The minister of Information, Lamin Queen Jammeh, has explained that considering the government's commitment to the availability of information and appreciating the reality that information is the lifeblood of the democratic system, information should be considered a fundamental right.

He was speaking in connection with the provision that all community radios should link to the state media during news hours. The minister said: "If information is considered and accepted as a fundamental right, those acting in the media would have to be obliged to do the needful. Therefore, making it a provision that radio stations must link with the national broadcaster during news time, I think that is in order."

"The law that gave birth to their existence has also put in place a mechanism for control and regulation. The laws from which they take source to perform are the same source that the provision had emanated. PURA is operating within their mandate should they write to radio stations for any regulatory matters."

On media freedom, the Information minister said it can be explained by the democratic climate that is available in the country, saying without being told, it is seen and felt everywhere. He added that the democratic process in The Gambia is ongoing at a speed appreciated by any reasonable thinking person and this could have not been done without the will of the political leadership.

Minister Jammeh stated that democratic space and media freedom is visible everywhere since the proliferation of print and broadcast media.