National Assembly Members Demand More Privileges The Independent (Banjul) NEWS August 2, 2002 Posted to the web August 2, 2002 By Pk Jarju Banjul Members of the National Assembly are demanding for more privileges to suit their status and the execution of their task as lawmakers. They are demanding that each of them be provided with a vehicle to end their transport woes, diplomatic passports to address embarrassing problems with immigration officers, funds to attend conferences and accompany state functionaries in their trips abroad. Submitting a 14 May report by the Standing Committee on Privileges to the Assembly Monday, which was later unanimously adopted by her colleagues, the deputy speaker Honourable Belinda Bidwell stated that during the meeting they agreed that members should be provided with vehicles on a government loan system, which would be repaid within the lifespan of the present Assembly. Honourable Bidwell who is the chairperson of the committee said this would make their work in their constituencies more effective as it would ease their mobility. She added that members of the National Assembly saw vehicles as a necessity and not a privilege since it would help them in reporting to the Assembly on time and attend other state functions without the hitch experienced when most of them are left stranded on the road as they wait to join public transport to the National Assembly. The deputy Speaker described the situation as very humiliating and unsuited to their national status as the country's venerable legislators. She added that they have also agreed that official vehicles of the Assembly be given number plates to identify them e.g. According to her, this will help avoid confrontations or embarrassment with security personnel in the performance of their duties. She added that they have also agreed that staff of the Assembly be included in the quest for land allocation and that emphasis were made that as legislators they should make sure that land distribution or allocations are made without discrimination or favouritism. According to Honourable Bidwell the committee also suggested that members should be part of delegates to conferences, workshops or as part of presidential or ministerial entourages in trips that could offer exposure to members of the august Assembly. Citing the presence of the Speaker Sheriff Dibba at the UN Special Session on Children held in New York as an example Honourable Bidwell said they welcome his attendance but also observed that it would have been significant also if one of her colleagues in the Assembly had attended the Global Movement for Children Committee. She added that the committee also observed that most members are without the 1997 constitution or its amended version, thus causing the need for every member of the House to be supplied with a copy of the constitution. She also expressed the need for the renovation of the toilets at the National Assembly and the praying ground. She said it was also uncomfortable that the committee rooms were being used by members to receive visitors instead of the record office and the lounge. Bidwell said the committee also felt that members should be issued with diplomatic passports, as is the case with all parliamentarians throughout the world. She said such a document would bring an end to embarrassment visited on members of the National Assembly, every time they encounter immigration officers in their sojourn to attend conferences and workshops abroad. Members of the National Assembly hold the usual standard passport, being used by ordinary Gambians. According to Honourable Bidwell members have also agreed that catering should also be provided for the staff of the National Assembly during sessions to ease the rigours associated with late night sessions. She said they have also called for the restocking of the library of the Assembly and its refurbishment with an air-conditioners and a satellite disc to enable members keep abreast with international happenings. They have also agreed that opportunities should be given to the staff for further training within and outside the country and that government or UN funding should be sought where support cannot be given. Members also agreed that the income tax charges levied on members should be revisited as many complained that it is too prohibitively high. Members also agreed to approach the Secretary of State for Health for them to be given priority for their health visits to hospitals and that staff should also benefit from loan facilities for building purposes as other government functionaries. They also called for utility vehicles to be provided for them to address the difficulties of reaching home after late night sessions. Meanwhile contributing to the recommendations of the commission the member for Upper Saloum Hamat Bah described it as sad that seven months after their election members lack decent vehicles which prevent them from performing essential services to their constituencies 'while young cadet officers and other government officials are driving expensive cars worth over D800, 000 at the expense of the tax payers'. 'This is unjust and we need to take the right step to acquire this' he told his approving colleagues. Honourable Bah said diplomatic passports for them are a necessity not to ensure immunity but easy means of traveling within and outside the country. On his part the member for Basse Momodou Salieu Bah also harped on the embarrassment members face as they scramble with ordinary Gambians for seats in old decrepit Gele gelehs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~