Resort owners urge viable tourism plan
From Michelle Elphage
THE $300M Lake Mainstay Resort on the Essequibo Coast opened yesterday with a call for the establishment of a viable tourism plan for the country. President Bharrat Jagdeo, in Essequibo on a three-day Cabinet visit, declared the resort formally open to heavy congratulations from other government officials, the private sector and the opposition. "A well thought out, adequately supported and properly promoted tourism development plan can be a boon to our country. We the Directors of Demerara Investment Company Limited (DICL) stand ready to become catalysts and champions in initiatives and programmes you may establish", DICL Chairman, Mr Wilfred Jagnarine assured at the ceremony. "We feel also that Guyana's tropical beauty should be presented to our Caribbean brothers and sisters. I appeal today to CARICOM (Caribbean Community) and the Caribbean Tourism Office to become involved in a major way in helping Guyana promote its fledgling tourist industry." Jaganarine said the hope is that Mainstay can become a heritage site for the enjoyment of both the domestic and foreign tourism market, but recalled that to make the "dream" a reality, the group was faced with several challenges. These included crafting an appropriate lease agreement with the Amerindians and the Government; physically reclaiming the site from the jungle; ensuring that all the work and development were done in conformity with accepted environmental principles and mobilising finance. The local financial institutions did not consider the project a "bankable proposition", Jagnarine explained and said financing eventually had to come from the directors themselves with the support of their families. "My four colleagues and I stood together, and today, despite the hurdles, we are truly proud to present to you Lake Mainstay Resort. A place for all. A place and facility which we believe is unique in Guyana and the Caribbean region," Jagnarine declared. The resort provides employment for more than 170 persons, with more than one-third of that number coming from nearby communities. Purchases and labour from the region exceed $140M out of the total investment, the DICL boss said. "We have invested in bringing the comforts of electricity, technology of today's communications and creature comforts that would ensure that our visitors' stay would be enjoyable and memorable," Jagnarine added. In this regard DICL has completed the electrification of the Whyaka Primary School and health centre and the Chairman said a submersible pump would soon be installed to boost the community's potable water supply. He also called for the development of the road which leads to the resort and is used by the nearby Amerindian communities. President Jagdeo reminded the packed gathering in the `Melody Stand' section of the resort about the importance of sector linkages. According to him, the wellbeing of the service sector is highly correlated with the real sectors, but urged that the attitude of dependency on the Government to do everything for the country has to change. "We've been trying to say to people that you are responsible for your own future, that the individual wealth for each Guyanese sums up collectively. We should not be afraid to promote individual initiatives," he declared. The President assured that the Government would try to create appropriate policies in collaboration with various sectors. He stressed the need to focus on job creation and conditions for shaping wealth, but called on the media to work along with the Government and the private sector to change the negative image of the country. President Jagdeo said the lessons learnt from this project include the difficulty there is to access debt financing. However, he said it was commendable that the investors were not deterred from resurrecting the resort. Former President Janet Jagan and several Cabinet members were among those at the opening. Mainstay was first built by the previous Government under the late President Forbes Burnham but was not maintained and eventually fell into disuse. DICL in 1996 took over the area and refurbished the rundown buildings, putting in a few additional facilities. Chairman of the Private Sector Commission, Mr George Jardim said without a doubt Guyana is in dire need of job opportunities and it is heartening to see investments such as Mainstay subscribing to this. "Investments have to come from people and those people are usually very special; they must have vision, foresight, capital, enthusiasm for what they are planning and especially (this has become so unusual in our country) faith in the future and a positive attitude," Jardim advised. He said he has watched over the years the tourism industry growing "slowly and painfully, sometimes making progress, sometimes faltering, but always there and persisting, no matter how difficult the times." "Without this level of commitment both personal and financial, tourism would always remain a craft industry, never realising its potential to be a major force in our economy. A successful tourism industry requires the involvement of business people who are accustomed to dealing with investments, risk-taking, and management," Jardim declared. He added that following the recent business summit with President Jagdeo, the business community believes that a national commitment exists within the Government to develop tourism. "It is not well-known that the Government already has in place a very progressive regime of fiscal incentives for tourism. In the past, that regime has not been as effective as it might have been because of bureaucratic difficulties", Jardim said. "Nevertheless, the secretariat formed of private sector and government representatives as a result of the business summit is very close to the finalising of the investment code", he reported. He added: "When it is finalised shortly I think that we will see that investments in tourism are not only made very welcome, but that they are also well supported by fiscal and other incentives." The Lake Mainstay Resort can accommodate up to 200 persons. Former Amerindian Captain in the area, Ms Mary Williams presented a message from leader of the main opposition People's National Congress, Mr Desmond Hoyte who was absent because of a private engagement.
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