What’s wrong with the GTA and tour operators in Guyana?

Nov 09, 2008 Letters

Dear Editor,
My love affair with the hinterland of my country Guyana started way back in 1954 when I was employed as a young Field Assistant fresh out of school (Queen’s College) and worked in areas such as Marlissa Falls, Christmas Falls, Canister Falls, Barima and Barama Rivers, Mazaruni and Cuyuni Rivers and other areas too numerous to mention here, for six years (1954 – 1960) when I resigned. (I was attached to the Geological Survey Department of then British Guyana).

I moved on to work for various agencies and organisations in the Interior and with the Tourism Industry as well as a Tour Guide, observing several shortfalls for the safety of Tourists and other aspects of comfort.

One of my first observations was at Kaieteur Falls. The tourists were so fascinated with Kaieteur’s roaring splendour that they were tempted to approach the ledge at the lip of the falls to take pictures without a safety harness or hand rails.

My reaction to this and that of Mr. Gibson the Resident Ranger at Kaieteur was to insist that they (the tourists) lie flat on their stomachs and proceed to take the pictures from that position, at the lip of the falls.

I wish to emphasise that one can become giddy (vertigo) and disoriented when staring at the roaring surge of the water fall while on that ledge. No.

The authorities spout about the magnificence and beauty but could not see that protective hand rails are an absolute necessity as is done at Niagara in Canada etc. This approach to the lip of the falls is a disaster waiting to happen if hand rails or barriers are not erected.

The little guest house was in a state of disrepair for sometime (I understand there’s an improvement now of sorts)

Sometime in the 90’s I was Tour Guide for eight foreign tourists at Orinduik (both male and female) and apart from a rickety benab with a roof more porous than an Amerindian sifter (waichee), there were no other facilities, so after lunch during a downpour of rain whereby raindrops mingled freely with lunch in the lunch boxes, I was approached by a foreign female tourist, who asked to be directed to the wash room, Ha! Ha! there was no wash room but Eureka!

As quick witted as I am, I observed a small hill not too far from our lunch benab “Madam! I said “I am afraid you’ll have to go behind the hill” in my most mannerly and polite fashion.

In all fairness to the stakeholders (a favourite word used in Government circles) I do not know what presents itself today but I have a sixth sense that tells me that the facilities at Orinduik have not been much improved.

Nevertheless, I feel that I know what’s happening – all the Tour Companies and the Guyana Tourism Association (GTA) are waiting to see who will “bell the cat” and construct proper facilities at these two exemplary tourist locations and others in the hinterland.

Come on gentlemen! Put your petty pride and jealousies aside and seek to develop the tourism product in Guyana as a valuable and respected one.
Jim Holder