Folks, yet another testimony to the inconceived government policies. For
once let us listen to our customers. It is government policies that is
killing the tourist industry. Please read on. Culled from Foroyaa
DUTCH COUPLE PETITION SOS FOR TOURISM
Jaap and Mary Zwirs, a Dutch couple have expressed dissatisfaction with what
they described as the continuous discrimination of Gambians in their own
country. The couple also stated that they are afraid Gambians will start
hating Tourist.
In a Petition addressed to the Secretary of State for Tourism, the couple
made it categorically clear that their letter represents the view of the
following European Union Families, Boenders, De Groot, Ward, Van Rijn, Van
Tongen, Bezemer, Horbach, Kapteijn, Wood and Zwirs, all of whom visited the
Gambia once or more times. They said whilst on board the aero plane which
brought them to the Gambia they were informed that all the Beach Bars have
disappeared and that anybody with a black skin was driven away from the
beach, like cattle on a regular bases.
“We found this very hard to believe. After arriving in the hotel, we did
not unpack our suitcases, we went first to the beach to have a look there.
We were shocked by the truth. For many other guest and us this is not
anymore the “Smiling Coast” but the “Crying Coast” of the Gambia, they
posited.
According to the couple, the worst thing was, when looking to their right,
they saw no single person from the Gambia and all the people they saw were
whites. Looking at their left, they saw a Policeman driving away all black
people in front of them.
“At that moment, in our opinion, it was discrimination and segregation, and
that also carried by inhabitants of their own country. Oh! Why did I miss
my camera at that time? They remarked.
The couple pointed out that a few days later, they learned that not every
Policeman considered driving black people in the beach his task. They said
blacks and whites should not be separated. The Petition also went further
to say that the couple admitted seeing a mixture of black and white
regularly.
“The beach belongs to the Gambian people and we the European people, must be
happy that we are allowed to enjoy ourselves there. Without prescribing to
you how if should be done, we are afraid of the consequences if this
situation continues”, they stressed
The couple also stated that they often hear from their fellow tourists from
Belgium, Holland and Britain that they will not return to The Gambia. They
further stated that they enjoyed themselves in the beach bars and highly
appreciated small talk on the beach with local men and women. They argued
that the lack of interaction with the local people is making tourist feel as
if they are on a European beach.
“The second issue is, what we and many others fear is that Gambians will
start hating the white people and with a very good reason, in their point of
view, they are driven away from their beaches by the white people. This is
definitely not true, it is the responsibility of your Ministry. This is
totally not understandable to us. When this is done in response to
complaints by white people, those white people should not come to the Gambia
at all”, they emphasized.
They pointed out that there is more than enough information in the travel
guides about the vision, values and habits of the Gambian people. “Of
course there may have been some problems concerning the mentioned bars, but
is closing them all the solution? When one makes a mistake, not all the
others should be suffering from it, especially not in favour of the richer
people. Does one of the still existing beach bars have a connection? So he
has the monopoly now”, they remarked.
They asked whether the demolition of beach bars is done partly due to
complaints of hotel owners (who are not Gambians and have forgotten to share
with each other), because they are missing a little turnover. The Couple
said the first time they visited the Gambia, they stayed in Palma Rima for
Three Weeks, noting that they visited the Gambia seven times. They noted
that in previous holidays, they used to go for a walk over the beach to
Palma Rima and further at least four times.
“That was a small party every time. As soon as we wanted to drink
something, that’s possible with small talk and a joke. On the way to Palma
Rima, we regularly ordered our dinner, every time at a different bar, either
chicken or fish. On the way back in the late afternoon, the bar people used
to show us that everything was fresh and we had dozens of delicious meals in
one of the bars, without any negative consequences”, the posited.
According to the couple, there were a lot of bumpsters and hustlers during
their first visit to the Gambia, but that did not prevent them from
returning here, noting that the number of bumpsters and hustlers reduced
during their second visit to the Gambia. The couple stated that during
their last visit to the country, the beaches were totally abandoned, noting
that there was nothing to do at the beaches. They posited that before,
there were always a lot of people on the beaches, Gambians and Europeans.
They said the beach is too long to walk without drinks and so one has to
take with him/her if he/she want to stroll on the beach.
“The water is bought in the supermarkets; the owners are not Gambians so the
money is leaving the country”, they remarked.
The couple said the results of the beach bar demolition exercise and the
continuous harassment of Gambians around the Tourism Development Area are as
follows:
1. The beach bar people missed their little income, what stays in
the Gambia, they are now walking as bumpsters at the restaurants.
2. Drinks are bought at a non Gambian owned supermarket, money
leaving the country. Guests stay in and around their hotels, which are not
owned by Gambian people.
3. Policemen drive only black people away from the beach. This
is discrimination.
4. The possibility of creating hate against white people and the
distortion of the tourism to the Gambia. The Gambia cannot do without
tourism.
5. The on going process concerning staying away of the “real”
Gambian visitors.
The couple have informed Foroyaa that they are yet to receive their reply
from the Secretary of State for Tourism.
We shall get in touch with the Secretary of State to get their reaction to
this report.
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