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Ingenuity, creativeness needed for businesses to survive COVID-19 pandemic
– Minister tells launch of new bicycle tours service
Kaieteur News – Describing the recently launched bicycle tours and rentals service as innovative and timely, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond, said that this type of ingenuity and fresh thinking is what business people need to navigate the dispensation of the COVID-19 pandemic and other kinds of hassles that may hinder their efforts.
Ride Along GY CEO, Cherry-Ann Greene.
CEO Greene and Minister Walrond at the launch.
Walrond was at the time speaking at the Ride Along GY Bicycle Tours and Rentals, which premiered last Saturday. The new business owned by Cherry-Ann Greene offers Guyanese and visitors the opportunity to explore historical sites, nature trails and cultures from the perch of a pedal cycle while on guided tours and excursions.
Alternatively, the service will promote fitness, the reduction of emissions and congestion from fossil fuels produced by motor vehicles.
The new initiative was brought on stream through the Ministry of Tourism’s Small Business Bureau (SBB) Green Tech Fund, where it secured G$1M.
“I am especially pleased at the fact that this is a woman-initiated, woman-owned and woman driven business,” the Minister said of the bicycle tours.
Walrond noted that the service is not only one which factors in the aspects of small business, but tourism as well.
“The functions that I am invited to speak at, usually relate exclusively to either the tourism or other departments of the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce… This is perhaps the first time that I am speaking at an activity that intimately involves both the tourism and the other departments of the ministry,” she said.
Walrond noted that the launch gave her great joy because it was not too long ago, that the ministry handed over a cheque to Greene as part of the Green Tech Fund initiative.
She added, “Today we are seeing the idea realised. This, ladies and gentlemen, is how we envisage the fund working. Our intention is to see small businesses developing across the country.”
Meanwhile, Greene, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), of Ride Along GY Bicycle Tours and Rentals, said she is happy that she was able to realise her dream.
“I’m very excited. I’m thrilled actually. It’s been a rough journey from unemployment to the pandemic and to standing where I am right now. It’s been a pleasure. It’s I don’t know, words fail me, but it was indeed quite an amazing journey. I had a lot of support from friends and family that got me to this point, many sleepless nights but here I am proudly standing,” she added.
Ms. Greene expressed gratitude to the Government for the encouragement and support. She also said she hopes a bicycle lane can be constructed along the roadways.
This year the Government allocated $250 million to Small Business Development Fund, the largest allocation for small business development in Guyana to date. The Green Tech Small Business Fund is a component of this Fund.
The objective is to ensure small and micro enterprise receive the necessary incentives to strengthen their operations.
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