Princess Máxima and I are delighted and honoured to be here today. I feel privileged to have the opportunity to speak to such a diverse audience. The purpose of this Consultation is to identify the most pressing problems the residents of this historic town are facing. We can only do so if all the people living and working in the town and the district are involved. I take your presence here as a sign of the strength of the Elmina Cultural Heritage and Management Programme, which envisages using the Dutch-Ghanaian common cultural heritage as a tool to achieve economic development.
This project has its starting point in a common past, but has its sights firmly on the future and hopes to set the pace for sustainable, healthy development by preparing an urban management strategy for Elmina.
The Netherlands had a significant influence on the culture and socioeconomic development of the town and region. The Dutch first established a fort at Mouri in 1611, in close cooperation with the Chief of that town. In 1637 the Dutch took St. George's Castle from the Portuguese. It was from Elmina that 300 years ago David van Nyendael, acting as a special envoy of the Dutch Government, travelled to Kumasi to meet the Asantehene to discuss peace and prosperity. Today, we commemorate 300 years of uninterrupted diplomatic relations between our two countries.
For much of the time the Dutch were in Ghana, those relations were marked by the slave trade. Many Africans were shipped to the Americas and faced a bleak future in bondage. We now look back on that dark era of human relations with remorse and remember the victims of that inhuman trade.
Throughout the Dutch presence on the Gold Coast, the relationship with the people of Elmina was close. The Dutch played an active part in the planning of this town and built a number of fortifications around it. The relationship is still visible in the monuments and sites in the town itself, in the Dutch family names many people from Elmina still bear and in the use of some Dutch words in the local language. We share an interest in our common past.
I was pleased to learn that every year over a hundred thousand tourists visit St. George's Castle and Fort Coenraadsburg on St. Jago Hill, both of which are on the World Heritage list. This suggests that the Elmina's development potential may lie not only in the fishing and salt industries but also in tourism. The potential of the tourist industry calls for integrated development of the town's tourist attractions and support services, and a change to its mindset. It is important for these issues to be addressed in an integrated and comprehensive way.
Tourism is one way of creating more jobs and generating revenue for development. However, tourism and poor sanitation do not go together. A healthy environment for residents and tourists alike is essential. Tourists also want good information and services. Therefore the quality of services - water and electricity supplies, for instance - needs to be stepped up to meet increasing demand.
With such a big fishing industry in the town, it is also important for facilities to be improved. People whose livelihoods depend on fishing, or related sectors, should not only be heard, but also involved in the planning and decision-making process. I understand that provision has been made for broad community representation in this project and I hope that your people will become involved. A joint approach of this kind will generate the interest of government and the various development partners in implementing the Elmina urban regeneration project. Such an approach is simply too good to be ignored.
Need I repeat that your presence here is instrumental. is the motto of the District Assembly and that is exactly what is needed to make the town and the district healthy and prosperous again. Although there will always be different opinions about problems, solutions and priorities, the common goal should be development. If everybody shares this vision, I am convinced that this beautiful historic town can look forward to a sunny future. Let me conclude by wishing you every success with your consultations in the next three days. I will be very pleased to hear the outcome of your deliberations and to learn that you have made progress with the project.
Thank you.
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