TANZANIA: Hoteliers,Stop Recruiting Aged Guards

Police in Kilimanjaro region have directed tour operators and hoteliers to stop employing staff prior of getting adequate personal records and at the same time avert employing old security guards.

Regional Police Commander (RPC), Mr Wilbroad Mutafungwa said here that the move was aimed at strengthening security in the tourism industry and the region at large. Mr Mutafungwa issued the directive after holding a meeting with tour operators, owners of tourist hotels, security companies and OCDs to discuss issues relating to peace and security in the country as it heads to a high tourism season.

The RPC said the government and Police Force acknowledge contribution of the tourism sector in bolstering the national economic growth. However, he said the tourism sector prosperity won't be possible if high security, peace and harmony was a distant dream.

"We advise tour operators, hotel owners and other tourism stakeholders to have all the important records of their staffs, including their fingerprints and passports so as to tackle crime in the sector. Once they commit crime it is to trace them and make arrest," RPC Mutafungwa said.

He called upon tour operators to stop hiring watchmen who are in advanced age, as they cannot even defend themselves in case of any eventuality. He said he has seen guards aged 60 years old and above, something he said is not good for security, as most of them go asleep at work at night.

He said police force was all out to strengthen security in the tourism industry because it wants to ensure tourists were getting tight security while making their tours in various places in the country.

Through such measures, the country will continue to maintain good relations with friendly countries. "The three cars are intended to strengthen the patrol, dealing with tourist companies collecting and working with all the information from tourism sector in the region; tour operators should inform Police on suspicious visitors," he said.

According to the RPC, the Police Force has a special desk that deals with tourism matters. He called for cooperation from the stakeholders, adding that staffs like tour guides, cooks and potters should be paid well and at right time to avoid them being tempted to robe tourists.

The director of Asante Tours, Mr Cuthbert Swai, expressed his concern that crimes are committed at the beginning of every high season due to the fact that security given was little in comparison to the big number of tourists.