The tourism ministry recently honoured 12 stakeholders for the integral role they have played in driving the industry at a ceremony hosted at the Guyana International Conference Centre.
According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds charged the awardees to increase their contribution so that tourism will become a leading economic sector in Guyana. Hinds, who stood in for President Bharrat Jagdeo, said stakeholders in both the public and private sector should assist their colleagues in meeting the same standards they have achieved and that they too should aim higher.
In his address Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Manniram Prashad, said Guyana is experiencing an exciting period with the development of the tourism industry. He said the country has a unique product which is natural and abundant, providing a great market for eco, nature and adventure tourism. He said bird-watching has been an advantage to the country, enabling it to be ranked as one of the top birding destinations in the world alongside Peru.
The minister said that as the industry develops Guyanese will benefit and they should start taking the initiative to become a part of the sector. “I strongly believe that tourism is the future of Guyana and how we get this message across is the task ahead because we have the product; there is no question about that, but we now have to market it,” Prashad said. He also said it is his vision to have Guyana named among the top eco-tourism destinations in the Caribbean.
According to GINA, Captain Gerald Gouveia of the Roraima Group of Companies received the award for Outstanding Achievement in Tourism Investment. Gouveia said he was grateful to the ministry for “putting tourism on the front burner. “We lived at a time when we hoped that the government would take notice of tourism development and we have seen the transition.”
Gouveia said under Prashad’s leadership the industry has been refocused and is moving in the “direction which the private sector can be very proud of.”
In his charge to other stakeholders he said: “Other countries have been where we are today, and we can learn from them, but I want to say that this can only happen with a partnership between the public and private sectors; neither one can do it alone.”
Twelve persons and organizations/companies were awarded for their contributions. The other awardees in the individual category were Sydney Allicock from Surama Village for Outstanding Contribution to Community Tourism Development; Frank Singh from Wonderland Tours for Outstanding Support to Affordable Domestic Tour Promotion; Diane Mc Turk from Karanambu Ranch for Individual Protection, Con-servation and Preservation Project; Kirk Smock from Guyana Trade and Investment Support for his Travel Guide Initiative; Mokesh Daby from Grand Coastal Inn for Most Outstanding Hotel Entrepre-neur 2008 and Donald Sinclair for Most Distinguished Tourism Pioneer of Guyana.
The companies/organisations given recognition are the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture for Agro-Tourism Develop-ment Initiative; Air Services Ltd for Sterling Contribution and Support to Affordable Local Air Transportation; Wilderness Explorers for Most Outstanding Tour Operation; Caribbean Airlines for Continuous Air Connection to Guyana and Guyana Trade and Investment Support/United States Agency for International Develop-ment for Development and Funding of Guyana Sustain-able Tourism Initiative.
