(A four-part series by Alieu Famara Sagnia)
Part 3: This ‘draft’ is evidence of the Barrow Administration’s bad faith
By Alieu Famara Sagnia
We are referring here to the contents of the “Draft National Press Accreditation Policy for The Gambia & Draft Broadcasting and Online Content Regulations, 2025”.
In part 2, we said there was talk of a consultancy by the Information ministry for a consultancy to produce a new broadcast media law; and, again, we ask: Is this the outcome of that consultancy?
In any case, it is our considered view that whoever produced this “draft” bill does not definitely know what is required in this sector: that is, the reforms are necessary in this sector consistent with safeguarding a free press, as well as freedom of expression in this country.
That is, at this point in our history; the reforms needed for the evolution of our envisioned new democratic dispensation – in other words, the reforms conforming with our national vision for a New Gambia post our collective experience in the first and the second Republics!
To us, the “draft” is also fresh evidence that the Barrow Administration cannot be trusted to take us to the Promised Land.
It happened in the past that a government official – who served as Information minister – told us that the laws currently in our statute books (deemed “draconian” by journalists and rights activists) are there, and will remain there, but will not be used.
Then we saw them threaten false information and libel suits against journalists – of The Voice newspaper!
Thus, the government motives should remain to be suspect; that it has ulterior motives; that it’s motives are not altruistic – despite its claims of respecting the constitutional provisions of “freedom of expression which shall include freedom of the press”!
By the way, freedom of expression is for all persons – not just for journalists and the press. Which is why the general public should be concerned, and must be involved in the campaign to denounce this planned attack on freedom of expression and freedom of the press by the Barrow Administration.
At the recent launching of the new GPU and MCG policy documents – held at the Bijilo international conference center, and organized by the GPU and International IDEA with funding from the EU – a resource person announced that there was something being prepared, which he saw, and did not like.
Then now, we all witnessed the Information ministry unveiled this “Draft National Press Accreditation Policy for The Gambia & Draft Broadcasting and Online Content Regulations, 2025”.
It is our opinion that the contents of both documents are inimical to the best interest of journalists, and media practitioners generally, in this country.
We wish to further assert that we strongly believe that contents of the circulated “draft(s) show bad faith on the part of the government in its relations with the Gambian press.
This, from a government always claiming credit for its marked progress in recent times, whenever the opportunity presents itself!
Certainly, a government which loves the press cannot contemplate this bill!
But, of course, we are no fools; we know the Barrow Administration does not like some of what it is sees daily in the country’s media, especially social media.
And, that explains why it produced this bill as part of its diabolical scheming to stifle freedom of expression and press freedom in this country.
Well, it was tried by the government in the second republic, and it failed; and, the Barrow Administration will also not succeed – not in this age of digital technology – and how social media has enabled the realization of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights!
It is also our belief that the Barrow Administration is not sincere – and is merely paying lip service to wanting a more professional press corp and media services in the country.
Our evidence is that the Information ministry in Banjul – since 2017 – is not making any serious effort to transform GRTS into a more responsible and truly professional public broadcaster.
After our experience with GRTS during the second republic, it was widely expected that the new government in Banjul would focus – as a matter of priority and urgency – on legislative reforms which place GRTS at the service of the Gambian people – and not continuing to be mismanaged by unethical politicians and a self-serving ruling party!
But apart from neglecting to do so, we have seen the Barrow Administration irresponsibly increase misuse of the national public broadcaster in ways which remind us of the worst practices of Yahya Jammeh and his APRC!
It is also noteworthy that – as we see in the proposed documents – the Information ministry under Ismaila Ceesay is following in the discredited footsteps of its predecessor – specifically the producers of NANA’s Law – with all the implications for personal reputational damage, among others.
Moreover, what’s become evident under the Barrow Administration is that the Never Again mantra should be applied – not just to members of the security services and judiciary – but to all persons with evidence of being tagged as enablers of bad governance in this country.
We feel that there should have been instituted a vetting process, which barred known enablers or the allegedly corrupt from ever holding public office in the Gambia.
Unfortunately, what has happened under the Barrow Administration is that such enablers have been, and continue to be rewarded with high public office – in spite of evidence in the public domain that they aided and abetted mal-governance or accused of corruption in this country.
Thus the realization (by Ismaila Ceesay and many others?) that you can get away with it (including murder in this country?), because there is entrenched and widespread impunity – plus incompetence? – in the system; and, that there are no consequences to or for lending oneself to being a willing tool or cog in the machinery of poor governance – past and present – in modern Gambia!
