Momodou Olly-Mboge,

Fama's enterprise and success in a male-dominated industry was further
demonstrated when Discovery Tours brought into Banjul as recent as
September/October of last year a Caribbean-style cruise ship which must
have been a first.  There are many other women in the sector competing toe-
to-toe with the likes of Sheikh Tejan Nyang, Batch Faye, Taf and those
folks from Gunjur and Tendaba. For instance, the Local Suppilers Award was
won by The National Women's Farmers Association who should be congratulated
for helping reduce the foreign imports of agricultural produce from
Europe.  I have requested the names of the winners and runners-up from
Sheikh Tejan so that their accomplishments could be acknowledge
d. They all
deserve special mention to encourage them to pursue their dreams and
aspirations in a highly competitive and regulated industry. I agree with
many industry analysts who call for the rationalisation of the tax regime
in the tourism sector, including a total over-haul of the expatriate quota
allocation system and the expatriate tax, despite a D10,000 reduction this
year. In my view, D20,000 per expatriate is still too high. This is my
personal view and not necessarily the official position of government.
Jabou's concern about the lack of financing for local entrepreneurs is a
real problem which will continue to occupy those in the business but there
are facilities such as the IFC, ADB, APDF and other financing and project
preparation facilities specifically created to help small- and medium-size
enterprises. These sources are worth exploring. However, a cautionary note:
Financing facility is one thing C the enabling environment for the private
sector to attract direct foreign investment and to operate without
bureacratic red tape and administrative fiat is something else. I will talk
about the elecricity problem and its effect on industry in general and
tourism in particular, since it was one of the limiting factors raised by
Sheikh Tejan and, I am told, many entrepreneurs and businessmen and women
who participated at last November's Tourism Workshop at the Senegambia.

Momodou, on a more private note, Pap Morro has your e-mail address now and
should be getting in touch as soon as he finds time from work.

Sidi Sanneh


----Original Message Follows----
From: momodou olly-mboge <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list              <GAMBIA-
[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: ASSET SUSTAINABLE TOURISM AWARD
WINNERS 2000
Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2001 16:02:06 -0500

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