----- Original Message -----
From: Mori K. Jammeh <[log in to unmask]>
To: <GAMBIA-L: @MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU>
Sent: Monday, June 07, 1999 12:42 AM
Subject: Fw: Amadou Samba buys the Daily Observer
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Mori K. Jammeh <[log in to unmask]>
> To: GAMBIA-L: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List
> <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Monday, June 07, 1999 12:16 AM
> Subject: RE: Amadou Samba buys the Daily Observer
>
>
> >
> > Mr. Ceesay please allow me to bring your article on this forum of may
26th
> > into limelight once again. I found this quite necessary because of the
> > latest developments at the daily observer. Two of the top brass of the
> paper
> > were given the boot within the last 48 hrs. I thought your predictions
> were
> > excellent! The story follows below:
> >
> > Bombshell at Observer
> > Deputy MD, News Editor sacked
> >
> > by Pa Nderry M'bai
> >
> > Exactly two weeks after the Observer Company changed hands, two key
staff
> > members have had their services abruptly terminated.
> >
> > They are, Mr. Theophilus George, deputy Managing Director, and Mr. Demba
> A.
> > Jawo, news editor, Daily Observer newspaper. Mr. George, who received
his
> > marching orders last Thursday had served as acting managing director of
> The
> > Observer after the proprietor and managing director, Kenneth Best, a
> veteran
> > Liberian journalist, was unceremoniously declared 'persona non grata'
and
> > deported to his war-torn country.
> >
> > Shortly after receiving his letter of termination, Mr. George bid
farewell
> > to staff of the various units.
> >
> > "I have finished with the Observer. I am going for good," he is reported
> to
> > have said.
> >
> > Andrew Dacosta, Observer Financial Controller disclosed to the Daily
> > Observer on Sunday morning that he was instructed by the new Managing
> > Director, Sarriang Ceesay "to work out Mr. George's benefits." Mr.
Dacosta
> > said the managing director told him "Mr George is no longer with us."
> >
> > And yesterday, Sunday, the new management unexpectedly/surprisingly
served
> > Mr Demba Jawo, news editor, with a letter of termination. Mr Jawo, is a
> > respected journalist of long-standing repute, and chairman of the Gambia
> > Press Union. He joined the Observer in 1992 as court reporter and has
> been,
> > since 1996, news editor.
> >
> > He was sanguine about his termination: "I am not the least bitter about
> the
> > termination ..... Mr Samba owns his company and it is perfectly within
his
> > purview to terminate anyone he does not feel comfortable with.
> >
> > "I have no idea why my services have been terminated but I assume it had
> > something to do with my critical articles about government and other
> issues.
> > I wish to thank all my colleagues for their cooperation."
> >
> > Contacted by our reporter to comment on the terminations, the new M.D.
Mr
> > Sarriang Ceesay, confirmed the terminations.
> >
> > "This is a new management and the company is being restructured," he
said.
> >
> > On whether other staff would be affected during the re-structuring
> exercise,
> > Mr Ceesay said: "I cannot answer that. We are restructuring the company
> and
> > we are looking at all aspects."
> >
> > In the offices of the Observer, news of D.A. Jawo's termination was
> greeted
> > with shock and disbelief by the entire staff. Some staff members openly
> > wept, and recalled how D.A. (as he was fondly known) brought so much
> quality
> > and professionalism into the paper.
> >
> > "We will sorely miss him," cried a freelance reporter. "But God is
great."
> >
> > Reacting, editor-in-chief Baba Galleh Jallow said: "D.A.'s termination
is
> > shocking and painfully depressing. It is a big blow to the editorial
> > department. D.A. is extremely honest, hardworking and a perfect
> gentleman."
> >
> > On whether he thinks the Observer will still maintain its editorial
> > independence, Mr Jallow replied: "That is what we would always wish and
> > strive for in the Observer. But the management has a right to hire, fire
> or
> > opt for an editorial policy of their choice. Equally, the staff too have
> the
> > right to stay or leave anytime if they feel their principles are being
> > compromised. I think the management fully understands that."
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > >From: ebrima ceesay <[log in to unmask]>
> > >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
> > ><[log in to unmask]>
> > >To: [log in to unmask]
> > >Subject: Amadou Samba buys the Daily Observer
> > >Date: Wed, 26 May 1999 09:28:16 PDT
> > >
> > >Gambia L,
> > >
> > >It was my wish not to comment, as at now, on the decision taken by
> Kenneth
> > >Best, the expelled Liberian-born proprietor of the Observer Company, to
> > >sell
> > >the company, including the newspaper, to Amadou Samba, a Gambian
> > >lawyer-turned entrepreneur, because of two main factors.
> > >
> > >Firstly, I am yet to get all the facts concerning the sale. Since the
> news
> > >of the sale broke out, I have been trying, without success, to contact
> > >Kenneth Best in Washington DC, to find out what actually led to his
> > >decision
> > >to sell the Company and whether, apart from Amadou Samba, there were
> other
> > >bidders.
> > >
> > >Secondly, I must confess, at the onset, that while in the Gambia,
Amadou
> > >and
> > >I have enjoyed what I would describe as a very privileged relationship
> and,
> > >consequently, I am at pains to openly question his motives for
purchasing
> > >the the Daily Observer now, even though I am a little bit suspicious,
> given
> > >his close links to the Jammeh regime.
> > >
> > >It is important for me to point out that my friendly relationship with
Mr
> > >Samba goes back to 1992, when Sierra leonean-born journalist Justice
> > >Fonanah, now living in the US, and myself were assigned by Kenneth
Best,
> > >then editor-in-chief of the Daily Observer, to cover Amadou Samba's
> cement
> > >factory row with Hatib Janneh of JIMPEX Company.
> > >
> > >During the peak of the controversy between these two business giants,
we
> > >had several interviews with Mr Samba, during which we found him to be
> > >enterprising, patriotic, erudite and benevolent. We admired these
> qualities
> > >in him and he also admired the fact that during all those interviews he
> > >gave
> > >us, we never misrepresented or misquoted him.
> > >
> > >It was therefore natural that we became friends. Mr Best himself also
> > >admired and liked Mr Samba because of his (Samba's) business
shrewdness.
> > >This, in fact, would explain why Kenneth Best would not hesitate to
sell
> > >the
> > >company to Mr samba.
> > >
> > >Having said this, however, it is also clear in my mind that I wouldn't
be
> > >doing justice to my conscience and spirit if I do not express a word of
> > >caution, in the wake of the sale, regardless of my friendship with the
> new
> > >buyer, Mr Samba.
> > >
> > >In my view, there is nothing wrong with Mr Best selling the Observer to
> Mr
> > >Samba, if Samba has given him the assurances that the newspaper will
> > >continue to maintain its editorial independence.
> > >
> > >And I know that, under normal circumstances, Mr Samba has what it
takes,
> or
> > >the business acumen, to turn the Observer Company around which, of
late,
> > >has
> > >been having financial difficulties, and establish the Observer
newspaper
> as
> > >one of the best papers in Africa.
> > >
> > >But given Samba's closeness to the Jammeh government, I would be both
> naive
> > >and novice to think or believe that the Observer will continue to
> maintain
> > >its editorial independence under the new management. I, for one, would
> not
> > >buy that theory. Yes, it was encouraging to hear Mr Samba reassure the
> > >readers and the staff that the paper would continue to maintain its
> > >editorial independence.
> > >
> > >But for me these are just wishes. The realities are certainly there!!!
> In
> > >practical terms, I cannot see the Observer, henceforth, becoming too
> > >critical of the government, because the hard truth is that Mr Samba
also
> > >has
> > >business interests/links with the Jammeh government and, therefore, he
> has
> > >to ensure that he remains in the good books of Jammeh, so that his
> > >construction company will continue to receive contracts from the
> > >government.
> > >
> > >Mr Samba , I bet, would not want the Observer newspaper to publish any
> > >story
> > >that would jeopardise his business relationship with the government,
even
> > >if
> > >the story is/was in the public interest.
> > >
> > >In fact, given Samba's links to the the Jammeh regime, some are even
> > >alleging that the government has actually bought the observer company,
> > >using
> > >Amadou as a front or a cover. Anyway, time will tell if this is true or
> > >not.
> > >But I'll be surprised if this was true, because I have always known
> Amadou
> > >as a man of integrity and immense honesty.
> > >
> > >To be fair to Mr Samba, if it turns out that he is indeed the true
owner
> of
> > >the Observer, who would never interfere with the paper's editorial
> > >independence, then he deserves commendation for investing in the media,
> > >especially at this point in time.
> > >
> > >The militarisation of politics in Africa, today, has certainly
> jeopardised
> > >the chances of a free press in the continent and, consequently, there
is
> a
> > >lack of interest in the media by African entrepreneurs in any
investment
> in
> > >the media. Investing in the media is considered a risky venture, which
in
> > >all cases, invites the wrath of governments.
> > >
> > >So Amadou Samba should be praised for his bold move if the Observer
were
> to
> > >continue to live up to the expectations of its readers. The last thing
> the
> > >observer readers would want, I would have thought, is for the newspaper
> to
> > >be transformed into medium that only exist to defend the status quo.
> > >
> > >The new management should never allow the Daily Observer to be an
> extension
> > >of the executive. Rather, it should allow it to continue to report
> > >alternative views, or operate as the Fourth Estate.
> > >
> > >The new management would have done a great disservice to the country,
if
> > >the
> > >Observer newspaper was to be transformed into a medium whose sole
> function
> > >was to prop up the government of the day.
> > >
> > >The paper must ensure, at all times, that whatever it publishes is
> > >accurate,
> > >balanced, fair, forthright and up to date, because it is in this way
that
> a
> > >people determine how much trust and confidence to place in a particular
> > >media institution, be it a newspaper, radio or television.
> > >
> > >Accuracy, fairness, balance objectivity and being up to date are,
> > >therefore,
> > >the primary elements readers or listeners look for in a medium. Any
> medium
> > >which has these elements will have the confidence of the people, but if
> > >they
> > >are not there, that medium can forget it, for it will soon lose its
> > >patrons!!!
> > >
> > >Therefore, if the Daily observer wishes to maintain its readers, it
must
> > >continue to be in the vanguard of truth, justice and fair play, making
> sure
> > >that whatever is in the public interest is reported.
> > >
> > >Finally, I must say that one sad truth my stay in the UK has confirmed
> for
> > >me is that the media all over the world, is held in one way or the
other,
> > >in
> > >some form of captivity. In Africa, this captivity can be through the
> hands
> > >of corrupt and authoritarian regimes, while in the West, the captivity
> can
> > >either be through the influence of advertisers, International Finance
> > >capital, racism, or cultural prejudices.
> > >
> > >In the UK, there is, within the newspaper industry, an undeniable
> > >concentration of ownership, and of the power and influence which that
> > >bestows, in a few hands. The newspaper industry is dominated by
powerful
> > >figures such as Rupert Murdoch, Tiny Rowlands, Robert Maxwell and
> Viscount
> > >Rothermere.
> > >
> > >This is almost certainly an important factor in the pronounced
right-wing
> > >skew of the political affiliations of the British papers with the
> Express,
> > >Mail, The Star, The Daily Telegraph, Times and The Sun all espousing
> > >right-wing positions, and only The Guardian (Liberal/Centrist) and the
> > >Mirror (right-wing labour) reflecting centre or slightly left of centre
> > >positions.
> > >
> > >Anyway, sorry for boring you to death with this piece, and I hope I
have
> > >not
> > >offended anyone.
> > >
> > >Cheers and best wishes to all.
> > >
> > >Ebrima Ceesay,
> > >Birmingham, UK.
> > >
> > >PS: Just to inform you that some time ago, my good sister, Ndey
Jobarteh,
> > >and Brother Saiks Samateh, both of whom are on the L, got married. And
in
> > >this regard, a wedding party is slated for this saturday night at the
> Hall
> > >in Kilburn, London. Therefore, those members of the Gambia L living in
> the
> > >UK are invited to grace the occasion.
> > >
> > >
> > >______________________________________________________
> > >Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
> >
> >
> > ______________________________________________________
> > Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.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 unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
