Crocodile Pool At Kartong Decaying

…..Tourism Officials Accused Of Undermining Tourism

By Buba TT Mendy

The Crocodile Pool at Kartong is decaying, as no one has thought of its development as a tourists attraction. The said site could be viable in terms of tourism promotion if given the necessary attention it deserved by officials at the Department of State For Tourism. But it appears that the place is not among their top Tourism priority list. Tourism officials should take a break and visit the Kartong Crocodile Pool again and help revamp the place. The place is in such a deplorable condition. Residents of the area confirmed seeing Tourism officials at the site recently, but have expressed dissatisfaction about the slow pace of work at the site. They appealed to Tourism officials to revamp the said Pool in the interest of Eco-Tourism.

The Crocodile Pool at Kartong, one of the oldest Pools in the impoverished West African Country, commonly known as "Folonko Pools" has seen decay and the crocodiles let to suffer for long. Their living conditions is deplorable and they feed on little frogs. The Crocodiles could be seen hunting for the frogs in the area. They eat whatever come their way.

Their dwelling place is deplorable and the water they lived in dries up before the rains are finish. The area is not properly cemented. The water they are exposed to also appeared very dirty and could be poisonous for creatures that dwelled there.

Tourism officials stand to be accused of neglecting wildlife in The Gambia. These Crocodiles have been neglected for a while. They received no support from the Tourism Ministry. Their chances of surviving is slim, in view of the deplorable environmental sanitation they are exposed to.

Local Villagers are using the site for cultural practices. It is believed that if a barren woman drinks the water from the Folonko she is sure to be pregnant in time. This could even help President Jammeh's fertility treatment. But the condition of the water there gives no one the courage to drink it as medicine.

Some people from the Tourism and Art Sector visited the place recently to assess the need for help in the place. If this is opened and maintained, it would be another source of income for the area and the country.