The motor traffic bill A positive move… but needs additional consideration …Say youth leaders

It is perhaps one of the most important bills to have been passed in the House, during the course of this legislative year, at least so it seem for the youth folk of the country. But the motor traffic bill, recently passed by members of the National Assembly of The Gambia, has received a tremendous degree of commendation from across the country, not least from the youth themselves, especially members of the National Youth Parliament, whose interest in the issue stems from their involvement in last year’s campaign against road accident, which saw them passed a series recommendations, on behalf of the young people, to members of the National Assembly.

In an interview with youth matters, Lamin F Bojang, the Honorable Speaker of the National Youth Parliament, hailed the honorable members of the Assembly, describing their move as thoughtful.  He said that the enactment of the bill indicated that safety on the road was a concern for all. NYP, he said, is grateful with the department of state for the Interior, national assembly members, as well as the entire government of The Gambia, for “a step in the right direction.”

Pa Malick Ceesay, the Executive Secretary of the National Youth Council (NYC), the umbrella body of all youth organizations in the country, and Honorable Seedy Njie, the nominated youth representative in the law making body of the country, also towed the line of the Youth parliament in their commendation of the authority for coming up with the bill. While Pa Malick described it as very important, Honorable Njie simply said: “it demonstrates government’s interest in assuring social justice for the people.” All three youth leaders were unanimous in their observations about some of the issues that the bill slightly missed out, which they urged the stakeholders to reconsider.

For honorable Bojang, passing of laws is one thing; implementation is quite a different thing altogether. He called for a massive sensitization and attitudinal change by all and sundry. “The legislation enforcing the usage of seatbelt and banning on the usage of mobile phone while drive will go a long way in minimizing road accident,” he said, warning, however, that a lot more needs to be done if we are to attain the ultimate objective of the legislation. He believed that the legislation on the usage of seatbelt might do better if it was extended to cover all, including passengers, arguing that the effect of inertia is a tragedy not only for the driver but for the entire occupants of a vehicle.

The honorable Speaker also drew attention to the nature of some vehicle, challenging the police not to confine check-ups to only papers and break, but to also consider the conducive nature of vehicles. Over loading, proper ventilation, lack of facilities like proper seats, were, among other issues, highlighted by the youth parliament leader, as key requirement to look into. He also took to task cyclists of all categories for their persistent failure to wear helmet, calling on the police to consider that. He sought to remind assembly members that only two of the recommendations put forward by the youth [as listed bellow] were included in the bill in question. And for drivers and pedestrians, the honorable speaker maintained that attitudinal change and good behavior on the highway would be instrumental in ensuring their safety and that of other road users.

On the unlawful and persistent practice of underage driving, honorable Bojang called for the banning of the traditional way of acquiring driving license, arguing that everybody should go through a well defined procedure under the supervision of the police before being issued such a license. He concluded by thanking “all those who work day in day out to ensure that lives are protected, especially the Gambia Police Force.”

In the view of honorable Seedy Njie, the nominated national assembly member, the bill couldn’t have come at a better time. He reserved a lot of credit for the Gambian leader, saying that the bill showed his stance in the welfare of the ordinary Gambian. He argued that recent increase in road accident, pointing at the newly constructed Barra –Kerewan Highway, has been largely increased as a result of careless driving, causes he would not detach from mobile phone usage.

Life is precious, yet driving, he said, is all about the mind. “Whether a particular driver is using a hand free set or not, if the mind is absent, he is bound to stray. This is the reason why the youth national assembly representative is keen on looking forward to a complete ban. He also hopes that Gambians would cooperate well in the process of implementation of the bill.

Honorable Njie had complimentary words for the youth, especially the NYP whom he acknowledged had been involved closely in influencing the passing of the bill. This, he went on, shows the “focusness and commitment of our youth.”

On how he intends to sensitize his own youth constituency, Njie said: “the fastest way of getting my constituency is through the NYC which I regularly visit. I have made it a point of duty wherever I go to, that I must meet with the youth of that society.” He stressed that there were numerous issues at hand to discuss on, citing drug abuse, back-to-land, illegal migration, etc. He concluded with the warning that “we Gambians are good at creating laws, but implementation has always been the problem. To him, however, that task is everybody’s.      

The NYC Executive Secretary, Pa Malick Ceesay, stressed that the relevance of a law is it ability to protect everybody that is subjected to it, echoing his colleagues on the one sided nature of the seatbelt legislation. When an accident happens, he argued, it is not only the driver that is at risk, every body in the vehicle is at risk. And about the mobile phone, he agreed with the rest that it is not the hand that controls the vehicle, that it is the mind.

About its implementation, he said that the police can not do it alone, calling on the general public to help them. He urged people in authority to set example, saying that if the ordinary people see us infringing the law we, ourselves put through they will be encouraged to fault it, themselves. Passing a bill, he said, is one thing, but sensitization of one’s constituency, a move he believes would be vital in the achievement of the overall goal of this and any other bill, is quite a different thing.

He highlighted a lot of other bills that have been passed, of which nothing had been done yet. Pa Malick also had similar praises for National Assembly and the entire government of The Gambia for their foresight in passing such a crucial bill.


“Life is precious” Honorable Njie.

“No mercy for law breakers” Pa Malick Ceesay.

“A step in theright direction” Honorable Bojang
       
The recommendations

Last year, members of the NYP, in collaboration with Shell marketing and other youth organizations, submitted the following as declarations as recommendations to members of the national assembly.
 
* Provision and usage of seat belts by drivers and passengers by 2010

* no use of mobile phones whilst driving

* Band importation of second hand tires into the country

* Obey traffic light and observe speed limits on highways and in town

* Keep all vehicles in a road worthy condition

* No under age driving

* Ban drunken driving, introduce on the spot breath test

* Vigorous testing and issuing of driving certificate from recognized driving schools before issuing of driving license

* Increase salary for law enforcers in order to reduce bribery

* All vehicles to have fire extinguishers, warning triangles and first aid boxes.

* Improve road conditions.

*Cyclist and motorcyclist to wear helmets whilst riding.