By Sallieu S. Kanu
The Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs and the National Tourist Board have informed operators of beach bars, restaurants and similar establishments along the Lumley Beach that the government will commence demolition of structures in violation of the policy guidelines for operation on the beach frontage.
National Tourists Board said in statement it put out on Friday, December 8, 2023, that the structures which will be demolished, include those that “totally block the beach front view; structures with no access to the standby beach; makeshift, shanty and substandard structures; dwelling houses like structures that do not reflect tourism facility; concrete structures; storey building; facilities that construct toilets on the sandy beach or empty their toilets on the beach”.
The came following concerns by tourists and locals that restaurants and beach bars on the beachfront have destroyed the beautiful view of the ocean which was once the foremost attraction to people frequenting the Lumley/Aberdeen beach.
Gibrilla Bangura is a fisherman who moved to Lumley beach from Goderich early in 2003. He is very unhappy about the current state of the beach.
He claims that at the time he moved to the area, there were only three beach bars on the immediate beachfront. Back then the wide expanse and open scenery of the beautiful Atlantic Ocean could be viewed by pedestrians on the sidewalk or the sand, and passengers in vehicles plying Lumley Beach Road could observe the waves crashing on the coastline to form the beautiful surf line.
“It was a beautiful sight indeed. But now that beautiful view of the ocean is impeded by the series of Restaurant and Beach bars lining the front of the beach to the extent of almost totally blocking the view of the ocean especially for the stretch from the Aberdeen Beach roundabout.”
Some of the structures are sub-standard shanty-like, he claims.
Gibrilla is also unhappy that their fishing activity at the beachfront, locally known as Draw Chain, has been negatively affected by the buildings.
“They have reduced the open space which used to allow us to maneuver the fishing nets to haul them ashore over distances as wide as 400 meters of the beachfront so that the nets can scoop a wider area of the sea bed which greatly increased our catch,” he laments.
Ther Tourists Board has advised affected operations along the Lumley Beach frontage to remove makeshift and shanty structures from the beach frontages and comply with the directives of the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs and the National Tourist Board