KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY THE HONOURABLE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS, INFORMATION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MRS. FATIM BADJIE-JANNEH AT THE REVIEW AND VALIDATION WORKSHOP ON DRAFT ICT BILL 2008

Mr. Chairperson

Colleague Secretaries of State

The Director General of PURA

Chief Executive Officer NCC - Nigeria

The Permanent Secretary - DOSCIIT

Permanent Secretaries here present

Senior Staff of DOSCIIT

Distinguished participants

Ladies and Gentlemen:

All other protocols fully observed

It gives me a singularly honour and pleasure to welcome you all to this very important review and validation workshop on the draft ICT Bill 2008. This occasion marks the giant step in the development of the ICT sector in the Gambia . In recent times, my Department of state highly recognized the need to formulate a holistic ICT bill cognizant with the provisions of the Information Society (WSIS) and the ECOWAS Community Text for the harmonization of ICT legal instruments, to which the Gambia is committed.

This information society compliant bill recognizes the need to increasingly bring together interdependent segments of ICT under a unified framework, in order to create the enabling environment for intercessions in the ICT industry. This draft legal instrument also takes into account good governance in ICT, necessary to ensure appropriate laws and public policy as fundamental guiding principles in our fast growing and dynamic sector.

Mr. Chairperson

Distinguished participants

We have decided to formulate an ICT Bill so as to cater for convergence between telecommunication, broadcasting, internet and allied technologies and services. The current telecommunication landscape as you are aware is so interlinked with to other sectors; it is apparent that a telecom bill cannot address all the issues of convergence hence the formulation of this ICT bill therefore is a solution to diminish the overall insufficiencies of the Wireless and Telegraph Act of 1964 on which the legal administration of the ICT industry is dependent on. I believe, this outdated laws governing our sector needs modernizing to the extent of making provisions for emerging technologies and what is known in ICT as technology neutrality.

Mr. Chairperson

Distinguished participants

The content of this draft bill you are tasked to review and validate here today probes into substance and issues of:

•  Licensing

•  Access and Interconnection

•  Spectrum Management and Numbering

•  Universal Access/Services

•  End user interests and rights

•  Personal data privacy and protection

Among other things the bill contains information society issues such as:

•  Computer misuse and cyber crime

•  Electronic signatures and transactions

•  Elements of e-Government and Broadcasting

This legal statements therefore, once validated in this bill will subsequently constitute the sector demanded legal instrument, to better strengthen the regulator to more actively perform its regulatory functions, create more opportunities for the operators in the industry and build investor confidence in order to attract more investments in the sector. May I also hasten to acknowledge that provision of Universal Service Fund for access in underserved rural areas will be ensured, coupled with end user interest and rights.

You will agree with me that for us to get a full cycle of our liberalization process we must have an appropriate act to guide the industry.

Mr. Chairperson

Ladies and gentlemen

The Department of State for Communications, Information and Information Technology (DOSCIIT) will ensure a vibrant ICT sector that is enhanced by appropriate policies and regulatory frameworks. DOSCIIT will leave no stone unturned to see that we achieve that goal and this is demonstrated by the strategies and policies initiated to drive the sector.

Mr. Chairman,

One of the Government's visionary goals through ICT is for Gambia to grow into a competitive ICT hub which would become an outsourcing destination and a base for technology services, knowledge, production and development.

The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector of The Gambia has reached a renaissance period where the sector has been growing ahead of expectations in terms of competition, innovation, learning best practices, encouraging public-private partnership and attracting investors.

This significant achievement need to be consolidated. Therefore, we all need to work together as it is in our own interest that we are up-to-date and not behind the new trends of development.

By the grace of God, I am confident that this goal is achievable with the leadership of His Excellency the President Dr. Alhagi Yahya A. J. J. Jammeh. I believe that we have an important milestone, and that we must achieve greatness in this sector and ensure that Every Gambian is Connected!

Mr. Chairperson

Distinguished participants

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to ITU for providing us with the consultant and I would like to thank the consultant for the job well done in spite of the short time given and agreeing to come and present the draft bill under a very short notice. My special thanks go to the Director General of PURA and his staff in collaborating with DOSCIIT through dedication and provision of resources to make this even a success. TO DOSCIIT staff, I say a big thank you for the achievement so far. My sincere thanks also goes to colleague Secretaries of State here present, particularly The SOS for Justice who have personally put a lot of her time and effort to add on her professional inputs to this bill. I also thank the legal drafts woman for cooperating with my staff to work on this bill.

Last but by no means the least my sincere appreciation is extend to CEO of NCC and his staff for coming all the way from Abuja , Nigeria to support our ICT bill legislative process.

Mr. Chairperson

When I look around the hall, I see persons of high caliber, merit and integrity, from radio, tv, internet service providers, policy makers, journalists, mass media experts, engineers, legislators, security personnel, lawyers, chair of boards, etc. I have no doubt in my mind that we would have fruitful deliberations during this validation workshop to come up with a document we can collectively own to galvanize the present and future ICT industry in the Gambia .

Mr. Chairperson

Distinguished participants

Ladies and Gentlemen

It is my honour to declare this important workshop open and I wish you fruitful deliberations and success in your work.

I thank you for your attention.