Reporters Without Borders Meet President Barrow To Discuss Press Freedom
A high powered delegation from the Reporters without Borders along with their nation’s correspondent, Pap Saine, Co-Publisher of the Point Newspaper, yesterday paid a curtsy call to President Adama Barrow at his home village, MankamangKunda in the Upper River Region.
Speaking to the press shortly after their closed door meeting, Christophe Deloire, Secretary General of The Reporters without borders stated that the purposed of the visit to President Barrow was to have an in-depth discussion with President Adama Barrow about the challenges of journalism, where they mentioned to the president that the Gambia can give hope to lot of people since what happened after YahyaJammeh left the poles which was really impressive.
He noted that the Gambia has won and has improved in the situation of press freedom on the world press freedom desk every year, that of 93 rankings going up to been ranked in 50s out of 180 countries in the world. Adding that Gambia is a country where journalists were heroes in the past regime who suffered so much.
He advanced that part of the visit to the nation was also to pay a tribute to their former correspondent, the lade DaydaHydara, Co-Publisher of the Point Newspaper who was assassinated.
“Among all the recommendations we made with the president was to further improve the situation of press freedom in the Gambia. We spoke about importance and urgencies of perpetrators of crimes to be tried and sentenced to be condemn especially YahyaJammeh who has to be extradited from Equatorial Guinea to another country if not, the Gambia announces the country to be judged and sentenced,” he told reporters.
The visit was also aimed to discuss with the President on the rights and duties of journalists and we made proposals to the President to do our best to support the efforts in the future of the Gambia to really promote the social functions of journalism which can be absolutely key for further development on all aspects of economics and beyond the development and the future of the country,” he concluded.
For his part, Lamin Queen Jammeh the Minister of Information, thanked the delegation for the visit, noting that the interaction with the President to be fruitful as they had the chance to share significant things especially, the media in the Gambia and to applaud the president for the positions that the Gambia has been achieving over the period in the area of media freedom.
Also speaking was MrSadibouMarong, Directeur du Bureau Afrique, based in Dakar Senegal who pointed out that the closed door discussion was also aimed for the way forward as far as press freedom is concern, stating that they have a very strong symbol and positive relationship with the Gambia through their late correspondent, DaydaHydara and his co-publisher, Pap Saine of the Point Newspaper.
“We value journalist and journalism, because they have great responsibilities in the whole globe, who always strive to keeping people well informed of what’s going on in the world. We also disused on how to maintain the peace and stability amongst us,” he concluded.
Alhagie Pap Saine, the Co-publisher of the Point Newspaper thanked President Barrow and the delegation for the efforts registered and discussion held and looking forward to a fruitful outcome in the strive for press freedom and improvement in the nation.
