Impact of Current Developments on Businesses and Transportation

By Sailu Bah Although the movement of people and goods has improved, businesses are affected as well as transportations.Security check points are still being mounted on the Banjul Highway. The screening of both commercial and private vehicles has increased. Vehicles are stopped, passengers are asked to produce their documents and belongings are searched. On the Banjul Highway alone, there are three security check points. While visiting the Banjul market on Thursday, armed gun men could be seen patrolling. Speaking to some stall owners and vendors at the Albert market, one Mr Jallow said business has drastically gone down since the attack. “I cannot even buy new stuff for my business, because few customers are coming,” he lamented. Mariama Ceesay, a vendor said she is selling for her mother. “My mother cannot come due to the long queue along the way so I decided to come and help her, but business is not going as before. I hope that the situation would change,” she remarked. Other shop owners said they are losing a lot because they cannot enter Banjul till around 12 noon. They lamented the long hours they spend on the way to Banjul and when going home as well. Speaking to some of the residents in Banjul on Wednesday 7th and Thursday 8th January 2015, Ida Mboob, a lady in her early 20s, said she is uncomfortable with the intensification of security in the Capital. According to Mboob, she is working in the Kombos and finds it very difficult to travel to her place of work due to the security check points along the highway. She said she is hoping that the peace and stability of the Gambia is maintained, and prayed to God to make the situation better. Sainey Sissoho, a resident of Tobacco Road said though the situation of Banjul is going towards normalcy, people are still not comfortable seeing soldiers with guns all over the place. “We understand that the soldiers are working towards securing the country but it is very hard to be comfortable with this kind of situation,” he lamented. Mr. Sissoho observed that compared to last week when  armed soldiers were seen  patrolling the Tobacco Road, the situation has now eased. One Amie Njie revealed that she cannot even go to the Kombos because she has lost all her documents, and a lot of security checks points are on the highway. Editor’s Note Foroyaa will make effort to gauge the impact of current developments on Tourism.]]>