GTA boss frowns on illegal structures

Written by Sanna Jawara 
 
Kaliba Senghore, Director-General of the Gambia Tourism Authority (GTA), has said proprietors of illegal structures have been able to take over areas in the Tourism Development Area (TDA).

Mr. Senghore made these remarks at the opening ceremony of a one-day Regulatory Workshop held last Friday, at the Senegambia Beach Hotel.
Mr. Senghore noted that, unfortunately, at present there is sufficient provision in the GTA Act, to enable the GTA evict such trespassers or licenses acting in breach of licenses or acting illegally. This responsibility falls on the Department of Physical Planning and Housing, under the Department of State for Local Government and Lands.

The GTA boss added that there has been a perennial problem caused by the illegal erection of tourism structures which, he noted, usually fall into two categories, such as those that have been authoritised by the tourism department as temporary structures and those that have not been authorised at all by anyone. 
He reminded the gathering that the purpose of the workshop is to address the urgent need for draft regulations as required under the GTA Act.

Mr. Sheikh Tijan Nyang, Co-ordinator of Tourism Development Master Plan at the Gambia Tourism Authority (GTA) presented a paper on tourism master plan study, funded by the African Development Bank (ADB), in collaboration with the government of The Gambia. He also harped on the lack of strategic planning, building regulations and detailed zoning of areas designated for tourism development, among others.
Mr. Nyan hinted on the numerous challenges for tourism authority, such as tourism development framework, environment management, specific action plan, etc.
 
The one-day workshop, organised by GTA was co-ordinated by Dr Kathy Annp-Brown, Legal Adviser at the Commonwealth Secretariat, UK and Mr. Clive Barrowman.