CIVIC EDUCATION | The Winners and Losers in The Draft Constitution - Facts over Myths

 

 

By Pa Louis Sambou

 

 

Public and Civil Servants

 

1997 Constitution	More Info	Draft Constitution	More Info
Allowed to have another job	Not Applicable	Not allowed to have any other job	Draft Section 27(1)

                      VERDICT =                             LOSERS 

 

Fundamental human rights  

 

1997 Constitution	More info	Draft Constitution	More info
Courts have no discretion on the application of international human rights law when interpreting Constitution		Courts have option to disregard international human rights law when interpreting the Constitution	Permitted under draft section 10(3)
State can only restrict 5 fundamental rights	Right to Life  (section 18(1))      Right to Personal Liberty   (section 19(1))      Protection from Deprivation of Property   (section 22(2))      Freedom of Speech, Assembly Etc. (section 25(4))      Freedom of the Media, Press   (section 209)	State can restrict 30 out of the 33 fundamental  rights	Permitted under draft section 36
State actors do not have a discretion to deny a citizen employment on grounds of religion		State actors do have a discretion to deny a citizen employment etc. on grounds of religion	Permitted under draft section 49(3)

                            VERDICT =                             LOSERS 
 

 

 

The Gambia Diaspora  

 

1997 Constitution	More Info	Draft Constitution	More Info
State cannot pass law to restrict right to vote and contest public office	Section 39(1) guarantees unconditional franchise	State can pass law to restrict right to vote and contest public office e.g. deny Diaspora the vote	Draft section 36 allows State to restrict political rights at draft section 53
Can contest the Presidency, National Assembly and be appointed as Vice President if they give up other Nationalities	Sections 62(2) and 90(1)(a)	Cannot contest the Presidency or be appointed Vice President even if they give up other Nationalities	Section 94(1)(a)
No express mandate for Diaspora to exercise franchise in Diaspora and have Legislative representation	Only general franchise under section 39	No express mandate for Diaspora to exercise franchise in Diaspora and have Legislative representation	Only general franchise under draft section 53

                            VERDICT =                             LOSERS 
 

 

Youths, Women, Children and the Disabled (Differently-Abled) 

 

1997 Constitution	More Info	Draft Constitution	More Info
No fundamental human rights specific to the youths but no power given to the State to restrict any civil liberties enjoyed by the youths		Rights of the Youths specified at draft section 64 but which can be restricted by the state.	Draft sections 64 and 36
Rights of women specified at section 28 but which cannot be restricted by the state.	Section 28	Rights of women specified at draft section 55 but which can be restricted by the state under draft section 36.	Draft sections 36 and 55
Rights of children specified at section 29 but which cannot be restricted by the state.	Section 29	Rights of children specified at draft section 56 but which can be restricted by the state under draft section 36.	Draft sections 36 and 56
Rights of the disabled specified at section 31 but which cannot be restricted by the state.	Section 31	Rights of people with disabilities specified at draft section 58 but which can be restricted by the state under draft section 36.	Draft sections 36 and 58

                        VERDICT =                             LOSERS 
 

 

National Assembly Members 

 

1997 Constitution	More Info	Draft Constitution	More Info
National Assembly can legislate as they see fit on matters of budget appropriation	Sections 151 - 153	National Assembly’s power to legislate on matters of budget appropriation restricted (not permitted to reduce judiciary budget)	Draft section 198(3)
National Assembly can sit for the entirety of their elected tenure	Section 99(1)	Tenure of National Assembly reduced by 4 months at the financial expense of the Members and Staff	Draft schedule 4 (8)(1)(a)
Limited oversight powers over the Executive		More oversight powers over the Executive

                        VERDICT =                             LOSERS 
 

 

The President and Ministers 

 

1997 Constitution	More Info	Draft Constitution	More Info
Limited oversight powers by National Assembly		Limited oversight powers by National Assembly
No Term limits	Section 63	Two term limits maximum	Draft section 102(2)
No retroactive restriction		Retroactive 2 term limit restriction	Draft schedule 4(5)(1)

                       VERDICT =                             Evens 
 

 

The Judges 

 

1997 Constitution	More Info	Draft Constitution	More Info
No special Constitutional Pension guarantees for judges	Section 142	Guaranteed and special pension package for judges to retire on their last salary	Draft Section 195
Option to retire at 65 years;      To compulsorily retire at 70 years	Section 141(2)(a)        Section 141(2)(b)	Option to retire at 65 years;      To compulsorily retire at 75 years	Draft section 193(1)(a)      Draft section 193(1) (b)

                       VERDICT =                             WINNERS 
 

 

Religious Freedom  

 

1997 Constitution	More Info	Draft Constitution	More Info
An Islamic State cannot emerge through an amendment of an unentrenched provision		The jurisdiction of sharia can be expanded and / or the Common law jurisdiction shrunk or removed by amendment of draft section 10 by National Assembly without a referendum	Draft section 10 and Chapter x, part iii
No gateway for any citizen to be denied employment etc. On grounds of their religion		State actors have discretion to deny citizens employment etc. On grounds of their religion	Draft section 49(3)  note the use of ‘may’ (discretionary) instead of ‘shall’ (mandatory)
Muslims have an option to choose between Cadi courts or the Common law family courts	Section 137(4)	The Sharia courts will have compulsory jurisdiction over all family law matters involving Muslims	Draft section 188(1)
Non-Muslims excluded from Shariah Jurisdiction	Section 137(4)	Non-Muslim spouses, children and dependents of a Muslim shall be under the jurisdiction of the Shariah Courts for all Family law matters	Draft section 188(1)
Judges sitting in the Common law courts mandated to have Common law competence before sitting in such court	Section 139	No requirement for Common law competence before one can be appointed a Judge in Common law courts	Draft section 191

                        VERDICT =                             LOSERS

 

 

Fight Against Corruption  

 

1997 Constitution	More Info	Draft Constitution	More Info
Special Criminal Court introduced to deal with financial corruption	Section 135	Proposes to scrap the Special Criminal Court which deals with financial corruption    (also see CRC final report at para 473)	Chapter x, part ii

                        VERDICT =                             LOSERS

 

 

With knowledge of these facts, are you still in support of the Draft Constitution Against your own legitimate interest? 

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