Mod, thanks for your response.  We cannot hide our poverty and deplorable
conditions and no amount of crushing is going to take this out of the view
of the tourist.  Why don't we address the underlying cause rather than try
to put a temporary fix on this big economic and social problem?  It does not
make a difference where tourists are begged, whether it is at the airport,
market or hotel.  It is not like they are going to turn around and head back
home when confronted with begging at the airport.  If they stay in that
country for a day, they will see this begging every where, for it is every
where.  There is more begging at Jammeh's residence than in any other place.
  You may say it is a private affair in that case, but it is the tone that
is set at the top.  The very guards at the airport and hotels beg, so why
are we picking on the man in the street?

Mod, there are various reasons why our tourist industry suck and chief among
them is poor leadership.  Our government does not have a workable plan to
build the industry.  What is the condition of the roads from Yundum to Sere
Kunda?  What is the sanitary condition of the neighborhoods once these
tourist leave the airport?  I was recently talking to a African American
Tour Operator that said the number one complain of most tourists that he
brings are the flies, stray animals and their waste that create more flies.
The garbage every where and folks peeing in plain view.  Sewage flooding in
many a streets, etc.  He could not understand why our government is
unwilling to do something about the flies and the sanitation.  He also said
that tourist do not just come to Gambia because of the beaches, but more so
to experience the people and their culture and that you get by mixing and
mingling with the masses.

I say let us address our economic and social problems and we can create a
better environment for our visitors.  Tourism is one of those industries
that you have to spend money in order to make it profitable.  Is the
government paying any attention to the industry and are they investing any
resources to boost the industry?  I think not.  Let us not use the bumpsters
as scapegoats.

Chi Jaama

Joe Sambou




>From: Modou Ceesay <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Beggars or hustlers?
>Date: Mon, 11 Nov 2002 06:09:44 -0800
>
>Yes but the phenominon at the airport is more dangerous because
>it is more than simple begging.  It is the first - and thus most
>lasting - impression that visitors get when the land at Yundum.
>It jeopardizes the industry (tourism) that holds the most potential
>for bringing Euros, Pounds and Dollars into the economy.  The
>Gambia has miles upon miles of beautiful beaches, well-trained
>hotel and restaurant staff, perfect climate from November through
>May, an anbundance of colorful birds, and so on.  All of that
>will be worthless if the experience is ruined by bumsters, and
>yes, that's what these people at the airport are... BUMSTERS.
>If the secretaries of state are serious about crushing the
>bumster phenominon, they need to address it at the airport as
>well as the tourist development areas.
>
>Other African countries do not let people near the terminal or on
>Airport property unless they are in possession of a valid ticket,
>etc.  Why wouldn't that work?
>
>Mod
>
>
>
>--- Joe Sambou <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > Pa Modu, thanks for your observations.  You are absolutely right but
>this is
> > not just happening at the Airport alone.  You see it at the entrances of
> > banks, government offices, commercial venues, markets, etc., and it is
>not
> > restricted to youngsters alone.  You also see adults, male and female.
> > Another phenomenon I observed is the amount of solicitation that go on
>in
> > the offices, by strangers, relatives, girlfriends, you name it.  Pa
>Modu,
> > folks do not have any other options, pure and simple.  The masses of the
> > poor have ballooned to near explosion.  What goes on in that country is
>you
> > have a small group of folks on top of the food chain and the rest are
>just
> > hanging by a thread.  Dependants of this overwhelming majority are
>falling
> > to the bottom daily, because their providers cannot support their
>growing
> > dependant load.  If you have a high drop-out rate, thousands graduating
>from
> > high school yearly, thousands already unemployed, and very very limited
> > employment opportunities, the result is a spill-over in the streets.
>These
> > people have to survive some how and there is no government or social
>service
> > that they can lean on to get back on their feet.  Pa Modu, do you know
>that
> > folks in the diaspora are the ones supporting our crumbling economy?  We
> > fund the school fees, pilgrimages, weddings, hospital stays, and general
> > daily living conditions in that country.  If this was coupled with
> > government initiative to encourage and support a productive base, then
>we
> > would not be talking about this today.  On the contrary this government
>is
> > busy suffocating its citizens.  We are dependant for everything from the
> > outside, including the rice that we can grow in abundance, for heavens
>sake.
> >
> > Most of the basics that we complain about we can produce ourselves in
> > abundance.  Whether it is rice, onions, fish, tomatoes, pepper,
>vegetables,
> > etc., we can produce.  I know some of our fresh folks on this list are
> > jumping up and down asking, why aren't these folks engaging in the
> > production of these consumables.  In response, did Yaya have a farm
>prior to
> > his access to our funds?  No, he did not.  To do these things you need
>land,
> > money, and sacrifice.  The latter we have in abundance.  It is the land
>and
> > financial resource that these folks do not have.  A while back Gassama
>was
> > chiding the booming housing market and was suggesting that this junta
>has
> > something to do with it.  I reminded him that for every 10 houses built,
>9
> > are funded by a diasporan.  Who is putting food on the table during this
> > Ramadan for the majority of our people?  It is not the meager salaries
>that
> > have devalued four fold, but the contributions from Omar, Haddy, and
>Fatou
> > from the outside.  Thus, the reason why every household in our country
>would
> > starve themselves to send a son or daughter abroad.
> >
> > What we see as beggars, hustlers, etc., is the result of poor
>leadership.
> > The devaluation of our dalasi is also the result of poor leadership and
>as
> > you can see, they have no clue how to fix it.  If you want to depend on
> > borrowing for the survival of a nation and you do not put those
>resources
> > into productive activities, but consumption by the few, or to erect
>phantom
> > facades, the result is deeper and deeper in debt and poorer and poorer
>of
> > the masses, which also creates the spill-over effect at the airport that
>you
> > and I see as a nuisance.  For those that wear the shoe it is called
> > survival.  Leadership with a vision will get us out of this vicious
>cycle,
> > and clearly the bunch we have there are neither equipped nor capable of
> > saving the day.
> >
> > Chi Jaama
> >
> > Joe Sambou
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > >From: pa-modu jack <[log in to unmask]>
> > >Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
> > >To: [log in to unmask]
> > >Subject: Beggars or hustlers?
> > >Date: Thu, 7 Nov 2002 06:25:55 -0800
> > >
> > >My recent trip to Gambia left me totally overwhelmed by the number of
> > >youngters begging or try to hustle you  at the Banjul Airport.It is so
> > >embarassing to get that first impression of the second republic at such
>a
> > >meeting place.
> > >I believe many "been tos" have experienced the same thing.I put this
>issue
> > >here so we can find a solution to this grave matter.
> > >Pa-Modu Jack
> > >
> > >
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