KUDOS KHARAFI, KMC.

As readers may have noticed recently, the Daily Observer will take its social responsibility seriously and highlight concerns brought to our doors by ordinary people.

This was the case recently with the KMC market women and Kharafi’s workers. The fact that we put such concerns in the public domain does not mean that claims are proven, nor do we in any way put anyone "in the dock" – so to speak. Our responsibility, after careful consideration, is to say "this is what is claimed by these people". Then it is the responsibility of those in power and authority to address those claims.

We say kudos to Kharafi and KMC. Kharafi is one of the biggest companies in The Gambia now, if not the biggest, and KMC is the biggest municipal authority. Both have taken time to respond fully to concerns and claims aired through the pages of the Daily Observer.

The Daily Observer is a responsible newspaper and we will not publish any silly claims. We certainly will not be used by anyone to settle personal agendas, to make allegations, or to besmirch anyone’s character – company, authority or individuals.

We take responsibility for anything we publish. We strive to ensure that what we publish is not only accurate, but also responsible. It may be accurate to tell the madman with a machete that Jaw Manneh is in that room – but it certainly would not be responsible if the result is that Jaw Manneh ends up injured.

Daily Observer reporters take the matter of accuracy and responsibility seriously and endeavour to be both accurate and responsible in their reporting. But responsibility ultimately rests with the Editor-in-Chief who will take responsibility for everything published in the Daily Observer.

We will always give anyone who wishes a prominent right of reply - and that is as it should be if claims are made and published. Both KMC and Kharafi replied on the front-page of the Daily Observer.

If we publish stories and claims from concerned citizens about any company or public authority, we want the company or public authority to feel that they are able to respond, just as prominently, in the pages of the Daily Observer.

We therefore say well done to both Kharafi and KMC for responding to the concerns of people you serve and work with. And we say to our readers and concerned citizens to feel welcome to bring those concerns to us.

We will certainly put your concerns, responsibly, to those in authority and ask for a response. (Please note: recently we refused to publish claims about a financial company because publishing the claims alone could have killed the company. We directed the complainant to the Central Bank, the regulatory authority).

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