Unapproved hike in customs fee deterred some yachters – Nascimento

… Govt looking at construction of marina in Bartica

As the Guyana leg of the fifth Nereid’s Yacht Rally kicked off on Thursday at the Hurakabra River Resort, organiser Kit Nascimento said an overnight hike in the customs fee for yachts served as a deterrent for some yachters, resulting in fewer participants in this year’s rally.
“We discovered that the customs fee for yachts coming to Guyana suddenly went from US$25 to US$100 overnight. When I discovered it, I called the Minister responsible for tourism (Dominic Gaskin), Minister of Finance (Winston Jordan), I called the Head of the Guyana Revenue Authority (Godfrey Statia), and none of the three knew about it. In the space of three to four days they put their heads together and the fee went right back down to US$25,” he explained.
The average customs fee throughout the Caribbean is US$20, Nascimento noted, added that a US$100 fee will not encourage yachters.
“We don’t have a boat yard, a marina, we don’t have moorings; we have none of the facilities yet that yachters look for where they go. So it got abroad first and some yachts were discouraged, we might have maybe three to four more yachts (in this year rally),” he added.

Co-owner of the Hurakabra Resort, Nascimento, said the rally “is one of the most consistent tourism events in the calendar year. We have been doing this for years”. He added that yachting is one tourism event that can give a country “great PR or (bad PR)” noting that yachts communicate with each other; hence they will be knowledgeable about the country even before they decide to travel to it.
The tourists will be visiting Iwokrama Rainforest and the Kaieteur Falls.
Business Minister with responsibility for tourism, Dominic Gaskin noted that promoting Guyana is instrumental to his Ministry and the Government since the country has vast potential and scenery for tourists to explore. He made the comments at a luncheon and reception at the resort on Thursday. The luncheon and reception also saw in attendance Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Cui Jianchun and his wife; Regional Chairman of Bartica, Gordon Bradford; among others.
Gaskin said talks have begun with the relevant stakeholders to have a marina constructed in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) to cater for such events. “With those constructions, we can have more yachts coming on the rally and feel safe,” he said. Additionally, Bartica Mayor Gifford Marshall said there are several programmes being executed in his town by the Government and publicly endorsed them, noting that they are all for the development of the town. He added that they are putting in place plans and policies to ensure that their rivers do not become more polluted by mining activities. In addition to curbing pollution, he said the region’s administration is currently constructing a boulevard to the tune of $40 million to aid in bringing more tourists to the town.
The Nereid’s Rally was born in 2011 when Italian sailor David Matelicani met Kit Nascimento and his wife Gem, while sailing up the Essequibo River. Nascimento had been actively involved in working to promote Guyana as a hurricane free international yachting destination and Matelicani saw the potential.
The idea got full support from the then Tourism Ministry and the Mayor of Saint Laurent in French Guiana. Matelicani launched the first rally, sailing from Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) in September 2013 and the rallies have successfully grown each year to become a feature on Guyana’s tourism calendar.
The rally will depart Guyana on Friday, September 22 to its final destination, via Suriname, at Saint Laurent on the Maroni River in French Guiana, for an elaborate welcome by the Mayor of the Town, complete with T&T steel band. Countries represented at this year’s rally are Sweden, Australia, the United States of America, France, Italy, and England.
Matelicani (from Italy) noted that Guyana has numerous adventures to offer tourists. He said the main objective of the Nereid’s Rally is to promote the destinations, encourage sailors to come and visit the region in the hopes of kick-starting the development for yachting tourism.
“This is what the Caribbean promises sailors and this is what cruisers want to see, when people see Guyana they don’t want to leave or they want to return quickly,” he said.
Yachter Michael Paulovich from New Zealand said this is his second trip to Guyana as a part of the rally. He said he came back because of the hospitality and the untouched green spaces. Meanwhile, Allen and Francine Kesner said they took a two-year break to travel in their yacht and promised to return to Guyana despite the tropical climate.
If anyone is contemplating purchasing a yacht and joining the Rally – a standard yacht costs approximately US$1 million.