The items, which include new generation digital devices such as high-quality live video streamers, wireless microphones and video transmission gadgets, to other essential new digital devices, are suitable for use both in the studios and outside.
The items, which are worth 1.8 million dalasis, comes at a time when the country is preparing to host the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), summit. This summit is the second largest organisation after the United Nations summit, to be held in the first half of 2024 in The Gambia.
At the event, Abdoulie Sey, director general of The Gambia Radio and Television Services, described the relations between the state broadcaster and TIKA as a longstanding and beneficial one based on mutual trust.
He recalled that in 2018 some staff of the state broadcaster attended trainings in Turkey and they also donated some materials.
“The Gambia and Turkey shared many things in common. We’ve been bilateral partners at the state level for a very long time. We’ve seen Turkey helping us in security trainings for our national security forces, which is very important. Without security there is no nation and if you are insecure you cannot develop a country.” he added.
DG Sey alluded to the fact that democracy thrives on security and thanked Turkey for the support in that aspect.
Emphasising the importance of democracy and The Gambia being a democratic nation, DG Sey reminded that democracy thrives on information.
“If you don’t have information, you don’t have democracy and there is no advanced democracy without a vibrant media. In The Gambia, GRTS is mandated to be the conduit of communication between the sovereign people of this country and the government.”
In so doing, he said they’ve been doing their best and will continue to deliver, further thanking the government and by extension the president, H.E. Adama Barrow for the enormous support rendered to the national broadcaster.
He revealed that for the past few weeks the state broadcaster has embarked on a transformative agenda in their bid to be more vibrant and responsive to the needs of the people of the country.
For his part, Kemo Conteh, acting board chair at GRTS, recalled that although the history of radio broadcasting in The Gambia goes back to many years, the addition of television in the institutional mix as the corporate body- GRTS, was enacted about twenty years ago.
“Twenty years ago is a long time in the life of a broadcasting institution. In this short span, however, several distinguished personalities as politicians’ administrators, mangers, sectoral planners, engineers and broadcast journalists had their day, played their parts in the corporation and left their footprints in the annals of time in the evolution of public service broadcasting in The Gambia growing it from strength to strength.”
Conteh reminded that public service broadcasting is the lifeblood of a small and developing constitutional democracy like The Gambia.
Sule Bayer, TIKA Gambia coordinator, while expressing delight to be associated with the event, recalled that the project was initiated with the aim of upgrading the audio and visual systems of GRTS to enhance its broadcasting effectiveness ahead of the successful hosting of the much-anticipated OIC to be held in the first half of 2024.
Tolga Bermek, ambassador of the Turkey to the Gambia, acknowledged that in today’s fast developing world, media is becoming an increasingly powerful tool in the dissemination of information, raising awareness and fostering public discourse.
The Turkish ambassador revealed that as the country’s main broadcaster, GRTS play a significant role in promoting national developments to both local and international partners.
Ambassador Bermek disclosed that as the Gambia is set to host the OIC summit in May 2024, the national broadcaster will take an important responsibility in their bid to broadcast live images of this all-important event to millions of audiences across the globe.
Receiving the items, Lamin Queen Jammeh, minister for Information and Communication Infrastructure, dilated that the bilateral ties that bind the two nations dates back to years.
He cited numerous developments and opportunities that are engulfed in these ties from educational support through scholarships to military support among others as areas that The Gambia values so much. “The more we count on them is the more we valued and appreciate Turkey Gambia relationships.”
Minister Jammeh spoke about the core mandate of the state broadcaster in communicating to the Gambian populace, and that mandate cannot be efficient and effective without equipment and manpower resources.
He described the items as timely in view of the fact that the much-anticipated OIC is just at the corner and so they will continue to count and see ways of further strengthening the bilateral relations between the two countries.
Momodou Joof, deputy director general delivered the vote of thanks.
