A parliamentarian has suggested for Gambia’s national languages be recognised in the constitution.
Muhammaed Bagassey was speaking today an hour ago at the country’s law-making body as legislators debate over the draft constitution.
Harping on languages to be considered national dialects, he said: “The protection of languages begin in the constitution. For example in Senegal, you have the official language there but Mandinka, Wollof and Pularr are a national languages. Constitutional recognition of the national languages will help. I will urge the ministry of education to come up with a better language policy but still we do not have that in the constitution which means that there is no language policy in this country.”
Switching, he recommended the need for citizenship criteria be reviewed and not based on grandparents.
“If your father and mother are Gambian wherever you’re born in you will become a Gambian but if it goes to extent of grandmother and grandfather, we’re making a very difficult decision. At the end of the day everything will come back to us,” he said.
