----- 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 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------