Dear Editor,
The idea of the visionaries for a railway link from Georgetown to Lethem is most commendable.
Using the railway system, containers, people, produce, cattle, lumber, logs, engines, sand, dirt, pitch, vehicles and mining equipment, with so much more, could be transported easily and cheaply. Great opportunities for business and employment with spin-off industries could be the result, and with wisdom of planning and industriousness of our Government and people, we will soon have to import large scale labour from places like the Caribbean territories, India, Pakistan, China, Indonesia, and Africa. The roads will not be destroyed and the vehicles and weight could be so much less on it. As a result, there will be less traffic and fewer accidents.
It indeed will be a costly venture, but we have to think big, and as a nation project and do things that will bring major benefits to the peoples of our country. With a railway line, new townships could be developed, or will develop automatically, and new villages opened up.
Many companies worldwide can be invited to operate the known “BOT” system, which is to Build, Operate and Transfer. In this way the investor will construct and operate during a fair period to recover their investment and make a reasonable profit, then transfer it to the Government/People of Guyana. I see also that it can be a joint venture between Brazil and Guyana, the two main beneficiaries of the project, with Brazil bearing about 2/3 of the costs, it being more developed, and it will gain more as it has its gateway here to the Atlantic and hence the world for its manufacturing and export sector.
Many of its states are landlocked. Mr. Andrew Astwood, Chairman of the Shipping Association gave a scholarly presentation in the Sunday Stabroek of March 11th 2012, on the subject.
As a citizen of this country I do not wish to hear that we cannot manage such a project, nor that we cannot afford it. It has to be on the main mantle or platform for future development. I recall former President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo saying that he envisions a railway link between Mahaica and Diamond. This is good vision. Actually it should take us to the airport, so people can take a railway/ metro/subway from the airport to Mahaica, with quality cabins, being 1st, 2nd and 3rd classes, and from there they can travel to other parts of Guyana or the county. The same one should have a stop off at Ogle airport.
There will be less traffic if people can just take a train from a stop, travel to the airport and just join the air carrier. There will be less traffic on the road, less wear and tear, less destruction on the road. With reliable transport, fewer demands will exist for motor vehicles. People want more and more motor vehicles simply because we depend on minibuses, and there is no proper public transport.
The said former President said to us Guyanese; think big, take chances. It is because of those words I started to assemble in Guyana, Guyana’s first indigenous motor vehicle, with a Guyana Name Brand on the frame and the engine: RK’s Eco-Star Motos, embossed on the sides of the engines, and pioneering the manufacture of 3-wheelers cargo and passenger motorized tricycles/three wheelers or rickshaws, as per order.
The time for Guyana’s greatness is here. The time for our people’s greatness is here.
Let us all think big, and be honourable and patriotic and build a prosperous country. As we are about to draw oil from our reservoirs gifted by God, and Guyana is on the threshold of big money flowing, let us never forget to prepare our people to handle wealth and teach them to invest. We see the atrocities in the interior, where AIDS abounds, murder, armed and unarmed and robbery, prostitution, smuggling of fuel and narcotics. As a people, our Government has to recognize that Guyana is on the verge of greatness and prosperity, that verge has it drawbacks, its troubles, one of which is too much money and not knowing what to do with it.
Let us make Guyana great.
Yours faithfully,
Roshan Khan
