Abdou Karim Savage, the Chief Justice of The Gambia, last Thursday, launched a D50 million Legal Capacity Building Programme (LCBP) at a ceremony held at the Corinthia Atlantic Hotel in Banjul.

The Legal Capacity Building Programme is a three-year project sponsored by the Department for International Development (DFID) under the UK government. The programme, in the course of the three years, will render capacity building assistance to the judiciary, the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of State for Justice and The Gambia Bar Association.This is Phase Two of the Legal Capacity Building Programme.

Officially declaring the project launched, Chief Justice Savage said the judiciary's main mission in society is to advocate the course of justice and the rule of law, ensure free, fair and speedy dispensation of justice by an independent judiciary through an efficient justice delivery system with highly trained and committed staff that will command the support and confidence of the people.

He added that The Gambia Government has adopted a legal sector strategy from  2007-2011 as part of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), aimed at fighting poverty, realisation of Vision 2020 and achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

"The sector strategy has seven key targeted areas such as institutional reform, human resource development, legal and regulatory framework, ICT, research and dissemination of legal information, infrastructure, and ADR among others," he said.

Chief Justice Savage then thanked the sponsors on behalf of the entire judicial system of The Gambia and described the project as very timely considering the efforts of the judiciary in improving on its delivery system.

For his part, Graham Simmons, the deputy British High Commissioner to The Gambia said the central focus of the UK government's programmes in The Gambia is their commitment to support the implementation of the PRSP. He stated that the UK Department of International Development will provide up to £1,675,000 (one million, six hundred and seventy five thousand pounds) on grant terms to support the judiciary, the Department of State for Justice and The Gambia Bar Association. He reiterated their commitment towards strengthening The Gambia's judiciary system.

Other speakers at the ceremony were Jainabou Bah-Sambou, registrar general and representative of the Attorney General and SoS for Justice, and Sheriff Tambedou, vice president of The Gambia Bar Association among others.

The event was also followed by a presentation of the project by the project management team.