Another Black Monday has dawned. This time it is journalists - Gambian journalists who have to take stock of another time bomb or sword of Damocles hanging over their heads. This is in the forms of the National Media Commission Bill which has all chances of being enacted going by the doggedly partisan nature of the National Assembly, which is currently discussing it. Wit h its possible passing into law, the multi-faceted fight against the private press, albeit waged covertly, will have assumed a new depth and dimension. Although Gambian journalists are as a matter of principle not really against the introduction of a Media Commission that would for the sake of fairness seek to strengthen the standard of the media and empower journalists, we find very inimical provisions in the Bill, which negates freedom of the press, the rule of law and democracy. We will not hesitate to point out that its harbours quasi-judicial powers among which is to fine and imprison journalists who are found to have violated certain required codes of conduct. Moreover, the registration of journalists and media houses also glaring contradicts Article 19 of the Universal Declaration on the freedom of expression as propounded by the United Nations. The Bill is also discriminatory against the private press, while the state media is left well alone. The composition of the proposed Commission, which includes the Teachers' Union, the Women's Bureau, the Supreme Islamic Council and the Christian Council and one representative from The Gambia Press Union is suspect because those bodies save the GPU have really nothing to do with trying to strengthen the standard of journalism in The Gambia. Thus we would not hesitate to point out that it is a naked attempt to regulate the workings of the press - a move we would vehemently oppose. We as journalists should be left to regulate ourselves without any capricious nose-poking. The GPU has already came out with codes of conduct for journalists, which would improve the way with work and reset the standards over how we relate to the rest of society. Another insipid provision buried in the Bill is the power of the President to appoint the Chairman of the Media Commission. Going by the nature of those who were appointed by the president in other areas, we would be correct to assert that they would be hand picked to serve the whims and caprices of an individual. We already know who will head such a Commission and we are convinced even after the shot has been fired that, the private press will be the only target. We know that President Jammeh is really press-shy and would do all in his powers to silence the cannons of the private media, which had demonstrated that they cannot be cowed into subservience. But this is a crude way to reward the private press, which is the factor behind the credit given to Gambian democracy. Is it the way to recognise the fact that the private press is the only asset for propping up Gambian democracy because of its vibrancy. History would remember us as having warned National Assembly members to stay their hands off that Bullying Bill, because one day in the future, their own sons and daughters would be caught by its draconian nature. Assembly members who vote for anything without assessing their values should take note, before history looks at them with a bad eye. _________________________________________________________________ MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~