Ocean Bay now leased to BPI Tourism Service

By Sailu Bah Ocean Bay Hotel at Cape Point in Bakau has now been leased by Social Security and Housing Finance Cooperation (SSHFC) to BPI tourism Services Company for a period of 10 years. This was confirmed by the hotel’s General Manager, Gokhan Topyanak, and the Head of the Financial Section, Momodou Camara, in an interview on Monday, 27^th October 2014. BPI Tourism Services Company is said to be a consortium owned by Gambian, Turkish, French, Swiss and Romanian investors. The General Manager said the ten year lease had started on the 1^st December 2013 and will end in 2023. According to the head of the Finance section, they are presently engaged in a massive renovation work in the hotel as this has not been done for the past seven years. “Another challenge we are facing is on the issue of the Ebola, as guests are not forthcoming because of the outbreak in some countries in West Africa,” he said. On the issue whether the new management is making profits after the hotel has been leased, Mr. Camara responded in the positive. He said the hotel is still operating under the name Ocean Bay Hotel Resort. On how much the hotel was leased, the head of Finance said he cannot answer this question as he is just an employee.    ]]>