The Third Legislature in the Third Republic got to a promising start yesterday with the swearing-in of the 53 National Assembly Members. Forty-eight of them were elected while five nominated.

The Chief Justice Abdou Karim Savage administered the oath of office at the National Assembly complex.

Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony, Honourable Fatoumata Jahumpa-Ceesay, the new Speaker of the House, commended her colleagues for unanimously electing her as Speaker.

She pledged to work sincerely and tirelessly with them to uphold, protect and promote the constitution and other laws of the Republic, including the Standing Orders of the National Assembly.

Under the new dispensation, she said, the National Assembly would put emphasis on noble values, challenges, and opportunities.

According to her, she would make common cause with the Gambian people by taking parliament closer to them. Her strategy for doing this is by operating a functional website, getting e-mail addresses for each and every NAM, so that the electorate and members of the public can interact with their representatives.

She added, “There shall also be annual national regional and constituency forums, which will make us socially accountable to our electorate through constituency outreaching and networking with civil society.”

She was full of praise for her predecessor, Mrs Belinda Bidwell, for her support, guidance and wisdom to the National Assembly. Meanwhile, the nomination of Seyfo Bala Musa Sanyang, Chief of Foni Brefet was cancelled and replaced by the new Deputy Speaker, Abdoulie Bojang.

In a separate development, reliable sources informed The Point that Mr Halifa Sallah, NAM for Serekunda Central Constituency, had duly handed over his Diplomatic passport, African Union laisser passe, National Assembly Identity Card and the keys of his drawer at the National Assembly to the Clerk of the House.