By Lamin Cham
David Sabo Kente, the Chairman of the DSK Group (Gambia), owners of Mansea Beach Hotel, has spoken of good prospects in Gambian tourism, in the wake of the new dispensation.
Speaking to The Standard, chairman Sabo said the tourism industry in The Gambia has now got a greater chance of flourishing under the new free environment as opposed to the past system when the business environment was stifled and faced with harassment.
“We at Mansea have had our own share of the trouble. Our hotel was nearly taken over and turned to a military barrack by the old regime. All because then opposition leader Hamat Bah was part of us,” he explained.
He said fearing reprisals, they had to issue a disclaimer distancing the business from Mr Bah as a strategy to save Mansea Beach Hotel.
“That was a painful way to take but it was a survival tool in the face of potential seizure,” he said.
He added: “That was then but now that the country has emerged from that sad chapter, there are lots of opportunities and we would naturally want to explore means of expanding our business”.
The chairman congratulated and paid tribute to the new Gambia government and the people for achieving the much and long desired freedom and democracy.
