The chairman of the Constitutional Review Commission told journalists on Monday that he favours self-regulations as oppose to government regulation of the media. “Anything imposed is not a good idea,” he said.
The Gambia Press Union (GPU), a trade union and professional body defending the rights and welfare of journalists and media workers in the country, has submitted a position paper to the Constitutional Review Commission.
Gambia is making a new constitution and the CRC has started receiving submissions from people and it has since received over 20 position papers. The deadline for submissions was Monday December 31.
The 32-page document, according to Saikou Jammeh, the secretary general of the GPU, addresses laws bordering on the right to information, freedom of media, media regulations, among others.
The GPU position paper, as it is technically call, has gone through a rigorous vetting process by several institutions from civil society and media.
The GPU position paper was endorsed by Child Protection Alliance, International Federation of Journalists and Media Foundation for West Africa, among others.
Meanwhile, the document was handed to the chairman of the CRC Cherno Jallow by President of the GPU Sheriff Bojang Jr.
“This shows the level of seriousness that you attached to this process… Your opinion matters to us,” said Jallow.
“We assure you every documents submitted to us will be very seriously considered… The media in any country is a key institution in strengthening democracy… When people are able to access information, they are able to stand up for what is right…”
“Access to information is important and we must not stop there. We have to move further to ensure that these rights are protected. We all do not like it when key information we need to know is hidden from us,” Jallow added.
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