The Young Journalists Association of The Gambia (YJAG) on Saturday organised a capacity building seminar entitled “Understanding Media Laws in The Gambia”.

Held at the Joint Officers Mess in Kotu, the seminar focused on broadening and upgrading the capacity of the young journalists on the media laws of The Gambia to enable them execute their duty effectively and efficiently.

In his remarks on the occasion, the president of YJAG, Assan Sallah, who is also an editor at the Daily Observer, said the training of journalists on media laws has gone down in the annals of the history of YJAG.

“The importance of the training cannot be overemphasised, as the journalists are to execute their duty effectively and efficiently,” he said, adding: “As journalists, we should always speak and write the truth.”

According to the proprietor of Daily News, Madi Ceesay, JYAG should be commended for complementing the efforts of their parent body, which is the Gambia Press Union (GPU).

He also described journalism as “constructive not destructive”, noting that the journalists should prosecute the news before its set out as the lawyers prosecute criminals.

“The law is there for everyone; we must make sure that we know the laws and uphold it to the maximum. We should avoid having clashes here and there.” Mr Ceesay maintained.

The Daily News proprietor finally called on YJAG to continue building the capacity of its members as they are the future leaders.

“Many people believe that the work of a journalist is risky, but I think if they know the law, the work would be so easy without any risk,” says Chief Justice Emmanuel Agim, while delivering his remarks on the occasion.

He added that it would be more meaningful if the reports of the journalists are based more on constructing the society and what people should do to develop themselves.

According to Chief Justice Agim, journalists must develop a modern approach to the society and that is, partnering with the government to developing the country.

He said: “Understanding the laws is very important; if you do not understand the law it means you are not ready to be a journalist. Lawlessness is not a responsible journalism. Knowing the law is not enough but you have to put it into practice.

“What you write and speak has a very far-reaching consequence - you destroy the society in less than an hour but in the same vein you build the society.”

BY: MARIAM SAINE