Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Manniram Prashad said a week-long programme of activities has been set for this year’s Bartica Easter Regatta, when he officially launched the programme on Wednesday.
Prashad said that during the Easter season, many overseas-based Guyanese return to Guyana and as such the ministry has engaged officials from Delta Airlines to organize more flights. “We expect a significant amount of tourists to be in Bartica over that weekend, which is a good thing for tourism in Guyana,” he said.
The Regatta has become a signature event for Region Seven and is welcomed by the business community, craft producers and hotel owners, a press release from the Government Information Agency (GINA) said. This year, nine young women from Region Seven and its environs will be vying for the crown in the Bartica Regatta Pageant, which has become a popular feature in the programme of activities. All the participants in the pageant will be given prizes and the winner will walk away with a lap top computer.
Also, for the first time, government has approved duty-free concessions for persons desirous of purchasing speed boats for the sole purpose of participating in boat racing competitions. “We have a high standard of speed boat racers in Guyana…and apart from just participating at the Orealla and Mainstay regatta, racers now want to venture outside of Guyana to compete with other Caribbean countries. Government will have to provide these facilities for them and we have started to take steps in this regard,” Prashad said.
Regional Chairman, Region Seven and Chairman of the Bartica Regatta Committee Holbert Knights said that this year’s Easter Regatta is expected to be the biggest thus far. The activities officially start on April 16 with the ‘Bartica Regatta Jump-Start Show’ featuring both local and international artists leading up to the grand finale at the Bartica Beach Front. Knights said based on the number of events scheduled across the country for that particular weekend, the regatta will be a huge success, as many hotels were booked for this event since last year.
“We have added three additional hotels in Bartica…for an area that is only approximately one square mile that is a very significant number; it means that Bartica has been experiencing a tremendous influx of visitors, both tourists as well as persons seeking employment in the mining areas. We are stepping up in terms of infrastructural to meet the demands of those visitors,” he said. Knights also noted that the entire Gold Beach area, where spectators will assemble to view the regatta activities will be paved in order to facilitate larger crowds. The Committee will also be launching a magazine, which is a compilation of last year’s regatta activities, highlights of the region’s services and social activities.
