First Lady should not make known her assets — Cabinet tells CRC
President Barrow’s Cabinet had asked the Constitutional Review Commission to “delete” a provision of the draft which says that the spouse of the president made known all their assets.
As per the draft, the president shall (a) within three months of assuming office, disclose to the Anti-Corruption Commission – (i) all liabilities and business interests he or she has or that is held on his or her behalf; and (ii) all the assets, liabilities and business interests of his or her spouse held by or on behalf of the spouse…
Nonetheless in its position seen by The Standard, Cabinet noted: “While the government recognises the CRC’s noble objectives in this provision, the government is also of the view that it is unfair to subject spouses who are uninterested in politics or public office to be subjected to the same level of public scrutiny as their political spouses simply because of their association to the latter as a spouse.”
Cabinet said this has the wings to tamper the right to privacy of the president’s spouse… “on account only of their status as spouse of the seeker of public office”.
The Cabinet had also asked the Constitutional Review Commission to delete the clause which proscribes the president from supporting charitable means.
“The government is of the view that it is unreasonable to prevent a president from supporting charitable causes.”
It is not an uncommon practice around the world and The Gambia should not be exception, Cabinet stressed.
Nevertheless, none of these provisions has been deleted yet.
Source___Standard Newspaper
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