A father–of-one, who wishes to remain anonymous, claims he was on Sunday, 14th June, humiliated by a soldier when he went to relax and enjoy the beach near Coco Ocean Resort and Spa in Bijilo.

The soldier, who was in uniform, came over and asked him and his cousin brother to leave the beach.

“He greeted us with a frowned face and told us we cannot be around by that time. He explained that Gambians are not allowed on the beach until after 4PM,” said the angry dad who contacted What’s On-Gambia to share his story.

According to him, the soldier disclosed the restriction on locals sharing beaches with tourists is part of a strategy to protect Gambian tourism.

He said the soldier also revealed that in the past tourists were raped and their belongings stolen by men they meet on the beach.

“I was very angry; it made me feel like a slave in my own country. Tourists are attacked in almost all destinations in the world but that is not forcing their authorities to come up with orders that deny locals access to the beaches.”

The father-of-one, who was escorted away from the beach by the soldier, is appealing to the Ministry of Tourism and the authorities concerned to reconsider their decision, so that Gambians can have free access to areas near the sea in the Senegambia Strip.