The Minister of Information and Communication Infrastructure, Demba Ali Jawo, on Tuesday 31st October 2017, indicated that The government of the Gambia has taken interim measures to transit rom machine readable passports to biometric passports. He made this statement at a press conference held at the offices of the Information Ministry along MDI Road in Kanifing. According to Minister Jawo, this transition will be spearheaded by the Gambia Government in collaboration
with the International Civil Aviation Organization, the regulatory body
for passports. Minister Jawo noted that machine readable passports will continue to be valid for this year and that enrolment centers will also be put in place in the various foreign missions to enable Gambians in the diasporas acquire biometric passports. The government of the Gambia, he said, has also decided to go biometric with the ID cards and “we are almost at the completion stages of the technical and procurement processes by the first quarter of 2018”.
Shifting to TV broadcasting, Jawo noted that the ministry of information through PURA is processing applications for TV stations following the adoption of the digital broadcasting policy (DBP) by cabinet. The broadcasting policy, he said, will guide the implementation process of the CTT and as well set out prudent approach for the country to reap the benefits from the digital switch over (DSO) in terms of increase revenue generation and employment opportunities for the country’s youth.
Minister Jawo added that The Government of the Gambia is looking into fully liberalizing the gateway and a decision on full linearization is expected by January
2018 as Gamtel’s subsequent 6 months management takeover from July 7
2017 for a period of 6 months following the termination of the MGI
contract over the international Gateway (IG) ends December 2017.
