The foundation has been turned for an almost US$300 million Georgetown Seafront Resort and Convention Centre. The massive hotel will be built on the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) Ground on Carifesta Avenue.
According to President Irfaan Ali, by yearend there will be the construction of several new hotels, at a cost of more than US$250 million, which will add more than 1500 world-class rooms to the local market. They include the 150-room Aiden Best Western, the 152-room AC Marriott at Ogle, the 172-room Four Points Sheraton in Providence, the 136-room Hyatt Place at Providence on the East Bank of Demerara and the 150-room Courtyard by Marriott.
“This is the quality of our eco-tourism product. We now have the type of investment that will supply the natural quality of our product. And I have no doubt that we will be able to build a world-class tourism sector. A tourism sector that would see the diversification of our economy, and the expansion of our economy.
The Head of State said, “for us, the tourism sector, the hospitality sector, the leisure sector is an important component of the overall development strategy. It’s an important component of the overall economic strategy. It’s an important component of the employment generation strategy, that includes high-quality jobs.”
“(In Guyana) there is a lot of opportunity. We studied the markets for the last almost 12 months. The strategic relationship we have between Qatar and Guyana, which encouraged us to come and look at the market. And see the opportunities. And we found out that Guyana is the land of opportunities, not just in hospitality but in oil and gas, banking, healthcare, etc, which will come (God willing) after this investment,” Ramez Al-Khayyat, President and CEO of Power International Holding, said.
With the sod turning on the NIS Ground at Carifesta Avenue, questions have been raised over the number of remaining green spaces in the city of Georgetown.
However far from reducing the number of green spaces, President Dr Ali assured at Sunday’s sod-turning that the Government has every intention of restoring Georgetown to its “Garden City” status and investing in more green spaces. He emphasised that a green city is at the core of the Government’s sustainable development plans.
“This investment goes into the overall plan of ensuring sustainable development. Because part of what we want to achieve, is whilst we have these important, massive, transformational investment, that the essence of our country remains what we’re known for…that is a country that is naturally beautiful, green, returning the garden city to the status of the garden city. That is why we’re investing heavily, in the replanting of the city,” the President went on to explain.
President Ali pointed to the massive infrastructural upgrades the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has been carrying out across the city. He also spoke of plans for further upgrades to the seawall.
“You’ve seen already, across the city. We’re building up the infrastructure. We’ve committed ourselves to revamping the entire drainage system. Reinvesting in the drainage system. Reinvesting in a new sewer system. And developing one of the most beautiful, green cities, that the world would have seen. Naturally green city,” the President said.
“So that is what we’re planning for the seawalls, the boardwalk on the seawall. The extension of the city is also becoming natural. Look at what is happening within the city itself. The urbanisation process is expanding, naturally. The borders of the city. And we are responding by putting in the necessary infrastructure to enhance this expansion. And that is what is critical.”
Meanwhile, Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister, Oneidge Walrond also emphasized the President’s message, pointing out that the Government’s decision to approve the project is rooted in the need to balance economic opportunities for the people of Guyana, with environmental considerations.
“Equally so, I assure the citizens of Guyana and the residents of Georgetown that our vision for development is a vision for sustainable development, into which is integrated our care for the environment for the benefit of future generations. This initiative fits into a wider plan for the improvement and enhancement of the downtown seawall area. We’ve already seen the positive effects of the beautification of the lower Kingston area and the efforts led by our First Lady.
“There are plans to have a boardwalk from lower Kingston to the Kitty Roundabout and possibly beyond. There are also plans for the enhancement of the National Park as a green space with the addition of walking trails through the various grounds and planting of trees. All of these enhancements are aimed at providing safe recreational areas for residents of, and visitors, to our capital city,” the Minister said.
According to Walrond, the sod turning should be evidence that the Government has a vision it is executing. And she assured the investors, Asset Group based in Qatar, United Arab Emirates (UAE), as well as other investors that the Government would continue to build an integrated framework for similar investments in the hospitality sector.
“The completion of this Georgetown Seafront Resort and Convention Centre will, at one stroke, result in more than doubling of rooms in first-class facilities within a distance of over a mile. It will add 400 rooms to the 330 rooms available at nearby facilities.
“Thus, on the completion of this hotel, we would have the better part of 1000 rooms, concentrated in this short stretch. This capacity would immediately impact, in a positive way, the feasibility of our hosting larger regional conferences and events, which is part of our strategy for the industry,” Walrond said.
