By Foday Moriba Conteh
Dr. Memunatu Pratt has on the 28th July 2021 led a delegation from the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs and its implementing agency, the National Tourist Board including the General Manager of the National Tourist Board, Mrs. Fatmata Kroma and the Principal of the Milton Margai Technical College (MMTU), to inspect the reconstruction/rehabilitation of the 24 bedroom hotel, kitchen, prep/service and 6 classrooms of the Hotel and Tourism Training Centre (HTTC), Brookfields campus.
It must be noted that construction work for the rehabilitation of the Hotel and Tourism Training Center (HTTC) under the enhanced Integrated Framework Sustainable Tourism Development and Promotion Project is ongoing and as such, the consultant, Ideas Limited, charged with the responsibility for the supervision of works requested a maiden site visit with the contractors, Almadi Construction and Interlinks Investment.
The Minister said that she is satisfied with the First Phase of clearing and demolition that is going on well noting that although she is not a contractor she observed during the cause of the inspection some issues that were brought to the attention of the contractors such as the low railings of the building that should be raised up while some walls should be demolished and spaces opened, admonished the contractors to construct an external staircase or ramp for disables which she reiterated is very important for the use of both disabled students and guests as Government is promoting inclusiveness and asserted that this is the trend with all hotels and public buildings.
She noted that there is a good relationship between the consultants and the contractors in terms of moving the project forward, which she said is good in terms of resolving issues quickly.
The Minister also said the importance of the building, when it would have been completed, cannot be overemphasized mentioning that the world over tourism contributes to GDP and job creation and provides the capacity to manage natural and cultural resources, hence the essence to have a dedicated 24 bedroom teaching hotel.
She noted that the students would have the opportunity to practice in the hotel on campus and maintained that their intention is to bring the structure to a first-class hotel and tourism school which can compete with other schools in the world, adding that lot of work need to be done in ensuring that such serves as a foundation for subsequent tourism educational establishments nationwide.
The Engineer on Site for the contractors, Almid Cooperation, Engineer Abdulai Conteh said the project should last for six months after submitting their work schedules to the consultants. He said they have almost completed the demolition and have started the block work and the roofing.
He said they would work on the observations of the Minister and assured that the work would be completed before the end of the stipulated six months period maintaining that although they are being challenged with the rains, they will ensure that the work is completed on time.
