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New Airstrip supports tourism operations at Surama Eco-Lodge
The finished airstrip at Surama
A newly rehabilitated airstrip at Surama, Region Nine (Upper Essequibo/Upper Takutu), completed mainly by self help is proving to be a major facility for supporting a rapidly growing community tourism industry in the Rupununi village.
Member of Parliament, Sydney Allicock, who lives at Surama and is a member of the village council, said that ever since Surama won the “Excellence in Sustainable Tourism” award from the Caribbean Tourism organization in 2011, there has been a steady increase in the number of tourists to the community.
He said that the first eco-lodge was built in 1998 to facilitate the community’s first organized business. It attracted 42 tourists for that year.
The village hosted 753 paying clients and 52 complimentary ones last year and the lodge already has bookings for 2014 and requests for 2015 rates.
He said that the recognition of the potential of Surama had led to an urgent need for easier air transport access to and from the community for medical and other emergencies so that visitors would not have to travel to Annai to get flights.
Allicock said that the airstrip at Surama was built and used by balata bleeders in the 1950’s for transshipment of balata to Apoteri. It was subsequently used by the military in 1970’s. It was last used in 1987.
The 60-foot wide by 3000-foot long airstrip was completed by residents of Surama with the support of various groups and persons including the Ministry of Public Works (CAD) , Torong Tours (Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm Chan A Sue), the Art Williams & Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School(AW HW AES) Mr. Marcel Gaskin, of Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Conservation International (CI) Guyana, Mekdeci Mining Company (MMC), Makushi Yemkun Cooperative(MYC), BK International, Region Nine Regional Development Council, Office of the Prime Minister, Wings Aviation and Trans Guyana Airways(TGA)
The airstrip can accommodate a 14-seater aircraft.
Allicock said that the entire runway is fenced with five strands of barbed wire provided through the intervention of Prime Minister Sam Hinds.
There are two gates on either side to ensure that stray animals do not pose a threat to aircraft landing or taking off. The ribbon to declare the strip open was cut by Mrs. Margaret Chan-a-Sue, wife of Captain Malcolm Chan-a-Sue, Executive Director of the Aircraft Owners Association of Guyana (AOAG).
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