Big Apple Ltd has written to the Gambia Tourism Board pushing back at claims by the Restaurant, Bar and Nightclub Association that the company was one of the businesses that associated itself with the association by submitting appeal letters of assistance to the group for onward submission to the Ministry of Finance.
RBNA and a number of big players in the leisure and entertainment sub-sector of the hospitality industry have been locking horns after the latter accused the former of not truly representing all palyers in the industry.
Big Apple and some players then petitioned the GTBoard over the creation of the group. They complained that it was composed of foreigners only.
RBNA on 4 June also wrote to GTBoard stating its side of the story.
In the letter, the association alleged there are several businesses, listed as signatories in the said petition against “our association, who had already submitted to our association appeal letters of assistance for us to submit to the Ministry of Finance on their behalf, long before the same signatories appeared on the petition against us”.
“To cite one example, The Big Apple Night Club and Lounge,” the association alleged.
Big Apple has now reacted by writing to the GTBoard; using its 8 June letter to express dismay oover the claims.
“We read on social media with dismay the letter dated June 4, 2020 directed to your (GTBoard director general) esteemed office in respect to the establishment of the Restaurant, Bar and Nightclub Association, (Herein thereafter to as RBNA) as an attempt by (RBNA purporting to represent the interest of all restaurants, bar and nighclub owners in The Gambia) to discredit, desecrate and misrepresent the facts as presented by them particularly in reference to Big Apple Gambia Ltd in their correspondence,” Big Apple said in their letter to the GTBoard supremo.
The company added in their letter signed by Lord Azeez O. Yusuf: “According, we humbly state our position unequivocally as follows; RBNA is a registered association purporting to represent the interest of all business owners and stakeholders in the restaurant, bar and nighclub sub-sector of the hospitality businesses operating in The Gambia;
“That Big Apple Gambia Ltd is not officially a registered member of RBNA presently nor among the 23 officially registered members as posted in the letter referenced above. It is misleading therefore for RBNA to submit that correspondence between the parties is the same as membership in reference to paragraph 2 and 6 of the letter dated June 4, 2020.
“That BIG APPLE (GAMBIA) LTD received correspondence in May 2020 from RBNA to endorse and support the appeal letters to the Government and regulatory authorities in The Gambia, for bailout and assistance as a result of the effect of covid-19 pandemic on businesses. This support was given as a stakeholder in the hospitality sector and not as a registered member of RBNA as submitted by RBNA.
“That BIG APPPLE (GAMBIA) LTD attention was also drawn to the undemocratic and total disregard for due process in the constitution and establishment of RBNA by other major players in the industry, namely Club Envy, Waaw Night Club, Club Gravity, Ice lounge and many others establishments.
“That it was consequent to the above that Big Apple (Gambia) Ltd and all other major players comprising of about Seventy Nine (79) signatories representing different businesses in the Restaurant, Bar, Lounge and Nightclub sub sector of the hospitality sector in The Gambia undersigned the petition against RBNA. The letter is dated 1st of June, 2020 and all relevant regulatory authorities were copied.
“Therefore it is the position therein submitted in the letter dated 1st of June, 2020 that BIG APPLE (GAMBIA) LTD adopts which is that, RBNA as an undemocratic association cannot represent the aggregate interest of all business owners and stakeholders in the Restaurant, Bar, Lounge and Night club sub sector in the hospitality business in the Gambia without following due process of law through wider consultation, embracing democratic measures, reasonable public notice and a participatory general election conducted for all in order to vie for the executive board positions of RBNA.
“We therefore submit thus; that the organization and membership process RBNA is shrouded in discrepancies and secrecy to mislead and misguide; that RBNA as an interest Association should engage in democratic means to appoint its executives and organs via election process; that RBNA should open up the membership for wider participation to achieve accountability, transparency and just representation; that the appropriate regulatory bodies should intervene to ensure democratic measures and principles are adopted in RBNA organizational structure to reflect aggregate interest for the total benefit of the hospitality business in the Gambia.
“That BIG APPLE (GAMBIA) LTD and the major stakeholders coupled with over 70 business owners in the sub sector that undersigned the petition dated 1st June, 2020 account for over 78 percent of the business ownership and turnover in the Restaurant Bar, Lounge and Nightclub sub sector of the hospitality business in the Gambia, and any representation or presentation to the government or authorities devoid of aggregate interest or in disregard to common interest, may be a policy failure and an economic catastrophe to the hospitality business in general.
“We thank you for your continuous support and cooperation and as we seek for your intervention in this time of crisis, we remain positive towards economic prosperity and development in the hospitality sector and in The Gambia as a whole always.”
