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- Feb 11, 2007
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Dar dwellers denied recreation - Mayor
SEBASTIAN MRINDOKO
THIS DAY
Dar es Salaam
DAR ES SALAAM authorities have admitted that the city residents lack access to open spaces for recreational activities since a huge chunk of the erstwhile public beaches had been privatized to individual businessmen who have developed them into various investments such as tourist hotels.
Dar es Salaam Mayor, Adam Kimbisa, told this paper in an interview that many people, especially low-income earners who cannot afford paying for the services in tourist hotels located along the citys coastline, were denied the recreational opportunity.
There remains only a small open space area from the ferry fish market to the area close to the Sea Cliff Hotel, where city residents could go freely for recreational activities, but the rest of the beach area has already been sold to individual persons who have developed the area either into a hotel or other investment, he said.
He said the strategy for selling the area to individual persons was good in itself because it promotes the growth of the private sector and helps in earning the government more revenues through various taxes, but it will deny city dwellers a free place for recreation.
He said in the short-term strategy the city will start to develop into a hotel zone in collaboration with the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) the area between the ferry fish market and where the boats going to and from Zanzibar park.
He said although the area will be developed into tourist hotels, there will be free spaces for low-income earners during holidays.
I have already contacted a Canadian company which is currently making a feasibility study to demonstrate and show to me free spaces that will be used by the city dwellers with low incomes, he said.
He said there will be free spaces that will be used by city residents with low income unable to go to tourist hotels.
He said in the long-term plan the city council plans to reclaim spaces with water for recreational purposes.
We need to get more areas for the city dwellers for recreation. Thus, in the long-term we hope to reclaim areas already sold to individual persons, he added.
He said it would be shame for the city authorities to lack free spaces along the beaches for its burgeoning population.
SEBASTIAN MRINDOKO
THIS DAY
Dar es Salaam
DAR ES SALAAM authorities have admitted that the city residents lack access to open spaces for recreational activities since a huge chunk of the erstwhile public beaches had been privatized to individual businessmen who have developed them into various investments such as tourist hotels.
Dar es Salaam Mayor, Adam Kimbisa, told this paper in an interview that many people, especially low-income earners who cannot afford paying for the services in tourist hotels located along the citys coastline, were denied the recreational opportunity.
There remains only a small open space area from the ferry fish market to the area close to the Sea Cliff Hotel, where city residents could go freely for recreational activities, but the rest of the beach area has already been sold to individual persons who have developed the area either into a hotel or other investment, he said.
He said the strategy for selling the area to individual persons was good in itself because it promotes the growth of the private sector and helps in earning the government more revenues through various taxes, but it will deny city dwellers a free place for recreation.
He said in the short-term strategy the city will start to develop into a hotel zone in collaboration with the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) the area between the ferry fish market and where the boats going to and from Zanzibar park.
He said although the area will be developed into tourist hotels, there will be free spaces for low-income earners during holidays.
I have already contacted a Canadian company which is currently making a feasibility study to demonstrate and show to me free spaces that will be used by the city dwellers with low incomes, he said.
He said there will be free spaces that will be used by city residents with low income unable to go to tourist hotels.
He said in the long-term plan the city council plans to reclaim spaces with water for recreational purposes.
We need to get more areas for the city dwellers for recreation. Thus, in the long-term we hope to reclaim areas already sold to individual persons, he added.
He said it would be shame for the city authorities to lack free spaces along the beaches for its burgeoning population.
