The Independent Published Friday, February 15, 2002


I don’t owe any more arrears Citizen FM proprietor declares


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Baboucarr Gaye, the proprietor of Citizen FM radio station, has declared
that he does not owe the government any arrears. Mr. Gaye whose radio
station was closed in October for being in tax arrears said all the arrears
and so-called tax evasion have been settled accordingly with the government.
He said however that his radio business was being meddled with to prevent
him from operating again, and to tamper with his right to information. “ I
do not owe them anything now, but they are still trying to stop me from
getting back to the air” Baboucarr claimed.

Reports have since confirmed that Mr. Gaye has settled all his tax
liabilities with the government and was only waiting to start operations
pending what was called “the green light from the government to plug on
air”. Citizen FM radio station was closed after the October presidential
election. Baboucarr Gaye was arrested and detained by the NIA for alleged
tax evasion. But he was subsequently released after undergoing some NIA
interrogation.

According to some reports the decision to close the station was politically
motivated. It was reportedly linked to the radio station’s announcement of
the election results, which later prompted a statement from the government
threatening serious consequences for any media house, which would announce
them.

Others attribute it to the authority’s displeasure over the station’s review
of local newspapers for the benefit of illiterate members of the population.
The closure of the station had attracted both international and national
outcry, as the government was condemned and accused with interfering with
people’s right to seek, receive and impart information as enshrined in
article 19 of the UN declaration of human rights. The station was closed in
1998, with its entire essential equipment confiscated by the state, and the
proprietor charged for operating a radio station without a valid license.

In a courageous legal battle with the government Mr. Gaye won the case and
the station resumed operation two years ago. Meanwhile keen listeners of
their programmes, and translated review of the newspapers into the local
languages are calling on the government to allow the radio station to resume
broadcasting, claiming that this is the only way they could be informed
about issues around them.






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