Mr. Samateh,

There is little doubt that this is a good piece of economic news for
Senegal which should further accelerate the consolidation of the
liberalisation of the economy of Senegal.  Significant gains have been
registered in the fields of telecommunications, and both the public and
private media's active, critical but constructive role has contributed
positively to the development process. The media's vibrancy, partly as a
result of its diversity, is an envy of African countries, and comparable
to many in the developed world, despite its relative poor resource base.

As regards Gambian tourism, it appears that there has been some recovery,
in terms of arrivals, from last season.  However
, I am of the view that
more imaginative policies are required to compete with our neighbours.
The days are gone when we rely solely on our comparative advantage (sun,
sand and proximity to Europe) while taking for granted our captive markets
of Scandanavia, UK and Germany.  Gambia must now compete for every tourist
and in every tourist market. Hopefully, the current Tourism Sector Study
will suggest several policy options available to Government.

Sidi Sanneh

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