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Two More Gambians Called to the Bar

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 07:09:58 GMT

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Two Gambians, Mr. Aziz Bensounda and Ms. Sasum Sillah were recently called to the bar as legal practitioners after successfully completing their studies in the law.

The ceremony took place at the office the chief justice at Banjul High Court.

Speaking at the occasion, Chief Justice Abdou Karim Savage said that legal practitioner must combine and satisfy three fundamental requirements. “ The first is competence here means learning knowledge of the law and rules, ability to apply them and using the skills to practice and also having qualification and admitted to the Gambian bar,” he said.

He added that the second requirement is to serve the course of justice, “this requires adherence to the due process of law and furthering the rule of law. In providing legal service, practitioners must abide by the law and regulations. They must not use short cuts or sharp practices,” he said. He asserted that the two new legal practitioners must stick to the course of justice for no other consideration than justice itself. He pointed out that their motivation and primary objective must be justice. “They must not be driven by greed, love of power, wealth or fame. Therefore competence, service and justice are fundamental requirements in their work coming to their obligation and responsibilities,” he added. “

You indeed owe a duty to courts, assisting judges and magistrates to arrive at the justice of the matter always counseling and guiding everyone whether clients or opponents towards one objective, assisting the court,” he concluded.

Author: Bakary Samateh

Statement by Hon Chief Justice A. K. Savage at the Enrolment of Legal Practitioners on 16th October 2008,High Court Room No 1

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 06:07:28 GMT

Friday, October 24, 2008

Hon Judges of Superior Courts

My Able Judicial Secretary

Hon Master and Registrar of the High Court

Worships, the Magistrates

Learned Members of the Attorney General's Chambers

Learned President and Members of the Gambia Bar Association

Court Registrars and Staff

Family Members and Friends of the new Legal Practitioners

Members of the Press

Distinguished Ladies and gentlemen

It is my honour and privilege to deliver a statement at this very important event. We have just witnessed the enrolment of two young Gambians to the Bar. They have subscribed to the relevant Oaths, donned their wigs and gowns and received their practicing certificates. From now on, they would be called and relied upon by a wide range of people to render legal services.

These young people have chosen a path that carries lots of responsibilities, requirements as well as ethical behaviour and conduct.

In my view, a legal practitioner must combine and satisfy three fundamental requirements.

The first is competence. Competence here means learning, knowledge of the law and rules (of procedure), the ability to apply them and the skills to practice. Having been admitted to the Bar, these young people have definitely met the first competent requirement.

. The second requirement is to serve the course of justice. This requires adherence religiously to the due process of law and the furtherance of the rule of law. In providing services, these legal practitioners must abide with and follow the law, rules and regulations. They must never use any form of short-cuts or sharp practices. They must, at all times, stick to the course of justice.

.The third requirement is to pursue the course of justice for no other consideration than justice itself. In other words, the motivation and primary objective of these practitioners must always be justice. They must never be driven by greed, love of power, wealth or fame. They must always be satisfied and contented that justice has been or being done.

Having stated that, I now come to your obligations:

1. You owe a primary duty to the courts. Your duty here is to assist the judges, magistrates and other presiding judicial officers to arrive at the truth and justice of the given matter or case before the court. Your duty always is to offer counsel and guidance to everyone, clients or opponents alike, for one single purposeassisting the courts to attain the justice of the case.

2. You also have a duty to your clients. They have entrusted their lives, properties and confidence in you. You must not play with them, make a fool or take advantage, of them. You are serving them and therefore their servant. You have a responsibility and are duty bound to provide to them honest, accurate and qualitative advice and representation. You must never cheat or betray them. You must at all times serve them and serve them well too;

3. Your third duty is to your colleagues. You have been bound by your calling to work together with colleagues. In most situations, you and your colleagues take different sides and positions, whether in and out of court. Certainly, all of you serve the same single and common purpose - justice and justice alone. You must sometimes necessarily agree to disagree with colleagues but this must be always done with candour and humility. Remember that you are learned friends, which means fighting it out in the courts and socialising/fraternising outside court rooms. You must learn to respect and accept your colleagues and do unto them as you would expect to be done to. Always seek the support, collaboration and cooperation of your colleagues with all the humbleness you can muster. Arrogance and pride destroy human capacities. Together with your colleagues, you have a common duty, obligation and responsibility which is to develop and nurture an enviable culture in the honourable legal profession of this jurisdiction;

4. You have a duty is to your parents, loved-ones, friends, and family members. These people have waited for this day to come and they all feel proud and elated today. You have a life-long duty to maintain your good name. You therefore never, ever let your well-wishers down. You must never engage yourselves in any activity that would bring shame and disrepute to them. Let your loved-ones and family members continue to be always proud of you;

5. Finally, you have a great duty to society that produced you. You do belong to an elite, intellectual group - lawyers. The rest of the society looks upon you as learned and honourable. You therefore have a duty to stand out and remain a model in the way you serve the society, through uprightness, honesty, integrity and sacrifice. Members of the society rely and depend on you. Therefore, your contributions to society would go a long way in bringing about meaningful social development in the Gambia and complement the great strides taken by the Government.

Before concluding, I strongly enjoin the two of you to take your practice, the courts, your colleagues, clients, the society and family members very, very seriously.

On that note and on behalf of the entire Judiciary, I welcome you to the legal fraternity and congratulate you and your parents, friends and loved-ones for this achievement. I thank you all for your kind attention

Source: Picture: Chief Justice A.K. Savage

CSO’s and Media Practitioners Training Ends

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 06:05:38 GMT

Monday, October 20, 2008

A three-day training workshop for civil society organisations and media practitioners ended last Friday at the Kairaba Beach Hotel.

The training, organised by the African Centre for Human and People’s Rights (ACDHRS), brought together more than 35 participants drawn from various organisations including the media.

The objective of the training, among others, was to sensitise and strengthen the civil society organisations and media practitioners in relation to the general theme of the training. This focuses on human rights in Africa, human rights and its challenges to the work of the CSO’s and ways of finding possible solutions.

In her welcoming remarks, the Executive Director of the African Centre on Human and People’s Rights, Mrs Hannah Foster, gave an overview of the current situations with respect to Human Rights in Africa and the role and functions of the ACDHRS.

However, the training was divided into groups namely Commissioners, Government and Civil Society Organisations in a bid to look into the challenges and solutions of the theme of the training.

The training was funded by the United Nations Development Fund and Action Aid-The Gambia.

Author: Soury Camara & Njie Baldeh

Media Practitioners and Security Personnel Training Ends

Tue, 20 May 2008 04:44:59 GMT

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

The two-day workshop on civil and Military Relationship for members of the security and journalists organised by Media Agenda last Thursday has ended at the Baobao Resort Hotel.

The aim of the meeting, which was co-funded by the American and British embassies, was to create a better relationship, mutual understanding and trust between the two partners.

At the end of the training participants came out with key recommendations, among them is for journalists to always contact the public relations officers of the respective security units for information and for the N IA and the Prisons to contact their Director General for any clarification.

It was also agreed for the journalists and security agencies not to see each other as enemies but as partners in development.

Participants call on the organisers to continue organising similar training in order to cement the relationship.

Author: By Pa Modou Faal & Soury Camara

Media Practitioners and Security Personnel Iron out Concerns

Fri, 16 May 2008 08:06:08 GMT

Friday, May 16, 2008

In an attempt to create a better relationship through mutual understanding and a bond of trust, the two partners, security officers and media practitioners have come together at the Baobao Resort Hotel for two-day training session. The meeting, which is being held on the 14th and 15th of May, is expected to raise concerns over the impending obstacles that will make access to information difficult for journalists and the enlightening of journalists about the ethics of journalism.

In his opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary (PS) for Work and Communication, Mr. Abdou Karim Sonko, highlighted the need to create good understanding and clear cooperation between the two institutions. PS Sonko explained that security personnel should not be seen as our enemies but our brothers who provide us with protection. Journalists are also important as they try to inform us about everything that is happening in and out of the country.

Mr. Sonko called for journalists to uphold their principles, provide balanced and accurate reports and in all ways ensure the correct distribution of information.

In a resounding speech, the President of The Gambian Press Union (GPU), Ndey Tapha Sosseh expressed delight about the course that will hopefully get rid of all of the union’s concerns and improve relations between the media and security personnel. The GPU President reckons that this opportunity will contribute more effectively than anything else to the realisation of the GPU’s aim to bridge the gap between the National Security Institution and the media. “This is a difficult task in any place but we must start somewhere,” she said.

Ambassador Barry Wells of the US Embassy in Banjul, who are co-sponsors of this workshop with the British High Commission, emphasised that the role of the media was to inform the people with the correct news and all the news to create a democratic society. Ambassador Wells pointed out the great need for journalists to be able to access quality and reliable sources. Ambassador Wells further said that by working with journalists and other civil society groups, security personnel, who are at the heart of many developing scandals, will be able to spread the true story among the public.

For his part, the Director of Media Agenda and the facilitator of the workshop, Mr. Madi Ceesay stated that the training of the twin civil society groups is a worthy cause.

He did accept that those working in security will not and cannot compromise state security while the journalist’s job is to inform the public about everything that’s going on. So they have conflicting interests and that may cause difficulties. He noted that this two-day workshop will make it easier to deal with problems such as stories that the media believe the people should know about but the security industry feel is unfit for publication. He hopes that this training session will help these two groups reach a compromise in such situations of disagreement but it is his wish that the people of The Gambia will get the true story.

Author: By Soura Camara & Pa Modou Faal

Nigerian Movie Practitioners to Help Actors

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 05:25:42 GMT

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Two members of the Association of Movie Practitioners Nigeria have arrived in the Gambia to enhance the capacity of this nations actors. They will also shoot a film about the slave trade during their visit.

Mezeako Chigozie,mo the Executive Director and Oraka Patrick, his Secretary General, arrived a few days ago to train Gambians in movie production.

Chigozie said they came to The Gambia to help because of the huge number of requests they have received to do so. He says Nigerian films are popular in The Gambia and, as a result, they are very well known here.

“We have brought a script on the slave trade which when made will attract international attention,” he said. He emphasised their eagerness to have a strong Gambian involvement in the project along with contributions from Portuguese Europeans and nationals from other African Nations.

He pointed out that Nigerian films always feature in film festivals but if Gambians are involved their names will also appear. “We are ready to help young people and we have all it takes to make it work,” Chigozie told The Point.

He said that the project will help create employment for young people because acting and filmmaking is a profession. It will, according to him, lift the country’s name and create employment for Gambian young people along the way. He says, in showing the youth of the nation how movies are made their appreciation of the art form will increase.

“We have some groups practicing and we shall meet the heads to tell them about our mission and teach.

Chigozie went on to say, “They shall inform them, train them, have auditions and then we select those suitable to shoot the movie on the slave trade. It is meant to help the youth of the country.”

Godwin Adole, the Artistic Director, said this is the time to become and artist. He said interested youths should go to their office at Tranquility Residence at Brusubi or call 9925760 or Matty Jobe on 7062948.

They intend to visit SoS for information and all media houses. Plans are underway to bring Patience (Mama G) Aki and Paw Paw along with other stars to come and perform in The Gambia.

Author: By Augustine Kanjia

Source: The Point

Two Female Lawyers Join the Bench

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 12:54:48 GMT

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Competent sources close to the judiciary yesterday informed this paper that two female members of the bar, namely Lawyers Sainabou Wadda-Ceesay and Mrs. Kumba Camara, have been called to the bench as magistrates. The two, who were formerly private legal practitioners, are currently undergoing a training attachment, as well as being trained at the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court.

On the one hand Mrs. Kumba Camara, who was recently inducted by Principal Magistrate Moses Richards, has already started presiding over hearings as magistrate at the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court, sources further disclosed.

Mrs. Sainabou Wadda-Ceesay is, on the other hand, currently being trained at the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court under Magistrate Moses Richards.

Our sources believe that this is an indication that an earlier call made by the judicial authorities for Gambian legal practitioners to join the bench is yielding positive results.

Author: By Modou Sanyang

Source: The Point

Accolade bestowed on Jammeh

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 12:51:06 GMT

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Gambia traditional medicine practitioners have honoured President Yahya Jammeh for promoting health, culture, peace, tranquillity and traditional medicine. The practitioners also named the Gambian leader ‘father of traditional medicine’ for his achievement in the field of health and medicine.

In a citation presented to the Gambian leader by Baboucarr BS Sillah, Programme Manager of the National Traditional Medicine Programme at the Department of State for Health and Social Welfare, the Gambian traditional medicine practitioners acknowledged numerous achievements under the leadership of President Jammeh.

The full text of the citation reads:

It is indispensable to state that the President’s interest and promotion of culture has rekindled the spirit of cultural awareness in all Gambians, Africans, as well as the diaspora, which invariably has made our country a shining example of cultural revivalism.

Traditional medicine, being an integral component of our cultural heritage and health system which inadvertently are priorities of His Excellency, has promoted the urgency in traditional healers to bestow on him the honour of fatherhood of the medical discipline: since his assumption to power in 1994, Gambians and non-Gambians alike can bear testimony to the gigantic strides his government has taken directly or indirectly in sustaining and promoting traditional medicine. Notable among His Excellency’s contribution to this noble, old-age-cultural heritage and intrinsic value of the Gambian society are as follows:

• His Excellency’s government rapid respond initiative in the control of the infestation of locust in The Gambia by aerial spraying, which in effect has saved flora and fauna from wanton destruction and our populace from unprecedented famine.

• The establishment of the National Traditional Medicine Programme, with an operational budget line in the recurrent budget, to serve as the government for the promotion, regulation and coordination of traditional medicine and traditional medicine practitioners.

• The controlling of mental health and alleviation of the suffering of mental patients by providing annual allotment through the Department of Social Welfare to renown traditional mental healers for the maintenance of their resident patients.

• Through this ingenuity, love of nature, and the zeal to rejuvenate our landscape and combat deforestation, His Excellency the President, imported adopted and restored in his zoo park local and alien plants, and animal species, threatened with extinction despite the climatic and environmental variance between The Gambia and their places of origin.

• The construction and funding of the first traditional medicine clinic by the Social Development Fund in Berending in North Bank Region, construction of traditional medicine clinic in Kanilai and the laying of the foundation of the Academy of Science and Technology are some of the edifice symbolic of His Excellency the President’s promotion of health and cultural heritage.

• In the year 2003, the National Assembly members accented to the enactment of Copyright Bill, an indication of his government’s recognition and guarantee of the intellectual property rights of all creative Gambians, of which traditional healers are no exception.

• Most recently, His Excellency’s invention of medicament for the treatment of HIV/AIDS, asthma and hypertension with traditional means has once again vindicated the potency of traditional medicine in medical science.

Notably, His Excellency’s cure, compassion and intimacy with patients has grossly destigmatised AIDS in our community.

• To crown his contribution to health, His Excellency introduced a university to upgrade the standard of education of Gambians and improve their health and well being with the inclusion of a faculty of medicine in his great citadel of learning.

Your Excellency, President Alhaji Yahya AJJ Jammeh, with due honour, respect and appreciation of your government’s effort in promoting traditional medicine, we the traditional healers of the Gambia hereby implore you to grant this certificate of merit and adoption as the father of traditional healers of the Republic of The Gambia.

Signed on behalf of the Traditional Healers of the Republic of The Gambia 30th Day of

August 2007 by:
Babakar BS Sillah, Programme Manager, National Traditional Medicine Programme, Department of State for Health and Social Welfare.

Author: Written by Ousman Darboe

Source: The Daily Observer Newspaper