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Momodou
Denmark
11809 Posts |
 Posted - 25 Apr 2008 : 18:15:20
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Foroyaa Editorial
The Birth of A WEBSITE
www.foroyaa.gm
24 April 2008, the 38tth anniversary of the founding of the Republic of The Gambia, marks the birth of Foroyaa’s web site, namely, www.foroyaa.gm.
In a Republic, sovereignty resides in the people. A sovereign people are the architects of their own destiny. Their voices must not be silent. Their minds must not yield to slumber. They must stand vigil and exercise permanent scrutiny on how the affairs of their country are managed.
The voices of a sovereign people must have authority to determine the policies and programmes of governments which manage their affairs. The governments of Sovereign Republics must be transparent and accountable.
Such governments will not establish official secrete laws to bar public officers from being transparent and accountable. They will enact freedom of information laws to make it mandatory for public officers to give explanation regarding any matter that is of public interest. Information provides mental food to a sovereign people to enable them to make informed choices. This is why the media is indispensable in a Sovereign Republic. Media organs are amplifiers of the sovereign voices of the people.
This is why all modern Republican constitutions must provide protection to media practitioners and must guarantee the freedom and independence of the media. Any law which gags the mouth of public servants and restrains the hands of media practioners to the point of barring them from publishing what is in the public interest is unreasonable and unjustifiable in a democratic Republic. There can be no democratic society without freedom to access and publish information, which is in the public interest without hindrance.
This is precisely why Foroyaa emerged with a vision and mission to publish the truth, in good faith and in the public interest so as to promote Human Rights, Democracy and Development and thus enhance the liberty, dignity and prosperity of the people.
Foroyaa’s Editorial Policy
The editorial policy of the Foroyaa Newspaper and its online website is driven by the notion that the people can never take charge of their destiny until they know themselves, their country and the world. Knowledge is the key to liberty, democracy and development.
This is precisely the reason why Foroyaa has adopted an objective, holistic, investigative and analytical approach to information gathering and dissemination. The paper has its own distinct voice, the editorial column, through which it conveys it opinion and concerns. Foroyaa, however, does not intend to be the spokesperson of a silent mass. Its basic function is to be an amplifier of the voices of the people. The People from all works of life are given a platform to express their experiences and opinions and share their talents for the common good.
The paper looks into the economic, social, cultural, political psychological and aesthetic aspects of the lives of the people at home and abroad..
The birth of the website will lead to further consolidation of our initiatives to throw more light on the economic, social, political, cultural psychological and aesthetic realities of the people, especially, their day to day realities.
On the Economic Sector
In short, The Gambian economy depends on three sectors, namely, the service sector, agriculture and industry. Our analysts and reporters will continue to shed light on the growth or shortcomings of the different sectors and give opinions on how to handle the various branches of the Gambian economy, in particular and the African and world economies, in general. This is to enable such views to be able to inform the policy of any political party which aims to address the needs and aspirations of the people. A government in office which fails to address the poverty of the people will be thoroughly exposed for its bad policies.
On the other hand, the paper will also focus on the realities of the production sectors, such as the public, private, cooperative and informal components of production. It will give platform to all the operators to explain their contributions to economic developments and identify the obstacles which need to be tackled. The paper shall continue to publish Press Releases and interviews from the various sectors and conduct its own Independent reviews on production, trade, distribution systems, banks and other institutions for credit, prices, taxation, loans, employment, wages, poverty, inflation, self reliance, self sufficiency and sustainable development.
The paper will look into the crisis in the world economy and how to reposition Africa in a new international economic order, which guarantees fair trade and appropriate development of countries to ensure universal prosperity.
The Social Sector
In terms of the Social sector, Foroyaa will continue to focus on the plight of women, students, youths, children, those living with disability and all those who are potentially disadvantaged. It will give platform for the promotion of quality and affordable education, health care, housing and other social amenities. We will look at the cost of technical, vocational and professional training to determine whether the slogan “ the sky is the limit” is applicable to the poor .We will look at the cost of housing and the number of persons occupying the space in house holds. It will focus on the fight against poverty, which affects more that 50% of the population, who live on less than one dollar a day. This amount is less than 20 dalasi, which can only purchase five loaves of bread. We will look at the cost of the basket of commodities which are essential for daily living to determine the standard of living of the average income earner. As we go to press, there is the panic buying of rice as some claim that there will be shortage. Prices are said to be skyrocketing to between 780 to 850 dalasis depending on grade and quality.
We will examine the problems of single men and women and single parents. We will look at the state of marriages and give examples of the standards of best practices in family life and gender relations as well as parenting.
We will provide forum for teachers, students and school administrators to dilate on the classroom size, sanitation, the availability of learning materials, the curricula, the state of school laboratories, the qualification of teachers, remuneration, motivation, recreational facilities in schools, the relevance of the type of education and the ultimate fate of those who pass out at different levels.
The Political Sector
On the political front, the paper will focus on the political evolution of the country. It will look at the Constitutions as they evolved and the laws governing civil and political life, the nature of the political parties, the political and civil environment for popular participation in decision making and implementation, the issue of separation or marriage between party and state, especially civil military relations. We will examine the institutions and policies governing political activities and general administration at the national and local level. We will give comparative analysis of the systems of local administration at different periods. We will identify and promote standards of best practice in participatory approaches to state administration which rely on civil society segments and the media to ensure awareness and popular participation in decision making and their implementation.
Justice is the foundation of any stable political order. Where there is no justice there can be no freedom and Peace. The paper will focus on the courts and law enforcement institutions to enable the people to gauge the quality of justice in the country. It will monitor the operation of commissions designed to protect members of society. It will monitor every violation of human rights and call for redress.
On Culture and Aesthetic values
To promote the development of an open society, the paper will give coverage to writers, musicians, sports persons, painters and other artists of all shades. It will give focus to the past way of life with the view to project the humane values, which could be retained to promote a sense of community and expose negative practices which are detrimental to the integrity, dignity and happiness of the human person. The paper will be a forum to inventors and those who have shown outstanding talents in their own fields, so as to promote the creative initiative of people.
On National and International News and Reviews
Information is the raw material for the production of knowledge. The paper will therefore focus on national and international news and reviews. It will keep the readers abreast of current issues, while helping them to grasp their roots. In this way they will be able to make objective analyses of national and world events.
Finally, the paper will provide outlet for our readers to express their views under the column, “what the readers say”. Institutions will also be able to issue press releases. However, such press release will be subjected to review if they go beyond the dissemination of facts and figures.
Self criticism is the beginning of wisdom. Foroyaa will be doing periodic reviews of its performance by sending questionnaires to its readers. We hope you will help us to serve you better by sharing yours observations with us. Take ownership of Foroyaa and make it the information medium you can trust.
Sovereignty resides in you. Power belongs to you.
This world is the universal home of humankind. Truth and standards of best practice anywhere belong to human beings everywhere. Injustice anywhere should be the concern of human beings everywhere. This is the era of the people. They must take charge of their destiny or perish. Be the enlightened person who is determined to use your power to promote the liberty, dignity and prosperity of all human beings on this earth.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issues
Issue No. 48/2008, 25 – 27 April 2008
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Dalton1
3485 Posts |
Posted - 25 Apr 2008 : 19:55:41
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www.foroyaa.gm.
According to a reliable source I spoke with, Mr. Sallah didn't like the initial setup for the site, which caused the delay of the site coming to public view. If for anything, thanks Momodou (Also Sis Jabou) for forwarding Foroyaa pieces online over time. Please don't stop eventhough they are online. People are married to these forums already for easy research. It will also create room for healthy debates. I congratulate Foroyaa for their consistency. Indeed the paper has served the purpose of educating Gambians and non-Gambians alike.
Go Foroyaa, go!!
Foroyaa's legacy stays on...Long live Foroyaa!!
Regards,
Dalton
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"There is no god but Allah (SWT); and Muhammad (SAW)is His last messenger." shahadah. Fear & Worship Allah (SWT) Alone! (:
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Momodou
Denmark
11809 Posts |
Posted - 29 Apr 2008 : 22:22:00
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Letter from Foroyaa
Dear reader,
Foroyaa launched a website on Friday 25 April. You can now access Foroyaa at www.foroyaa.gm .
We do hope that you have found our publication useful. We also hope that you will regularly visit our site. The site will be fed every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, for a start.
However, urgent matters will be published without delay.
Since the Foroyaa site is now operating, it will no longer be necessary to send you Foroyaa by e-mail. This e-mail will be the last one we will send you.
We thank you for your understanding.
Managing Editor |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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