Africa-Press – Liberia. The Commander of the Bong County Detachment of the Liberia National Police, Fasu Sheriff, Saturday, April 27, ordered the closure of the Kpatawee Waterfalls after angry residents staged a protest against the management.
Residents of the Clan in Suakoko Electoral District#5, Bong County demanded Madam Josephine Salee, manager of the Kpatawee Waterfalls and Kuku Dennis to leave over allegations of encroaching on their farmland, contrary to a Memorandum of Understanding signed with the leadership of the county.
“WE ARE CURRENTLY UNDER ATTACK!!”, the management of the resort wrote on its Facebook page. “Over the past 17 hours, access roads to the waterfall have been blocked with felled trees, while our site itself is under siege. Some townspeople and youth, led by Bong County District 5 Representative Eugene JM Kollie, are threatening to burn down the facilities unless it is turned over to them. Urgent intervention from the authorities is required to address this volatile and dangerous crisis.”
Upon arrival, the Liberian National Police Bong County Detachment Commander told the youths and locals in the Kpatawee Clan not to set foot on the property until the dispute was resolved between the management of the Clan.
Commander Sheriff at the same time called on the local leaders not to use the Bush Master (Country Devil) to intimidate the management of the waterfall.
He assured the citizens that Salee and Dennis would leave the facilities until the problems were resolved before they could return.
Moreover, the Bong County LNP Commander has assigned LNP officers to guard the facility until the disputes are settled.
Meanwhile, the Kpatawee Clan citizens have welcomed the decision of the Liberian National Police to close the waterfall until the dispute is settled.
It is not clear to what extent the Bong County District #5 Representative, Eugene J. M. Kollie, in whose constituency the incident took place, was involved. Kpatawee management believes that the lawmaker, Representative Eugene Kollie, instigated the Saturday incident.
However, some of Kollie’s constituents are praising what they describe as his efforts to urge the citizens to seek the proper channels for redress instead of taking the law into their own hands.
It also remains unclear what may be the root cause of the crisis — whether the allegations of land encroachment are factual, the police investigation is expected to determine.
Whatever the case, the crisis at Kpatawee casts a dark cloud over Liberia’s burgeoning tourism sector. If the state cannot guarantee the safety of tourism facilities or their guests, there will be no tourism to speak of.
A social media post by Mai Urey, an official of the Liberia National Tourism Association (LiNTA) sheds light on what led to the development of the Kpatawee Waterfall as a tourist attraction and sounds a word of caution about the implications of the attack on the resort and its management.
“I will always remember about 10 years ago when I first visited Kpatawee Waterfalls, while working on the National Export Strategy on Tourism,” writes Urey. “One young man commented, noticing me shocked that there was absolutely no infrastructure at the widely talked about Kpatawee Waterfalls (not even a toilet). He said, ‘Ma Urey, we are sitting on gold dust but eating sand.’
“The Clan had only a substandard K-6 school and a substandard clinic. I vowed to work with them and soon after joined their Development Association. We met once a month in Kpatawee. This led to my financing the construction of a fence and gate near the falls to enable them to charge guests and generate revenue to support their efforts. Obviously, much more was needed.
“I mentioned this to Josephine Salee, CEO of JALK. As is her usual hardworking style, she took it up and ran with it to bring it to what is today one of the greatest tourism destinations and definitely the greatest Agro-Tourism destination in the country.
“What is the issue?” Urey wonders. “Even if there is one, could it not have been handled in a professional manner? When will we stop using the youth to do our unlawful acts and destroy lives and property?
“I know for a fact that this was planned. Personnel have even been recruited to take over the management of Kpatawee. Trust me, management is not as easy as you think. Don’t see a fine thing and think it came with ease. If God forbid you take over, the same youth will be crying for JALK to return.”
“If there is any truth… that foreign hands are in this hostile takeover, I can only cry.”
Source: Liberian Observer
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