By: Sariba Manneh
Brikama Craft Market Committee (BCMC) members have bitterly complained over slow business in the craft market while calling on the government through the Ministry of Tourism to intervene so as to revitalize the status of the craft markets.
“We [the vendors] faced many difficulties when it comes to tourism because we don’t have enough tourists to purchase our products in the markets despite the fact that it has been one of the major craft markets in the country.” Lamin Sanneh, a member of the market’s committee told The Voice on Monday January 21st at the Brikama Craft Market.
However, he added that despite the market being one of the major tourist markets in the country it has the poorest marketing season across the country, adding the market committee has been visiting the Tourism Ministry and discuss with the top brass tourists officials so as to help in revitalizing the market but the officials have not yet responded. “This is the terrible condition we going under through,” he disclosed.
Buba Darboe, also a craft vendor expressed dismay on the condition of the market, saying that they barely see tourists in the craft market to purchase their products.
Mr. Darboe revealed that they [the vendors] depend on the market for their survival and to provide the necessary things for their families. “If this business is not going on to our expectation, how can we help ourselves and how much more to contribute in national development,” he asked.
For his part Bam Sey, said that the craft market is dull because it lacks creative products which he meant made the market unattractive to tourists, adding that many at times, tourists will visit the market but they barely buy their products as there are no new products invented.
“The craft markets make the tourism industry productive and if the market is dull the tourism sector will not be developed,” he then said, the government should come to their aid so as to revive the status of the market because they [the vendors] depend on the market to earn their living on daily basis.