From the Daily Observer
The Media Commission Bill
What the media practitioners say
Demba A Jawo(Chairman, Gambia Press Union):
It’s a very bad bill and it’s a visible threat to press freedom in this
country. The very fact that the bill is aimed at targeting specifically the
private media is an indication that the government has an agenda against the
media. It is quite wrong to set up a commission which does not comprise of
legal personalities. Only one person is a lawyer among them. It's really a
bad bill.
Swaebou Conateh(Editor/publisher News & report):
In the first place, the bill as it stands is a gross departure from what was
adopted by the official task force set up at the Department of State for
Information and Communication comprising representatives of the Gambia Press
Union, the private broadcasters, the Information Department , the Department
of State for Information, the Gambia Bar Association, the Gambia Teachers’
Union and the Attorney General’s Chamber.
As a result, it is not what we as a union with a major stake in this matter
have agreed to, in accordance with constitutional provisions. We believe
what is supposed to be a public complaints commission has been turned into a
court of law or tribunal, especially to put journalists and media houses on
trial, fine them heavily and even jail them. This is discrimination which is
unconstitutional, just as many other provisions of this bill are
unconstitutional. It should not be supported by National Assembly members.
Peter Gomez(Gambia Multimedia Unit):
It’s a bad bill that needs to be reconsidered by its sponsors. We do need a
media regulating body but not one as it is now being suggested.
Momodou Musa Touray(Acting editor-in chief, Daily observer):
I think certain provisions of the bill have to be revisited, particularly
the general powers given to the commission which are excessive and inimical
to press freedom. This will not augur well for the development of Gambian
journalism.
Deyda Hydara(Editor/Co-publisher The Point):
We know that the constitution requires the setting up of a commission but we
are saying the time frame for setting it up was not respected. We are also
saying that the spirit and the letter of the provisional constitution was
not adhered to. In fact, the drafts deviated from its essence and ventured
into the dark alleys of the unknown. The constitutional provision talks
about code of conduct and everybody knows that journalistic codes of conduct
are devised by journalists themselves.
Ebrima Sillah(BBC stringer in The Gambia):
I am totally opposed to the wording of the bill because it aims to muzzle
the independent and private media. We are not however opposed to the setting
up of a Media Commission, as this is a constitutional requirement, but it
should be done in good faith as required by law.
Madi ceesay(President, Association of Health Journalists):
I personally feel that the contents of the bill are not appropriate in
civilised society. The bill is in fact inconsistent with certain provisions
of the constitution.
_________________________________________________________________
Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface
at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
[log in to unmask]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
