Bonthe Municipal Council is faced with lot of developmental challenges but of all, Mayor of the Municipality Layemin Joe Sandi said, is their inability to raise their own revenue and use the money they raise for development on the island.
Fishing is one of their major industries. Mamusu, a fish monger who has lived on the Sherbro Island for over 30 years, said, “Business has been very difficult because we don’t have a cooling system.”
Mamusu explained that she now depends on people in the village to buy her products and sometimes she sells during ‘Luma’ when people from neighbouring villages come to their markets. She said, “Because this life is so challenging and we don’t make much money, that’s why we have not been paying our taxes to the Council.”
Mayor Sandi noted, “In terms of income generation for our Council, you have to generate income, which is our own source of revenue. The Bonthe and Sherbo Island revenue generation is not in place because we don’t have the institutions, viable business enterprises and no large business enterprises in the Municipality.”
“This was not the case during Colonial days but since they left, all the companies were closed, business declined sharply in Bonthe, Sherbro Island, so the municipality is not as viable as before. Because we depend largely on our local revenue for development we find it very challenging.”
The Mayor confirmed, “The people don’t pay their taxes and house rates and that the largest work force in Bonthe are teachers who don’t even earn Le300,000 a month. The majority of the population are single parents.
These women maintain their homes and their incomes are very small. The economy is very low and so we can’t really levy heavy taxes. They would rebel and the community would be at unease.”
The Mayor explained that a cooling room fishery facility was promised. But, it is controlled by the central government and all progress has stopped. A cold room and attention on fisheries could be a viable enterprise that would employ people and provide tax revenue. The whole community would benefit but at this point that project is not operational.
BM14/11/17
By Betty Milton
Wednesday November 15, 2017.
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