'Gov't Encroaching On Legislature'


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The Independent (Banjul)

May 14, 2004
Posted to the web May 18, 2004

Lamin Fatty & Karamo Bojang
Banjul

Omar Jallow (OJ) has been in the limelight again, this time, warning of the consequences of what he sees as unorthodox moves by the government to encroach on the powers of the National Assembly.

Mr. Jallow said his People's Progressive Party is watching with dismay trends, which would see the gradual usurpation of legislative power by the executive. OJ cited the example of the new budget proposals, which were never tabled in the National Assembly. "This latest case of bypassing the National Assembly undermines its powers and sets a dangerous precedent as far as the relationship between the legislature and the executive is concerned" he said. OJ claimed that National Assembly members have been so disaffected by this that they have protested against the blatant abuse of power by the government, which is infringing on the rights and responsibilities of the legislature.
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OJ believes that in any democratic dispensation major tax increases such as those introduced over the past few days be spelt out in the main body of the budget proposal should have been revealed in the annual budget speech.

He said the government true to its habit of dependence on taxes has deliberately and without notice increase taxes after three months of the budget speech.

According to OJ The Gambia is in such a bad economic shape that the government should find alternatives order than taxes to right the economic wrongs blighting the life of the average Gambian whose difficulty to find out a decent living is well known.

He said the government's decision to introduce what he called "a bad tax reform" will have a negative impact on the price of essential commodities, which may be increased, thus leaving ordinary Gambians struggling ten times harder to eke out a living. "This is very unwise and demonstrates the insensitivity of this government to the plight of the people. It is out of touch with the punching realities of and grossly insensitive to the troubles people experience everyday to survive" he argued.

Mr Jallow reasoned that since over the past three years all commodity prices have been increased by more than 200 percent, it was prudent for the government to consider increasing the salaries of workers. "It is an irresponsible government that overlooks people's hardship by increasing the burden of taxes on their heads without increasing salaries. This shows they lack the right ideas to govern this country successfully. The Jammeh regime has failed and the more it stays in power the more hardship this will bring for the country, which all goes to show that they will lose the next election" he added.

The PPP interim leader proposed a salary increase of 50 percent for workers.
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He said the increase in tax is so important that it could have been done during the budget speech in order to give National Assembly members the opportunity to comment and give their opinion on the pros and cons of such an increase.

The former agricultural minister observed that increasing tax on building materials at this time, when most people are finding it difficult to build huts has taken many of them by surprise. He said it is not possible for Gambians who are living in the Gambia under the current difficulties to build decent houses.


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