Dear Editor,
From May 2 till now we have been in a battle to save Baracara Falls. We managed to stop the destruction and now it’s a battle to restore the area.
On June 3 we sat down at a meeting held at the Guyana Tourism Authority. Present were representatives of GGMC, EPA, BK International, Rainforest Tours, the director of GTA, Old Fort tours, and myself and husband (Wonderland Tours). The purpose of the meeting was to formulate a plan on how to restore the falls and agree to a time-line. It was concluded that we would meet in a week and finalise all plans.
On June 10 we met again, only this time BK International did not show up. We decided on the plans and the time-line was set at July 1. We recognized the urgency to restore the area by this time because of the tourist season. The plans were made and we were depending on the GTA and EPA to see that the plans were carried through.
It’s now July 6, and the director of GTA has not heard from BK International. The EPA recently did an audit of the area and is preparing a report.
A group of tourists recently visited the area and was appalled at the destruction. They explained the horror they went through to get to the falls. They had to be equipped with shovels and ropes; they had to dig their own path up a hill and down. They explained how horrific it was for the older persons and how dangerous the place was.
Up until this day I have not received a call from our Minister of Tourism, I have left many messages. Is this how we are promoting tourism, by making our guests dig their way to our waterfalls? Why am I the only person fighting for Baracara Falls? Is it that as a people we have given up on justice in Guyana?
I have sent a number of letters out to several authorities. It’s like I’m fishing and hoping to get a bite. Why is BK International not being pressed to repair the damage?
They are claiming it’s the rainy season, but the rainy season did not stop them from bulldozing the area. I do not get involved in politics; I am too young and nor do I wish to rub anyone the wrong way. My question to all Guyanese reading this is where is our support for our country? This is our waterfalls, a place we all love, so where are our voices, where is the support? No one wants to speak out for fear of victimisation; this is not the Guyana I know. Is this what we have turned into, a cowardly society living on a prayer? This is definitely not the Guyanese I have grown to be.
I am calling on my Guyanese people for support. Let their voices be heard and make a change. BK International does not own Guyana. That wasn’t hard to say. All I keep hearing is that we should be careful and that these are powerful people. Well I say to these powerful people that I am here and I’m not afraid. You will not shut me up. My father lived his life fighting, and went down swinging, and on his deathbed he had a smile. Well I am still alive and I am my father’s daughter.
Hopefully this letter will ignite some flames and we will get things done. Wake up Guyana; we are in 2010. Let’s come out of this bubble and move forward. We are the last place on earth that is untouched and ready for progress. The only thing keeping us back is ourselves.
Yours faithfully,
Alisha Ousman
CEO
Wonderland Tours
Editor’s note
We are sending a copy of this letter to BK International for any comment they might wish to make.
