QUESTION OF THE DAY
Enlightened Gambians should conduct civic education to enable all Gambian citizens to know where the powers of the president start and stop. Unless this is known one would continue to make demands that the president will not be able to fulfil.
Powers are determined by the constitution and other laws. Powers that are not backed by law must be arbitrary. The exercise of arbitrary powers leads to impunity. Impunity cannot stamp out impunity. What it does is to give it a multiplying effect.
Every Gambian who writes a petition and makes a demand must ask two fundamental questions before doing so. First and foremost he or she must ask whether the demands are reasonable and justifiable in a democratic society. Secondly one should ask whether the authority being petitioned has the legal authority to act as demanded.
If a demand is unreasonable or unjustifiable in a democratic society and if the authority petitioned has no legal power to act then the petitioners’ expectation must be betrayed. Hence if Gambians do not want to engage in futile exercises we must ensure that our actions must be guided by reason, justice and law and not by mere emotions.
