A five-day journalism skills improvement-training workshop for journalist opened on Monday at the Tango Office’s, Fajara M. Section.

The training, which is been attended by 30 journalists from both print and electronic media across the country, is organised by the Gambia Press Union (GPU). The training is supported by the Capacity Building Project of West African Journalists Association (CBP-WAJA) and the African Capacity Building Foundation.

The objectives of the course are, amongst others, to improve the understanding of participants, on ethics of journalism, the media and the law, to improve their perspectives, techniques and skills on news collection and news writing.

In her welcoming remarks, Ndey Tapha Sosseh, President of GPU, said that the forum is a unique opportunity for participants, most of whom are mid-career journalists, to not only learn new things but to share experiences. She reaffirmed her organisation’s resolve in building the capacities of its members and the entire fraternity of Gambian journalists.

Mr. Alpha Sall, WAJA Capacity Building Project Co-ordinator, said that WAJA is a consortium of journalists associations in the ECOWAS sub region including Mauritania. He added that The Gambia is a very active and important member of the regional body thus assuring their support for Gambian journalists.

Abdou Karim Sonko, Permanent Secretary deputising the Secretary of State for Information, Communication and Technology, praised the GPU for the initiative, as it will improve the work of the journalists.

He said that journalists are pertinent and have a critical role to play for the country’s socio-economic development. He informed journalists that their duty is to seek for truth and provide a fair, comprehensive and balanced account of events and issues. In conclusion he said, “it’s my fervent hope that this type of training will definitely breed a new generation of seasoned and more responsible journalists who will not use their so called ‘freedom of the press’ by infringing on others’ freedom.”

Halake remains editor-in-chief

Mrs Neneh Macdouall-Gaye, a former secretary of state for Communications and Information Technology, has been appointed the new managing director of the Obsever company, publisher of the Daily Observer newspaper.

Mrs Macdouall-Gaye’s new appointment was said to have taken effect from last week Thursday, June 12.

The newly appointed Observer MD has a colourful background in journalism. She is a trained journalist and has developed an extensive knowledge in journalism, including an indepth understanding of the dynamics of The Gambia’s media environment during the past years.

Meanwhile, the erstwhile managing director of the company, Mr Dida Halake, has been reassigned as the editor-in-chief of the Daily Observer. His appointment took effect since last week Thursday.

Here is the letter Mr. Conateh needs to answer instead of hurling abuse

Ms. Ndey Tapha Sosseh

Dear Madam,

Thank you for your letter informing us of your activities, which will be graced, you say, by the Secretary of State. Thank you also for referring to us at the Daily Observer as your "partners".

As far as the Hon. Secretary of State is concerned, you will recall that while your "partners" in the internet media fraternity were disgracefully attacking her honour and integrity, we at the Daily Observer came out in her defence. The abusers, or "journalists", then turned against us with unbridled venom. You, Ms. Ndey Tapha Sosseh, have done interview after interview since you replaced your boss Madi Ceesay as GPU President. Can I ask if you are on record, in any interview or letter-to-the-editor, condemning the disgraceful manner in which so-called Gambian "journalists" attacked the Hon. SoS, a decent and respectable woman like yourself, simply because she had been appointed to serve in President Jammeh’s cabinet?

Secondly, I have been personally vilified and attacked simply because I was appointed as MD & Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Observer. Did you, and your honourable journalism "partners", at any point put pen to paper in defence of journalistic decency? No. You are, on the contrary, on record for attacking the Daily Observer, as they do, in your speech at the GPU congress in March 2008. Why? Because, according to you, we have not said anything about certain matters which have to do with state security! With respect, Ms. Ndey Tapha Sosseh, naivety of these so-called journalists is shocking! Journalists in USA and UK are also restricted on matters to do with state security. Our government is criticised by your lot because security agents give evidence in camera. Again this is standard practice in USA and UK where state security agents do regularly give evidence in camera. And what about the Muslims who have been locked up for 5 years in Guantanamo Bay and British prisons, without trial, for being security threats? With no evidence whatsoever being given to their lawyers or any court?

You want us to be your "partners" so that we practice your kind of naïve journalism to de-stabilise a hard-working and progressive African government for purely political reasons? Inspite of CNN and BBC propaganda, what is the difference between the 2000 elections in the USA and those in Zimbabwe and Kenya recently? The only difference is that Africans die rioting because they believe the propaganda - thanks to “journalists” like your lot. The first duty of any government anywhere is the security of the state. While this is accepted for Western countries, even at the expense of so-called "human-rights", why are African states undermined and weakened, as in Zimbabwe’s, case to the point of collapse? No, madam, we will never be your partners in what we consider to be treason against the development of Africa and the cause of Pan-Africanism. Call it "journalism" if you wish, but look for other "partners", not us.

Ms. Ndey Tapha Sosseh, what are we "partners" in/for? As you recall, many journalists asked that the three GPU top people during Madi Ceesay’s reign, i.e. Madi Ceesay, his no.2 Ndey Tapha Sosseh and his no. 3 Emile Touray, should resign to allow for an enquiry and fresh-start for the GPU. Instead a so-called election was engineered in which no. 1 resigned to be replaced by his loyal no.2 (your good self), while no. 3 moved up to no.2. And what was the first decision you, madam, made as no. 1? No enquiry into what went on at the GPU during the last 3 years! Surprise, surprise, it is a cover-up! So I ask you again: what do you want us to be "partners" in? At the recent GPU congress, you made sure that the two seasoned and senior Daily Observer journalists who went for GPU positions, Ebrima Jaw-Manneh and Lamin M Dibba, did not get elected. Instead you co-opted a Daily Observer free-lancer whose name I forget. Of course, I fired the free-lancer on the spot for disloyalty to his senior colleagues – just as my uncle Sheriff Bojang fired you, madam, from the Daily Observer a couple of years ago. As for your "partners" at FOROYAA, they even penned an editorial in which they visualised me in Mile 2 prison – I presume after "democratic" Mr. 2% comes to power!

Or do you want us to be your "partners" in your constant attack against President Jammeh’s hard working government, simply because the other lot happen to be your uncles, cousins, nephews and school-mates? No, as far as we are concerned, the GPU stands for Gambia Political Union and you are an opposition political party under the guise of "journalism". Of course, you are also funded from abroad by the same people who fund the MDC in Zimbabwe, under the guise of "journalism training" and "civil society empowerment" (The British and USA governments are stopping Saudi Arabia and other countries from doing exactly this in USA and UK by seizing such funds under the Anti-Terrorism Act! Books and videos on Islam and Hadith also get seized!). We say good luck to you. We don’t want any of your "journalism training" money and we don’t want your ready-made visas either.

Funny isn’t it – Daily Observer’s Ebrima Jaw-Manneh has honourably returned to work after four weeks in USA, while one of your lot has absconded after the US Embassy funded all his expenses to cover the US election campaign! Of course, we at the Daily Observer are enjoying the irony immensely, and I am sure the American Ambassador is none too pleased – but then again we could have told him about all these so-called "journalists". Mr. Ambassador, I will bet my compound that if, for example, Daily Observer’s Lamin M Dibba, is given a visa to the USA and asked to cover the US elections, he will return to The Gambia as agreed. But I digress.

Finally madam, if you want us to be partners with GPU, let the three top people under Madi Ceesay’s reign resign. Madi Ceesay has resigned. Ndey Tapha-Sossey and Emile Touray should also resign. Then hold an election in which bona-fide journalists are not barred from voting because "the GPU does not know who Ebrima Jaw-Manneh is"!! Then the GPU may become a Press Union, rather than the political opposition union that it is today. Otherwise? Otherwise we wish you well in your anti-government political activities (please stop calling yourself "journalists"!).

Your most respectful non-partner,

Dida Halake.

MD & Editor-in-Chief,

Daily Observer.

Post Scriptum: As you know, after your firing from the Daily Observer, you never visited until I became MD. As a Gambian and a respected lady, I say to you here that you are most welcome to visit the Daily Observer, and even share our Sunday Lunch with the staff (2p.m approx). But you are not welcome as President of the Gambia Political Union (GPU) for we are not "partners" with GPU as it is currently set-up.

Journalism is a noble profession and journalists are important members of any society because their function involves informing the public, educating the public and providing entertainment from time to time. Every country should strive to develop a viable press as part of its development programme.

Countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Senegal and other West African states can all boast of several media house producing newspapers daily, weekly, quarterly magazines or bi annual. In The Gambia during the colonial period there were well- known veteran journalists like Messrs Edward Small, Finden Daley. Noble Allen, Lenrie Peters, and Dixon Colley, who owned media houses and published newspapers on a weekly basis. Recently we can boast of Babucarr Gaye now deceased, Deyda Hydara who was brutally murdered by unknown assailants three years ago, Trawally, and others who are still active.

When war broke out in Liberia many Liberians flocked into The Gambia as refugees. Among these was a Liberian journalist Mr. Kenneth Best and his family, most of whom were journalists also. He soon noticed the lack of a viable press in the country and decided to embark upon opening a media house which he named The Observer. He first carried out a feasibility study and he was discouraged by those who expressed the view that Gambians were not a reading public and that a daily newspaper would not sell as people would not spend money on purchasing newspapers. Mr. Best was undaunted by this feasibility study and went ahead to establish The Daily Observer office at Sait Matty road in Bakau Newtown in 1992.

At the initial stages most of his family worked at the office as proof readers.

Mr. Best and his family and Gambian helpers including myself worked very hard to produce the newspaper and to keep it going. This was the beginning of a new era in the history of journalism in the country. It will be recalled that The Point newspaper owned by Deyda Hydara and Pap Saine, was established on 16thDecember 1991whilst Daily Observer was established 11thMay 1992.

As well as the functions of the newspaper as indicated above, it is worth noting that there is another fundamental function of a newspaper which is that of a watchdog. A watchdog is a dog kept by a householder to keep watch over his house and property. These animals are always alert and maintain constant watch over the complex. This is where journalists play a vital role; they are supposed to identify what is happening in the country and publish articles in the newspapers pertaining to those occurrences. This is where freedom of the press is essential, but unfortunately this issue is what results in conflicts between journalists and governments around the world.

Many countries boast of permitting press freedom in their individual states, but alas! This is not a reality. Journalists are not regarded as important members of the society and partners in the development programmes. They become the enemies of the state if they dare to publish any unpopular government policy or criticize them. Journalists in many countries are harassed, often detained by the authorities, tortured while in detention and killed in some cases.

The case of Deyda Hydara, a veteran journalist, is a case in point. He was brutally murdered three years ago and up to date his assailants have not been discovered and punished for such a hideous crime. It is a sorry and awful plight for journalists to be murdered in cold blood for executing their normal duties in the society.

Since editors are the gatekeepers in a newspaper house, we believe that they have to be on their toes to make sure that what gets published is newsworthy and of public interest.

Editors have to filter reports sent in by their reporters and make them publishable in line with the mission and editorial policy of their papers. Though access to information is a headache for journalists around town, a major drawback of our journalism is lack of follow-up on stories. Stories are broken, only to be allowed to peter out, to the dissatisfaction of readers who yearn to learn more about them. This is an indication that our editors are not doing what they should do. News editors must have daily meetings with their reporters, identify stories that are worthy pursuing and then assign reporters to follow them up. When reporters chase only after workshop stories, court stories, or press releases, then editors are not doing enough of what they should do. It is the duty of the editors to think up different angles for a story to be developed and get the reporters to do it.

Our editors have to ensure that once a rookie reporter is signed on he or she has to be taken through an induction course before being let out into the field. During the induction course, they should be trained on house style, on the basics of journalism as well as on ethics of the profession. They have to be assigned to a senior reporter in a particular beat to mentor them for a determined period of time. Then, they can be let out to be on their own. But then again, the editor has to keep a tab on their progress. Even when we have a fully-fledged school of journalism in this country, there will still be need for such in-house orientation programmes.

Our editors would also be wise to carry out periodic audits of their papers. They should find out, through well-crafted questionnaires, their readers’ profiles, interests, passions, etc and modify their editorial policies in line with new developments in the industry.

It should also be a challenge to our editors to make our papers more national by reporting on what happens in the other regions. Most of our daily diet of news is from the Greater Banjul Area.We want to see a guild of editors that will work towards bringing more professionalism into Gambian journalism.

The panel, being one of eleven panels set up by the National Training Authority, is tasked with the responsibility to define new sets of skills standards for The Gambia based on the real requirements of the job with support from relevant stakeholders and the NTA specialists.

The inaugural meeting, which brought together members of the panel, will seek to further clarify the specific roles of the panel, and will include briefings on the standards, development processes and working instruments. It will also critique the standard draft.

The two institutions, Insight Training Centre and Media Agenda have decided to collaborate in running a Journalism Training Programme here in The Gambia. Among the courses available in the proposed syllabus are Newspaper and Magazine Journalism, Broadcast Journalism, Advertising, Public Relations and PhotoJournalism.

The panel members are: Mr. Alieu Sagnia, Information services, Mr. Swaebou Conateh, News and Report Magazine, Mr. Pap Saine, The Point Newspaper, Mr. Sam Sarr, Foroyaa Newspaper, Mr. Dida Halake, The Daily Observer and Mr. Peter Gomez of West Coast Radio.

Also part of the panel are: Ms Ndey Tapha Sosseh of GPU, Mr. Ismaila Ceesay of Insight Training, Mr. Madi Ceesay of Media Agenda, and Mr. Almamy Kinteh, Mr. Amadou Touray and Mr. Lamin Manneh all of the NTA.

Twelve journalists were awarded certificates on human right journalism after a two week intensive training at the kairaba Beach hotel March 13 2008. The course was organized by Media Agenda and sponsored by the embassies of UK and USA in Banjul and the Commonwealth Secretariat.

The 12 journalists were drawn from various local media institutions in the country, which are; Gambia radio and televisions services, Yiriwa Development FM radio, The Point newspaper, Forroyaa newspaper, Gambia News and report weekly magazine, City limit Fm radio, Daily observer newspaper, Gambia Daily newspaper, Today newspaper, Daily express, and one student from the Media Agenda’s certificate journalism course.

Delivering his closing remarks, the Deputy British High Commissioner Mr. Graham Birse, told the journalists that his embassy was pleased to be associated with the Media Agenda’s development programmes.He urged the journalists to be very objective in their reports . He said accuracy should also be something they must always have in place. He thanks the facilitators for a job well done.

The Director of Media Agenda Mr. Madi M.K.Ceesay said he is pleased that the course went on as planned. He thanks the two embassies and the Commonwealth Secretariat for their support. Ceesay said he has no doubt that the journalists are well equipped to go on reporting with professionalism. He told them that no training is enough for any journalist. Our profession is dynamic and we have to catch up with the trend that is the only possible with this kind of trainings.

Ms Alexandara Levesque the course facilitator said she is proud of the participants. She said they proof to be the best students she ever have in her career as course facilitator. Speaking on behalf of her colleagues who left after the first week, she said they will  follow their reports in their various papers. The others were Allina Meyers, Nicholas Kotch and Julius Mucungzi all of the Commonwealth Secretariat.

The group had other local facilitators from the UNICEF country office, The African Commission on Human and People’s right, and the Child Protection Alliance.