hon Nancy Njie, minister for Tourism and Culture, yesterday laid the foundation stone for a crafts workshop at The Gambia Hotel School in Kanifing, as part of activities marking the 15th anniversary of the July 22nd revolution.

Addressing the gathering, Hon Njie described the laying of the foundation stone as a milestone. The Gambia Tourism Development Master Plan, Minister Njie said, clearly identifies the need for a hotel training institute to meet the present demands of the tourism sector. "As you are aware, tourism contributes about 16% of the GDP and employs a substantial number of our youth.

Our government is also aware of the need for skills training, which is a very important component in our efforts towards poverty alleviation and youth empowerment. It also means that Gambians are taking their rightful place in the tourism sector," Minister Njie remarked.

Minister Njie recalled that The Gambia government and the government of Spain jointly signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to provide young people with technical qualifications that would equip them for entry into the labour market. For his part, Javier Benosa, the Spanish ambassador to The Gambia, said the tourism industry in The Gambia is one of the main sources of income, and it also has a clear modernisation effect in society.

"In the tourism sector, as in any other sector of the economy, investment in education is essential in the medium and long term. It is fundamental to maintain the ratio dedicated to education in our public budgets, so that we can guarantee our future economic growth," the Spanish ambassador observed.

Other speakers included Ousman Nyang, director general of NTA and Momodou S Jobe, acting director general of The Gambia Tourism Authority. The ceremony was attended by ministers, students of The Gambia Hotel School and cultural groups.