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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
 Posted - 09 Jan 2007 : 15:00:51
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A five star hotel is going to be built in Juffure. On the surface it looks all well and good. But I'm just wondering with increased visitors being concerntrated in the area. Will they overtime destroy what they are coming to see? After a ten year absence from Juffure visiting James Island it was noticeable how much the Island had shrunk. Is there going to be a land reclaiming project to save the island from sinking?
The influx of tourism to Juffure has potential for stimulating Juffure's local economy, but what assurances can government give that Bumsterism and Prostitution won't erode villagers way of life? How much jobs are anticipated to be created to cater for the increase visitors to James Island? Will private and public investors ensure that local motorised canoes are brought up to specification with proper life saving equippment without them being made casualities by private boats owned by Non Gambians?
The Daily Observer has already commended the government on this venture but they have failed to demonstrate to through quoting from an Environmental Impact Assessment of the project has been carried. There fore leading one to presume that it hasn't. Otherwise the newspaper would of included some relevant figures. This project has been in the pipeline for a few years now. After consultating with some of the local people in Juffure last year, they informed me that the boat service they offer receives no funding. That they don't receive benefits from the Roots Festival whatsoever and have to compete with boats from elsewhere. Because bascially Roots is a private business capitalising on Alex Haley's book and serialisation. It is a private venture aimed at making a few individuals rich off of the misery and suffering of our African Ancestors.The promotion and advertising of the Roots Festival is a farce and shambles it has continued fail to reach the Diaspora and friends interested in participating in the event through petty egotistical politics completely sidelining the principal for common good at through its disfunctional administrators. Failing to live up to its potential through lack of planning, funding and organisation. Decentralisation is the buzz word being used, let me put it this way it is nothing but "cut and paste palagarism" because in practice the five star hotel will be an extention of Gambian Experience cartel.
Don't get me wrong I'm pleased with the development happening on the North Bank but wouldn't it also be prudent to build a hotel in Barra as well, and start distributing the wealth a bit more. The landowners of the Juffure development will prosper through their golden handshake of prized land but it remains to be seen if Juffure and surrounding areas will actually benefit from the venture. Because if the Roots Festivals organisation since 2000 is anything to go by then this development will be a white elephant.
As James Island and Juffure are world heritage sites the conservation and preservation of the island is paramount that's why it's important that proper EIA is undertaken to see whether or not the Island can cope with increased capacity.
I think it's about time the Daily Observer gives us some indepth analysis on issues instead of deciding for readers whether this is a feather in the governments cap or not. Just to curry favor with the President. I am sure like everyone else he would want to see a successful project, after all wasn't Jammeh's speech made farcal last year with the huge failure of Roots which was supposed to be a magnamous event. Yes apologists would make the filmsy excuse that it was overshadowed by the AU Summit, on the surface a plausible excuse. But those behind the scenes know it failed because of the egos of key players who were drawing handbags at dawn. Having had two years to plan the event crashed landed before it was a given a chance to take off because of lack of transparency, teamwork and accountability. Time and time again Jammeh is used as fall guy. Sometimes one wonders if the Presidents has a clue what is happening in his Tourism and Culture Departments, with lame ducks roosting on their nests in overseas posts.
My question is has the necessary research been undertaken to assess what the needs of the local people are and what benefits are they really going to gain in reality? Whether or not their quality of life will be preserved and if their standard of living will increase. What is certain that the Private investors know if they market the product right their bank balances will be considerably better but is that going to improve the lives of local the residents or will in ten years will they priced off of their land?http://allafrica.com/stories/200701081169.html
Peace
Sister Omega
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Peace
Sister Omega |
Edited by - Sister Omega on 09 Jan 2007 15:26:02 |
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2007 : 15:40:57
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i agree, if they try to build this it will become a white elephant, fixing the roads would help, better local transport also. agree about barra. gambia could be help the tourist visitor by having good road signs, have you tried to make your way to some of the major villages without lcal guides. a lot of money went to jurfreh during the roots heyday, and where did it go
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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2007 : 22:47:04
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You are right Jambo, Good road signs are needed right across Gambia, coupled with more traffic lights and Zebra Crossings as more motorists take to the road. Good question about Roots money. No money was made available to promote Roots overseas last year. The Roots Foundation disappeared in 2002 with 90m Dalasis leaving no money to promote Roots. Roots promotion aboard has been dependent on the goodwill of its voluntary committee with no financial support or no mandate to raise funds due to administration petty politics i.e no business plan and insufficient funding to adequately promote the festival in the UK in 2006. Even though at the beginning of 05 the UK Committtee were enthuastic but fell apart due to obstructive tactics which became a waste of both time and energy. This was a great loss of potential for the success of the event because there is a demand for cultural tours from amongst the African Diaspora and others interested in Roots.
The whole event was a shambles with many of the events being cancelled. Roots fell far below expectations of both Gambian Traders in the Tourist Sectors, Pilgrims and Committed members of the Event. It's primary weakness was lack of cohesion and prominent individuals put there interests above everyone elses through divide and rule tactics. The irony is that the same senario will probably reoccur if failures aren't identified and rectified.
However in the past 10 years there has been some visible developments in Juffurehi.e Cultural Museum, a Roots Sculpture, map of the area, sign posts in Fort James etc. There is a need for road improvements and more facilitates for the local population.
Basically with a better thought out planning to stage a holistic Roots Festival which would be inclusive at a National and International level Roots could elevate itself as a prominent festival like Panafest in Ghana, Nottinghill Carnival etc. With better organisation funding and real teamwork.
Peace
Sister Omega |
Peace
Sister Omega |
Edited by - Sister Omega on 10 Jan 2007 22:55:07 |
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Seeno
7 Posts |
Posted - 06 Feb 2007 : 11:25:16
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| Five star hotel in juffureh may sound welcoming but what is it that warrants a five star hotel in that village when roots is moved to Kanili, James island fading away because the tourism department can't be asked to preserve such an inportant historical site. even the kinteh family and the children of jufureh are now turned to beggers because of the negligence of the tourism department. |
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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
Posted - 06 Feb 2007 : 15:09:40
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Well I presume the land has been sold off to private investors who are trying to capitalise on the suffering of millions of enslaved Africans who were forcible transported from Fort James for 350 years. They are probably working in collaboration with Tour Operators to bring in tourists to the area and the villagers of Juffureh can pick up the crumbs from the table.
Yes you're absolute right to think that the villagers have missed out on capitalising on Roots revenue.The event has become a complete shambles through like of organisation, teamwork and funding. The orginial concept was good but it has failed to develop in a sustainable way. No event can succeed when people refuse to cooperate with each other. |
Peace
Sister Omega |
Edited by - Sister Omega on 06 Feb 2007 15:13:39 |
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 07 Feb 2007 : 12:14:15
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| i am not if the villagers and the roots family missed out, in the beginning the americans came in their hundreds and left money for schools and a clinic what happened, now it is a shambles, but the they could have built a hotel at the very start of the Roots interest, what happened |
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toubab1020
12314 Posts |
Posted - 07 Feb 2007 : 12:34:10
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quote:
Originally posted by Sister Omegabr]
Don't get me wrong I'm pleased with the development happening on the North Bank but wouldn't it also be prudent to build a hotel in Barra as well, and start distributing the wealth a bit more.
Sister, in relation to the above paragraph,about 3 years ago there was a hotel built in Barra, a splendid small place with much local craftswork with statues and pictures,I looked around the hotel in the latter stages of its construction,this was the idea of a man I think from Talinding who had his own buisness and made quite a lot of money he saw the potential of Barra,when the hotel was nealy ready he died of a "stomach problem" rumor has it that his brother then took over trying to complete the hotel,he also unfortunatly is rumoured to have died also of "a stomach problem" eversince then the nearly finished hotel has been locked,have you heard this story and is it true? if not why did the hotel not open?
The condition of the only other hotel in Barra opposite the famous groundnut store,is VERY poor,I won't say more!
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 08 Feb 2007 21:51:56 |
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