NMC: Registration now voluntary
By DO
May 29, 2004, 19:39


A major breakthrough has been reached in the contentious issue of mandatory 
registration between the media commission, the media houses and media 
practitioners. 

Addressing a meeting of diplomats and journalists called at their behest, the 
secretary of state for Information and that of Foreign Affairs, Amadou 
Scattred Janneh and Baboucar Blaise Jagne have announced that media houses or 
practitioners need not register by force as was intended before. “It is no longer 
compulsory but voluntary,’’ they told the meeting which was also attended by 
media representatives.

The ministers further revealed that there would be incentives for those who 
registered with the commission, but gave no details as to what those incentives 
were. The two ministers assured the diplomats that government had no hidden 
agenda in the whole issue as it had all along taken into consideration the 
concern of the media practitioners.

Information secretary, Amadou Scattred Janneh said The Gambia had recorded 
tremendous gains in democracy and that it was keen to consolidate on that by 
protecting the rights of citizens and freedom of speech. This new development was 
in sharp contrast to the hardline taken by government less than a week ago 
when president Jammeh warned that there would be no compromise on registration 
once the three months deadline earlier given expired

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