Honorable Yahya Sanyany, NAM For Latrikunda Sabiji Constituency
By Ramatoulie Jawo
The National Assembly Member for Latrikunda Sabiji Constituency, Hon. Yahya Sanyang, said staff that are posted at the country’s Diplomatic missions should be knowledgeable people, buttressing that diplomatic positions shouldn’t be used as political compensation.
“Hon. Speaker, with the issue of staff posted at our diplomatic posts, this is very important. These should be people who are career diplomats and should be people who are knowledgeable. These should not be a Political Compensation, and they should be people who have the knowledge to explore every opportunity in their host countries and bring them back to the Gambia.
“These are people who should be very knowledgeable and exposed people. But it should not be people who are voted out by the people, and then you send them to go and sit there as ambassadors. This country is not going to move like that. If you travel outside the Gambia and interact with ambassadors, you definitely know that we need a serious overhaul as far as our diplomatic positions are concerns. If it is going to be political compensation, so be it, but make sure they are trained.
Hon. Sanyang said the government should train their Foreign staff before posting them to Diplomatic positions.
“If you cannot stop the political Compensation, train them. But am sure even if you go to that line you will find out that some are not even trainable. Those kinds of people, you know where to put them. Sending them out there is just going to embarrass our country,”he said.
The member for Latrikunda made these deliberations at the National Assembly during the first ordinary session adjournment debate.