By Awa B. Bah
Mr. James Duddridge, a Member of Parliament for Rochord and Southend East, has called for the Gambia to take back her seat within the Commonwealth Family of Nations. Mr. Duddridge made this remark on Wednesday 20th September 2017, during a press briefing at the British Ambassador’s residence in Bakau.
Mr. James Duddridge is in the Gambia with the British and Commonwealth parliamentary delegation to engage the newly elected national assembly members in their tasks to improve and advance their new parliament.
According to Mr. Duddridge, the delegation is working with national assembly members of the Gambia on a wide range of issues to strengthen the Legislation processes, Committee systems and parliamentary representation of the new parliament.
The parliament he said, is new and he looks forward to strengthening and developing it’s capabilities to hold the executive accountable. “We have worked with the Committees and hope to develop the national development programmes and engage in focal relations, for the benefit of the Gambia,” Mr. Duddridge said.
Duddridge continued that as the chairman of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, the Gambia is wanted back in the family.
“We hope by the time the Commonwealth meets with the new Gambia, there will be great bilateral advancements in the socio-economic development of the country,” he said. The future he said, is very bright for the new Gambia and the government is working forward for further collaboration.
Sharon Wardle, British Ambassador to the Gambia said since her arrival in the country two months ago and she presented her credentials to the president of the republic, she has been engaged in meetings and discussions, to enhance cooperation; that part of her role, is to further extend and handle the long awaited friendship that existed between the new Gambia and the British Government. The Gambia and the United Kingdom she said, enjoyed a long beautiful relationship which she assured, will continue to flourish.
Ambassador Sharon commended government for setting an exemplary democracy movement to the outside world, for the country to return to the Commonwealth of Nations.
