Linden authorities urged to leverage tourism opportunities from improved infrastructure

In light of several major infrastructural projects that are being executed across Region 10 (Upper Demera- Upper Berbice), Public works Minister Juan Edghill has made a call to action for authorities in the Mining Town to capitalize on the many opportunities that these initiatives presents particularly in the tourism sector.
The Minister made this call last week during a visit to Linden. During a radio interview, Edghill revealed that projects such as the reconstruction of the Linden-Soesdyke Highway and the construction of the Linden to Mabura Hill Road will significantly increase foreign traffic within the region, which will present a plethora of opportunities for residents.
“Once the Linden to Mabura road is completed and we continue that phase on to Kurupukari into Annai then into Lethem, there will be much more movement because the people from Brazil will be able to start coming through. That means more opportunities for business people who are running 10-room guest houses should start think about 50-room hotels,” he noted.

On this point, Minister Edghill highlighted that Linden needs to capitalize on its tourism potential. The minister revealed that currently, the region already has a significant flow of traffic and as such, called for authorities to further develop some of the regions key destinations such as the Blue Lake in an effort to monetise the influx of tourists in the region.
“Linden really needs to capitalize on its tourism potential. Often when I’m at the Watooka House, you see busloads of people coming and they go to the board walk… That must be monetized. Several persons must be able to come together and start doing things to encourage tourism. The blue lakes must become a safer place for people to [relax] and swim,” the minister stated.
Moreover, Edghill added that government’s infrastructural projects are not only to enhance the physical appearance of the country but also to provide opportunities for citizens. He said, “Government development in terms of projects – roads and highways – is not just to say we build a new road but it’s creating opportunities.”
Additionally, the minister has since reaffirmed the government’s commitment towards developing the region to the benefit of its residents. In fact, the minister has revealed that sum of $7.3 billion will be spent to build more than 160 roads in communities across Linden.
Meanwhile, earlier this month in an interview with the Guyana Times, Region 10 Tourism Committee Member, Devin Sears revealed that the Committee has been working with stakeholders to develop and roll out a number of initiatives geared at attracting tourists throughout the year. This follows after the town has seen a spike in hotels due to one of its flagship events – ‘The Linden Town Week,’ which is held every year as part of the town’s birth anniversary celebrations.

Sears, expressed his confidence in these hotels being sustainable to business owners outside of the town week period due to a hike in tourists visiting the region in recent years. He added that this influx coupled with initiatives that are being developed and rolled out by the Region 10 Tourism Committee and stakeholders, will ensure that hotels in the region are profitable to business owners throughout the year.
“We’ve created such an amazing tourism product, which will sustain those kinds of investments. We’re actually working along with some of our stakeholders to create weekday packages. So, whenever a tourist decides to visit Linden, let’s say a Tuesday, you know, you can go to karaoke at Five Corner, you can go have maybe brunch at Colfin’s and stay at a really good hotel and maybe travel back the next day. So, we’re working on those weekday packages as we speak,” he noted.
Additionally, Sears highlighted that whilst emphasis is being placed on bolstering the region’s accommodation capacity, similar investments are also being made to improve the hospitality sector in the Region.
“With the Region 10 Tourism Committee being a non-governmental organization, a not-for-profit, what we have done is seek partners such as UNDP, GEF SGP programme, which we started just about two years ago and a part of that program, there were various capacity building training that happened and then under the Greater Guyana Initiative, which is funded by Exxon, HESS, and CNOOC [the operators of the oil-rich Stabroek Block offshore Guyana, where oil is being produced], we were able to take part in [that but also] initiate and also facilitate various trainings ranging from customer care, entrepreneurship, even to basic making of food,” Sears stated.
He added that as the tourism sector continues to expand, the Region 10 Tourism Committee will continue to roll out new initiatives aimed at enhancing the hospitality sector in the region. These programmes, he highlighted, are crucial towards ensuring tourists are met with the highest levels of service.