia was tabled before deputies for consideration, ratification and adoption, after the usual presentation.
Presenting their report before parliament, the Chairperson of the Committee Alagie S Darboe, said the objectives of their visits was to directly engage and interact with the relevant authorities on the ground, to abreast themselves on factual information on the sectors under their purview. Darboe disclosed that observation was made on the communication breakdown between the committee and the authorities visited at these sites; that unlicensed vendors selling at the hotels, the unwelcome all inclusive policy and the ‘Bumsta’ menace were scores of observations, made by their committee; that the committee recommended among other things, to avert such communication breakdowns, expansion of the Tourism Security Unit and the instilling of disciplinary measures for security officers caught in act of corruption or negligence during working hours, improvement in the supply of electricity in hotels by NAWEC, and allow the committee access to investigate into the FIFA Goal Project, provision of multi-purpose Youth Centers in each regions to be controlled by the National Youth and Sport Council etc. After a heated debate and scrutiny, the report finally got the blessings of the Legislative House, thus leading to its adoption after some amendments.
