By: Haddy Touray
The Chairman of the Sanyang Village Development Committee (SVDC), Abdoulie Boto Gaye, has disclosed that Sanyang could institute a legal action against the Gambia Government over the deep-sea port project in the coastal community.
VDC chair Gaye also pointed out that the community is showing no sign of slowing down in its effort to engage Government to identify the most suitable location for the port project.
There were growing concerns in Sanyang over the impact of the deep-sea port project on tourism as the project is said to have affected all tourism businesses on the beach. The fish landing site, fishmeal factory, stalls, women gardens, residential homes, among other properties situated along the road, leading to the Sanyang beach, have all been reportedly affected by the project.
In an interview with this medium, the Sanyang Village Development Committee chairman disclosed that a “pre-entry” meeting was held between the people of Sanyang and Government stakeholders on 25 February 2025, regarding the implementation of the DSP project. He noted that the stakeholders, who attended the meeting, agreed to jointly visit the sites identified by the government and the site identified by the community with the view to agreeing on a common place suitable for the project.
He also disclosed that a steering committee has been established by the Government comprising officials of GPA, Albayrak, Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, a representative of Sanyang among others, adding that there was consensus that the office of steering committee office be open in Sanyang with the view to find a way out for the implementation of the DSP project in Sanyang as well to take care of all matter relative to the project.
He revealed that the first meeting of the steering committee is expected to be held on 18th March, 2025, noting that members of the steering committee who are also tasked to visit all proposed sites for the DSP project with the view to identify the most suitable place for the project.
According to VDC chair Abdoulie Boto Gaye, the community of Sanyang is “totally” against the Government-identified site, which stretches from the coastal highway to the coastline, explaining that all the beach bars, fish landing center, fishmeal factory, women gardens, stall, canteens and residential homes are all located in this area.
“We [steering committee] are going to meet on the 18th March, 2025, to have a discussion about the sites identified by the Government and the people of Sanyang, respectively. We will also have a discussion on establishing an office in Sanyang that will primarily look into all issues relative to the project implementation, compensation, evaluation and how to address the growing concerns of the people vis-a-vis the project,” Mr. Gaye told this medium.
“I believe the place we selected for them, which is between Hawaba and Tujereng… If they did not agree with that and rejected it, then our decision is we [people of Sanyang] will go to courts. We will go to courts to find answers as to why do they want to demolish the fish landing site, all the eco-lodges, beach bars, fishmeal factory and all the residential compounds,” he added.
