Dear Editor,

Guyana is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful countries in the world. This mythical land of Eldorado is full of natural resources and its scenic panoramic view is admired by locals and foreigners.

Tourism is serious business and must be well organized and regulated not only for the entertainment of tourists but also to provide economic and financial benefits to the government and by extension the stakeholders and citizenry.

Ensuring that the infrastructure – roads, transportation, water, electricity, telephone – is in order must be one of the primary considerations. Our waterways should be safe.

Our garden city has now become a place of garbage and is woefully in need of constant cleaning and effective maintenance even though some argue that we emphasize on hinterland tourism and the tourists would spend most of their time in the interior.

Tourists tend to be interested in the cuisine of the country they are visiting. Our restaurants, cafeterias, hotels and bars should try to have a varied cuisine but ought to ensure that people’s health is catered for in their preparation. Cleanliness, courtesy and pricing should be satisfactory. Most people expect good quality and what they think is a fair share of food.

Stable government and the general security situation in a country engage the tourist’s attention in planning a holiday. Government, opposition, local authorities, non-governmental organizations and the general public should join forces to encourage tourists to visit our country.

There is need to control crime and arrest the decline of law, order and discipline in this small population. Vending must be monitored on the streets. Hire cars and mini buses need to maintain an ethical attitude towards all commuters especially foreigners.

Idlers, beggars, criminals make bus and car parks, some restaurants and bars a daily haven especially in the Stabroek areas. A certain popular restaurant for years has become a thoroughfare and public convenience for idlers and scores of toilet users who make a thorough mess of the facility. The cleaners and legitimate customers are greatly inconvenienced by this practice which is bad for tourism.

Let us hope we can bring tourism on stream to provide-economic and financial benefits for the majority of Guyanese.

Yours faithfully,
Malcolm Clarke