In line with the strategic policy objectives of
Pillar- one of the Agenda for Prosperity, which focuses on sustainable
ecotourism development in the tourism industry, Island Aid Sierra Leone and Planning
Green Futures Charitable Trust, UK with support from Baobab Trust, UK decided
to embark on Island ecotourism development project on Tasso Island, which in
the long run would be extended to the other islands (Bonthe, Tiwai, Turtle, Plantain
and the Ramsar Sites), as islands being the drivers for sustainable tourism
development.
To actualize such a novel initiative, and with
the support from Baobab Trust UK, an ecotourism camp that accommodates over
twenty guests per night, was built on Tasso Island, under the Tasso Ecotourism
Project, which official opening held on Friday 24th March 2017. The occasion
attracted representatives from International partners, United Kingdom,
International and local NGOs, like the Royal Society for the Protection of
Birds (RSPB), Wetland International, Sierra Leone Conservation Society; MDAs,
National Protected Area Authority, Monument and Relics Commission,
Environmental Protection Agency, Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, National
Tourist Board, Air Travel agencies, Travel Sierra Leone, Radisson Blu Travel,
Island Community stakeholders, Cultural and traditional
heads, Tasso Island Community Trust, Island Aid and representatives from the sister
islands along the Ramsar sites of the Sierra Leone River Estuary. The event was
climaxed by Sierra Leonean and British cultural performances that gave the
unique richness of island cultural diversity.
This project is however a
community-based eco-tourism development on Tasso Island, in the Sierra Leone
River Estuary. It is supported by an international charitable organisation, the
Baobab Trust, UK, working in partnership with Island Aid Sierra Leone.
The concept, project design and
management leadership is provided by Planning Green Futures International (UK)
which has a local office in Freetown (PGF-SL Ltd) established in 2012. This company prepared the Government’s new
Eco-Tourism Policy (currently being promoted by the Ministry of Tourism and
Cultural Affairs); and Tasso Island is the first area to benefit directly from
the policy. And it is therefore expected that the Ministry of Tourism and
Cultural with other line MDAs will support this project to positively impact
the lives of the Island communities on Tasso Island and the sister islands
along the Ramsar sites; and also provide peculiar healthy environment and
hospitality for both national and international visiting tourists.
The occasion was fully attended by people in
the Tasso Island community and Sister islands along the Rokel and Bankasoka
rivers who saw the project as a relief of their economic and social burden,
being abandoned and deprived locations of the basic social amenities even
thought with the rich biodiversity potentials in the islands that can transform
their lives livelihood.
The ceremony was chaired by Mr. Harry
Mustapha, Island development consultant who has varied experience in community
development and project design. He gave an overview of the event and talked on
Island resilience as a drive for sustainable ecotourism development; he also
re-echoed that for the project to succeed, every effort must be made by the Tasso
Island community, international developments agencies and government through
its line MDAs to support the programme, which objective was development
oriented against the ills of economic disillusionment and island myth.
Mr. Dura Koroma, Executive Director, Island
Sierra Leone and Board Director, Tasso Ecotourism project, in line with Mr.
Mustapha's view, also gave a cursory
remark on the policy objective of the project, which he said came about as a
result of clarion call by the president, Dr Ernest Bai Koroma, to promote
tourism development in the country; and that Tasso ecotourism Project (TEP) could
be seen as a demonstration case for Pillars one of the agenda for prosperity,
which he said escalated the initiative of sustainable tourism development; and
islands being key support drivers to actualize such an objective.
To register their support for the project, representatives
from the line MDAs, Viz, Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Ms Isatu
Rogers made her contributions on effective island fisheries management that
could promote ecotourism development, which seen as community based; Mr. Smith,
EPA also talked on environmental health and biodiversity protection, which he
said would provide a safe haven for touristic attraction and ecotourism
development;this was also reiterated by Dr. Sheku Kamara, Sierra Leone
Conservation Society who was accompanied by Mr. Andy from the Royal Society for
the Protection of the Birds (RSPB). He made reference to his organization’s
strategic policy objectives on environmental management, conservation of nature
and preservation of life, which have hugely created proactive and innovative solutions
to wetland conservation, which task he said could not be done in isolation but
by collective responsibility and total commitment to create a healthy
environment, as safe haven to attract ecotourism development in the islands. He
however assured Island Aid, Baobab Trust and the Tasso island community of his
support in enhancing the intended goals and vision of the project.
He elaborated on wildlife and
biodiversityprotection, which can ensure a resilient island and healthy
environment for tourist attractions; he also emphasized on the need for
community participation with genuine commitment for the project to be a
success. Other speakers included representatives from Monument and Relics
Commission, Visit Sierra Leone, Radisson Blu, Environmental protection Agency
(EPA) and island community representatives from Tasso Island Community Trust,
Kakim Island, Pepel Island;and Community Women Coalition on Island development
and friends of Island.
Key community stakeholders, Mr. Alhaji M S
Kargbo and Mohamed Margai informed the Tasso Island community that the
ecotourism project in the island was an opportunity they should consider as
their baby that needed domestic and development orientations;and lay the
foundation for its sustainability as a going concern, which benefit could also
be enjoyed even by posterity.
Also a key community women’s activist, Mamusu
Kabia, re-echoed the role of women in promoting island ecotourism development,
especially in the areas of culture, weaving, arts and craft and micro farming, which
could provide a market outlet to supply food items,local wooden carvings and
others to the project.Also, Madam Fatmata J.S from Pepel admonished the
islanders that this project came to stay and to transform the lives of the
islanders in not only Tasso island but also the other sister islands; and that
from every indication, Baobab Trust, UK intended to expand its development
portfolios to other areas like Tiwai and Bonthe islands.
The occasion was both a launch and
celebration, climaxed by cultural and traditional performances; children sports
meet, boat race between the UK oarsmen and the islanders. The events really
gave a unique picture of cultural mix (British and Sierra Leone islanders) and
social jamboree of varied events that insatiably enticed the guests. It was a
smash and blast; an enticing event, which social nectar provided an unlimited
receptive hospitality.
The launch really promoted the Pillar one
objective of the agenda for prosperity, especially in the area of Island
ecotourism development, which was seen to create a systematic progressive
growth impact in the tourism industry and the economy as a whole, which will
also have a related impact of the growth rate of the economy and gross domestic
product.
It is
therefore expected that the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs and other
related line MDAs that promote sustainable tourism development, environmental
health and biodiversity protection will support the project; that even the
travel agencies and hotel managements also have to embrace this initiative for
mutual benefit that can strengthen guarantee the sustainable futurity of the
tourism industry,to positively impact on the economy.
The Tasso Community Stakeholders, with
specific reference to the Chiefs, Pa Alimamy Kanu and Pa Komrabai Turay, Oku
Town, Tasso Island, who expressed a surge of appreciation for the pioneering
effort of Island Aid, to have the project implemented on Tasso Island; and also
for the proactive intervention of Planning Green Futures with support from
Baobab Trust, UK to launch the project, which affirmed their commitment to
transform the social and economic priorities of the island, in the areas of
ecotourism development, community infrastructure development, social and
economic needs gap intervention and others.
Mr. Peter Nelson, Chairman Baobab Trust, UK
and Managing Director, Planning Green Futures Charitable Trust, UK, who designed
and developed this project with support from Island Aid Sierra Leone, re-affirmed
his commitment on same, island ecotourism development and environmental health,
which Tasso Island happened to be the first beneficiary; and that with the potential
economic viability expected in the implementation of the project, the Tasso
island community would benefit immensely.He however noted that Tasso Island is
a unique environment that is strategically located, at close proximity to Bunce
Island; and with historic value and importance as far back as the colonial day
of the slave trade, used to be a transit depot for slaves ready to be conveyed
to Europe, America and Caribbean but however neglected and deprived of the
basic social facilities; and this project would at least address the island’s
social and economic problems with collaborative partnership and genuine
commitment of purpose to create a change. He also noted that the ecotourism
project was just the beginning of his organisation’s and international
partners’ development Agenda for the island; other focus areas on intervention
included Mango factory, Rain water harvest and infrastructure development.
He reminiscenced the islanders and other key
stakeholders about the long delay in the manifestation of their dreams, which have
now come to pass, which an opportunity could cushion their economic and social burden,
as the project had provided employment opportunities for the youths; and the
income earned could ameliorate the social and economic lives and also other
people within the island. He also said that the eco-camp could provide
accommodation for up to 30 resident visitors, set in forest above a sand beach
on the southern shore of the Island; and that Day visitors from Freetown would
be able to enjoy its facilities and a 60 seat restaurant, which would offer
local cuisine and seafood prepared to international standards by specially
trained staff from the island. He also
mentioned that the camp would rely on solar power, rainwater harvesting and
compost toilets in order to minimize all environmental impacts and that
Visitors would be transported to the camp in a purpose-built 30 seater
sea-going canoe, the “GLADI-GLADI” named to celebrate the Country’s recovery from Ebola, to commemorate
those who gave their lives and to mark a new beginning for the Island, which is
part of the City of Freetown and one of its most neglected and impoverished
quarters.
Highlighting the direction of the project by
various speakers and the possible short and long term interventions by both
Island Aid and Planning Green Futures with support from Baobab Trust, the
occasion was officially opened by Mr. Umaru Woody, Project and Development
Officer, National Trust Board followed by the typical traditional dedication done
by the Tasso Island Chiefs, Pa Alimamy Kanu, Pa Komrabai and Ya Posseh Kamara.
Mr. Umaru Woody lauded the effort of
Planning Green Trust and Island Aid Sierra Leone for the progressive pace in
their development strives, which he said seemed very spectacular, regarding the
emerging and inherent challenges; and also noted that his organisation, the
statutory body promoting and marketing the tourism industry would support the
project with the necessary technical and professional needs.
Mr. Peter Nelson, in response to the
various speakers, re-affirmed the project’s commitment and effective/standard
service delivery facilities to be provided to guests/tourist; and that they
would have regular trips or excursion or expedition to Bunce Island and
Pulunmant on Tasso, where the ancestors of perhaps as many as 15% of today’s
Americans were incarcerated in British forts during the slave trade; other
exciting opportunities would be cultural exchanges, canoe rides through
mangrove forest, walking tours, travel to Gola Forest, Turtle and Sherbro
Islands, the Loma Mountain and other attractions around the country.
In registering the commitment of the
Freetown City Council and the Central Government, the Councillor Constituency
97, Ward 348, Mr. Abu Bakarr Kamara reiterated with great emphasis on the
priorities of the government on tourism development as pillar one of the agenda
for prosperity, especially on Tasso Island, which he said was a virgin area to
tap the richness of nature that could accelerate the growth machinery of the
economy; that would provide alternative domestic income to cushion major
capital outlays undertaken by the council or the government as the case may.
He also pointed out that the location
of the project was not outside his administrative purview as a councillor, and
that what he had seen would be conveyed to the authorities for necessary
supportive interventions that would sustain the project; and that the absence
of the other key government officials was not deliberate; it was as a result of
the fact that the date of the occasion coincided with that of the National
Youth Conference on Port Loko, which attracted national attention within the
political circle.
Mr. Abu Bakarr Kamara also admonished
the islanders with specific reference to the key community stakeholders whose
decision and actions,he said determined their social and economic prosperity, and
which must be taken with genuine commitment and patriotic interest. He
emphatically reiterated that the project would hugely benefit the Tasso island
community, which needed to be given the required support; and that with maximum
level of sincerity, commitment and dedication, it would attract other
development corridors, to address other key needs like Youth and Empowerment Skills
Training, Agricultural development, improved fishing activities and Island Cooperative Societies.
Mr. Harry Mustapha, commended Mr.
Peter Nelson and Island Aid Sierra Leone for this novel initiative of island
ecotourism development, will create in social and economic lives in the island.
He noted that the chalets that shall accommodate guests/tourists have standard
facilities, hygienically suitable with receptive hospitality; and the restaurants
would provide visitors with varied delicious African and continental dishes.
The Project Manager, Ms Patience
Davies who has varied experience in hotel and restaurant management vowed to provide
guests and visiting tourist with splendid hospitality, viz, accommodation and
daily meal and refreshment.
In making a closing remark, Mr. Peter
Nelson assured the Tasso Community that the project would be implemented in
line with the proviso of the terms and conditions of the agreement/Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU), which would be respected to the fullest. This was
followed by cultural performance, musical concert and celebrations that showed
a sign of appreciation. Notwithstanding the inherent challenges, the occasion
was however a success, as the intended purpose was achieved; and the Chief, Pa Komrabai
Turay called on the government through the line MDAs to support the Island’s
development agenda.
Dura Koroma
Executive Director
Island Aid Sierra Leone
+23279458328
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