This question was posed to Halifa Sallah and he answered as follows:

Below the belt political exchanges are beginning to appear on normal platforms and social media soundbites from political leaders and their supporters.

This brings to question the sanitary state of Gambian democracy. A functioning democracy would have an opposition that would allow the executive in office to govern in accordance with the dictates of the Constitution and standards of good practice in administering and managing the affairs of a state.

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It will also make it incumbent on the government to co-exist with an opposition that will hold it into account to ensure effectiveness, efficiency, integrity and probity in all its undertakings.

Where such responsible government and opposition parties exist, there can be no caricature or name calling on political platforms. Issues of national interest and the common good will be discussed on political platforms to enable the public to weigh the potential of each public figure to deliver up to standard. Such public figures will weigh their words before making their deliberations and will always do so if the aim is to speak the truth in good faith in the public interest.

In that case any executive that governs will maintain high standards and competition among those seeking executive office, and this will have the resultant effect of raising the bar higher in professionalism and competence in serving the public without fear or favour, affection or ill will.

That is how a functioning democracy works. Those who depart from such practice will undoubtedly obstruct good governance and negate integrity in managing the affairs of the nation. Such people will render themselves unfit to build a functioning democracy.