COMMENTARY (COMM):
Eleven years of civil war have left Sierra Leone in ruins. According to the United Nations, it’s the second poorest country in the world. It doesn’t have to be. After three years of peace, the rebuilding has begun and Sierra Leone’s looking for new private investment to kick-start its economy. Miles of beautiful beaches in a country that was once a war-zone. Could tourism be one of the new industries that moves the country forward?

Tens of thousands of people were killed and many more injured and displaced during the war. One of the largest UN peace-keeping forces helped to end the fighting disarming thousands of rebel militias. In May 2002, stability began to be restored when the former ruling party were returned to power in democratic elections. Today Sierra Leone is at a critical point. With elections scheduled for 2007, the country’s leaders are keen to show they can increase economic activity, and reduce poverty, by encouraging new private sector development.

Bimbola Carrol is Sierra Leonean but left his home during the war and lives in England. He is now determined to change the perceptions of his homeland. He set up a website focusing on travel, tourism and investment opportunities to do just that. Last year alone it got 40 million hits. Bimbola is travelling back to Sierra Leone with Derek Moore, founder of the international travel company Explore. Their agenda? to investigate Sierra Leone’s potential for tourism and the barriers stopping the industry getting back on its feet.

BIMBOLA:
The website was set up to show people another side of Sierra Leone – a more positive side which is not often seen in the media. It also highlights the tourism potential in Sierra Leone. But the initial mission is to change people’s perceptions, to stimulate investment to Sierra Leone as a whole - it’s not just about diamonds.

DEREK MOORE:
I’m going to Sierra Leone because I don’t know what I will find there. I have read that it’s got wonderful beaches, it’s got wildlife reserves, it’s got mountains, and there’s trekking there. But I don’t know anything about it, and I feel that it’s a bit of an open book for a tour operator. But with some strategic planning, with some looking at what can be developed, I think it could be the start of a great adventure.

BIMBOLA:
I would expect you to be impressed with the Sierra Leonean beaches. And the landscape is fantastic… Not only that, but with your experience, to say on the administrative side, some of the barriers that could be taken down, to encourage investors to come to Sierra Leone...

COMM:
Until now, most of Sierra Leone’s foreign earnings have come from exporting diamonds. But it’s rich in other natural resources, including titanium ore and bauxite. Agriculture could also be developed. The land is fertile and at the moment only a fifth is farmed - but it needs long term investment. Tourism, on the other hand, offers the promise of revenue on a far quicker turnaround.

KADI SESSAY, Minister of Trade and Industry:
I think there is a need for us to create an environment that will attract investment in areas that to provide jobs for young people… This will create stability for the country to move forward. There is a need for us to give assurance to the private sector – to address the concerns of the private sector - and this is why as a government we are willing to provide the necessary support needed to provide the necessary support to any investors that want to come to this country.

COMM:
The Sierra Leonean government wants to cut through the red tape that stops the private sector creating jobs. So in May 2005 they organised a Business Forum - a chance to debate, and agree, an Action Plan for business friendly reforms. It was advised by FIAS, a joint program of the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation, supported by the UK Government.

KADI SESSAY, Minister of Trade and Industry:
Let me add my words of welcome to all of you.

MALE PARTICIPANT:
You start a new business, you are asked to pay an income tax but you have not even worked…

DEBORAH PORTE – Land Expert, FIAS:
Looking at the land laws to make sure that ….

JOHN SISAY:
There really needs to be some emphasis on the internal marketing….

ABU BAKARR KEBBAY, Director of Exports SLEDIC:
Because to change institutions which make sense now has financial implications…. …

KADI SESSAY, Minister of Trade and Industry:
There is no doubt there are huge barriers on the ground that impede investment - and our attention, as a government, is now focusing on those barriers.

COMM:
These barriers include: Changes to the tax system – some businesses are required to pay their taxes a year in advance. Regulations are bureaucratic and out of date. So is the land registration system. Sierra Leone’s government claims it wants to introduce strategic reforms to remove those barriers in key economic areas.

Sam King is one of Sierra Leone’s few successful home-grown entrepreneurs. He made his money in the stationery business, buying equipment from the UK. In 2004 he decided to move into tourism, and built the Kimbima Hotel - named after the small village where he grew up. Sam’s aware that before the war tourism brought in a lot of money.

COMM:
Sam wants to expand his hotel - but acquiring the right to the land next door is a major problem. Land registration was discussed at the Business Forum – it’s now one of the government’s top priorities.

SAM KING:
The piece of land that you see - I applied for expansion of the hotel to the Ministry of Land… Land was granted in principal. They came to survey the land and later they realized that the piece of land was allocated to six different people…

CECIL WILLIAMS, Head, National Tourist Board Investors coming here have to meet several landlords for a small piece of land, which if you look at our competitors in the sub-region does not exist. That again has to be looked at, because of the various laws affecting land ownership – in the western area and that of the provinces. So it’s very important, because that is the starting point.

COMM:
Derek and Bimbola’s first stop - the beaches on the Freetown peninsula.

DEREK MOORE:
Wow – this is phenomenal! This is so far away from the popular image of Sierra Leone - and this is the good news for me! The potential bad news is - who owns the waterfront land? - because, depending on who owns the land - that land - we could end up with a beautifully managed tourist area, or in ten years’ time they could end up with a series of beach front hotel which could completely ruin it. There is fantastic chance here to get it right. I mean, the good thing about Sierra Leone emerging for the tourist world a little bit later than many other parts of Africa could be that they can learn from what the others did wrong. And I would like to think that if the government controls things properly, this beautiful beach could be just as good as this, but earning a living and an economic income for the country in years to come.

COMM:
It takes several hours to travel south to their second destination, Tiwai Island. They finally arrive at the boat that will take them to the island, where they will camp for the night.

DEREK AND BIMBOLA:
Yes we do see a boat. Is that a log or a crocodile?

COMM:
Tiwai is a designated nature reserve famous for its rare birds and monkeys and jungle walks.

BIMBOLA:
I haven’t been here before – I do carry the information on the site. It’s quite an experience, walking through the jungle– it’s unlike anything I’ve done…I understand that there’re quite a few wildlife to be seen. We understand in the dry season we can spot some pygmy hippos as well - but now is not the ideal time?

KENNETH:
Well not really – they maybe difficult to see now

BIMBOLA:
So we are hoping to spot some…

KENNETH:
Diano monkeys and Colobus monkeys… Red Colobus... Black and White Colobus monkeys, and Suto Mango Bay they are the common ones here…

COMM:
In Part Two: Sierra Leone has the tourist potential – but how can the government create an investment climate which will allow private business to flourish?

PART TWO

COMM:
The Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary is just forty minutes outside the capital Freetown – it’s currently the most popular tourist destination in the country. Bala Amarasekaran set up this chimp sanctuary 10 years ago – it’s currently home to about a hundred chimps. Bala is trying hard to tackle poaching.

BALA AMARASEKARAN:
There are poachers looking for chimps – sometimes only for bush meat…But some people trying to get a tiny chimp, so they can come into one of the major towns and sell it as a pet. So it’s both ways - pet trade and bush meat – and the pet trade basically follows the bush meat.

COMM:
The average per capita income in Sierra Leone is just US$ 150 dollars per year. One chimp can earn a poacher up to $300.

BALA AMARASEKARAN:
Education is the key - it’s very easy to give up. So I think we have to stay focused. We spend a lot of time educating not just tourists but Sierra Leoneans themselves – we get over 50 to 60 kids visiting here every month.

COMM:
This sanctuary demonstrates that well managed sites can educate and can generate interest and income. The Government claims that back in 1998 – during the war – Sierra Leone earned $13.5 million dollars from tourism. Now the government estimates a booming tourist industry could earn up to $150 million dollars per year.

CECIL WILLIAMS:
In terms of tourism - I know the multiplier effect it has on the socio-economic development of any country - the government stands to benefit through tax revenue it generates. The country also generates foreign currency. The employment opportunities that are there - the fisherman, the vegetable seller, the souvenir seller, the taxi driver. Everybody is a major player in the industry

COMM:
And it’s not just new jobs - home grown businessmen like Sam King are helping regenerate their local communities. Sam’s investing in four local businesses.

SAM KING:
In order to inject and project a multiplier effect in my own success…You cannot be a successful man in everything else you have, if you have not created an impact on the lives of other people.

COMM:
He’s seen as a local hero when he returns home. And today he supports over 150 people in Kimbima village where he grew up and pays for all the children to go to school.

SAM KING:
In traditional setting if you are a successful person or more successful than the others – you have a social responsibility – it’s about what you could do to improve the quality of life of other people – it’s not just about making money and keeping it to ourselves.

COMM:
Derek and Bimbola’s final destination is Sierra Leone’s only national park – Outamba Kilimi. in the North of the country. Before the war, the park was well maintained. Today there’s little left - – a couple of canoes and three accommodation huts.

DEREK MOORE:
If you could just show me the facilities here – what’s inside?

DAYO:
This is the modest facility I can offer, I will show you now… I don’t know whether it will suit your convenience.

DEREK MOORE:
OK, after you - so double bed – mosquito netting on the window…

DAYO:
- made with local materials

DEREK MOORE:
So it’s simple, it’s clean… bed comfortable it seems fine.

COMM:
The parks Senior Ranger knows there need to be improvements in the facilities he offers.

DAYO:
Well, the war tends to vandalise all our equipment. So all equipment, radio sets and every other equipments which are vital for our operation here were all taken away. So that’s how we lost all this equipment. Tourism promotion in this part of the country is below the standard…

BIMBOLA:
I can see whey people would be attracted to the place because it’s nice and peaceful, but if we are looking to target a market it would need some work done. Ideally, you’d want the government to push something like this, to take a leadership role. They may have other priorities further up the list than places like Kilamini. But, I think they should be looking at areas such as this one - as alternative means of bringing revenue in, because if it is developed, it will do just that….

KADI SESSAY:
Because of the war the focus has been on the social sector. But now we need to maintain a balance, we need to focus more on the productive sectors, and tourism is one of the productive sectors as far as bringing in revenue is concerned.

COMM:
The balance is not quite there yet. While the government claims it has taking steps to attract investors, there is still a long way to go. Right now there is no coherent tourist policy and the current legislation is 15 years old and out of date. However, the government recently signed an agreement with a Chinese company to build a hotel and housing complex.

OKERE ADAMS:
Well, that area has laid fallow for years, decades, and nobody ever thought of constructing anything there. Then came the Chinese. They have been telling us, ‘give us this area, we’ll put up a two hundred and fifty bedroom hotel, we’ll put holiday houses all over the place...’ That was attractive because we had no better offer. No better offer anything. You can only think twice when there is a second offer…

COMM:
The plan is for Sierra Leone’s government to develop building projects in collaboration with new investors. There are no adequate controls. Planning regulation are so old, and the penalty for breaking them is insignificant.

CECIL WILLIAMS:
The Board must be given more arm to monitor investors coming here… You don’t just allow anybody to come in with no guidelines. We should be able to have laws that will address people who default, and therefore they should be penalised, and there should be heavy fines… The act is very old and the penalties are very, very weak. So people get away with these things because we are still talking about a £5 fine – which is ridiculous.

COMM:
Derek and Bimbola are back in Freetown. Derek is keen to find out more about the government’s plans to move things forward. He’s meeting the newly appointed Minister of Tourism.

OKERE ADAMS:
As the government, all we have to do is to provide the necessary environment - We provide, as I said, tax incentives, we do everything to encourage the investor. But for the task of putting cash - big cash - into this, we are not a very rich country. And, coming from war, we need every single penny. So the best we can do is to encourage the investor, offer incentives for him to move ahead…

KADI SESSAY:
I think we need to try - together with the Minister of Tourism - to sell Sierra Leone and make Sierra Leone look attractive… There is no doubt, in doing this, there is a need for a strategic plan - we need a new tourism policy to revise what exists now. And of course there has to be a commitment for some resources to boost tourism…

COMM:
Tourism is just one of the industries where barriers to investment need to come down.

KADI SESSAY:
We are going to go around every sector, every department, to ensure that the existing barriers are dismantled so that we can make Sierra Leone a more attractive location for investment.

BIMBOLA:
Peace is priceless, it’s priceless… For eleven years, during the war, we’ve seen - you know - what was a relatively basic infrastructure in the first place, gone to pieces…by the rebels. It’s just amazing, coming through the beaches, and you can see the kids playing, you know waving to us as we go by… It’s really good that we have peace…But we need you know, to improve the quality of life for Sierra Leoneans at this time… The government should encourage investment – foreign investment, inward investment, and I think it’s absolutely crucial that we get people of the younger generation involved.

DEREK MOORE:
To visit this place is to see a place that’s about to boom, it’s about to burst forth, it’s about to do what it wants to do. We are now at a pivotal point where decisions have to be made - whether it’s made by the private sector, the government or both, whichever way it goes, it’s got to be managed properly. The one thing I have no doubt about is that tourism will come back in a big way. But I think that Explore will be here, yes.

BIMBOLA:
I will be back, I can tell you that for a fact, that I will be back and hopefully contributing to the development of Sierra Leone, one way or another.

COMM:
With beaches like this, Sierra Leone has the potential to become an attractive tourist destination. And if the country succeeds in changing its laws and policies to attract new investment this will become a reality.

END

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