By Momodou Darboe
The Minister of Tourism, Hamat Bah, has described as embarrassing the state of disrepair the family home of Kunta Kinteh is in, 40 years after Alex Hailey’s visit to Juffureh.
Alex Hailey is the author of the incisive, famous and riveting novel-Roots-giving a panoramic view into the tragedies of the trans-Atlantic slave trade that saw millions of Africans ship to the plantations for enforced servitude. Hailey was one of Kunta Kinteh’s great grandchildren.
Whilst embarking on a tour of tourism facilities and sites of cultural heritage across the country, tourism minister Bah on Thursday visited the birthplace of Kunta Kinteh where he expressed disbelief and shock over the derelict state of the structures therein.
“I have observed that lot of things must be done to improve this place [Kunta Kinteh’s home]. This place has taken The Gambia to where money cannot. I think we need to invest here. It is a shame to see this place in this state 40 years after Alex Hailey came here. In my own capacity as tourism minister, we will see what we can do to improve this place,” Bah said.
To minister Bah, the potentials of Juffureh and Albreda as significant slave-trading points have still remained untapped thus depriving locals of employment opportunities and development. He explained that government has started massive investment in the Niumis to unlock the area’s many tourism potentials.
Earlier on Thursday, the tourism minister accompanied by a delegation of senior tourism ministry, Gambia Tourism Board and National Centre for Arts and Culture officials visited the construction site of the DK Jawara Resort in Barra where he was briefed on the progress of the project.
According to the tourism minister, government has set out an ambitious transformation of the North Bank Region into a tourism hub with emphasis on boosting domestic tourism whilst maintaining the country’s international source market.
“As you are aware, President Adama Barrow’s government wants to transform North Bank Region as a tourism hub in our efforts to promote domestic regional tourism,” the tourism minister said.
He stressed that DK Jawara Resort is so dear to President Barrow that he consistently enquires about it.
But the contractor, Fallou Gomez, expressed hope that the project may be fully implemented before November 2021 and that the resort will be complemented by 28 shops, an arena and other sporting facilities to make it attractive and by extension, improve the local economy.
The tourism minister also visited Fort Bullen museum just a stone’s throw from the resort and after being conducted around, emphasized the urgency for NCAC to facilitate the collection of Niumi’s cultural objects, especially those of the Sonko dynasty in consideration of their exploits in the country’s history.
From Barra, the tourism minister and delegation headed to Berending where they were received by apparently elated crowds of women who accompanied them on a nearly one-kilometer trek through bush tracks to the village’s crocodile pool amidst drumming and singing.
The minister said as one of the three crocodile pools in the country, the Berending pool could be an invaluable tourism asset.
“We believe this place can make a difference despite Katchically and Folonco crocodile pools,” Bah explained.
He then recommended the rejuvenation and revitalization of the pool so as to attract more reptiles but NCAC director general, Hassoum Ceesay, informed him of plans for the ritual digging of the pool.
“But because it has lot of spirituality involved, the community has to be involved,” he pointed out.
NCAC boss said Berending crocodile pool is the country’s next hope as a UNESCO heritage site.
After expressing his satisfaction in the hospitality accorded him and delegation by Berending women, Bah and the entourage visited Juffureh Rest House where he frowned upon what, he described, as the sub-standard state of the facility.
“This sub-standard service is not within our standard. Standard is key and we cannot compromise [on] that,” he said.
The minister expressed disenchantment over Juffureh’s derelict craft market as he underlined the need to bolster efforts in giving the community its historical right of place.
And the Chief of Lower Niumi, Momodou Chati Cham and Alkalo of Juffureh, Tako Taal, all concurred, stressing the need for investment in Niumi’s tourism development to spur growth in the area.
On day two of the tour, the ministerial delegation pushed deeper into North Bank Region with a visit to ADWAC Guest House in Kerewan where the minister had constructive discussions with the management on the need to use natural materials in construction for purposes of décor and cost-effectiveness. The minister said he was generally impressed with what he saw there.
“I’m very impressed. This is a good investment,” he enthused.
From ADWAC, the delegation visited Morgan Kunda camp in India before visiting Baobab tourism facility in Illiasa where the tourism minister re-emphasized the need for the utilization of natural materials in construction of such facilities. He said the place, like Morgan Kunda camp, is eco-friendly and ideal for retreat conferencing.
The delegation will on Sunday enter Central River Region as the tour continues.
