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Three Year Success Story!!!!
We are three years old today in the media scene. On behalf of the Freedom Newspaper Management, I want to thank all those who stood by us over the years to attain such a success story. February 3rd means a lot to us here at Freedom. We want to thank God for giving us the strength, wisdom and good health to serve our people. Lord, we are very grateful for guiding and protecting us.
While, we celebrate this important day in the annals of the Freedom Newspaper history, please join us to pay special tribute to our dear colleague and mentor journalist Deyda Hydara. We wish Deyda was alive to join us in commemorating this historical day. Hydara has been very supportive to us over the years. Thanks to Deyda, we are able to serve you today. He has not only instilled good journalistic morals and values in us, but had also contributed immensely in up-lifting our journalistic standards.
As we observe this day, we call on The Gambian Government to help bring the killers of Hydara to justice. We also call on the state to drop the charges brought against Pap Saine, the co proprietor of the Point.
It’s our firm belief that the press should be allowed to report the news without any undue interference from the Government. We condemn the arrest of Pap Saine in the strongest terms. There is nothing stopping the Government from sending a rejoinder to the Point to state its side of the story. Dragging Saine to court, in our view, would only tarnish the name and image of the Government. The charge brought against Saine is not only frivolous, but malicious in nature.
We want to assure our supporters and critics that this paper shall continue to jealously safeguard its independence. We also want to state that we are not anti Government, as portrayed by some of the APRC commentators. The onus lies on the Government to accept the Freedom Newspaper as a legitimate Newspaper. Freedom is interested in accountability, peace, and justice.
The Freedom Newspaper is legally registered in the United States. If the US can accept us, why not our own Government? The President should let go his ego problem and understand that he does not own The Gambia and her people.
A free media is essential in any given democracy. Without a free press, citizens shall be deprived the right to independent news.
Finally, we want to salute our dear friend, family member and supporter Michael Scale and his family for extending helping hand to the Freedom Newspaper. Scales has been very supportive to the Freedom both morally and financially. He ensures that the paper is not only up and running, but also look out for its reporters within and outside the country. We say a BIG THANK YOU MIKE.
It’s also imperative to note that Michale Scales’s presence on Freedom pages manifest that the paper is committed to promoting cultural diversity. Many a time, we receive phone calls from Gambians asking who is “ this white man in your paper.” Some like his pieces, while others believe that the paper should refuse him audience.
We do not discriminate against other ethnic groups. We believe in cultural diversity. Mike on the pages of the Freedom Newspaper means a lot to us. We appreciate all his contributions to the paper.
What such critics fail to realize is that Michael Scales never interferes with the paper’s operation. He always politely asked our editor to trash any of his pieces that might fall short of our editorial expectations.
We once again thank God for standing by us. God bless The Gambia and her people. God bless the United States. We thank you for your attention.
