‘Fighting hate speech must start with President Adama Barrow’ - Lare Sisay

By Sheriff Saidykhan 

Lare Sisay, Retired Senior Manager at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and a leading voice of the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP), has said that fighting hate speech in the country must start with himself the President 

He made these remarks at the Popular Coffee Time Show on West Coast Radio with Peter Gomez on Thursday. 

 “I heared the National Human Rights Commission talking about hate speech is bad, it creates conflict. It must start with him the President, and those that surrounds him that make incendiary statements.” he said 

He called on the government of President Adama Barrow to focus on the ‘bigger picture’ of the country, chief among which is the cost of living crisis.

To deflect and demonize he said, is the typical strategy of the government.

“When you demonized an opposition party, or an individual, you loose heavily in terms of what input they can bring to solve the problems of the country.” said Lare Sisay.

           On Institutional Corruption 

He further exposed the list of various institutional corruption that were left unchecked by the powers that be.

“Securiport Contract 160 million. Banjul Roads 41 million. COVID-19 funds, ministry of health, 600 million. Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation 2 billion. Gampetroleum 1.2 billion. GPA one unit: 400 million. 35 million deposited to the account of the first lady. 23 million unaccounted at the groundnut trading 2024. 100 and 85 thousand dollars/OIC vehicles. NDMA 100 million. The former lands minister’s case, the recycling of the strategic asset, the bridge and semlex.

The anti-corruption bill he said, is weak in terms of its accountability.

“The anti-corruption bill is weak, in terms of its accountability mechanism. The President acceded to it in February. So he has not set up its institutional mechanism for its implementation,”.