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COLUMN | The Finalised Draft Constitution: A Long Overdue Lifeline or A Deadly Sinker?

By Pa Louis Sambou  Any informed examination of a final outcome or return of any task must first identify the objectives which were set by the mandate for the given task and then match the final presentation against such objectives. Any determination not based on this objective principle can be justifiably written off as, at best an ill-informed opinion. I am no exception to this credibility threshold. Therefore, in my assessment of the subject matter, I shall restrain myself within the boundaries of sound objective reasoning [as if my life depends on it] based on the available facts and not my biased corruptible opinion.  Now, detailing the circumstances which necessitated the need for a review of the existing Constitution and the assignment given to such review body (The Constitutional Review Commission (CRC)) is perhaps a logical place to kick things off from I would imagine. The current Constitution, as an intended instrument for a progressive republic presents a numb

COLUMN | Why I Think The Draft Constitution Has An Islamic State In Mind

By Pa Louis Sambou (first published 24-Nov-19) In light of the heated debate which has been prompted by the omission of the word “secular” from the draft Constitution by the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC), I feel obliged to share my thoughts on the subject matter. In this regard, I will very briefly address three salient fundamental questions: 1.       What does it mean to be a “secular republic”? 2.       Should the absence of the word “secular” be a cause for concern? 3.       What’s the way forward? What does it mean to be a “secular republic”? Secularism in literal sense means “…the principle of the separation of government institutions and persons  mandated to represent the state  from religious institution and religious dignitaries…” Effectively, it is the separation of State and religion.  Contrary to what’s being spread in certain quarters, Secularism does not threaten or undermine the practice of one’s religion at all. As a matter of fac

COLUMN | Why National Assembly Mustn’t Abandon Ship & Govt Must Pass Emergency Legislation [COVID-19 Act]

By Pa Louis Sambou In the trying times ahead of us, having seen what happened in China and is currently happening in Europe, it is without a doubt that when (or if) COVID-19 reaches our shores by the same measure and in the manner anticipated, a fundamental change of the sort never experienced in peacetime will be forced upon us by circumstances. Such will impact every age group, community and work of life. Therefore, it is best to prepare for the storm to come now than work against its tide on arrival. There could be no worse a time to be complacent than now. The decommissioning of the single most important legislative and institution of Executive scrutiny [the National Assembly] is a grave error in judgment. To coin an analogy, this feels like a naval navigator at sea retiring themselves having had their traditional equipment damaged by the turbulence before the storm. This makes an emerging crisis even worse, compromising every critical countermeasure there is avai