Deputy Speaker 'Blows Her Mind' Inquires About D100, 000 Opens The Independent (Banjul) NEWS December 27, 2002 Posted to the web December 27, 2002 By Pk Jarju Banjul The Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly is leading inquiries into the fate of D100, 000, that is unaccounted for, after it was earmarked for official entertainment and hotel accommodations for their visiting counterparts from other countries over the last two years. Speaking last week, Honourable Belinda Bidwell who also wanted to know why nine vacancies in the National Assembly have not been occupied by qualified Gambians 'looking for jobs', said the amount was given to the National Assembly to cover expenditure on foreign legislators while they are on visits to The Gambia. According to Honourable Bidwell, D50, 000 was allocated to the National Assembly last year and the same amount was allocated this year in the budgetary estimates for the official entertainment and hotel accommodation of their visiting counterparts and inquired whether the Assembly had entertained any foreign Parliamentarian or paid any hotel bill with the reported money. 'If that is not the case, it interests us to know what happened to the money' she pointed out. Honourable Bidwell said it was difficult to fathom the reason why Gambians are not filling the vacant positions in the National Assembly and emphasised that such a move would have minimized rampant unemployment rife in The Gambia. 'It would be of interest to know what happened to the monies budgeted for those who are to fill such vacancies' she stated. The Deputy Speaker who claimed she was addressing issues affecting the Assembly first before dilating on external ones in her position as Deputy Speaker, added that since joining the National Assembly, she has personally asked for toilet papers, soap, biscuits, tea among other things to be given to the various committees during their sittings, yet such a request has never been looked into thus giving her no other alternative but to use her own money to buy such provisions. Bidwell explained that despite raising the issue at committee level, no action was taken by way of addressing it. ' I think it is time we brought it out in the open so that we all know about it and see where it has gone wrong and to find possible solutions to it 'she said. Honourable Bidwell added that she did not want to be blamed or finger- pointed at for raising the issue in the Assembly because she had no other alternative to cause her colleagues to act on a matter of such importance. 'I want to take my stand as my integrity as Deputy speaker is at stake' she said noting that she meant any word of what she said and would stand firm by it anytime in the future. 'I do not mind leaving the Assembly even today, but as my integrity is at stake, what I said was correct and I would stand firm by it ' she emphasised. Raising a point of clarification, the Majority Leader Honourable Baba Jobe noted that as members of the National Assembly anything affecting them should be discussed through the 'official channel' rather than being made a matter of open discussion. He added that the National Assembly consists of various committees to discuss such issues in confidence and away from the public glare. He reminded the Deputy Speaker that there is no provision in the standing orders of the Assembly, which allows members to raise questions regarding money matters. Honourable Jobe stressed that the National Assembly does not have any coffer of its own but rather depends on the Central Revenue Department for the disbursement of money as an when the need arises. The Speaker of the National Assembly Sheriff Dibba observed that although the deputy speaker was right in raising such concerns, yet he felt it was unnecessary for her to 'blow it up in the open'. Honourable Dibba added that his office is aware of the Deputy Speaker's concerns in respect of the vacancies and the unaccounted D100, 000. On the vacancy issue Dibba said his office has notified the National Assembly authority, which before the end of the year would announce it to enable suitably qualified candidates to apply. He added that he personally demanded explanations from the relevant authorities as to how the National Assembly had spent the money on official entertainment and hotel accommodation and was still awaiting answers. Honourable Dibba revealed that the Assembly was at first informed that the money in question was used to purchase provisions such as coffee, tea and sugar for members. Also contributing on the motion, Mama Kandeh member for Jimara called on his colleagues to change their attitude towards their work as the nation's legislatures. He said indifference is breeding room for hatred against the president, which could have wider implications. According to Honourable Kandeh, NAMS have a significant role to play in the socio-economic development of the country and could individually or collectively complement government's efforts in providing a better environment for the people they represent in the august Assembly. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~