Tourism’s $1.1B budget gets greenlight

Apr 26, 2013 News

– But GuyExpo, ‘Main Big Lime’ queried

Guyana’s major trade show, GuyExpo, makes enough money to pay for itself and does not need help from government.
This opinion was expressed Tuesday by Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce (ag), Irfaan Ali, as the National Assembly greenlighted a $1.1B budget for that Ministry during considerations of the $208.8B National Budget.
The Ministry is responsible for the hosting of slew of events including the annual GuyExpo event at the Sophia Exhibition Site; the Christmas Village, Main Big Lime and the Pakaraima Mountain Safari. It is also in charge of the International Conference Centre.
According to Ali, GuyExpo has not been requiring startup capital and has been making monies from the many booths and tickets sold. The exposition, geared to showcase Guyanese products and services, is managed by a committee headed by the Minister, representatives of the tourism association and stakeholders from the private sector.
Ali, the current Housing Minister, took over the Tourism Ministry following the November 2011 elections.
Questioned about financial statements, the Minister said he will be liaising closely with the Office of the Auditor General to bring the reports up-to-date.
Meanwhile, there were also questions asked about the ‘Main Big Lime’ which last year was replaced by a two-week Christmas Village. The ‘Main Big Lime’ was a fixture on the annual calendar on December 26th (Boxing Day). The Minister also committed to have the statements of these events worked on. ‘Main Big Lime’ came into being under former Minister, Manniram Prashad.
Meanwhile, the Ministry was also spared a possible $100M cut to the allocations of Competitiveness Programme. Some $259M had been allocated to this programme which is geared at improving the business climate in Guyana.
AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan wanted to know how the money would be spent.
The Minister promised to provide details.
Money was spent on strengthening the institutional capacity to formulate and implement the National Competitiveness Strategy – $26.9M, enhancing investment, and export promotion and production standards through the strengthening of Go-Invest- $3.6M, supporting private enterprise competitiveness for export development, strengthening tourism regulations and facilitation, establishment of national testing facility – $16.3M, digitisation of property records and the Deeds Registry, supporting the separation of Deeds, Land, and Companies Registry- $49.6M, tax reform – $8.1M, implementation of trade transaction study at GRA- $1M, support to CPCC- $2.2M, and consultancy to prepare a four-year action plan – $634, 848.
Under the current expenditure, APNU Member of Parliament Joseph Harmon also questioned the sums budgeted for contracted employees, enquiring about the designations and salaries for the top five employees.
According to Ali, the Permanent Secretary receives a salary of $500,980; Deputy Permanent Secretary – $248,090; General Manager of the Guyana International Conference Center (GICC)- $288, 181; Coordinator for National and other events- $ 332,927, and Administrator for the National Exhibition Centre (NEC)- $315, 000.
Regarding national and other events, some $34M has been budgeted for Mashramani, the Christmas Village, President’s Gold Tournament, Diwali Nagar, Bartica and Mainstay Regattas, Moruca and Mahdia expos, motor racing, Jamzone, Wakenaam Nite, and Rupununi Rodeo.
Meanwhile, regarding the number of lodges and resorts that have been licenced by the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), Minister Ali disclosed that so far 100 such establishments have been registered, 19 are unregistered and 85 are being inspected.
Ali was questioned in depth about whether Guyana was getting its money’s worth as far as tourism investments are concerned. He pointed out that tourism figures provided do not even include visitors from Suriname via Moleson Creek, Berbice, nor from the Lethem border crossing at Takutu, Region Nine.
He also noted of the increasing interest of Guyana by tour operators with even a team from the Discovery Channel investing in “Gold Rush”, a popular reality series being filmed in the interior.

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