Communications

Telephone

Country Code: +220. There are telecentres in the major towns but these are under threat from mobiles. The connection is generally good in main urban centres.

Mobile Telephone

Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is good around Banjul and most other towns, but patchy in remote rural areas.

Internet

Email can be accessed in internet cafes in major towns, where the connection is generally reliable but slow.

Media

State-run Gambia Radio and Television Service (GRTS) broadcasts tightly-controlled news that is heavily pro-government. Private media are severely restricted, with radio stations and newspapers having to pay large licence fees. The government operates the only national television station, Gambia Television; Premium TV Network is a private satellite channel. Radio Gambia transmits programmes in English and local languages.

A media bill passed in March 2002 was considered a threat to press freedom. The law set up a commission whose powers range from issuing licences to jailing journalists. In 2004, further legislation was introduced allowing for jail terms for journalists found guilty of libel or sedition. The assassination in 2004 of Deyda Hydara, an editor at The Point newspaper opposed to President Jammeh and one of the press law’s leading critics, further raised the stakes. Daily Observer and The Point are daily newspapers in English whilst The Independent and Foroyaa are bi-weekly.

Post

The postal service can be slow and unreliable; letters are generally ok but parcels and larger items frequently get lost. The main post office is on Russell Street, Banjul.Mon-Thurs 0800-1215 and 1400-1600, Fri 0830-1215 and 1430-1630, Sat 0830-1215.