> Dear Gambia L, > > Reading the tone of the majority leader, there is every indication that they > will try to manipulate the date of the election ultimately prolonging it. > Mr. Tamsir Jallow is in no doubt about the general felling in the heart and > soul of the Gambian electorate about the statusquo.They must have been > calculating our minds which is the beginning of the end of their majority > and the total eradication of them from the Gambia's political scene.The hand > writing is on the wall! In his statement he clearly was trying to twist the > IEC's arm by saying "the Independent Electoral Commission has no > jurisdiction whatsoever to fix a date for the Local Government Elections > without consulting the government". > Mr. Jallow you must realize that the Gambian people are crying for change > come elections you will witness it. You were quite right that the tax payers > should have a say in date of the elections.In addition if this government > really care about Gambian taxpayers then how come your government impose > leaders on them. Some of the chiefs and "alkalos" have been appointed by > this govt. without allowing the same taxpayers the opportunity to say who > should represent them.So please stop showing to the world that Gambian > taxpayers are listened to whilst this govt. trample on their rights on a > daily basis. My message to you and the govt. is this leave the task of > elections to the IEC without an iota of interference because the world is > watching.We cannot afford to remain in the book of countries with rogue > leadership. > > Mori Kebba Jammeh > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Asbjørn Nordam <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Sunday, May 28, 2000 1:39 AM > Subject: Will elections be held, coroners report ? > > > Friends, this is from "The Point" and "The Independent" > > do we see the governments first attemt to postpone the already announced > election-terms ? I said it few days after the april incident, that I was > expecting something to postpone elections. I´m not saying that the > government will do so, but .... > > And I have also been waiting the past week for the coroners report ( > conclusions to be published. > > Asbjørn Nordam > > From the Point > "The majority leader at the National Assembly Tamsir Jallow has said that > the Independent Electoral Commission, IEC has no jurisdiction whatsoever to > fix a date for the Local Government Elections without consulting the > government. > > Mr. Jallow indicated that the IEC can only fix a date in consultation with > government, adding that even the legislation has not been passed in the > National Assembly, then why the date. > > He said the legislation has to be processed in the Assembly before thinking > of elections. > > "The IEC is financed by the taxpayers and the government is mandated to > protect the taxpayers money. Then why should they do things without > consulting the government in power. I was not aware of any consultations. I > think the IEC should be asked how they arrived at the November date for the > local government elections when the bill has not be put into law," he > intimated." > (....) > "On Decree 89, Hon Jallow said when the motion for Decree 89 came to the > National Assembly they thought it was not prudent to pass the bill, that > was why they did not accept it. "That's democracy," he said. > > Meanwhile, when contacted the IEC's secretary and Administrator of the > Commissio, Kawsu Ceesay, said the IEC has the mandate to fix dates for > elections as clearly stipulated in the Constitution. > > He said the National Assembly has the responsibility to work on the > modalities of how it's to be conducted, the necessary tools involved. > > He said the date has been fixed tentatively depending whether the > legislation will be ready for them to conduct the elections. > > "The fixing of dates is in the purview of the IEC, so we don't need to > consult any body whatsoever. We are independent and we must act > independently. I think that statement is misleading," he said. > > Mr. Ceesay added that they are still waiting for the legislation so that the > election is conducted" > > > From The Independent > "The Coroner was appointed on 17th April and concluded his hearings a few > weeks ago. It was announced that the report of the Coroner's findings would > be released on 15th May. People both inside The Gambia and in many parts of > the world have been eagerly waiting for these findings. But 15th May has > come and gone and there has been nothing but silence from the government on > the matter." > (...) > "Many grieving parents and relatives of the dead overcame their distress to > attend the hearings, give evidence and even question witnesses to ensure the > Inquest was thorough". > > "The government's silence on their failure to release the report as > scheduled is puzzling. What is the problem? If either the Coroner or the > government needs more time, then why not announce this publicly explaining > the reasons and thereby setting people's minds at rest?" > > "As we have reported today, many people are very dissatisfied with this > unexplained delay. It has led some to question the potential effectiveness > of the Commission of Enquiry that began its hearings on Wednesday." > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- > > To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L > Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Kick off your party with Yahoo! 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