The completion of the Fairview Aerodrome in Region Nine will result in easier access to the Iwokrama Rainforest Project which will be a great boost for the tourism industry in the hinterland, President David Granger has said.
Speaking last Friday on the Ministry of the Presidency’s programme, “The Public Interest,” Granger repeatedly emphasised his desire to see the area turned into an economic, educational and environmental hub which will not only be of great benefit to young people but which will put Guyana on the map.
The President visited Iwokrama recently and he said a part of the purpose of the visit was not only to learn more about the project and to assert government’s commitment, but also to ensure that it fits into the long-term agenda, particularly from the point of view of education and the economy.
“We are heading in that direction. The country is aiming at sustainable energy, it’s aiming at protecting its biodiversity…also ensuring that the economy thrives and part of the purpose of Iwokrama is to teach the world, the country, the Commonwealth, the continent, the Caribbean how forest could be sustainably managed,” he said.
The President described Iwokrama as the “green heart of Guyana,” labelling it the single most important environmental project. “I cannot understate its importance in terms of the economy…the education of young people and I hope more young people get the opportunity to go where I went last week,” he said.
Asked about his views on the lack of proper infrastructure in the hinterland which would impact the tourism industry in those areas, Granger said that once the Fairview Aerodrome is complete, persons will be able to travel there from Ogle in less than an hour. The trip via road right now takes about 16 hours.
“The benefit is going to be tremendous… We hope at the end of it [work on the airstrip], Fairview would be at least 1¼ kilometres which means it could take the most modern aircraft in Guyana at present, even some international aircraft like Liat might be able to go there,” he said.
The President pointed out that one of the challenges at present is that it is very expensive and difficult to get to Iwokrama, but with modern aircraft all that can change. “So I expect that there is gonna be a boost in education…tourism…and the economic sustainability of the project itself,” he declared.
Meantime, Granger was reminded that Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo had previously said that Guyana cannot manage Iwokrama alone and the State would attempt to seek funding from climate-conscious countries. Asked for an update on how Guyana is with respect to soliciting funding for the project, Granger said there is an Act and a Board of Trustees, and, as such, government is constrained by the law.
He said when the project began, the Commonwealth had a large say in the way it was administered but added that this does not prevent Guyana from pursuing its own initiatives.
“What we are doing now is ensuring that more people, particularly from international organisations, even local businessmen could get to the project more easily and that is why the airdrome is important,” he said.
According to the President, once the airdrome is complete and access is improved, Guyana “could rely less on foreign donations and more on our own efforts. Over the last 20 years, we’ve relied too much on foreigners. I am not saying that we shouldn’t seek foreign assistance but over reliance could be addictive. Any addiction I think is harmful.”
He said that government aims for the project to be able to sustain itself and not be dependent on funding. “We are walking on two legs. We will continue to seek foreign donations but also foreign support for our education efforts on the project so foreign students can come.
We are not asking for handouts. Foreign students will come to study the biodiversity of one of the most unique economic and ecological zones in the world…we are very confident that the model proposed for the project will be a successful model,” he said, even as he noted that the high cost of transportation is what had been preventing students from visiting in large numbers.
