OP

I suppose I am not a loner in my bewilderment at how a piece of legislation (the Public Order Act) whose objective is to regulate among other things the issuance of permits viz-a-viz the exercise of the right to free assembly time and time again contribute to rather than inhibit public disorder. In light of the aforementioned it can be said that the law or aspects of it are unworkable or that there is a fundamental misconception of it on the part of those entrusted with its enforcement.  Law exist for the benefit of society rather than society existing for the benefit of the law and hence why where a piece of legislative authority becomes a cost rather than a benefit to society, appropriate steps must be taken to close the gap between such inadequacy in law, its essence and the needs of the society whose welfare it is meant to safeguard.  The reasons for the unfortunate outcomes of 10 th  and 11 th  April 2000 (Students demonstrations), 14 th  Apri...

If there is anything to learn from history about political novices it is this: they love power and, their novice disposition is often their best sword and shield against their opponents whom often underestimate their capacity on everything at every competent level. Benito Mussolini was dubbed a “dumbling buffoon”, Adolf Hitler – dismissed as a “pathetic dunderhead” and these are classic examples of underdogs and very unsophisticated souls who rose to become very powerful figures who did more to shape world history and global geopolitics than anyone before them albeit for all the wrong reasons. Without drawing any horizontal comparison of course, we had our very own Yaya A.J.J Jammeh who typified sophistication and attracted abysmally low opinion of himself from nearly all who ever had the misfortune of interacting with him whether remotely or otherwise. Yet still, he defied all odds and punched way above his weight in terms how he managed to cunningly politically manoeuvre and mani...

By Pa Louis Sambou  If anyone was opposed to the ‘Three Years Jot Na’ (three years is due) holding their protest for fear that it would turn violent, today’s historic and textbook display of peaceful people’s power should reassure them that the notion that protests are risks to be avoid is one which holds no water. On the contrary protests are useful democratic tools which can be utilised peacefully and effectively; this has been proven by today’s march. Every democracy requires such in order to thrive. On this occasion, the authorities called it right at last by trusting in democracy and, not hindering the exercise of the right to free assembly. Likewise, the protesters could also not have conducted the exercises of their right to free assembly any better; it felt like a carnival with the only Smokey scent anyone would have sensed coming from the popular ‘attaya, bradda ak kaas’ (green tea being brewed) on the move rather than emerging from a torrent of rubber bullets or tear g...