GET READY! Gov’t predicts economic boom for 50th anniversary

Last Updated on Wednesday, 23 March 2016, 15:21 by Denis Chabrol

The Guyana Government is urging that the local private sector get ready to cash in on the opportunities that will be made available to them as Guyana’s celebrates 50 years of Independence in May 2016.

This was the message delivered to an audience of tourism and private sector stakeholders as Tourism Minister Cathy Hughes launched Guyana’s 50th anniversary celebrations at Colgrain House on Tuesday evening.

The Minister said that stakeholders must ensure that all the prerequisites are in place for them to make the most out of Guyana’s Jubilee celebrations. “Guyana is finally getting the recognition that we have been striving for and we have to make sure that we present our country as it is- strong, united and free,” she said.

With thousands of Guyanese and persons from across the globe expected to grace these shores in May, Hughes was adamant that this event provides the economic opportunity that Guyana needs.

“With the amount of tourists expected; that’s thousands of mouths to feed with Guyana’s tasty foods; thousands of feet that will walk into your businesses; thousands of people to sell your products to and thousands to entertain,” said the Tourism Minister.

She declared the event an opportunity to “catapult our economy into the stratosphere.”

With Guyana’s hotels and guest houses fully booked for the country’s 50th Independence anniversary, the Tourism Minister urged private home-owners to rent their available rooms to more visitors expected in the country for a series of activities.

“Every single hotel, bed and breakfast inn and other hospitality facilities  in Guyana has been solidly booked from the end of April to the beginning of June,” she said.

Hughes said government continues to appeal to private property owners countrywide- Georgetown, Essequibo Coast, East Coast, East Bank, Berbice and elsewhere “to make their spare room available to visitors under out bed and breakfast programme  at the ministry.”

Hughes also previewed some of the events that will take place under the jubilee banner noting that it will be an “explosion of our country’s fine culture, our arts and craft.”

The Minister made it clear that every minute detail is being given close attention as the planning committees strive to pull off the event.

“It is going to be the best birthday bash we have ever had,” said Hughes.

She said the Jubilee Festival would showcase Guyana’s varied culture, rich history, locally made products and services, musical icons, legends, artists and artisans.

The Festival opens on May 19, 2016 with a night of spiritual fusion of Guyanese religious entertainment and continues nightly with the wearing of the five national colours, music by Guyana’s national legends, an amazing array of Guyanese artistes who are based locally and internationally, a big fashion extravaganza and a wide variety of foods. “The Guyana Jubilee Festival is a rare opportunity to show the world the best of our culture and our way of life, our celebrities and everything else that is uniquely Guyanese,” she said.