The Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS) was established as a public institution through an Act of Parliament. It was commissioned in 1995 as Gambia’s only public broadcasting services television station. By the time Yahya Jammeh forcefully took over power through a military coup in 1994, the Gambia Television Services project was all but finalized and ready for launching. It was to be Gambia’s first public broadcasting corporation accessible to all citizens both public and private. The project was one of those which were being championed by the first republic after the 1992 elections to encourage a more media competitive spirit between a robust private media and public media.
Contrary to what the APRC has been parading that the GRTS was an idea conceived and brought to fruition by Yahya Jammeh, this was already a project that was on the verge of launching. It was impossible for the Jammeh regime to take over power in 1994 and commission a television station within one year. All the logistics and funding were already secured and in placed by the Jawara government. GRTS is entirely funded and sustained by public funds, all its staff and programs are funded by Gambian tax payers. But like many other institutions in the Gambia, the role of GRTS – a supposedly powerful media institution has been reduced to a mouth piece of the government. One would think that such an institution would live above and beyond the control of the state and at least exercise some degree of independence or neutrality.
What is most incredible about the country’s only public radio and television station is its blatant neglect of practicing basic principles of fairness by presenting what is in the best interest of the general public regardless of whether it is related to the government or the Gambian people. It is remarkable that GRTS would not give a single air time to anything that has the slightest dissenting view from the Jammeh government. The Gambian opposition parties have been denied public appearance and even the ability to purchase advertisement space to promote their programs. The only time opposition are allowed limited air time which is often censored is few days before elections. GRTS would not even allow the obituary of citizens who are perceived to be opponents of the state to be broadcast on the television station. This is a gross violation of the public corporation statue, neglect and disservice to the public whose taxes are used to finance the corporation.
What is even more unprecedented is GRTS’s refusal to cover any activities that are related to Gambian opposition political parties. At the very least you would expect that some level of coverage would be accorded to the opposition parties. Their refusal to cover the recently concluded historic opposition coalition talks and convention at the Kairaba Beach Hotel defies common logic and makes the GRTS the most disgraceful national institution that ever exist in the Gambia. Being a national media outlet funded by the public obligates the television station to cover such historic events that are of national interest. It is a false premise that the government of Yahya Jammeh owns Gambian public institutions. Those citizens who preside over such national institutions and refused to live up to the oaths of office are themselves the fundamental problems of our society.
Many decent Gambians refuse to believe that Yahya Jammeh in fact ordered GRTS Director to not cover the opposition convention that was held at the Kairaba Beach Hotel two days ago. It is simply the cowardice, unpatriotic and selfish nature of the heads of such institutions to fail to make a case that the institution has an obligation to cover such events. It was equally a disgrace for the television station to fail to cover the launching of the candidacy of the first female vying for the office of the President couple of months ago. At the very least these are historical events that the Gambian people deserve to be covered by their public funded media station. Though many people are not surprised that apologist like Momodou Sabally Director of GRTS who has been humiliated, used and dumped by the government would be hording public institutions towards his master. It would have been courageous and ethical for GRTS to allow its practicing journalists to cover the event and report to the general public what transpired at the convention. It is certainly newsworthy and any credible news organization would have covered the event without bias.
It is therefore clear that GRTS has failed to live up to its obligations to function as a public institution. Institutions like the GRTS, the rubber stamping national assembly, the police stations, the Security apparatus serving the regime and totally neglect their public duties are the ones who continue to destroy our tiny country. There cannot be a dictator without willing citizens to succumb to the dictates of few self power perpetuating individuals. If many decent citizens were to head these institutions and stand up for basic fundamental principles of fairness and service to nation, Gambia would have never gotten to this situation. History is in the making in the Gambia as unprecedented events are taking place in the country. Whether the national and private media covers these events or not they will be fully documented and recorded for posterity. A nation only fails when its citizens allow themselves to be used by self centered citizens who see nothing beyond their personal interest. GRTS has also made the list of failed embarrassing public institutions.