By Hassan Alimamy Kamara
The minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Madam Memunatu Pratt, has confirmed that Sierra Leone will play host to the Budapest- Bamako-Freetown rally finish line 2022. She added that the event will be stormed with six hundred (600) participants coming from Europe. She said among the Participants, two hundred and fifty (250) of which will be touring the journey by vehicles to Sierra Leone, whilst the three hundred and fifty (350) will be touring through motorbikes. She continued that the rally will be on the 6th to 8th November 2022.
Explaining further, she highlighted that Kambia will be the entering point of these Participants starting 6th November 2022 to Masiaka town where she said they will spend their nights using tents. On the 7th November 2022, she added that the teams will move to Bureh Beach where she said a beach carnival will be organized in honour of the Participants and or guests. She said this on Thursday 3rd November 2022, at the Ministry of Information and Communications Youyi Building Freetown, during the weekly national press briefing.
In completion of the carnival, madam Pratt intimated that the teams comprised of the vehicles and motorbikes will drive through Waterloo, Up Gun, Kissy Road, Goderich street, Rokel Street, Siaka Stevens Street, Sanders Street, St. John, Savage Street, Congo Cross, Wilkinson Road, Lumley Beach Road, and then will arrive at the finish line, at the Jigibonta Restaurant, Lumley Beach Road, where she said the president of the Republic of Sierra Leone will officially receive them on the 8th November 2022.
Dubbing the event as the “Budapest-Bamako- Freetown Challenge,” said it is the world largest amateur vehicular rally and Africa’s biggest humanitarian event. This she said it is an event aims at actualising president Bio’s vision of making an attractive tourist destination, to create a platform for cultural exchange, facilitate foreign direct investment and provide jobs for the youths, women and other vulnerable groups, she assured. She added that the host means that Sierra Leone is a very hospitable country, and thus said the country is going to be put on the map for hosting such an event.
Emphasizing the suitability of the country in hosting an all important event, madam minister said, “Sierra Leone has what it takes to reach its best destination,” she said. However, she intimated that what is needed to move the country has not been done. She added that they are using tourism today to show all the sectors in the country. “We have what all it takes to make us known,” she stated. On this note, she urged for Sierra Leoneans to appreciate the positive things happening in the country.
Stating the importance of the event, she assured that it will create for revenue mobilization in the country, since the Participants, taking into consideration their number, will all pay taxes in the country. She continued that the festival will be used as a rebranding for the country; and that will showcase that Sierra Leone is a country good to be and visit. She said what is coming is for Sierra Leone and that Sierra Leone should own it. She urged for the country to be given a good image, since many countries want such an opportunity. “Tourism in the world today is a top notch,” she said.
Tourism is no longer that which is relegated, that which is not fit for purpose, but said that image has been changed, since now helps to make urban planning, she explained. However the goodies surrounded with the tourism sector, she said they are still challenged in trying to change the narrative. The climate change which has been a global phenomenon is a big challenge for them, the seaweeds, said affecting the beauty of the beaches. This she said due to poor drainage system in the country, the habit of people dumping their waste in the drainage and of course no proper mechanism of waste disposal. To salvage such a situation, she mentioned that joint partnership should be considered. She ended by say that they are putting mechanisms in place to transform these seaweeds into fertilizer and other usable things.
