Latest update March 29th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jun 11, 2017 APNU Column, Features / Columnists
By HE David Granger
What would you expect of a country which is larger than any Caribbean Island; with variegated landscapes including coastlands, grasslands, highlands, islands, wetlands, waterfalls, lakes and rainforests which is divided by a thousand-kilometre-long river?
Where would you encounter some of the world’s largest and rarest species of ants, armadillos, bats,
caimans, monkeys, rodents, snakes, spiders, storks, toads, turtles and vultures?
How could you explain to a visitor that the species of birds, bees, butterflies, fish and frogs are too numerous to count?
We live in a big, beautiful and bountiful country which possesses a thousand natural treasures. Our country lies at the heart of the Guiana Shield, one of the world’s oldest geomorphic formations and one of earth’s last remaining tracts of pristine forest.
Its forests, like a limitless sea of broccoli, are the habitat of some of the world’s unique species of flora and fauna and envelop much of its territory.
Guyana’s luxuriant biodiversity is the base of a potentially competitive, world-class eco-tourism industry. Our country needs a strong tourism industry, one that is more than a weekend excursion or a hunting expedition.
Our country will be obliged, sooner or later, to reduce its reliance on the six sisters – bauxite, diamonds gold, rice, sugar and timber – which have served us well in the past but which, at times, could be very fickle. International markets always change. Dinosaurs, no matter how huge, must adapt or die.
Guyana’s future is ‘green’. We are on the path to building a ‘green state’ – one which will promote harmony between humanity and the habitat of our rich fauna.
I personally signed the Paris Agreement on climate change at the United Nations in April last year. I pledged, as part of Guyana’s commitment under that agreement, to place an additional two million hectares under conservation.
I promised the Guyanese people, also, that the Protected Areas System will be expanded and extended countrywide. Protected areas will be established on the coastland and the hinterland. Every region will be a ‘green’ region, administered by a ‘green’ capital town and, eventually, will have at least one legally-designated, regional protected area.
These protected areas are not ornamental. They can be profitable destinations for sustainable tourism. Our country recognises the importance of projecting a favourable image and of possessing a formidable international reputation for protecting the environment.
Guyana is being internationally branded as a ‘green’ state. I am selling Guyana as a ‘green’ state wherever I go. I see ecotourism development as a pillar of our ‘green’ economy. It is pivotal to economic diversification and to the creation of sustainable employment for thousands of young people leaving school every year.
Our country, apart from being blessed with a bountiful biodiversity, possesses a rich culture. Our huge diaspora has been our most generous customer of our culture. The diaspora is a faithful tourist market. Its annual pilgrimages to national festivals such as Mashramani, Emancipation, the Regatta, the Rodeo and ‘town-days’ should not be underrated. Its passion for gold jewellery, rum and rice is a small but reliable market.
The extension of our culture industries, especially art galleries, craft shops, museums, and drama and the production of CDs of folk and popular music and DVDs about the environment sell well. Our unique wooden architecture is an international heritage showpiece which still attracts the more thoughtful tourists.
Our country is rich in potential. We do have the core of a globally-competitive product and a corps of highly-motivated tourism operators. The public and private sectors, collaboratively, can develop the tourism sector into a competitive world-class industry.
This will not happen without increased investment, innovation, improved infrastructure and the penetration of international markets. Huge craters in our precious national parks will outrage international opinion and repel our tourists; fish will die in turbid rivers that resemble chocolate milk shake rather than cola; birds will migrate and animals will run away to greener frontiers when we destroy their habitats by cutting down too many trees.
Investment is needed to convert this natural wealth into a world-class product. Investments will originate, largely, from the private sector. Tourism is a private sector-driven industry and has a pivotal role to play in ensuring this country’s economic development.
Infrastructure will originate, largely, from Government’s initiative. The state will continue to support tourism development by improving aerodromes, bridges, ferries, highways and stellings. Government, right now, is unlocking the country’s ecotourism potential by improving communications in the hinterland where our ecotourism product is largely located, and to which access is mainly by air and river.
International marketing is important to tourism development. International marketing, however, can be costly, but will pay big dividends. Government will continue to provide resources, within its means, to promote our country as a desirable destination for the world’s tourists.
Our country is unique. We must be proud of this precious patrimony which we inherited from our foreparents. We can derive great profits from sustainable eco-tourism without damaging or destroying this blessed place. We are mere trustees of our ancestors’ legacy. We must bequeath it to our children and grandchildren.
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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