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consisting of Her Majesty The Queen, who is represented in The Gambia by a Governor-General appointed by her, and of a House of Representatives. The House consists of 40 members. Of these members 32 members are elected on the basis of universal adult suffrage in 32 single-member constituencies whose boundaries are prescribed by a Constituency Boundaries Commission to contain as nearly equal numbers of inhabitants as the Commission deems practicable. Four members of the House are elected by the Head Chiefs from among their own number by secret vote, and are known as Chiefs' Representative Members. Four members of the House are nominated by the Governor-General acting on the advice of the Prime Minister; but these four nominated members do not have a vote. Members must have attained the age of 21 years, and be able to speak English well enough to take part in the proceedings of the House, which are conducted in that language. All except the nominated members must be citizens of The Gambia. Certain persons are debarred from membership, as for example persons of unsound mind and those who owe allegiance to a foreign power or state. The Speaker of the House of Representatives is elected from among the members of the House or from persons who are qualified to be elected as members; and when elected from among the former the Speaker must vacate his seat in the House. The Speaker has neither an original nor a casting vote.

Subject to the provisions of the Constitution, Parliament may make laws for the peace, order and good government of The Gambia, and may alter the Constitution provided that the bill for this purpose is supported on the final reading in the House by the votes of two-thirds of all the voting members of the House. In addition, to alter certain provisions of the Constitution, the bill, after having been passed by the House, must be submitted to and be approved at a referendum by a majority vote of the whole electorate or by two-thirds of all the votes validly cast at the referendum.

The Governor-General may dissolve Parliament at any time on the advice of the Prime Minister, or if the Prime Minister does not resign or advise a dissolution within three days of the House of Representatives passing a resolution of no confidence in him, or if the office of Prime Minister is vacant and the Governor-General considers that there is no prospect of his being able, within a reasonable time, to appoint a person who can command the support of the majority of the members of the House. The Governor-General may refuse to dissolve Parliament, even if advised to do so by the Prime Minister, if he considers that the dissolution would not be in the interests of The Gambia.

The executive authority of The Gambia is vested in Her Majesty The Queen, but is exercised by the Governor-General who, in the exercise of his functions, must act in accordance with the advice of the Cabinet except in certain cases concerning, for example, the dissolution of Parliament and the appointment or removal of the Prime Minister.

The Governor-General is required to appoint as Prime Minister the voting member of the House of Representatives who appears to him likely to command the support of the majority of the voting members of the House. The Cabinet consists of the Prime Minister and such other Ministers as shall be designated by the Governor-General on the advice of the Prime Minister. The legal adviser to the Government of The Gambia is the Attorney-General and his office is that of a minister. The functions of the Cabinet are to advise the Governor-General in the government of The Gambia; and the Cabinet is collectively responsible to

Parliament for any advice given and for all things done by or under the authority of any Minister in the execution of his office.

The Governor-General may exercise the prerogative of mercy in Her Majesty's name and on Her Majesty's behalf in respect of punishments imposed by the courts, but is required to act in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister who, in the case of a person sentenced to death, is required to obtain (but not necessarily follow) the advice of an Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy before advising the Governor-General whether or not to alter or remit the sentence.

There is a Supreme Court which has unlimited original jurisdiction to hear and determine any civil or criminal proceedings under any law. The Court consists of the Chief Justice and such number of Puisne Judges as may be prescribed by Parliament. The Chief Justice is appointed by the GovernorGeneral acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister; and the Puisne Judges are also appointed by him, but acting on the advice of a Judicial Service Commission. In addition there is a Court of Appeal and various subordinate courts.

The Judicial Service Commission consists of the Chief Justice as Chairman, the Chairman of the Public Service Commission and a member appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of the Chief Justice. There is also a Public Service Commission consisting of a Chairman, Deputy Chairman and four other members appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of the Prime Minister. An important part of the Constitution consists of provisions for the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms. Article 11 of the Constitution reads as follows:

"Whereas every person in The Gambia is entitled to the fundamental rights and freedoms, that is to say, the right, whatever his race, place of origin, political opinions, colour, creed or sex but subject to respect for the rights and freedoms of others and for the public interest, to each and all of the following, namely:

(a) life, liberty, security of the person and the protection of the law;

(b) freedom of conscience, of expression and of assembly and association; and

(c) protection for the privacy of his home and other property and from deprivation of property without compensation."

In addition to specific provisions for the protection of each of these liberties, the Constitution also provides that a person charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty and shall be given full facilities for defending himself. If any person alleges that any of the provisions of the Constitution relating to these matters are being or are likely to be contravened in relation to him, he has the right of application to the Supreme Court to seek redress.

A National Referendum was held in November 1965, on the Government's proposal to introduce a Republican Constitution. Under the existing Constitution such a proposal must be approved by one half of the registered electors or by two thirds of the validly cast votes. 60·46 per cent of the electorate voted on the proposal which failed to gain the support of half the electorate and also failed, by 758 votes, to gain the support of two thirds of those validly voting.

GOVERNMENT

The House of Representatives comprises 32 elected members, four nominated members and four Head Chiefs' Representative members. The People's Progressive Party forms the Government.

GOVERNOR-GENERAL

His Excellency Alhaji Sir F. M. Singhateh, GCMG

THE CABINET

Prime Minister: The Hon. Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara

Minister of Finance, Trade and Development and Deputy Prime Minister:
The Hon. Sheriff M. Dibba

Minister of Works and Communications: Alhaji the Hon. Kalilu Singhateh
Minister of External Affairs: The Hon. A. D. Camara

Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources: The Hon. Hausoon O. Semega-Janneh
Minister of Education, Labour and Social Welfare: Alhaji the Hon. I. M. Garba-Jahumpa
Minister of Local Government, Lands and Mines:
The Hon. Jaya Ceesay

Minister of Health: Alhaji The Hon. Musa Darbo
Attorney-General: Alhaji The Hon. M. L. Saho

LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION
P. S. N'Jie (United Party)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Speaker: Alhaji the Hon. A. S. Jack
Deputy Speaker: E. D. N'Jie, MP
Clerk of the House: B. O. Jobe

JUDICIARY

Chief Justice: The Hon. P. R. Bridges, CMG, QC
President of Court of Appeal: The Hon. Mr Justice G. F. Dove-Edwin
Judge of Appeal: J. B. Marcus Jones

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DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GAMBIA IN OTHER COMMonwealth COUNTRIES High Commissioner in the United Kingdom: H. R. Monday, SR, CBE, JP; in Sierra Leone: B. O. Semega Janneh, MBE (Resident in Dakar).

COMMONWEALTH HIGH COMMISSIONERS
IN THE GAMBIA

Britain: J. G. W. Ramage; Canada: Jean
Côté (resident in Dakar); India: G. J. Malik
(resident in Dakar); Ghana: K. Brew
(resident in Dakar); Nigeria: Alhaji
Muhamadu Sani Kontagora (resident in
Dakar).

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GAMBIA IN COUNTRIES OTHER THAN COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES

High Commissioner to the Republic of Senegal: B. O. Semega-Janneh, MBE (also accredited to Mali and Guinea).

REPRESENTATIVES IN THE GAMBIA OF
COUNTRIES OTHER THAN Commonwealth
COUNTRIES

France: (Ambassador) (resident in Dakar);
Germany: (Ambassador) (resident in Dakar);
Israel: (Ambassador) (resident in Dakar);
Italy: (Ambassador) (resident in Dakar)
Lebanon: (Ambassador) (resident in Dakar);
Senegal: (High Commissioner); United
States: (Ambassador) (resident in Dakar);
Belgium: (Ambassador) (resident in Dakar);
Korea: (Ambassador) (resident in London);
Liberia: (Ambassador) (resident in Dakar);
Mauritania: (Ambassador) (resident
Dakar); Morocco: (Ambassador) (resident
in Dakar); Netherlands: (Ambassador)
(resident in Dakar); Spain: (Ambassador)
(resident in Dakar); Switzerland: (Ambassa-
dor) (resident in Dakar); United Arab
Republic: (Ambassador) (resident in Dakar);
U.S.S.R.: (Ambassador) (resident in
Dakar); Japan: (Ambassador) (resident in
Dakar).

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GHANA

HANA, named after the ancient African Empire in which, it is thought

by some historians, the people of the country had their origins, comprises the area in West Africa formerly known as the Gold Coast (the Gold Coast Colony, Ashanti and the Northern Territories) together with that part of Togoland which had been administered by the British Government under United Nations trusteeship. Its area is 91,843 square miles, almost the same as that of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The whole area lies in the tropics. In the Northern Territories, the country is open and undulating and the climate is hot and dry. Further south, in the forest lands of Ashanti and in the south-west coastal area, the climate is hot and humid. The flat eastern coastal belt is warm and fairly dry. In most areas the mean maximum temperature is highest in March (absolute maximum 109°F) and lowest in August (absolute minimum 44°F). Coastal regions normally enjoy temperatures between 24°C (75°F) and 35°C (95°F) throughout the year. Annual rainfall varies in the different regions from 28 inches to 86 inches. The main river system of the country is that of the Volta River which is formed by the junction of the Black and White Voltas both of which rise in the Republic of Upper Volta. There are no high mountains but several ranges of hills rise to a maximum of about 3,000 feet. The central forest area is broken up into heavily wooded ridges and valleys.

At the time of the census taken in 1960 the population was estimated to be 6,726,815 and at June 1966 7,945,000. The country is divided into eight regions: Eastern (including Accra); Ashanti; Volta; Upper; Central; Western; BrongAhafo; and Northern.

English is the official language and is used for instruction in schools from Primary Class II upwards. Other languages used are: Twi, in the Ashanti Region,

the most widely spoken of all African languages in Ghana; Fanti, used in the coastal region, except the Accra plain where Ga is spoken; and Ewe in the Volta Region. Subsidiary languages are Nzima, used in the region west of Takoradi; Dagomba, Dagbani, Hausa and Moshie, used in the Northern Region, and many others. The principal religions are: Christianity 42.8 per cent; Traditional 38.2 per cent; Islam 12 per cent; others 7 per cent. Primary education is free and universal and in 1964, 35,000 students were enrolled for secondary education. The capital city of Ghana is Accra (population estimated in 1966 at 532,600). Other main towns with population figures are: Sekondi/Takoradi 112,800 (1966 est.); Cape Coast 41,230 (1960); Koforidua 34,856 (1960); Kumasi 252,900 (1966 est.); Sunyani 12,160 (1960); Tamale 40,443 (1960); Bolgatanga 5,513 (1960); Ho 14,519 (1960). The principal ports are Tema in the Eastern Region (approximately 20 miles from Accra) and Takoradi in the Western Region (approximately 140 miles from Accra). The main shipping line is the Black Star Line. The only international airport is at Accra, six miles from the city centre (length of runway 9,600 feet) and the country's airline is Ghana Airways Corporation. There are also internal airports at Takoradi (runway 5,700 feet); Kumasi (runway 4,500 feet); Tamale (runway 4,200 feet). There are 749 miles of 3 ft 6 in. gauge railway and the road mileage is 20,000 of which 2,053 miles are bitumen-covered trunk road and 3,277 gravel trunk road. Broadcasting and television facilities are provided by the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation.

Ghana's total export earnings for 1968 amounted to £139 million of which cocoa products accounted for £75.5 million, logs and sawn timber £12.6 million, gold £10-5 million, diamonds £7.1 million and manganese £4.3 million. Imports were £127 million and the 1968/69 budget estimates allowed for a total expenditure (recurrent and development) of £175 million and a total revenue of £175 million. This consists of £139 million in the form of ordinary revenue and £36 million of capital receipts.

After the coup d'ètat of 24th February 1966, the new Government has concentrated on restoring a balanced economy. Ghana's considerable medium term debt (i.e. debts maturing from one to twelve years) has been re-negotiated with creditor countries so that payment for these debts maturing before mid-1972 have been rephased over a period ending 1st October 1981. Considerable foreign aid, mainly tied to commodities, has been promised during 1969 and Britain has offered £4 million. This brings the total of British capital aid made available to Ghana since 1963 to £16.4 million.

On 8th July, 1967 Ghana devalued its New Cedi from 10s. to 7s. and with the British devaluation of November 1967 the current exchange rate is 2.45 New Cedis to £1. Ghana's determination to settle her debts by effective import licensing and the devaluation of the Cedi have made a significant contribution towards balancing the economy. There was a favourable balance of trade in 1968 of £12 million, the first since 1959, and it is hoped that with the current high price of cocoa this will be repeated in 1969.

HISTORY

There is no recorded history of the Gold Coast before the coming of the Europeans. The oral traditions of the tribes at present occupying the country indicate that their arrival there was only comparatively recent, historically speaking. They appear to have originated to the north of the present boundaries of Ghana and to have migrated southwards, under the pressure of various

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