By Lamin Njie
The entire GTBoard staff have been asked to stay home with their salary slashed by half after coronavirus ravaged the country’s tourism.
The decision came into effect Monday 1 June. It will remain this way for the next six months until something changes.
Tourism Minister Hamat Bah told The Fatu Network he acted ‘responsibly’ as a minister in reaching the decision.
“It’s my power to approve budget and I approved the budget based on no revenue for GTBoard. Tourism is dead. Not one single penny is going to GTBoard, where are they getting it?
“I took certain measures to cut cost. This is taxpayer’s money. I don’t send anybody on redundancy, I don’t send anybody on leave without pay. I said, ‘stay home, you’ll be paid half salary’. You will be paid half salary and park your vehicle. No cost to the board,” Mr Bah said.
He then added: “I am acting as a responsible minister. I’m making sure that I save them and save the institution.
“That they are not redundant and the law gives me right to redundant them because they are not getting any revenue. Tourism is dead.
“The hotels have sent all their staff on redundancy, all the bars have sent their staff on redundancy. Tourism is at ground zero and they are part of the tourism fraternity. Who are they to continue earning full salary when we don’t have the money?”
