| Author |
 Topic  |
|
ranga
USA
149 Posts |
 Posted - 30 Aug 2006 : 07:02:07
|
timluk, Gambia will become prosperous only by the efforts of Gambians and not by any external help. Therefore, I feel the role of assistance is to serve only as a catalyst, a small one-time help that gets the ball rolling as it were. It is best to reward those that study with further educational assistance. Education lasts a lifetime. Money doesn't. I'm suspicious anytime tour operators are involved with school visits. Many Gambians have legitimate needs, but it is up to you which of those needs you wish to fulfill.
|
T.K. "Ranga" Rengarajan
Founder, Geoseed Project
http://www.geoseedproject.com
|
 |
|
|
Eve
Gambia
344 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2006 : 10:53:50
|
Hi guys, this emission was not to help gambia, was to destroyed the name of Gambia, calling Gambia a male prostitutions destiny, and they are saying that anyone you saw living in a good home or driving a nice car are influence in prostitutions or dealing, as i said, prostitutions is every where in a country, both men & women are prostituting, so why poor Gambia on TV, including the innocents once?
And the more funny is about the marabou in the baobab tree, the white man was hurt and is the carry of horse brought him as a ambulance to the marabou and the marabou cure him and he paid $350 and even can pay with visa card, master card, etc in the baobab tree. FUNNY. I think they have nothing to say about Gambia, only with what those bumters doing. |
gambian |
|
|
|
jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2006 : 15:28:30
|
eve, what you saw on television happens in other countires, but it is hust that gambia is the flavour of the season, it has happened in tunisia, morroco, egypt and the caribbean before. They have to have a negative story, but what is portrayed does happen.
i heard from a friend that the government is clamping down on this sort of thing, a by maing sure that the person who is getting married is a gambian, this is in light of the recent murder,
2 that the european is okay and of sound mind. I think there is a case where a lady was tricked into signing something and her family said she was ot fit to be married, ie mental stable, she had not taken her medication.
The bumsters is another situation, look at the postings on the toursim forum.
|
|
|
|
kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2006 : 18:57:51
|
quote:
Originally posted by ranga
timluk, I don't condone negative stories about Gambia, unless it portrays the reality accurately. It is not a good thing for the image of Gambia. I'm only suggesting that it need not be a point of shame for Gambians at large.
May be you need to tell us who you are. That phrase speaks volumes and is usually made by someone in authority. |
|
|
|
kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2006 : 19:09:50
|
quote:
Originally posted by Alhassan
quote:
Originally posted by kondorong
I believe that Bumpsters are there because there is a demand for them one way or another. If there is no demand, they would have since disappeared. No amount of policing the beach could solve the problem.
Kondorong,
There has never been a demand for Bumsters in the Gambia. They have always been a problem for the turists. The Tour operators are there to employ turist guides. There are many problems involved that we must address. Children instead of going to classes go to bums is not right at all. When I was a teacher in the Gambia, all children who miss classes because of bumstering will have to stay after school for extra studies for 1 week or so. I realy discrouged my students from that. The second thing is who knows the PEDO, or the rapists. The Pedofiles were able to operate in the Gambia because we saw between the fingers when our children follow the turist. There has been a publication from Belgium on this topic. When I was a kid it was very unpopular to "CHINGS" as the word in wollof is. My father used to punish us if he was told or if he saw us following the turists. There have been many problems with the Bumsters. There have been many police cases in Banjul between the turist and the Bumsters. I dont support it and will never encourage it. I am sorry for that Kons.
If you want to rush to the high morale ground that is something else. As to whether the bumpsters are good or bad depends on which side your bread is buttered. Tourist sometimes cut corners to save cost by using unlicensed guides called bumpsters. Rememeber that Gambia does not attract high spending tourists which is a big problem for the sector to improve.
This true fact is what has partly, given rise to demand for bumpsters. In high spending destinations, bumpster problems are negilgent because they pay through tour operators and worry little about bills.
I am not condonig bumspters, but we have to admit that there is a demand for their services by some visitors. Partly because the industry did not cater for the needs of some tourist who like to venture local rather than through tour operators, that they also became relevant. However, they are now training licensed guides stationed at various hotels for this kind of service. The damage has alrady been done due to being reactive rather than proactive. However, its better late than never. Mr. senghore is doing a fine job, and i hope he continues the trend.
Unfortunately, we do not have what it takes to attract high spending tourists like the Serangeti, Masai Mara or other game parks with exotic wild life as in east africa. |
|
|
|
Formby
United Kingdom
246 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2006 : 20:05:38
|
Do you know Kondorong, traditionally in the UK here, it is people with the least who give the most. I know this from my experiences of charity fund-raising. I thought charity was one of the pillars of Islam? There is nothing shameful in helping someone who might need it and in fact, wealthy Gambians I know do it themselves.
For what it's worth, my lengthy experience of bumsters is that they are opportunistic and entrepreneurial and, for the most part, quite charming. I'm aware that there are issues of going to school etc but right from the first days I was in the Gambia (before Jammeh!!) these boys are teenagers and up, not young kids. Why not make money out of tourism? Why should all the tourist money be channelled into (mostly foreign owned) 'top end' tourism? We know that happens even now with the big hotels, who also treat their staff appallingly, so why shouldn't local people use their charms to get some of that profit themselves? Tourism is an industry like any other. When I was first in Gambia I was in my 20s and went all over the country with those so called bumsters, enjoyed myself thoroughly. In fact, it gave me a life-long love for the place that's never gone away and I still know most of those people. Even when I'm in Gambia now and taking a lone stroll on the beach, nobody is ever nasty or aggressive and I don't mind sitting down and having a chat and a drink with someone. Also, if people want to have sex then again why not. It's not my thing but if two adults engage in in mutually for whatever reason, then why not?
I would be interested to hear, just for the sake of a balanced argument, whether anybody has had a really nasty experience with a bumster. |
|
|
|
kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2006 : 20:22:43
|
Well you are right in sme respect. There are many tourist who have had pleasant experiences with bumpsters. The problem with the authorities was they tried to push them away without looking at why they emerged in the first place. certainly you have said your experience was worthwhile and am sure there are many like you.
There are also many who did not.
I did not mean that the low spending tourists are bad. The authorities said so that tourist visiting the country are low spending. I guess this desire to maximise profit means bumpsters have to be wiped out. Its a wrong way of doing it. Now they are licensed as private operators and trained how to perform their duties.
The low income people infact spend more money o charity even in the Gambia. The rich tend to save more and are scared of being poor. You are right that we should not just dismiss them as being negative. They are filling a gap that the authorities did not realise very early on. Where there is demand, there will always be a supply of some sort. I dont like the way society has dehumanised them all along. I have heard many good experiences and bad ones too. But that is life. We have seen deaths in luxury cruise ships these days with NO BUMPSTERS and still unsolved.
What the Gambia needs is to study the needs of the tourist and cater for them. Applying a way ticket will only lead to more problems. The all inclusive package never worked and had to be scrapped. |
|
|
|
Formby
United Kingdom
246 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2006 : 20:33:33
|
| I think many people come back precisely because of those people lumped in as bumsters..for whatever reason. I did. I felt I knew a real place, not one created, taxed and controlled by a tourist industry and many other people love that too. |
|
|
|
jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2006 : 20:41:06
|
formby i stand by what i say the aggressive bumsters are not Gambians. but other african nationals, i never understood until one gambian chased a bumster away.
I asked why they said he is not a Gambian, it is tough for locals so they do not want others coming in.
kons you have to visit senegambia and see them in action, but i would also like to have some of the prostitutes removed. it is economics, most people would use the local guides if the prices were cheaper the tourist authority should lower the price of the tours.
of course tourist will use bumster, we think of them as local, it is only later you know it is a bumster. |
|
|
|
kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2006 : 20:45:24
|
| a bumpster is a local. The stigma that is created is not helpful. I would rather ther are called unlicensed guides. Calling them sone descent names will be helpful. They are not bumpsters who just bunp on to tourist, they aer filling a need for people like formby |
|
|
|
kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2006 : 20:46:49
|
| and infact many repeaters to gambia seem to have a "bumpster" friend. Those who do not hardly come back so often. |
|
|
|
gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2006 : 20:47:13
|
Formby I agree with you. But I would just advise people to practice safe sex! If their intention is to have sex in Gambia, buy their condoms at home! Be prepared!  |
|
|
|
Formby
United Kingdom
246 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2006 : 20:48:12
|
Well...I can only comment on my own experiences and I don't spend a huge amount of time on the beach but all I can say is, I've never had aggression from anyone.
Jambo, I am interested to hear the details of what goes on in Senegambia tho. In the day, night, what? |
|
|
|
jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2006 : 20:48:22
|
agree on that kons, you can make friends with the bumstres, but stand by what i say some are not locals.
i know two and I always take batteries for them, they are very entrepreneurial.
|
|
|
|
kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2006 : 20:49:52
|
| You are right. infact 33% of the gambian population are Senegalse. Think about that and that was more than ten years ago |
|
|
|
Topic |
|
Topic Locked
