BEAUTIFUL RESORTS ARE BEING BUILT IN KETA BUT WE THE LOCAL PEOPLE ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO VISIT THEM

BEAUTIFUL RESORTS ARE BEING BUILT IN KETA BUT WE THE LOCAL PEOPLE ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO VISIT THEM

I just left Meet-Me-There, one of the tourist places in the Keta tourism area. It was built by a white person a few years ago. As a teenager, I used to go there while it was being built, and we (my friends and I) were among the first frequent visitors who patronized the place. It wasn't popular and definitely wasn't making big money. Today, we are being told "Guests Only."

 A while ago, I visited the same place with visitors from Accra. My friends were excited to see the place, and as the "mayor" of Keta tourism, I took them around. But when we got to Meet-Me-There, we were told we could not visit the place, buy water or food because of COVID. I tried to talk to the owners (a white man sitting comfortably in his office with his girlfriend (maybe)). He insisted that the COVID rules put in place by the management must be followed. I knew something wasn't right (especially seeing foreigners all over the place). But I exercised patience, explained things to my visitors, apologized, and we went away.

COVID is gone (this can be argued but that's not the point). Same foreign guests are allowed. We, the locals, are banned. The question is, how long is this going to continue? This is the second or third time I am experiencing this in Keta (my own land, I am so ashamed). It needs to stop NOW. Owners of resorts in the Keta tourism area must understand that if the locals cannot visit, eat or drink at their places, they can't build in the land.

 I spent two years of my time in America to learn and teach about racism and other forms of discrimination. Here I am in my own hand and experiencing the same things I stood up against in a foreign land. We, the locals, cannot eat, drink or visit the very places built with our sweat and on our land. How? Does our money have a monkey tribal mark? (This is an Ewe proverb translated loosely).

What is happening? Guests-only? What does that even mean? If nothing at all, at least those of us who spend our time studying forms of discrimination know this is how so-called upper-class people and white folks tell us, the locals perceived as poor and less educated and black, not to come to their places or? It's like America and Kenya, and South Africa are happening right in front of us, and we are doing nothing about it.

I don't know how I feel right now, but I know I will make fighting against this nonsense my next project. Enough.

Written by Dela Gold Heart