The Bartica Triangle:
This is another key area we are proposing to become a major economic zone for Guyana in addition to Lethem in Region 9. This is the area west of the Essequibo River. It is accessible by river and road. The Bartica-Potaro Road passes through the area on the watershed between the Mazaruni and the Essequibo Rivers. The Bartica Township occupies the apex of the Bartica Triangle.
Although we talk about protecting our forest, protected status for the Bartica Triangle is highly improbable. A study done by a German group concluded this will not be possible because of the variety of activities and private lands there.
Bartica has a unique value in areas such as eco-tourism and forestry. In 2003 the German Study looked at hydropower sites at Ikuribisi and Big Barabara which were considered critical to the future development of Barticia. Had we focused on this project, today many of the tourist operators would have had energy to the resorts in the vicinity. They were many mini-hydro projects that needed to get underway in these areas.
The Ikuribisi Falls which is located about 29km upstream of Bartica was identified as a key project. The government keeps waiting for the big one when many of these smaller hydro projects could have been completed. Some of these studies go back to 1984 and the site at Barabara could have produce 170KW. These projects can significantly improve the Bartica Triangle and make this area a key development zone for our nation.
Bartica is an area that we need to develop as a major hub for both mining and agriculture. It was once known for its peanuts, but lack of infrastructure has destroyed the markets. We must all lobby for a large portion of our taxes to be put back into our own communities.
Conclusion:
The cost of living solutions must be a coordinated effort among government, private sector and citizens. We all have to manage our standard of living; we have to look at new and innovative ways on our purchasing trends.
We must prioritize what is important, such as our children’s education, meeting the needs of our families and ensuring we all contribute to the growth of our nation. Significant moves that will make a difference today are a roll back of the VAT to 10% and eliminating the zero rated policy. Focus must be given to the new key developmental zones that can boost our economy and create prosperity for all of us.
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