The need
for people all over the world to express themselves freely without any
hindrance is no doubt a very important aspect of any country’s development.
The need for free expression is guaranteed in many national laws including the 1997 Gambian Constitution.
It is our belief that any attempt to discourage people and the press from saying or writing about issues of national interest and concern could equally be seen as a hindrance to achieving genuine democracy.
We firmly believe that everyone should be allowed to express his or her opinion without fear or favour.
Here in The Gambia, we would like to once again call on the government to repeal all draconian media laws and bring in press friendly laws and laws that would encourage the citizens to express their views on issues that are of common concern to them.
The Gambian people like other people in many parts of the world want and need to express themselves without any restriction.
Freedom of expression is a catalyst of good governance and democracy thus the need to make it a priority at all times.
It is very sad that while many countries in the sub-region have gone very far in enacting freedom of information laws, others including The Gambia are yet to do so.
The media should not be seen as enemies of the state but as partners in the development process of our country.