A top Gambian army general Mamat Cham on Wednesday said those who participated in the 1994 coup were troublemakers.

Cham said this while testifying before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commissions.

“They were rabble-rousers. I would say yes…ambitious young men would want to look high without working to that,” he said.

The 59-year-old commander of the Gambia National Army in his marathon testimony said at the time of the coup, Nigerian soldiers in the country didn’t intervene to thwart the coup but that they saw it as a national matter which Gambians should addressed and that caused a command vacuum within the army.

Cham said: “Nigerian soldiers see it as a national thing and they were careful to get themselves involve in the situation. At the time there was command vacuum within the army.”

According to Cham, there was also lack of proper military logistics like transportation, adding that a troop that was ordered from Farafenni to Barra couldn’t make it on time due to mobility challenges.

Mr. Cham, a native of Kerr Mbuguma in Lower Niumi joined the Gambia National Army in 1985 and attained his military training both home and in the United States.

Further giving testimony before a commission set up to delve into the human rights violations and abuses of the 22 years rule of former president Yahya Jammeh, Cham said it was him, Captain Ebrima Kambi and Wilson who were blocked 200 meters away from Denton Bridge by a group of soldiers, whom told them that military coup has taken place and they had to report back to Yundum barrack.

He added: “We arrived at the bridge between 9:30-10:00… there was commotion and panic. The posture was very aggressive; the soldiers were in battle orders and we were not armed.”

He also said after their wedged at the bridge, they went to Fajara barracks to locate and mobilized soldiers loyal to the then PPP government to resist against the coupists but added that they met the barrack had been taken by the coupists.

President Adama Barrow has said that the most important partner to the youth of The Gambia is the government.

The President stated this on Wednesday while presiding over the official opening of Youth Connekt Gambia Summit, a gathering aimed at empowering Gambian youth for their development.

“Nobody should fool you. Your most important partner is government. Nobody should instigate you against government. Remain focus, remain committed to national development,” Mr Barrow said.

According to the President, there exist the political will to empower Gambian youth in order for them to realise their potentials.

“I want to assure you there is political will to support you all the way. I have been saying it several times, 2019 is the turning point for Gambia. But we cannot do it alone and we need you the youths of this country,” he said.

By Mammy Saidykhan

Ousainou Darboe has said that Saad M Raslan International Trading has invested not less that 500 million dalasis into economy of The Gambia.

The Vice President stated this on Tuesday while presiding over the official opening of the Raslan Mall.

According to Mr Darboe, since 1993 when Saad M Raslan International Trading was registered the company has taken its rightful role in promoting and advancing the Gambian economy.

“It has invested not less than 500 million dalasis into the economy of the country. It is not a company that has come to The Gambia for the sake of making profit, it is one that has a primary objective, the development of the economy of The Gambia,” Mr Darboe said.

Hatim M Raslan, Managing Director of Saad M Raslan international Trading said that The Gambia was the first place where they invested in West Africa and later on  expanded their operations to other West African countries.

He said: “Investing in the New Gambia, my second home, to contribute to economic development process and compliment the government efforts of making this great country a better place for citizens and people living here.

“As we embark on our historical venture in The Gambia some 25 years ago, our business philosophy and main objective have been the spread of partnerships, serving our value customers with the rest of their needs.”

The Managing Director went on to say that the “last 10 years was very difficult for us, just like other businesses operating in The Gambia under the founder regime, whose hosts were unfriendly and very challenging as such  our company has down size the operation and slow down with the projects.”

With the coming of the new government, they have decided to come back and fully invest in The Gambia and the new government really means business, Mr Raslan added.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Trade Industry Regional Integration and Employment was Abdoulie Jammeh, the Director of Trade said that, highlighted on  significant milestone on the  expansion of companies investment in The Gambia.

He said that, the inauguration of the mall will help in the increment of economic activities and to encourage commercial business within Kanifing municipality.

He added that, the government will continue to implement series of institutional reforms to greater efficiency of the public service and ensure economic stability and strengthen the business climate.

Jammeh says; “We have seen that trade and trade related issue have now gain more prominent in the national development plan to make the environment to support private sector developers for employment creation.”.

He asserted that, “The government will continue to put strategic and coordinated business environment reports to support private sector development initiatives.”

He added, government have adopted measures to assure to reduce the cost of doing business in The Gambia and to implement measure to support Gambian business and made in The Gambia products.

By State House Media

His Excellency, President Adama Barrow on Tuesday received in audience the Caliph General and senior eminent members of the Mass Kah brotherhood at the State House in Banjul.

Members of the religious movement from the renowned Medina Serigne Mass Kah village in the North Bank Region, who were accompanied by the Imam Ratib of the city of Banjul, visited the presidency to pay a courtesy call on the president as well as offer prayers for him, the first family, and the country at large.

His Excellency, President Adama Barrow in his welcoming remarks expressed gratitude to the delegation for taking the initiative to visit the presidency. He emphasized that the country needs prayers as the experience of 2016 political crisis teaches that The Gambia could not have emerged out of it in peace without prayers and support of the religious leaders.

The President renewed his commitment to leave behind a good legacy in The Gambia, stressing that he would remain steadfast in meeting the expectations of the voters and the population in general.

The Imam Ratib of the city of Banjul, Cherno Alieu Mass Kah, also a naïve of Medina Mass Kah spoke on behalf of the delegation called for preaching peace and stability in the country.

“Our role as Islamic leaders is to be steadfast in praying for the country, its people and its leader. This is complementary to that of government in forging social cohesion, preaching peace and national unity,” said Imam Ratib in his remarks.

The former secretary to the defunct Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council has said that the 1994 coup was a fluke and that it could have been foiled if there was serious resistance from Gambian security personnel.

Abubacarr Sulayman Jeng said this on Tuesday while appearing as the fifth person to testify before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission.

“If there was a serious resistance there wouldn’t be any July 22^nd coup,” the leadership didn’t do up to expectation. There was a failure and I didn’t think credible resistance at the bridge,” the former police officer told the commission at the Dunes hotel in Kotu.

He added: “If I was on the bridge I wouldn’t have surrendered like that. Probably my…it wouldn’t have been the good record.”

He however told the commission that rebelling against the Junta when the coup succeeded would be suicidal.

Mr. Jeng, 56, however concurred that corruption was at the police before the coup but said that there was a credible leadership to provide security for the country, describing the Junta men as angry people who wanted to vent their anger in people.

He said: “Before the 1993 to 1994 I cannot vow that there was no corruption in the police but it can be measured. I wouldn’t rule out corruption that there was no corruption in the police but there was a dynamic leadership to provide security to the country.”

He said during his days at the Police Force before the coup that there were so many lapses like lack of adequate training, financial support to the Police, adding that many were having the thought that the Police Institution was an Institution for school dropout.

By Lamin Njie

A former spokesperson of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council has told the TRRC that former President Yahya Jammeh ‘is false and he lies a lot.’

“I use the word enigmatic here. You can’t predict him. He’s a man of bravado. He is false and he lies a lot. And he wants to propel his personality all the time. He wants people to think good of him. So I know him to be this type of personality,” Alagie Kanteh told the TRRC on Monday.

Alagie Kanteh on Monday testified before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission, set up to delve into the human rights violations and abuses of the 22-year rule of President Jammeh.

In his testimony, Kanteh said he didn’t get to knowing Jammeh very well as a soldier “because he came from the national gendermarie.”

“At that time, we though he was not soldier enough because his discipline was not polished. He had a lot to learn about the army and the way the army operated,” he said.

“So he came in and he was a complete stranger. He had to go through orientation and familiarisation all the time. But what stood out very prominent was that Yahya Jammeh was not taking orders from seniors officers, Gambian or Nigerian officers. He had no powers to protect him from not taking orders. I guess he had a rebellious personality.”

By Mammy Saidykhan

Anita E Hawkins and the First Lady Fatoumata Bah Barrow on Friday visited the SOS Children’s Village in Bakoteh.

The day’s visit was an opportunity for Anita and the First Lady to be taken on a tour across the facility to know some of the challenges they are faced with and how they operate.

Omar Bajong, the Managing Director of Shelter for Children expressed delight and appreciation to the First Lady and Anita for their visit.

“We are very grateful for having time to visit us, on behalf of my team and my staff, you can see the joy and smile on the kids seeing the first lady.”

Bojang highlighted on some of the challenges the facilty is faced with; “There are a lot of challenges, we are challenge in terms of resources, the shelter needs to be upgraded, we need a lot of support to be done in this facility, right now, our main challenge is the issue of food and water supply.”

He added;” This shelter needs a lot of support, I have been working in this institution for the past 15years now and we are challenge because this is the only government center that takes in victims of gender based violence and abuses.”

The Managing director called on donors to aid in the sustainability of water supply to the facility.

“I am advocating for any assistance or donor to help at least have a borehole in the facility, so that it can easy the water supply.”

Anita says; “I feel like the women and these teen moms that have been abused and victimized, I think they need an opportunity to know that they are force to be reckon with.

She added; “As the world changes, their lives needs to change, change is inevitable and if we don’t change, they don’t have the ability to see change, if I didn’t change, I won’t be able to be here to share my story.”

Mrs Hawkins noted that, in addressing gender based violence, women voices needs be heard.

“We need to makesure that we are in it, I know that this country as been through a lot for the past 22years, now that you have a new government, there has to be change, there was 22years of depression, 22years of people feel they totally been defeated, not been able to have a voice.”

She further said; “Now that you have a voice, now that there is awareness, now that you can talk about how you feel, things that you gone through, we need to bring things like this to the forefront, this is a time to change and these women and the elderly especially these babies that have been traffic.”

“The people that we trust the most, the people that we hold accountable for our lives, literally be in a position were we need them, those are the people that hurt you, that’s something that I don’t want to live to see anymore but it happens everyday,” says Anita.

She added; “When somebody takes something from you, that’s taking your power, they feel powerless and we condemn ourselves and we walk in shame of something that somebody else in post upon us and this is not fair but at the same time, I know that they can change, I know that there is light at the end of the tunnel but there needs somebody here to look into their faces and reinforce those things.”

Meanwhile Anita also visited Think Young Women as part of her plans to support young girls and children.

Aji Isatou Saho,  Programme Office for Think Young Women, says that the motive of the organization is to bridge the gender gap between men and women, inspire women to take up leadership positions in the country..

She went on to say; “If women don’t think out of the box, they will never be what they want to be, they need to think that women can do what men can do as long as you are motivated to do so, that’s how the name come about.”

According to her, she said that they training young women on leadership skills, what they do is mentor young women and girls from the age of 13-19.

“We take them on a three months mentorship program, where we talk about life skills, because these are skills that when you have you will be assertive enough to make proper decisions to be empowered to break gender gaps. We have organized forums were young men and women to come together to understand their role in development,” she said.

Ms Saho added, Gambia Is a patriotic  society were women are subjected to listen to men.

“We are not allow to be free, we are not allow to be independent, we encourage to be dependent on men. This is what we want to change, the notion and concept of people and empower women to take up decisions on their own and feel they can break any kind of gender gap when they want to.”

The Programme Officer highlighted on one of the achievements of organization in 2014; “We organized the first national conference on FGMC, were young people talk about FGMC and how they felt about it,” she said.

She advocates for change against gender based violence in The Gambia; “We can only end FGMC in a generation, coz we feel if each of us is empowered enough to take a decision and say I won’t mutilate my child, if we do that as young people in our generation, when it comes to 2050 we will live a society of zero tolerance to FGMC,” she says.

Isatou Jallow, Communication Officer Think Young Women pointed out on a  challenge that  the organization is faced with.

“Looking at the mentorship program at Think Young Women, we have people that come in and work as volunteers, apart from that there is no other comfort environment talk about issues affecting girls, we have the radio programs were we mostly talk about issues  of girls, you go to the communities to talk about these things, people don’t even want to hear what you have to say,” she said..

Anita says, change is made with progress; “I have totally inspired with these young women, they are so inspiring.”

She added, it’s good to see young women making it happen without the necessary funds.

The top US model says; “I had such a great time, this was amazing, am so glad that I was able to make it,  to come here and see what these young girls are doing.”

Mrs Hawkins added; “Me coming here was just wanting to see what this country is all about, what they are lacking, how can I help implement a change, what can I do, so am thankful being able to afford to come here and see what The Gambia has to offer.”

“Am thankful to God for all he has blessed me to do, and all the things we do as women, it’s all about empowering,” said Anita.

She added; “When I say power, empower, progress, inspiration, aspiration, we lept up each other and I thank you Gambia for having me (sic).”

By Lamin Njie

Dealers in imported cement have called on the Gambia government to review the new levies on the product.

The Gambia government has effected as much as a 75 percent increase on imported cement, flour, onions and potatoes.

Local traders among them Modou Nyang of Fass Njaga Choi, North Bank Region are calling the development ridiculous.

“Last year the tax on a bag of cement imported from Senegal was D30. The government has raised that to, can you believe it, D80. It’s outrageous and this spells doom for us,” Nyang told The Fatu Network.

“We don’t know how the government arrived at this but we intend to carry our concerns to the authorities. There are dozens of trucks at Karang that have not been  able to enter the country because of this development.”

Meanwhile the spokesperson of the government Ebrima Sankareh confirming the development told The Fatu that it is to protect local industries.

“The allegation of tax hike on imported cement, flour, onions and potatoes is accurate and the intention of the new tariff is to protect local industries,” Sankareh said.

By Lamin Njie

The Gambia Police Force on Friday said it has opened an investigation into the discovery of dozens of rifles imported into the country from Turkey.

Police and customs officers on Thursday intercepted a container loaded with 1,263 rifles at the port. The guns which were imported from Turkey belong to the chief executive officer of GACH Security Ltd Abubacarr Jawara.

According to the Police, the company which is situated at Fatou’s Gold Plaza, Bertil Harding Highway,  Kanifing,  “applied for Gun Importation License in accordance with the Arms and Ammunitions Act to enable them import single barrel rifles for hunting and recreational purposes in The Gambia.”

“On arrival at the Banjul Seaport on Wednesday the 9th January,  the shipment was subjected to routine security checks for the purpose of verification by security agents stationed at the Seaport. It was discovered that 38 of the guns were not the type authorised for importation as indicated on the packing list,” the Gambia Police Force said in a statement signed by Lamin Njie, the Public Relations Officer on Friday.

The statement added: “These guns are impounded by the Police and an investigation panel, consisting of personnel of the Gambia Police Force, State Intelligence Service and Gambia Armed Forces have been instituted to look into the circumstances surrounding the matter as to whether these are categories of hunting guns as claimed by  the importer.

“As the State Authority responsible for the granting of license under Arms and Ammunitions Act of the Gambia, the Office of the Inspector General of Police assures the general public that it will ensure  national security is not compromised.  Meanwhile, the Office of the Inspector General of Police thanks the security agents for their diligence and professionalism.”

Meanwhile, the chief executive officer of GACH Security Ltd on Friday told The Fatu Network the guns were for hunting and recreation purposes.

Abubacarr Jawara also told The Fatu Network he holds a valid license to import arms and ammunition adding that the bill of laden clearly stated what was in the container.

By State House Media

His Excellency, President Adama Barrow on Thursday 10^th January, 2019, presided over the 18^th Cabinet session of his government – the first in 2019 – at the State House in Banjul. Cabinet deliberated on rehabilitation and construction works of the road network and sewage of the City of Banjul, ICT for development, among other important issues.

Below is the full set of resolutions that emanated from the 18^th Cabinet session:

• Cabinet deliberated on a paper presented by the Hon Minister of Transport, and Works for the Rehabilitation and Rebuilding of infrastructure in Banjul. The paper addressed a number of issues touching on managerial, financial, and technical requirements needed to enhance the rehabilitation and the rebuilding process.
• The entire road network of Banjul is approximately 37 kilometers. Cabinet was informed that all of the roads in the capital are in dare need of repair. The planned rehabilitation of the Banjul roads is expected to have a solid base, preferably reinforced concrete to withstand the soft and wet subgrade and the heavy loads of traffic by container carrying trucks.
• Cabinet was informed that the work will also include the reconstruction of the entire drainage network; as well as reconstruction of the ring canal connected to the drains; among others.
• It is expected that the implementation of the program to rehabilitate and rebuild the infrastructure of Banjul shall be done in tandem with the development of the Port of Banjul. Construction works are to start in the early part of 2019.
• A Cabinet Paper on financing of sports development was also introduced by the Hon Minister of Youth and Sports. The Paper sought the approval of Cabinet to propose a levy on specific items to finance the development of sports in The Gambia.
• The final Paper introduced before Cabinet was by myself, the Minister of Information and Communication Infrastructure. The Paper sought Cabinet’s endorsement of a policy paper on ICT for Development. The policy paper will serve as a guide for the Road Map for the ICT sector for the period 2018 – 2028.
• The vision of the ICT For Development Policy is to improve the quality of life and enrich the social, economic, and cultural wellbeing of The Gambian people through the development, deployment and exploitation of ICT within the economy and society to accelerate the nation’s development in the emerging information and knowledge driven technological age.
• An important goal of the ICT For Development Policy is to utilize ICTs to address the development challenges of The Gambia.
• Cabinet also reviewed a petition by GRTS demanding that it be allowed access to TRRC hearings to use its own equipment to record and transmit the proceedings of the commission. Cabinet has tasked the Ministers of Justice and Information to further engage both the GRTS and the TRRC to quickly resolve this impasse.
• Cabinet further resolved that from now on, GRTS should be the first point of call for all state institutions and or subverted institutions in need of live streaming and broadcast except where the state broadcaster does not have the necessary technical capacity to undertake such activities.

Press Release

On Saturday, January 12, 2019 at 4:00pm, a new institute for training young people in Information Technology and providing advanced training for currently practising professionals in the field will be officially launched at 55 Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, The Gambia. Everyone is welcomed to attend the opening ceremony. It is hoped that His Excellency President Barrow and the First Lady will be amongst the distinguished guests.

The Indian Institute of Hardware Technology (IIHT) Gambia Limited is associated with IIHT Technologies – an organization which operates in more than 100 cities across India and 23 countries in Europe, Africa and Asia. The Institute will offer programs fully accredited by the Ministry of Education.

To date, more than 5½ million GMD in pre-operational expenditures have been incurred to ensure a quality beginning of instruction and training. Certified instructors will come from India, a well-recognized leader in innovative technology and training and an exporter of the highest number of IT experts in the world.

The goal of IIHT Gambia Limited is to build a cadre of 1000 skilled professionals in the first two years to lend the needed support to help The Gambia to make progress towards achieving technological independence.

At the end of five years, the goal is to have a skilled workforce of 5,000 to generate $100 million USD through export of IT services, assist the government to reduce unemployment and provide Gambian youth an alternative pathway to the current backway to Europe which can mean risking their lives to find employment.

IIHT Gambia Limited is born out of the vision of an expatriate, Ousman Bah, who was born and raised in The Gambia, but left at the age of 18 to gain his higher education and training in the United States where he has lived for over 28 years in the Silicon Valley.

Although he is now a citizen of his adopted country, he has never lost his vision of one day giving back to his native country which has given him so much. Mr. Bah achieved a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology and a double Masters

Degrees – MBA and MSc. He is an individual who firmly believes in education and training as essential to empowering youth and improving the lives of people.

About IIHT Gambia Limited

IIHT Gambia Ltd. is associated with IIHT Technologies Pvt. Ltd., one of the leading IMS Education and Training organizations in India and Asia.

The organization is headquartered in Bangalore, the Silicon Valley of India, but spreads its tentacles in more than 100 cities across India and 23 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

IIHT’s presence since the dawn of the technology boom and its rich experience of training students for two decades, persistent enhancements and adapting to every new innovation ensures its continuity to add value to the careers of students and also to the IT industry by providing skilled manpower mapped to job specific requirements in the areas of IT Infrastructure Management, Android App Development, Web App Development, Software Engineering, Cloud Computing, Mobile Computing, Big Data Management and many more.

Most giant and renowned multinational companies around the globe such as accenture, cisco, vmware, Adobe, capgemini, iGATE, Infosys, WIPRO etc. rely on IIHT to cater for their manpower requirements due to its enviable reputation in the IT industry.

Besides obtaining skills mapped to specific job roles in IT, IIHT’s outcome based education system helps a student to be a proactive technology expert. This is a unique differentiation in the job market and sets IIHT apart from the competition. The advent of IIHT in the Gambia emanated from the vision of an expatriate, Ousman Bah and his partners.

Who’s Ousman Bah?

Mr. Bah was born and raised in The Gambia, but left at the age of 18 to pursue his higher education and training in the United States where he has lived for almost 3 decades in the Silicon Valley. He held several executive positions in corporate America such as Managing Director for AT&T, Regional Vice President with Bank of America, leading a start-up Technology company, just to mention a few. Although he is now a citizen of his adopted country, he has never lost his vision of one day giving back to his native country which has given him so much. Mr. Bah has achieved a Bachelor’s Degree in IT and a double Masters Degrees – MBA and MSc. He is an individual who firmly believes in education and training as essential tools in empowering youth and improving the lives of people. IIHT Gambia Limited is a franchisee of IIHT Technologies Private Ltd. in India. The Training centre will offer IT programs fully accredited by the National Accreditation & Quality Assurance Authority and international academic partners effect from January 2019. Certified instructors are hired from India, a well-recognized leader in innovative technology and training and an exporter of the highest number of IT experts in the world. The mission of IIHT Gambia Ltd. is to offer world class IT education and training with state-of-the-art technology infrastructure across the Gambia to make progress towards achieving technological independence. We do hope to have a skilled workforce of 5,000 to generate $100 million through export of IT products and services by the end of five years. Besides, our vision is to equip and empower youth and working professionals with meaningful IT skills to enhance their employability and enrich their intellect.

Mr. Bah comes to his leadership of the IIHT School with a wealth of academic training and experience with major international companies and institutions based in the United States. His experience includes working in various executive positions with such firms as the AT&T, Bank of America and Worldpay. He is currently employed as a Regional Sales Director for the West Coast for Clearent—a company in the Fintech Industry that is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. After several visits back to The Gambia, most recently in 2017, Mr. Bah was inspired on each visit by the talent and potential of the young people he met. Hebecame aware of the fact that, although 12,000 Gambians finish Grade 12 annually, less than 25% secure full time employment nor is able to travel overseas to advance their education. He was also aware of the lack of resources available to train those students in the technology field. This is where the idea of IIHT was conceived. Mr. Bah felt obligated to give back to his country of origin and provide a program that can give every young Gambian the knowledge, skills and training to compete in the technology of the 21st Century. He reached out to the Indian Institute of Hardware Technology (IIHT) about opening a training center in Banjul to prepare high school graduates and other working professionals already in the field of technology to enhance their skills in information technology/cloud computing in a handson program. The goal is to connect talent to opportunity and enable Gambians and students from neighboring countries to access a gateway to a global career. Mr. Bah has traveled extensively all over the world. His major interest since a young age has always been and remains using technology to enrich the lives of people. He earned both of his Masters Degrees from Golden Gate University in San Francisco. Mr. Bah is married and has one son. He lives in San Leandro, California, USA—a part of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Sheriff Gomez, a former military adjutant has said that former president Yahya Jammeh was never a soldier because he lacked the proper military training.

“Yahya Jammeh was never a soldier…he was never a soldier.  He lacks the proper training,” Gomez told the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission on Thursday.

Gomes who was the third person to give evidence before the commission said the only training Jammeh had was a military police training in the United States.

Speaking on the July 1994 coup, Gomes said he was he was locked up at Mile Two prison.

“I think sometime Jammeh attempted to come and open me in the cell but most of his colleagues wouldn’t agree to him,” he said.

Mr Gomez, who also served as minister of youth and sports under Jammeh’s government explained that he was arrested and detained with his fellow security men after the success of the coup, saying he was arrested by a group soldiers led by ex-lieutenant Edward Singhateh as he entered the Yundum barracks, describing an ambush.

This he noted was followed by the confiscation of the armored key and that he was detained at the barrack for two days before he was transferred to the central Mile Two prison in Banjul.

At the Mile Two prison, the ex-military officer described the situation as horrible and sad; adding that he and many of his fellow officers were subjected to torture, saying the junta men used to kick them (detained soldiers) with their boots and guns.

Mr. Gomez also told the Commission that ex-lieutenant Edward Singhateh released a burst of round over his head while he was detained at the Yundum barrack.

By Lamin Njie

The Minister of Information and Communication Infrastructure on Thursday said Cabinet has reviewed a petition by GRTS demanding that it be allowed access to TRRC hearings in which the state broadcaster would use its own equipment to record and transmit the proceedings of the commission.

GRTS has been protesting spanning days after the TRRC cited prohibitive fees as the reason why it did not award it contract to film its proceedings. That contract was given to QTV.

But Cabinet wading into the issue at a meeting on Thursday called on all public institutions to make sure GRTS is their first point of call.

“Cabinet has tasked the Ministers of Justice and Information to further engage both the GRTS and the TRRC to quickly resolve this impasse,” Ebrima Sillah said in a statement on Thursday.

“Cabinet further resolved that from now on, GRTS should be the first point of call for all state institutions and or subverted institutions in need of live streaming and broadcast except where the state broadcaster does not have the necessary technical capacity to undertake such activities.”

Amnesty International on Thursday called for an international investigation into the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, in a ceremony marking the 100th day since his killing sparked global outrage.

“We once again call for an international investigation under the authority of the United Nations into the murder of Jamal Khashoggi,” Goksu Ozahishali, one of the rights group’s Turkey representatives, said in a statement read out in front of the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, the scene of the murder.

In a case that shocked the world Khashoggi, a US resident and Riyadh critic who wrote for the Washington Post, was murdered and his corpse dismembered inside the kingdom’s diplomatic compound on October 2.

“We demand justice for Jamal Khashoggi who fought for the freedom of expression in the Arab world,” Ozahishali said.

Amnesty activists later symbolically hung a street sign reading “Jamal Khashoggi Street” where the Saudi consulate is located.

Several questions remain unanswered including the whereabouts of Khashoggi’s remains more than three months after the murder.

“It’s absolutely shocking that 100 days later there are no real concrete steps to bring this murder to justice,” Andrew Gardner, Amnesty’s Turkey strategy and research manager, told AFP.

“Unfortunately the international community has been incredibly weak, and trade and diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia have taken precedence over fundamental human values,” he said.

After evidence emerged that the killing was done by a team of Saudis sent from Riyadh and closely linked to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the international community demanded a transparent investigation.

Turkey and Saudi Arabia have opened separate investigations into the murder but Ankara has repeatedly accused Riyadh of failure to cooperate.

Turkish officials have blamed the crown prince for the killing, which the Saudi authorities categorically deny.

A trial opened last week in Saudi Arabia. The prosecutor has demanded the death penalty against five of the accused whose identities have not been revealed. (Vanguard)