Momodou Olly-Mboge,

As always, I will give my own personal oppinion of some of the issues you
raised. First and foremost, the Citizen Fm saga is most unfortunate. Citizen
FM is one of the best radio stations in the country offering invaluable
service to the community. The propritor, Mr. Baboucar Gaye, has spent all
his live in broadcasting and has very good intensions for the Gambia. I know
him personally and even though he sometimes accuses me of being a talkative,
he is an extremely well informed and patriotic Gambian. He is a rare case.
You can take it from me that I totally condemn the closure of his radio
station on motives that I clearly believe are political rather than
financial.

Having said that, I will like to remind you of the adage "Once smitten,
twice shy". Mr. Baboucar Gaye should have learnt his lesson from the last
time his station was closed and all his equipment confiscated for a similar
problem. Then, as now, had something to do with money that he should have
paid to the state. He therfore made a serious mistake for even allowing the
station to owe the government a single butut knowing that he wanted to
present and indepent and objective programme that is different from GRTS,
some of which the APRC government may not like. The POINT and INDEPENDENT
newspapers on many occasions publish critical articles about the government
but have nevr been closed. This, they have managed despite all the
hullabaloo about decree 70/71 which many claim is meant to stifle the press.
That's my Butut on that.

As for the arrest, questioning, release or detention of him, the propritor
of radio One FM and other journalists, that is a prerogative of the
government and I have no idea why they were picked up, what they were
questioned about and as far as I know, they have not explained that either.
I have, in the past, given my opinion about the socalled
arrests/harassements of people by the NIA and I have always said that I
really don't Care! I know for a fact that none of the arrests are done at
random and most of those concerned had something to explain. I also know for
a fact that most, when released, stay mute about why they were arrested and
what they were questioned about. Again, that's my Butut on the issue.

KB, I will get back to you on some of the issues you raised especially when
it has to do with the Jawara regime. Like I told you before, the first
republic is dead, long live the second. Just too damn busy.

Have a good day, Gassa.

>From: momodou olly-mboge <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Yero Mama/The day of reckoning or recognising?
>Date: Thu, 8 Nov 2001 10:59:40 -0500
>


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