Rehabilitation train is ongoing on the Kerr Batch stone circles, a United Nations Instructional, Scientific and Cultural Group (UNESCO) World Heritage web site in The Gambia.
The tourism minster along with stakeholders, signed the rehabilitation undertaking price D3.four million to reshape the dilapidated web site in Nianija District, Central River Area (CRR).
Hamat Bah, the Minister of Tourism and Tradition launched into a tour of tourism and tradition amenities throughout the nation in February 2020.
In the course of the first nationwide tour in upcountry, minister Bah disclosed that: “NCAC obtained funds from the ministry in direction of the rehabilitation of the heritage websites within the nation with a purpose to protect them and likewise to make them vibrant tourism recreation websites.”
On Thursday, 19th November, 2020, the aforesaid ministry once more launched into a nationwide tour to evaluate the state of progress and normal in all tourism and tradition institutions and amenities in order to assist carve out a method for the event of tourism and tradition most particularly within the upcountry.
“Kerr Batch and WASSU stone circles web site are UNESCO world heritage websites since 2006, part of chosen heritage websites of curiosity to human variety on the earth, which presents nice potential in attracting guests,” he mentioned.
Kerr Batch is 9 (9) meters conscious from Njaga Bantang from the principle street in CRR and is likely one of the remoted areas within the nation, however with the wealthy and vibrant tradition, which deserves to be preserved and guarded within the web site museum of posterity.
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In the course of the go to to the positioning, Minister Bah mentioned after the completion of the undertaking, NCAC will be capable of rent extra employees to run the positioning and museum, and can provide job alternatives to the encompassing communities.
It was additionally noticed at Kerr Batch stone circles web site that the development of the Museum awarded to GIGO Development is ongoing and plans are on the best way for a building of a lodge on the web site.
Hassoum Cessay, the Director for the Nationwide Middle for Arts and Tradition (NCAC), mentioned the importance of Kerr Batch stone circles goes past The Gambia and it is sort of a property to human variety.
The famend Gambian historian added that the stone circles are present in varied components of The Gambia.
“We’ve got almost 300 stone circles websites; some are additionally throughout the border in Senegal. They’re mysterious, I can say solely between 2 and 5% of their significance is understood to us, historians, and analysis continues to be occurring to know the precise scene behind the stones,” he added.
He mentioned all that they know is that they have been burial websites.
Ebrima Njok and Batch Mbaye, each mentioned the positioning is a really particular place, saying at evening there are lights throughout.
They each mentioned the positioning was used for burial and the folks buried on the web site are unknown. Nevertheless, they believed that the individuals who have been buried on the web site have been very tall.
In the course of the go to at WASSU stone circles web site in WASSU, Lamin Keita, the Alkalo and member of the group, shared his optimism that come subsequent 12 months, the positioning can be a vibrant vacationers attraction web site, and he hoped his group will profit from it.
Minister Bah promised to take care of the positioning and its perimeter fence.
