The Dialogue Between the Media and the Executive

Dear editor,

 I watched GRTS with keen interest Wednesday night, when the dialogue between the media and the executive was rebroadcast. It was quite an interesting dialogue. The President and his cabinet must be congratulated for creating such a space which was long overdue as one speaker indicated.
The opening remarks of the President were good and bad at the same time. Good in the sense that yes the media should be free, yet responsible. I want to believe that the media in the Gambia is very responsible and that is why they are here for such a long time. And this is manifested over the years. There has never been a time when the reports in our media triggered any upheaval.
The President’s intervention is somehow not one to help the situation because he was speaking out of emotions. One clearly sees that on his face. This was a call from the President: come and let’s have a frank talk’. The media came out with frankness and put their concerns on the table before the entire cabinet. Why be on the defensive?
The increase in the number of newspapers and radio stations operating in the country now as compared to the July 1994 matters very little. What matters, as one of the media personnel told him, is for those radios and newspapers to carry news bulletins and accommodating divergent views. The picture is not as beautiful as the President and his cabinet are painting the whole press freedom.
Why was Taranga FM banned from reviewing the local newspapers in our local languages? Would one call that a press free country. Come on let’s call a spade a spade. The Gambia needs to move.
The cabinet of the Gambia does not seem to be well informed. The Secretary General of all the people is saying that it is only in The Gambia where whoever can write calls himself a journalist. Journalists are simply defined as whoever lives by writing. You do not need to be a university graduate to be called one. Some of the best journalists in the world do not have a degree in journalism. It’s not like the medical or law profession.  Yes journalism requires skills that I agree.
The president does not know that even in Senegal, government gives subvention to the media. It is the same in Mali, Ivory Coast, and many other places in West Africa. But they do not know and were surprise when the media talk of subventions.
Our government also forgets so fast that they cannot remember the Britons murder case where the Scotland Yard police came and teamed up with our own police. The result was quick. For the media to make a similar demand should not be rejected if it could bring perpetrators to book.
The Director of Press and Public Relations president’s office should be commended. She’s doing a good job, and I only hope she will be allowed to work freely. If only that is done we will soon see a change in the poor relations between the independent media and government. The multimillion question is: Will she be allowed? If the whole cabinet can be so defensive like they did during this encounter, I have my doubts if she will be given room to work freely.
The media are not at war with you (GOVERNMENT). You have a role and they have a role. Play yours well and let them play theirs and development will come by. The media I saw are not people that can be intimidated with the kind of words the executive was using.
I want to believe that the dialogue produces very good recommendations; the regular press briefings which will not be restricted to only the state broadcaster and some other favoured media outlets. The decriminalization of free speech, respect for constitutional provisions. Having a good constitution is not enough if it is not respected by the state.
The issue of journalists disappearing like Chief Ebrima Manneh, and the unresolved murder of Deyda Hydara should make the government restless until the killers are found. That is responsibility for the state, and unless it is done, all of us, not only journalists will keep calling on them to do so.