Hon. Hamat NK Bah, The Ministers Of Lands
By Ramatoulie Jawo
The Minister of Lands, Regional Government, and Religious Affairs, Hon. Hamat NK Bah, has come under fire for referring to opposition members as “big mouths” during a parliamentary session. His comment was made in response to a question raised by Hon. Musa Cham, National Assembly Member (NAM) for Serekunda, regarding the government’s road-clearing efforts.
Hon. Cham questioned whether the local councils were supporting the central government’s initiative to clear roads, which are often used as marketplaces, for the safety of the public. In his response, Minister Bah expressed frustration over the opposition’s criticism of the government’s actions.”Mr. Speaker, let me remind the Honourable member that when the government of The Gambia began clearing the roads, it was the opposition, with their big mouths, insulting and accusing this government of destroying people’s livelihoods,” Bah said.
Before he could finish, several members of parliament interjected, urging the Minister to refrain from using such language.
Deputy Speaker Hon. Seedy SK Njie, who was presiding, sought clarification from the Minister, asking if he was referring to the NAM for Serekunda. In response, Minister Bah clarified that he was referring to the broader opposition, not any specific member. “I am referring to the oppositions out there, who are abusing our government for clearing the roads,” the minister said.
However, Hon. Omar Jammeh, Independent NAM for Janjanbureh, and other opposition members voiced strong objections to the Minister’s choice of words, calling the language inappropriate for parliamentary discourse.
Hon. Jammeh, visibly upset, left his seat and approached the minority caucus area to express his discontent. He argued that the Minister’s remarks were an insult to the entire nation.
In defense of the Minister, the Speaker remarked that it was not accurate to say that the Minister had insulted the nation. However, he acknowledged the challenges of maintaining decorum in the assembly, particularly when members disrupt proceedings with loud interjections. He emphasized that such behavior makes it difficult to issue clear rulings.
The Speaker also noted that when discussions in parliament become disorderly, he has no option but to allow some levity in his rulings, comparing the scene to the noise of a marketplace. He further pointed out that members often fail to uphold parliamentary conduct, making it challenging for him to manage the session effectively.“If everybody is shouting like a marketplace, making noise from his or her corner, the speaker will be left with no option, but either to laugh because of the behaviour that is common to a marketplace or Bantaba to allow decorum to regain for me to be able to make my ruling,” he said.
Hon. Sulayman Saho, NAM for Central Badibou, also raised concerns about the Minister’s language. Standing on a point of order, he reminded the assembly that the use of offensive or insulting language, as outlined in Order 29 of the Rules of Procedure, is prohibited. Saho stated, “It is impolite for the Minister to address the opposition in such a manner.”
In response, the Speaker reiterated that members and ministers are expected to maintain parliamentary decorum, refraining from insults and improper behavior. He stressed that both sides must adhere to appropriate conduct to ensure smooth proceedings in parliament.The Speaker also addressed the behavior of some members, including the NAM for Janjanbureh, who had left his seat to join the minority caucus.
“That member themselves did not allow proceedings to progress when there are issues, if you rule in accordance with the law they will come otherwise, just now members are misbehaving towards me even whereas I am making my ruling, the NAM for Janjanbureh left his seat and migrated,” He said
The Member for Janjanbureh took the microphone and told the Speaker to stop using him as a reference, insisting that he has every right to move freely within the chamber with his constituency tag.
The Speaker then reminded the Honorable Minister and members to maintain parliamentary decorum, urging the Minister to avoid using language that could be perceived as unparliamentary.
The Speaker also shared that he had asked his aide whether the term “big mouth” was an insult or unparliamentary, but before he could receive a response, the room erupted in noise.
The Member for Nainija constituency, Hon. Amadou Camara, then raised a point of order, citing Rule 17, which states that all members must enter and leave the chamber with decorum and that no member should cross the floor unnecessarily.“The Honourable member for Janjanbureh left his seat and went there, and you gave him the floor to address you, that is definitely very wrong,” he said.
In the aftermath, the Member for Latrikunda Sabiji suggested that if the Minister did not intend to offend individual opposition members, he should apologize to the opposition as a whole. He pointed out, “My parents are in the opposition. Does this mean they are big mouths? Hon. Minister, you are the big mouth.” He retorted.
As tensions continued to rise, the Speaker urged both the Minister and the members to avoid using language that could be perceived as unparliamentary, reiterating the importance of maintaining respect and order within the legislative chamber.