The Region Seven administration has planned a series of exercises to make Bartica more visible and attractive for the influx of visitors expected for the Cricket World Cup (CWC).
Regional Chairman Holbert Knights told Stabroek News that the administration is extending the Bartica Regatta to two weeks from March 31 as it hopes to use it as a pull factor for visitors after the CWC games are over. The last CWC match is scheduled for April 9.
Knights said the region started preparations in December and has formed a Tourism and Development Committee, which, along with the village council, is working on putting together a programme. He said it is also hoping for more support from the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce in order to make a bigger impact.
Knights said a number of infrastructural changes are planned and, coupled with this, the region started to re-sand the beaches a few months ago. “We are also looking to repair some of our drains and will also concrete some of them and a massive sanitization campaign is also part of our plan,” he said, adding that the committee will also direct energies toward cleaning its historical and heritage sites. Addition-ally, Knights said, the committee is also working to formalise plans with the Transport and Harbours Department to put an additional vessel on the Bartica route.
He said too that the committee is in the process of preparing proposals which will be taken to the Regional Democratic Council for approval. They will highlight the need for the training of service providers in the community. The committee, he added, hopes to get special training for speedboat operators, taxi-drivers, and hotel staff. It has already conducted its own inspections on hotel rooms and various entertainment spots and has started to compile a list of observations to inform mangers and operators of areas that might need improvements.
A number of hotels in the community have already been fully booked so Bartica will once again embark on a bed and breakfast programme, an initiative, Knights said, which had been employed in the past. Many of the hotels are also offering complete packages with additional features for foreigners who may want to go fishing, birding or experience the natural beauty of Bartica.
Knights boasted that Bartica has the best beaches and beautiful waterfalls and it should be given a chance to capitalise on the CWC opportunities. He also boasted of active community involvement, as residents have agreed with the town’s plans.
