Stakeholders of Limbe III Subdivision are currently restless, ever since news of an imminent ‘secret’ meeting programmed to discuss the preservation and valorisation of the historic Slave Trade Site in Bimbia, broke out.
KNews gathered that the said meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, January 14, at 11am in Bimbia, to be presided at by the Minister of Arts and Culture, Pierre Ishmael Bidoung Mkpatt.
In the January 8 communiqué addressed to South West Governor, Bernard Okalia Bilai and termed ‘confidential’ but however found its way on social media, the Minister insists on the personal attendance of Governor Bernard Okalia Bilai at the Tuesday meeting, also indicating that the promoter of Gilgal Tower Company will be part of the meeting.
In another communiqué also dated January 8, Minister Bidoung Mkpatt informed South West governor on the signing of a Memorandum Understanding between the Ministry of Arts and Culture and Gilgal Tour Company, urging the governor to give the company the necessary assistance required for the laying of a foundation stone for a commemorative monument in the days ahead.
The KNews learnt that a visit was made to the Slave Trade site on Thursday, January 9 by the Regional and Divisional Delegates of the Ministry of Arts and Culture MINAC and Gilgal Tour Company LLC, to the surprise of the local population and stakeholders, who had no idea of the happening.
Whether in strict respect of state protocol or intentionally downplaying local authorities on the ground.
Bidoung Mkpatt simply sidelines all other stakeholders of the historic Bimbia Slave Trade site, including especially municipal and traditional authorities.
Stakeholders react, write to Minister Bidoung Mkpatt
Having gotten wink of the Minister’s move unofficially Limbe III munic- ipality, viewing the action as ‘gross disregard’, writes through its Council to Arts and Culture Minister, Bidound Mkpatt, conveying “the discomfiture of the Custodians of this National Heritage and Limbe III municipality and express our fervent wish for the pursuance of the World Certification of the Bimbia Slave Trade site, the tarring of the road and the reinforcement of the Local Management Committee to effectively manage the Bimbia Slave Trade site”.
The letter states in part that “Traditional Authorities and denizens of Limbe III municipality are taken aback by the projected signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Gilgal Tour Company LLC and the laying of a foundation stone of a commemorative monument without the awareness of the local population.
“Your Excellency, not only does such a move indicate a complete disregard of the local population and the Council, it also downplays all the preservation efforts, the numerous strategic written proposals from Council on actions to developing the Bimbia Slave Trade site, the commemorative monument being one of them, and the joint ministerial agreement of the ministries of Arts and Culture and Tourism and Leisure in 2024, which recognised the Mayor and the Chief of Dikolo as Manager and Assistant of the site respectively.”
BY A CORRESPONDENT
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