Kaliba Senghore, Director General of the Gambia Tourism Authority, has disclosed that his institution is owed D5 million in dues within the Tourism Development Area (TDA). Mr Senghore made this statement on Wednesday 4th October 2006, during the Tourism Stakeholders Conference at the Kairaba Beach Hotel. Some stakeholders expressed concern and urged the GTA to reinforce its licensing department in order to curb illegal operations in the TDA.

According to Mr Senghore, the sum should be paid in order to enable the institution to carry out its functions effectively. He then stressed that the authority will not allow illegal operations within the TDA.

One Pa Abdou Sarr, one of the stakeholders at the conference said the D18, 000 annual levy on beach bars and fees that are paid to other institutions is making it difficult for beach bar operators to function. “The sums involved are making it difficult for beach bar owners to settle, because tourism is seasonal in the country. Beach bar owners are finding it difficult to even raise enough funds to pay their staff”, he stated.

He then suggested a tourism project to help boost the industry, saying this is “long over due”.

Alieu Momar Njie, Chairman of GTA Licensing Committee, said those who fail to regularise their status with the authority will not be permitted to operate.

For her part, Susan Waffa Ogoo, Secretary of State for Tourism and Culture, informed participants that a Tourism Master Plan Studies - supported by the African Development Bank (ADB) - is near completion. She added that the plan will be submitted to government for a final decision, and then urged stakeholders to brainstorm on the report.

She reiterated that government had spent millions of dollars to protect the coastline from erosion.

Bumster menace

Stakeholders lamented numerous incidents involving security impersonators, who chased tourists on the beaches. They then called for concerted efforts to end such act.

Chairing the conference, Ida Sallah, the Permanent Secretary of the Department of State for Tourism and Culture, assured them that her department would forward the matter to the Department of State for Defence for redress.

Lt Gomez, Head of the Tourism Security Unit, accused the beach bar owners of harbouring bumsters on the pretext that they are their employees. He lamented that this attitude towards bumsters poses problem for his men in curbing the menace. Lt Gomez then pointed out that the bumsters are released after 72 hours, because there exaist no law illegalising the practice.