By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT The Minister of Justice, Hon Dawda A Jallow has informed delegates at the Gambia Bar Association’s event today, 28th November 2023 that he anticipates that the Special Prosecutor will commence work by mid-2024. In addition to this Minister Jallow added that he anticipates that the Special Prosecutor’s Office Bill will be tabled in Parliament in January 2024 during an extra-ordinary session. The Special Prosecutor’s Office (SPO) is essential to commence the prosecution of perpetrators who bear the most responsibility for human rights violations that occurred during the regime of former President Yahya A J J Jammeh…
Author: Yusef Taylor
Yusef Taylor
Yusef Taylor, commonly known as Flex Dan is an editor and practising journalist based in the Gambia with a keen interest in human rights, the economy and good governance among many others. He continues to break news on the economy, human rights violations and is highly engaged in security sector reforms, constitutional reform and the transition of the Gambia from dictatorship to a democracy, the NewGambia. Yusef has been working with Gainako as a media practitioner from 2015 to date. He has a degree in Civil Engineering with 5 years of Design Consultancy experience.
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT According to the 2024 Executive Budget Proposal tabled in Parliament last week the newly created offices for Executive Coordinators for Banjul and Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) will cost the government over D1 Million in basic salaries and allowances. Meanwhile, Governors’ Offices in five other regions will cost Taxpayers over D1 million each per region. Combined, the five governor offices in the regions and the two newly established offices in Banjul and KMC will cost taxpayers over D7.92 million in 2024 as opposed to D6.86 million in 2023. Looking at the Workforce Budget it can be seen…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT First to be held accountable even before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission submitted its reports to the government was former Junta member Yankuba Touray who refused to cooperate with the Commission. He was sentenced to death by hanging on July 14th 2021 which was commuted to life imprisonment because of The Gambia’s moratorium on the Death Penalty. Now former Jungler Driver Bai Lowe is next on the line as German courts are set to conclude his trial on 30th November 2023. Touray was alleged to have contributed to the murder of Ousman Koro Ceesay, a…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT The Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) court case which has seen some nineteen parents who lost their children after consuming contaminated Indian drugs sue the government and two Pharmaceutical companies for over D285 million in damages has been postponed to 15th December 2023. Presiding over the case at the High Court today 21st November 2023, Justice Ebrima Jaiteh encouraged the Plaintiffs and the State to settle the matter out of court and for the lawyers representing the parents to update the court on their progress in serving Maiden Pharmaceuticals in India to appear in court. The first…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT The Gambia’s Sixth Legislature held its first Extra-Ordinary Session of the 2023 Legislative Year from 1st and 2nd December 2023 where it passed four Bills under a certificate of urgency signed by President Adama Barrow. Our newsletter latest publication highlights reasons that members of the Minority Caucus advanced for marching out of Parliament in protest against the Former Presidents Office Bill leaving the Majority Caucus and some other members to approve the Bill. Our publication highlights the debate in Parliament on the merits of fast-tracking a Bill via the certificate of urgency and going through the…
By Uthman A N Jeng In the heart of Africa’s diverse landscapes and vibrant cultures, a growing storm of transformation and disillusionment brews. The continent’s youth, brimming with potential, find themselves ensnared in a web of despair where promises of a promising future have withered away. This disheartening scenario has been shaped by rising unemployment, underdevelopment, relentless resource exploitation, Western interference, geopolitical complexities, and a surge in coup d’etat incidents. Today, we delve into these multifaceted challenges, exploring personal stories, and potential solutions, acknowledging counterarguments, and shedding light on initiatives that offer hope. The Abyss of Unemployment and Underdevelopment Amidst…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT The Gambia’s National Assembly has revised the commencement of the Fourth Ordinary Session of the 2023 Legislative Year from 13th November to 17th November 2023. Parliament’s agenda highlights that the Elections Bill, the Anti-Corruption Bill and the 2024 Budget are all set for Parliamentary Approval before the end of the year. In addition to this, three private member’s Bills will be tabled for their first and second reading while four other Bills are scheduled to face their third and final reading. Last week Tuesday 7th November 2023, Parliament’s Office of the Clerk issued a statement announcing…
By Arret Jatta and Yusef Taylor The Women’s Enterprise Fund (WEF) is a loan scheme established by the WEF Act approved by Parliament on 24th September 2020 for Women’s Associations and Organisations across the country to access loans. The loan scheme is implemented by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare and has seen millions of Dalasis given out as loans to multiple women’s organisations. Reviewing the implementation of the WEF, Parliament’s Committee on Gender, Children and Social Welfare conducted a Social Audit to “gather first-hand information on the disbursement, recoveries, impact and challenges of the fund” in an…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT The Gambia Government accepted most of the recommendations of the Truth Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) back in December 2021 and finally published its TRRC Implementation Plan which includes details of activities, timelines and a budget to match. The TRRC is a defunct Commission which was established by the Government of President Adama Barrow in 2017 to investigate the human rights violations which occurred during the regime of former President Yahya A J J Jammeh from 1994 to January 2017. Since the Government accepted most of the Commission’s findings and issued an Implementation Plan there have…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT The Gambia’s National Assembly passed the Former Presidents Office Bill last week 2nd November 2023 during an extraordinary session. In a move which has seen huge Public outcry members of the Sixth Legislature passed the Bill which will see former Presidents receive 80% of a current President’s salary, 12 months’ gratuity and numerous other benefits. It all started after Parliament was summoned to hold its first extraordinary session of the 2023 Legislative Year after the current President Adama Barrow issued a certificate of urgency to consider and approve four Bills namely; the Victims Reparations Bill, the…