24 September 2010
Gambia Young Journalist Association Celebrate 3rd Anniversary
The Young Journalist Association of The Gambia (YJAG) recently celebrated three years of existence, which the President, Assan Sallah described as a moment for reflection on the successes registered and the challenges that lay ahead.
He stated that the Organization under his stewardship has made tremendous success in improving the welfare of Young Journalists in the Country through constructve engagement with relevant stake holders.
He further revealed that the Executive members of the Organization recently had an audience with the Minister of Interior and NGO Affairs, Ousman Sonko, which culminated in fruitful discussion on the possible signing of a Memorandum of Understanding.
This agreement, if signed, will require the Ministry of Interior not to harass, intimidate or arrest any young Journalist without contacting the Organization to ensure their rights are not infringed upon.
"I hope this process will not take long because it is in the interest of nation building. We feel that vibrant Media is very important for our development as nation. I assure you that we shall do our best to promote the welfare of Young Journalists in The Gambia with unfailing consistency", he pledged.
Veteran Journalist and Editor-in-Chief of FOROYAA (Freedom) Newspaper, Sam Sarr, articulated that the leadership must learn to accept criticism and work harder for the realization of their goals. Their goals, he said, are achievable with hard work, persistence and determination and added that they should not allow themselves to be used by anybody for personal gains against the ethics of the profession.
"It takes character and commitment to be a Journalist because some Governments are hostile to the Media, although some are friendly. It is your job to inform the Public and that should be done with utmost truthfulness and impartiality" he stated.
The celebration also took the form of a March-past from the Africell Building along Kairaba Avenue to Traffic Light on Bertil Harding Highway.
He stated that the Organization under his stewardship has made tremendous success in improving the welfare of Young Journalists in the Country through constructve engagement with relevant stake holders.
He further revealed that the Executive members of the Organization recently had an audience with the Minister of Interior and NGO Affairs, Ousman Sonko, which culminated in fruitful discussion on the possible signing of a Memorandum of Understanding.
This agreement, if signed, will require the Ministry of Interior not to harass, intimidate or arrest any young Journalist without contacting the Organization to ensure their rights are not infringed upon.
"I hope this process will not take long because it is in the interest of nation building. We feel that vibrant Media is very important for our development as nation. I assure you that we shall do our best to promote the welfare of Young Journalists in The Gambia with unfailing consistency", he pledged.
Veteran Journalist and Editor-in-Chief of FOROYAA (Freedom) Newspaper, Sam Sarr, articulated that the leadership must learn to accept criticism and work harder for the realization of their goals. Their goals, he said, are achievable with hard work, persistence and determination and added that they should not allow themselves to be used by anybody for personal gains against the ethics of the profession.
"It takes character and commitment to be a Journalist because some Governments are hostile to the Media, although some are friendly. It is your job to inform the Public and that should be done with utmost truthfulness and impartiality" he stated.
The celebration also took the form of a March-past from the Africell Building along Kairaba Avenue to Traffic Light on Bertil Harding Highway.
