By Alieu Amara Suwu
The National Tourism Board of the Republic of Sierra Leone has commenced demolition exercises at the Lumley-Aberdeen beach views.
This action was initially prompted by a statement by the General Manager of the National Tourism Board of Sierra Leone, Fatmata Mida Hamid Carew, a few weeks ago, where she stated that there was a need to decongest the beach to ascertain clear access to the beach offshore. It was clear in her statement that the National Tourism Board and the Ministry of Tourism had thought about this and had accepted to carry on with the process of demolition along the beach.. Fast forward to the commencement of this demolition exercise. The concern of the public is the process that determines the condition under which a beach bar can be demolished.
Speaking to the Communication Manager of the Board, Kai Bockari Saquee, he said that there were initial guidelines given to beach bar owners during their application stages, as it was clearly stated that the board only gives temporary permits for the construction of beach bars at the beach. He furthered that a building plan was also issued to beach bar owners to guide their construction. He said the beach bar owners should ensure that they give road access to the beach and that they remove all their excretion storage facilities connected to the beach to prevent pollution. He also stated that it is very clear in the application form that the construction of a two-story building is prohibited along the beach.
Speaking on the number of structures they have demolished, Saquee stated that they have demolished about 45 to 50 structures, saying that the demolition process has been segmented into six phases, and they are only in the second phase of this exercise.
Responding to the issue of political undertone in the exercise, Saquee stated that there is no political interest in the operation, a process he said has been carried on over the years. “During the tenure of any minister, he or she determines the status of beach bars at the beach view,” he said.
Speaking to an affected person about this exercise, Denis Smith, owner of a beach bar at the Lumley beach, he said that he was uninformed about such an exercise on his investment, notwithstanding his total compliance with the guidance of the board, as his structure serves as a guideline for every newly constructed beach bar at the Aberdeen beach.
According to Smith, his understanding is that he was once approached by the Director of Cultural Affairs at the National Tourism Board to give up some portion of his land to him in exchange for a permanent stay permit at the beach, which he refused. He stated that ever since his refusal, there has been a strain in the in the relationship between himself and the director, Mohamed Jalloh. He said he claimed that the director was responsible for the demolition of his investment.
An attempt was made to reach out to Director Jalloh to have his own side, but it was unsuccessful.
Speaking to the Chairman of the Aberdeen Lumley Beach Bars, John Donald Sandy, he said the Board, to some extent, engaged owners of beach bars, and they were even told to re-do their structures by a certain deadline. He said that after that, the board had no option but to demolish defaulters. Speaking on the issue of policy, Sandy said that the beach needs a policy guideline that is inclusive, and the word “temporary” needs more interpretation to prevent such a situation on the beach wherein people will invest hugely and later have their structure demolished. On the impact on the lives of people affected, Sandy said that it is a difficult moment for them as beach bar owners, stating that the beach, in recent years, has been a hub for enjoyment by Sierra Leoneans, but with such exercise going on, it will disrupt business at the beach.
