2011 Polls: Training Journalists in Election Reporting

 By Sainey M.K. Marenah, Managing Blogger

 

Ahead of scheduled presidential, parliamentary and local government elections, over 20 journalists drawn from the print and electronic media yesterday began a four-day intensive training on election reporting.

The training, underway at the Gambia Press Union Secretariat in Bakau, is the result of a media capacity building program in The Gambia, launched in November 2010 by ICFJ with funding from the US Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour.

Being conducted in conjunction with the Gambia Press Union, GPU, and the Foundation for Legal Aid Research and Empowerment, FLARE, the purpose of the program is to enhance the skills of journalists (reporters and editors) working in the country, as well as strengthen the associations which represent them.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Alieu F. Sagnia, country director of ICFJ-Gambia, said the purpose of the training course is to prepare journalists and their media houses for effective election coverage and reporting.

“It is believed that in the medium to long term, this activity will contribute towards achieving the overall program objective, which is to support the media organizations in the Gambia, by building their capacity, and in this way help advance the cause of good governance and basic freedoms in the country,” Sagnia stated.

He told journalists that practicing with improved skills and greater professionalism can increase their credibility, in addition to being empowered to operate effectively and efficiently in their environment.

Almami Taal, was the guest speaker, and in his keynote address underscored the importance of the training, noting that elections form part of a democratization process.

According to Taal, who is president of FLARE, democracy is not an event but a process of checks and responsibility.

“The privilege and responsibility of reporting the news goes hand in hand,” Taal said, while urging journalists to be mindful in dealing with politicians.

He also urged journalists to practice responsible journalism as elections are not child’s play, stressing that, as journalists, they must find new ways and new paradigms of trying to deliver democracy.

Bai Emil Touray, president of the Gambia Press Union reminded journalists of the pivotal role they play, especially when it comes to election reporting and coverage.

Touray urged his colleagues to be responsible in reporting elections as journalist can fuel violence or maintain peace, through their reporting.

“The Constitution of the Gambia has clearly stipulated that journalists shall hold the government accountable, as well as serve as watchdog,” he stated.

The GPU president noted that the masses cannot make proper decision if they are not properly informed by journalists.

“We must also bear in mind that election is a process; it is not only campaigning or casting votes; elections goes beyond that period. Elections start the day the central statistics bureau collects census data,” he said, adding that from such census, journalists are also expected to cover registration periods which is crucial, as many election observers believe that is the time elections are rigged.

Meanwhile, the topics to be covered by the training workshop include legal principles; electoral laws of the Gambia, IEC media guidelines for election coverage, and the role of editors in covering and reporting elections.

Gambia:Bar Association condemns Lawyer Moses Richards conviction, vow to teach Nigerian Magistrate lesson

By Gambian Correspondent - Shout-Africa.com The Gambia Bar Association (GBA) has reacted to the conviction of Lawyer Moses Richards and his sentencing to two years imprisonment by the Banjul Magistrates’ Court, by calling on the Government to free Moses Richards.

Sheriff Tambadou

In a press release issued yesterday and signed by its President, Sheriff M Tambedou, the Bar condemned Richards’ conviction, which it “considers as an assault on the independence of the profession, as well as a malicious attack on the independence of the Bar.”

Below we reproduce the full text of the GBA press release verbatim:

This is a general broadcast from the Gambia Bar Association.

This Monday, the 19th day September 2011 at approximately 11 am at the Banjul Magistrates Court, Moses B. J Richards, a legal practitioner was convicted and sentenced to serve a term of 2 years with hard labour at Mile II Central State Prisons. The alleged crimes for which he was convicted were giving false information to a public servant contrary to section 114(a) of the Criminal Code and sedition contrary to Section 52(1)(a) of the Criminal Code.

The prosecution, conviction and sentencing was presided over and carried out by Magistrate T. A. Alagbe.

By this appalling act the Gambia Bar Association considers the whole Gambian legal profession and the rule of law to have been tried and convicted by extension.

The Gambia Bar Association unreservedly condemns the judgment delivered by Mr Alagbe and considers it to be an assault on the independence of the profession, as well as a malicious attack on the independence of the bar.

It is a universally accepted principle of all civilized societies that an advocate must be allowed to represent his or her client without fear or favour. In this instance, the charges against Mr Richards related to a letter he had written to the Sheriff of the High Court in the course of his duties as a lawyer, and while under the direct instructions of his client.

The letter made reference to the executive branch of the government. Mr Richard’s client appeared in court and swore under oath that he did indeed instruct Mr Richards to write the said letter. These are the ‘crimes’ for which Mr Richards is being punished.

Once again, The Gambia is portrayed as a nation where the mere mention of the Office of the President is risky. The Gambia Bar Association urges the executive branch of the government to take note, while its name is used to drive a wedge between the State and the people.

This judgment is a violation of all known principles that seek to protect and safeguard the integrity of the profession, as well as uphold the human rights and dignity of the citizen.

This judgment sets a dangerous precedent that will once more smear the international reputation of The Gambia, and yet again further weakens the already failing Gambian legal system.

The Gambia Bar Association calls on the Executive branch of Government to pay heed to the Legal Sector that has recently taken a severe bludgeoning by the forces of corruption and incompetence.

There is no doubt that such a judgment would not have been delivered in any other regional Commonwealth nation, especially Nigeria the native land of Mr Alagbe.

The Gambia Bar Association decries this latest battering of the constitution and the rights of all citizens. We call on the Government of the Gambia to step in and protect its citizens …

We call on the government of The Gambia to intervene in the public degradation of the constitution…. we call on the government of the Gambia to free Moses Richards!

The Gambia Bar Association will no longer stand by while these atrocities are carried out in our country against our people by those who would not dare act in such a manner in their country of origin.

The bar hereby puts all relevant authorities on notice that the Gambia Bar Association will actively seek the institution of disciplinary action against Mr Alagbe in Nigeria, and will do the same to all other foreign lawyers that seek to visit terror and humiliation on Gambians.

We once more openly invite the Executive to dialogue in the interest of all our brothers and sisters.

Opposition parties fail to agree vote pact

 By Sainey M.K. Marenah, The Managing Blogger

The country’s main opposition parties have failed to reach an alliance in their efforts to challenge the ruling APRC party, leaving them divided ahead of elections in just two months time.
Leaders from the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP), Peoples Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS), National Reconciliation Party (NRP), Gambia Party for Democracy and Progress (GPDP), and the Gambia Moral Congress (GMC) held days of talks for the past three weeks on the possibility of fielding a single candidate against President Yahya Jammeh.

“While it is true that representatives of both parties have been engaged in talks aimed at forging an alliance, I can confess that such talks have not led to any alliance,” an opposition source, who expressed disappointment at the failure of opposition leaders to agree on terms, said.

“With the way things stands now, it is better opposition parties go into the presidential election on their own platform, because no further talks can yield any tangible outcome,” our source added.

Options discussed during the meetings included the formation of a UDP-led alliance, the holding of primaries for the supporters of all parties involved to choose a single candidate, and supporting the candidacy of a leader proposed by the NRP, sources added.

A senior opposition member, who prefers to be anonymous, told this paper yesterday that there were significant hurdles to any deal, not least selling it to the respective party followers just two months before the presidential election slated for 24th November.

“It is already too late to convince Gambians that we can do it and, even if we say we can, this could backfire by creating more confusion among Gambians, most of whom were eagerly waiting to see what the final outcome of our discussion would be,” he said.

“There may be time to complete a deal, as others still believe, but not to sell the deal. Having a deal is one thing, but selling it to the electorate is also another thing, and with just two months to go, there is no way we could do that,” he added.

The ruling Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) has won every presidential race since 1996, and analyst say unless the opposition leaders come together under a united front, the country’s opposition will not pose any threat to Jammeh’s 17-year-rule.

While some political analysts are of the view that the November polls will bring together a fragmented opposition, others said even with less than two months to go, it is not too late for the opposition parties to bury their differences, and come together in an alliance, if the right actions and decisions are taken.

A total number of 837, 029 (Eight Hundred and Thirty Seven Thousand, Twenty Nine) people have registered to vote in the November polls, showing a massive increase over the 670,336 registered voters for the last elections. 

Meanwhile, incumbent President Yahya Jammeh, who will be seeking a fourth term in office, has vowed not to campaign in the coming election, and promised that the elections would be free and fair.

NDEA Announces Reduction in Drugs Offences

By Bakary Samateh

The public relations officer of the National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDEA) and the officer commanding prosecution, Assistant Superintendent Abdoulie Ceesay, has said that there is a considerable reduction in the number of drugs-related offences in the country.

This, he added, was as a result of the agency’s intensified crackdown against drug users and peddlers.

ASP Abdoulie Ceesay was speaking in an exclusive interview with this paper yesterday at the NDEA main office at

Kairaba Avenue

in the Kanifing Municipality.

Kairaba Avenue

in the Kanifing Municipality.

“Drugs and its related offences are getting reduced day by day,” he noted, adding that NDEA, as the agency mandated to fight against the menace, would continue the fight until the country is free from drugs and its related offences.

NDEA’s PRO further stated that as far as drugs-related acts are concerned, regardless of the quantity, anybody who is caught with cannabis sativa would face the full force of the law.

He pointed out that the law has made it clear to everybody that drugs are prohibited substances, noting that the law says anybody who is caught with cannabis of more than 2 kilos would be charged with possession of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

“The drugs Act made it clear that it is prohibited in law, so everybody should avoid it,” the PRO declared.

He pointed out that what prevails now and before are totally different

“Before you can find a group of boys sitting in the street smoking cannabis the whole day, and nobody is there to tell them that it is prohibited in the eyes of the law; but now things are different, as most people are now aware of the NDEA crusade against drug traffickers,” he said, adding that the agency would leave no stone unturned in the fight against drugs.

ASP Ceesay further noted that the agency is always advocating that landlords must not allow any group or individual to use their compounds as a drugs-pushing centre or selling point, as this could lead to their compounds being forfeited to the state.

“I think the landlords and the general public are responding very well in that area, though there are some bad elements that are still not adhering to our calls. They are still dealing with the illegal substances,” he stated, adding that the long arm of the law would one day catch up with them, and they would face the penalty.

He said the NDEA alone cannot do it and, therefore, needs the intervention of the general public in the fight against the drugs menace and its related offences.

United States respects all religions, says senior US diplomat

By Sainey M.K. Marenah, Chief Managing Blogger

Dr. Jah receives gift from Cindy Gregg

The United States of America has and will continue to respect all religious denominations, a senior United States diplomat in Banjul has told heads of Islamic institutions in the country.

Mrs Cindy Gregg, charge d’affaires at the US Embassy in Banjul, was speaking Tuesday afternoon at the American Corner where she presented, on behalf of the Embassy, Ramadan and Eid-ul Fitr gifts to the five biggest Islamic institutions in the country.

“We want to make sure that we are open to all religions, and it is also important that we honour your religion, especially in the Holy month of Ramadan,” she said, adding that this is why the Embassy gives out Ramadan and Koriteh gifts annually.

According to her, the gesture is part of the United States Embassy’s efforts in honouring Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan and the Koriteh feast.

The beneficiaries are Imam Malick Islamic Institute in Kanifing; Ummul Qura Foundation- Nurdin Isalamic School in Latrikunda; Sheikh Mass Kah Islamic Foundation School; Muslim High School; and Bilal Boarding School.

Each of the five institutions received items for their mosque or prayer grounds including two big plastic prayer mats; two medium plastic prayer mats; one loud speaker to call for prayer; two single praying mats and ten praying beads.

The US diplomat, among others, highlighted the activities and programs the embassy, especially at the America Corner, where people of all ages, including Islamic students, meet to share ideas, read and learn new things.

Dilating on the importance of education, Mrs Gregg said education is the way to the future. “It is also important to the Islamic religion,” she added.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Alhagie Ousman Jah, Executive Director of Islamic Centre for Harmonization of Schools of Thoughts and member of the Cadi appeals’ panel of the High Court in Banjul commended the US government through its diplomatic mission in Banjul for their foresight in donating to Islamic institutions in the country.

“Islam is all about unity and living together in harmony, and we know that the United States respects religion, through which the whole of mankind can come together as one family under one roof,” Jah noted.

According to Ousman Jah, the ceremony signifies the call for people to come together to unite themselves under one umbrella of humanity.

Alhagie Essa Jawara, proprietor of Bilal Islamic Boarding School, also commended the Embassy for the support, assuring them that the donated materials will be used wisely.

Another UTG graduate appointed magistrate

Judicial sources has confirmed to The Point the appointment of Fatou Jeng, a recent graduate of the University of the Gambia School of Law as a First Class Magistrate effective last July, bringing the number of UTG graduates appointed as magistrates to five.

Fatou was among the first law students of the University of the Gambia to be appointed 1st Class Magistrate after completing her studies earlier this year.

Sources said Magistrate Jeng has already completed her one-month induction training attachment at the Bundung Magistrates’ Court under Magistrate Foster, and has started presiding over cases at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court.

Confirming her appointment to this paper yesterday, Magistrate Jeng said she felt honoured to be given the chance to serve her country and contribute her quota to the development of The Gambia.

“If other countries can produce their own legal luminaries, I see no reason why we can’t,” she said, adding that as young people, they need to stand firm.

For her, being among the first batch of law students of the University of the Gambia, she would strive hard to live up to expectations.

She commended the Chief Justice of the Gambia Justice Emmanuel Agim for his efforts, noting that the Chief Justice has the development of the country’s judiciary at heart.

 “A clear testimony of this is his engaging of young Gambian graduates in the judiciary,” she added.

Jeng also commended her grandpa, whom, she described as her mentor for the support he rendered her during her studies.

Other earlier appointees were Magistrate Landing Sanneh, Magistrate Lamin Mbaye Senior, Magistrate Momodou S.M. Jallow, and Magistrate Edward Singhateh who all graduated in December 2010 from the Faculty of Law at the University of The Gambia.

Development is about people, not objects Former DFID Rep

By Sainey M.K. Marenah, Managing Blogger

Nahla: " Development is about Development not objects"

The former Country Representative of the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DfID) has disclosed that development is about people and not about objects.

“Development must be people-centred,” Nahla Diab Ghanem-Tambedou, now a consultant, said recently while presenting a paper on Understanding Development at a human rights training organised by TANGO for civil societies, development workers and journalists.

She also said development that is material and economic growth occurs outside people. “In reality individuals have little control over it,” she added, saying that the third perspective of development is the one viewed as freeing people from obstacles that affect their ability to develop their own lives and communities.

“Development, therefore, is empowerment: it is about local people taking control of their own lives, expressing their own demands and finding their own solutions to their problems,” Mrs Ghanem-Tambedou said.

She noted that development is a process of change that occurs inside people, saying development can also be ‘to lead long and healthy lives, to be knowledgeable, to have access to the resources needed for a decent standard of living and to be able to participate in the life of the community.

Expatiating on what development is, Mrs Tambedou said empowerment - the engine or driver of development - lies inside ordinary people.  This includes group self-motivation, which is exhibited “in the process of people working together to satisfy their own collective and self-defined needs”.

She added: “ Though the concept of development spilled off from the ‘international development’ focus, which is essentially a product of the post-World War II era, the Cold War had ended, capitalism had become the dominant mode of social organization, and UN statistics showed that living standards around the world had improved over the past 40 years.”

Nevertheless, she said that a large portion of the world’s population was still living in poverty, their governments were crippled by debt and concerns about the environmental impact of globalization were rising.

This is the situation in most of Africa, to which The Gambia “falls under such a category of underdeveloped” nations, she noted, while saying development could be in the form of foreign aid, governance, healthcare, education, poverty reduction, gender equality, disaster preparedness, infrastructure, economics, human rights, environment, and other issues associated with these.

She said that rights-based approach to development is a strategy used by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to reduce local communities’ dependency on aid by improving government capacity. 

“There are two stakeholder groups in rights-based development, the rights holders, or the group who does not experience full rights, and the duty-bearers or the institutions who are obligated to fulfill the rights of the rights holders.”

Madam Tambedou however told her keenly listening audience that rights-based approach aims at strengthening the capacity of duty-bearers and empowers the rights holder, saying: “A rights perspective means incorporating the empowerment of poor people into our approach to tackling poverty

“It means ensuring that poor people’s voices are heard when decisions which affect their lives are made. It means recognizing that equality matters. Addressing discrimination in legislation, policies and society contributes to an environment in which excluded people have more control over their lives.

“A rights approach also means making sure that citizens can hold governments to account for their human rights obligations.”

Dilating on how right-based approach works, she said: “Participation - enabling people to realize their rights to participate in, and access information relating to the decision-making processes, which affect their lives

“Inclusion - building socially inclusive societies - is based on the values of equality and non-discrimination, through development which promotes all human rights for all people.

“Fulfilling - strengthening institutions and policies which ensure that obligations to protect and promote the realization of all human rights are fulfilled by states and other duty bearers.”

Mrs Tambedou reminded development workers that non-government organizations’ role is to help the poor overcome obstacles blocking their rights and to give governments tools and training to provide these rights.

Also speaking on human rights and development, Madam Tambedou said basic human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status. “We are all equally entitled to our human rights without discrimination,” she said, adding: “These rights are all interrelated, interdependent and indivisible.

“Universal human rights are often expressed and guaranteed by law, in the form of treaties, customary international law; general principles and other sources of international law. International human rights law lays down obligations of governments to act in certain ways or to refrain from certain acts, in order to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of individuals or groups.”

‘Governance key to survival of every Govt.’

Halifa Sallah, Secretary General of the opposition Peoples Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS) has opined that governance is key to the survival of every government in the 21st century.

Sallah, who is also the chairman of the inter-party committee under the Independent Electoral Commission, IEC, was speaking yesterday at the Paradise Suites Hotel during a day-long sensitization forum for political parties organized by the Female Lawyers Association of The Gambia and the Inter-party Committee.

The forum, held under the theme: “Temporary special measures to ensure women’s political participation,” brought together political party leaders, journalists as well as other members of civil society.

In Sallah’s view, “we no longer live in traditional societies, but in modern societies and in a modern state, a state which is sovereign and we have emerged to build a sovereign republic.

“So, we must also prepare the sovereign people for that sovereign republic, and that can only come through transmitting new values which will require new instruments and new institutions which will not drop from the sky,” he said.

According to Sallah, who was presidential candidate for the opposition coalition called NADD (National Alliance for Democracy and Development), “there were traditional norms and traditional institutions shaping traditional values in our country so that society will be organized in a given way, but today many people do indicate that these civil societies, NGOs and workshops are mere tools by western countries to transfer western values to non western societies.

“We need political socialisation to evolve a sovereign people. It is clear that our people as sovereign people are the primary makers of the law; that is why we voted to put into force a constitution; without saying ‘we want a constitution’ it will not be. So we the people are the law makers,” Halifa said, adding that it is the responsibility of all to make sure that what is agreed upon is commonly implemented.

“If we are all equal before the law, who will rule, and this is why representation comes,” he said, noting that those who are selected will rule and that requires men and women to participate in that process.

In conclusion, Halifa underscored the importance of engaging women in the administrative life of this country.