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By Pierre Njie.
The Gambia Press Union (GPU) in collaboration with the Publishers Association (PA), Community Radios’ Association (CRA) and The Network of Freelance Journalists (NFJ) have on Monday presented a position paper to the Information Minister, Ebrima Sillah on the safety of journalists during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking at a meeting held at his office along MDI Road in Kanifng, Ebrima Sillah, the minister of Information, said the meeting is about what government can do to support the media in this critical condition. “This is not about the government giving money to the media. This is money that is already been put in place,” he said.
Mr. Sillah said consideration might be given to media organizations not to pay their tax this year due to COVID-19 pandemic. He advised media chiefs to organize themselves and their staff in the way they could better manage the funds anytime it arises.
“Newspapers in this country are bigger than one another and therefore privilege will be given to the media houses with larger staff and freelancers,” he asserted.
On his part, Sheriff Bojang Jr, President of Gambia Press Union (GPU) said the meeting was not something secret.
“There is nothing secret in this meeting. We want everything to be clear because this issue deals with money and we (GPU) wouldn’t want to take any blame whereas there are faults. We would want the government to look at ongoing cause particularly the manhandling of reporters by the security officers. The systematic press briefing with the president is almost dying and this is where journalists would be accorded the chance by engaging government officials in limiting themselves with fake and false news,” he remarked.
Pap Saine, a member of the Publishers Association (PA) said newspapers in this country are almost dying due to lack of advertisements.
“Many African leaders are helping their people in all the ways they could except for The Gambia. We are hustling every day to get adverts and the responses we always received are the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
Ousman A. Marong, a member of the Network of Freelance Journalists (NFJ) said that the COVID-19 outbreak pandemic has seriously affected the work of freelance journalists.
“Imagine a freelance who is paid D100 per story, what would that individual do for himself/herself at the end of the month if you cannot work effectively during this difficult period? Freelancers are not staff and are entirely dependent on the number of stories published. These are the front-liners risking their lives, going after stories,” he stated.