He stated that the suspension will take effect immediately, adding the decision to suspend the public hearings was reached after careful consideration and consultations at the level of the Commission and the Ministry of Justice.
At a time when the number of Covid-19 cases in the country is rising at an alarming rate, Dr. Sise said, the Commission is deeply concerned about the safety of both Commissioners and staff of the TRRC, media partners, witnesses, security personnel, and all members of the public.
“While the Commission is very keen on completing its work and submitting its final report and recommendations in good time, we are conscious of the fact that continuing our public hearings may put the lives of everybody concerned at risk of Covid-19 infection. We will therefore suspend the public hearings for now, and will inform the public as to when we will resume at the appropriate moment.”
During the period of this suspension of public hearings, the chairman added that the various committees of the Commission will continue working on their various agendas.
He said the Commission’s Secretariat will also remain partially open and all their various units will remain operational with some staff coming to work on a roster system and others working from home during the period of suspension.
Read Other Articles In Headlines
Covid-19 test in Bakau attracts hundreds of volunteers
May 6, 2020, 12:19 PM
The Ministry of Health recently held a two-day mass covid-19 rapid voluntary testing for hundreds of volunteers in Bakau, amid rising reported confirmed cases in the country.
3 Senegalese fishing boats refused landing at Tanji
Apr 7, 2020, 1:35 PM
As the fight against the deadly coronavirus intensifies, officials of The Gambia Immigration Department (GID) at Tanji Fish Landing Site have refused the landing of three Senegalese boats carrying more than forty people.
Witness recalls loss of 9 lives in Jammeh Alternative Treatment Programme
Jul 17, 2020, 11:03 AM
An anonymous witness yesterday testified before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission (TRRC), saying she remembered that at least two people had died during the former President, Yahya Jammeh’s HIV/AIDS Alternative Treatment. She added that seven other people died after the treatment.
Lands Ministry compensates Sukuta with 324 plots of land
Jun 3, 2020, 1:46 PM
Buba Sanyang, the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Lands and Regional Governments has informed the media that 324 plots of land have been given as compensation to the community of Sukuta after their lands at Salaji Layout were confiscated by government.
Gov’t gives update on emergency food aid distribution
May 7, 2020, 11:41 AM
Banjul, The Gambia 5 May 2020 — Soon after President Adama Barrow’s national address on his government’s Covid-19 Emergency Food Aid amounting to over D700M at McCarthy Square on Sunday, 26 April, 2020, the distribution has since begun across the entire nation as hundreds of truck-loads leave McCarthy Square daily.
2 fish feed mills, aquaculture facility in Jahally, Kuloro inaugurated
Jul 13, 2020, 11:35 AM
The government of The Gambia, through the Ministry of Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters, with funding from United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on Tuesday, 7 July and Wednesday 8 July inaugurated fish feed mills and aquaculture facility in Jahally, Central River Region (CRR); and at Kuloro, Kombo East.
Women Enterprise Fund Bill 2020 refer to ABC
Jun 19, 2020, 11:58 AM
Deputies Thursday referred Women Enterprise Fund Bill 2020 to the Assembly Business Committee (ABC) at the National Assembly for proper scrutiny.
Dead fishes inundate Sanyang beach after Nissim fails to purchase
Jul 29, 2020, 11:31 AM
The Beach of Sanyang over the weekend was overwhelmed with dead fishes that were thrown back to the sea after Nissim Fishmeal Factory failed to purchase those catches.