According to him, some $20M is available to operationalise the Authority in the stipulated time, with the passage of the Tourism Authority Bill in the National Assembly.

He has set August 1 as the date for the setting up of the Tourism Board, following which the other mechanisms for the Authority will fall into place.

In addition, Nadir said that after the Authority comes on stream, a Guyana tourism website and a comprehensive tourism information system will be launched.

He said that when he took office as Minister one year ago, tourism was competing with fisheries to be the country's fourth largest sector, but an aggressive awareness programme started last year with promotional activities in the regions, schools and the media, has borne much fruit.

He said he was so convinced when he heard that three of the five finalists in the recent Miss Guyana/Universe pageant cited investment in the tourism sector when asked how US$100M should be spent were Guyana to receive that sum as a gift.

Many other pageants in Guyana have been focusing on tourism and it will be the same for the July 20 Miss JamZone Beach Pageant at the Splashmins resort, at which Nadir is expected to speak.

He said his Ministry has also scored points in terms of networking with other agencies, such as the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana, with which it pulled off promotional programmes in the Caribbean, United Kingdom and Canada.

Nadir said that the development of tourist sites, including the Lethem Rodeo venue, Number 63 Beach, Bartica Regatta facilities, the Georgetown Seawall and Orinduik and Kaieteur Falls, was also a main focus of his Ministry.

He said that the rodeo site now has a new pavilion and permanent booths, and work is under way to supply electricity to the site on a 24-hour basis.

At Bartica, he said the works on the roof of the regatta facilities and the pageant area have been completed, and proper sanitary facilities are now in place.

According to Nadir, 12 new lights were installed at the Georgetown Seawall and work has started to put in new benches, as well as to refurbish existing ones.

"We have been out front in activism with respect to developing the Georgetown Seawall as a recreational area for our people", he said.

With a new guest house at Orinduik Falls, Nadir said his Ministry was instrumental in ensuring furnishings were in place and reported that the Precision Woodworking company has donated outdoor furniture. Works will be undertaken shortly to construct benabs as well.

At Kaieteur, he Nadir said that a $5M plan will see the refurbishing of the guest house, among other developments.

As provided for in the 2002 budget, investments in the tourism sector from April 1 attract a 50 per cent remission of Duty and Consumption Tax, as against 25 per cent previously.