By Kebba Ansu Manneh
The devastating impact of Covid-19 is continued taking shape in the Gambia’s tourism industry barely one year after major travel restrictions have been lifted and hotel businesses steadily picking up after two long years closure of the industry.
The situation has left many hotels and other tourism establishments in dilemma as they are wallowing in anguish pain against the backdrop of not meeting tax obligations, maintenance and operational cost that will not allow smooth return to normal tourism business.
Latest information gathered by this medium has revealed the auctioning of Badala Park hotel as a result of court judgment delivered in favour of KMC, adding that Sand Beach hotel, Fajara hotel, Mansea hotel and Seaview hotel are also grinding it out with the biggest Municipality in the Gambia after court judgments have been delivered against them.
“I can confirm that Badala Park hotel is up for sell by the Sheriff Division of the High Court after a judgment delivered in favour of KMC. I can also confirmed that judgment has been delivered in the matter of KMC vs Sand Beach hotel, Mansea Hotel, Fajara Hotel and Seaview Hotel, these hotels have reached an agreement for a payment plan,” an anonymous official disclosed to this medium.
According to the source that revealed this, “KMC has been following these hotels well before the coronavirus pandemic but they never adhere to make any payment.
Their noncompliance with their rates payment compelled Council to Institute legal actions that were delivered in its favour.
More so, the source added, all efforts to recover rates arrears from Badala Park Hotel even after court judgment failed, warranting the Sheriff Division to proceeds with the auctioning of the hotel. Added, the other hotels in crisis with the Council have started making payments to avoid auctioning of their hotels.
Another source, closed to the Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard) confirmed the development, observing that many more hotels are expected to face similar charges after been found wanting for tax defaults.
And the failure of hotels to meet tax obligations is largely due to the negative impacts of Covid-19 most of these hotels have not been making any serious business since the stroke of the global pandemic without any contingency plan from either by hotels or the tourism authorities. “I am afraid by the time banks started running after the hotels and other tourism facilities the industry will be doomed.”
The auctioning of these hotels is a wake-up call to the tourism authorities who by now should not be only comfortable in their offices when hotels risk been sold at the cheapest prices,” our source expressed his fears amid closure of hotels.
The Voice Newspaper reached out to the management of these hotels to shed light on this development but such efforts proved futile as both managers at Badala Park and Seaview Hotels declined to make comment on the matter.
Marion Nyang, Executive Secretary, Gambia Hotel Association also failed to delve into the matter when contacted but only promising to get back to this medium but to no avail.
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