In recent years, in an effort to diversify its economic base, Guyana has been putting increasing emphasis on improving and expanding its tourism industry, a push to which the private sector has responded and from which some results are already apparent – sport fishing in the Rupununi; various bird-watching tours around the country; foreign yachts in the Essequibo, etc.
The benefits from tourism are on display throughout the region with, Trinidad and Tobago aside, the standard of living in almost every instance owing largely to the tourist dollar, to the extent that any deterioration in the tourism numbers, however caused, triggers immediate concern and attention in the country so affected.
Apart from the obvious boost to economies, however, one of the less noticed benefits from the industry is the significant amount of contributions in cash and kind that often accrue to a country where a sustained and stable tourism product is operating.
Just this past week, I was reminded of this by an exchange with my broadcasting specialist friend Vic Fernandes, who also writes a wide-ranging weekly column called ‘The Market Vendor in Barbados.’ I don’t recall how we got on the subject, but Vic was referring to the benefits that had come to Barbados from wealthy individuals who landed there initially as visitors, had become fond of the place, and were now donating some of their money to specific projects in the island, or, in some cases, investing substantially in the island’s economy.
As a case in point, Vic referred to a wealthy Irish gentleman by the name of Derek Smith, known to Barbadians as one of the owners of the country’s high-end Sandy Lane Hotel. Smith, who came to the island originally as a visitor, became one of the early contributors to Barbados’ tourism rise, and his name comes into reference from Vic as it became known that Mr Smith had paid the US$10 million cost of a new school for children with disabilities in Barbados, and had also donated funds to ensure its continuation by paying school salaries and expenses. Said Vic, “I only realized who had donated the money when the school was officially handed over and government named it the Derek Smith School. It was an awesome gift, and it was not the first time that Mr Smith and his wife Gay have given generously to Barbados without seeking acclaim.” Vic makes the salient point that “One of the things we have benefited from in Barbados is the generosity of visitors who have made Barbados home, or who just love the place, and have joined Barbadians in being charitable to the country.
In many cases, we’re talking about significant sums of money, and, as in the case of our National Trust, it is often given anonymously. It is a benefit from tourism, sometimes direct, sometimes indirect, that we don’t often identify, but it is substantial.” He concludes, “One of the unexpected but welcome benefits of having a wealthy niche in the tourism market is that it brings us into contact with wealthy individuals who fall in love with the country and want to do something tangible to assist in its development.
There are many examples, large and small, that come to mind. I doubt that the founding fathers saw that opportunity when crafting the tourism strategy, but it is a positive side to the industry.”
This reaction Vic Fernandes refers to, from persons who arrive as tourists but become, in effect, patrons, is one that is replicated in varying measures across the Caribbean with visitors often paying for the restoration or preservation of items in a country.
It is perhaps worth noting that it is unlikely that a City Hall in the condition of ours in Georgetown would have even approached that state in a Barbados or a St Lucia or Antigua; some wealthy visitor would have stepped in and ensured its rectification with no cost to the country. Indeed, many of those impressive old buildings one sees beautifully preserved in various islands – St Kitts and St Maarten come to mind – are often a consequence of that visitor generosity, or from the local organizations such as the National Trust which are able to draw on significant charitable donations either from affluent residents or from visitors who have come to love the island and its people. In the Cayman Islands, the country’s impressive national theatre run by the Cayman National Cultural Founda-tion, and named the Harquail Theatre, is a US$6 million gift to the country from a wealthy Canadian Helen Harquail who came there originally as visitor and eventually became a resident. Prior to Mrs Harquail’s arrival, the country‘s theatre groups operated in a makeshift area in one of Grand Cayman’s hotels. Mrs Harquail donated the 9 acres of land and all the costs connected with building the modern theatre now a vital part of Caymanian life, coincidentally now being run by a Guyanese, Henry Muttoo, and his wife Marcia.
Going across the region, one sees example after example of this indirect but very substantial bonus that comes to a destination where a successful tourism industry is operating. It’s an often unrecognised component in the tourism industry that produces significant benefits to the standard of living in the country. The impact on Cayman’s cultural life created by the Harquail Theatre and the users of it has been substantial; in a different sphere and with different benefits the Derek Smith contribution in Barbados will help to improve the lives of Barbadian children.
As Guyana continues the effort, public and private, to generate substantial tourism here one has to hope that those added bonuses of considerable generosity will become our good fortune as well in time to come.
