By Sarjo Brito
Business owners in the leisure and entertainment sub-sector of the country’s hospitality industry have formed an association of their own called ‘The Gambia Bar, Restaurant and Nightclub Association’.
This came following accusations of nepotism and non-inclusiveness in the first association dubbed ‘The Restaurant, Bar and Nightclub association of The Gambia’, which was allegedly formed by foreigners.
The saga prompted a petition to the GTBoard, demanding that the plight of the RBNA be ignored until due process is followed.
The disgruntled business owners have since formed their own association after negotiations with the RBNA to nullify their association and go back to the drawing board prove futile.
“We made a proposal to them and we said nullify the current RBNA, nullify the executive and open the invitation. I engaged their chairman and ultimately correspondence came that they are not willing to let go of what they have started. That is when the decision was taken to form an association that is more representative,” Benjamin Roberts of the newly formed The Gambia Bar, Restaurant and Nightclub Association said.
Mr Roberts who is an adviser to the newly formed association said the new association is to see that all bona fide players in the sub-sector are brought together, irrespective of nationality.
According to Roberts, membership to the newly formed association currently stands at 120.
