Dear Editor,
Having seen the recent announcements of the International Airport and Stadium for Berbice, I can only describe it as nothing short of visionary and 22nd century thinking to address our country’s future needs.
Currently, Berbicians represent the greatest population of Guyanese expats. In consideration of this fact, they are required to traverse across the entirety of the Berbice and Demerara corridors to get to the only International Airport with direct flights to the US and Canada. A journey that generally takes Georgetowners an hour and half in moderate traffic and correct DHB times, takes someone from Skeldon sometimes over 5 hours to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport. By establishing an International Airport in Berbice, it saves the travelling expat a significant headache and heartache with consideration to a variety of factors.
Editor, one need not look hard for the kind of energies and development that follows infrastructure. The US would not have been the global economic superpower had it not been for infrastructure. Canada, Europe and even our Island neighbours are also prime examples of the kinds of development that follow infrastructure investment.
The airport will provide a critical node not only for international travel, but also for domestic travel and servicing the soon to be developed deep water port. It will drive trade, commerce and further development while serving as a critical component to seeing a lot more Guyanese returning home. Where there may have been apprehension in the past with the long transit times from CJIA to Berbice for expats, they will be greeted with a step off the airplane onto their doorsteps thus bringing greater capital to invest in their local neighbourhoods. This will also serve to further fill hotel rooms and bring tourist dollars to the area that would otherwise struggle to compete with the Georgetowners. Traders and farmers will also have easy access to international transport thus decreasing the strain on the infrastructure in the capital with a domino effect of reducing traffic jams and costs to list a few. These are not things to be taken lightly especially in this competitive global environment.
Coupled with a stadium in the East, it will drive the kind of sports development that Guyana has been lacking for a long time. Travelling through the neighbourhoods on the coast, one will notice a complete absence of premier sports facilities in the area. This project will now put Guyana in a better position to host wider international tournaments that can be spread across the country while inspiring our young athletes to be competitive at a higher calibre.
Economies generally develop in lockstep with their infrastructure.
Having travelled to a few countries and seen what infrastructure has done for those economies, I commend the blistering and urgent pace with which the government is moving to address key infrastructural deficiencies in Guyana with an aggressive development agenda. It is a look into the future of the country and addressing those needs before they become growing pains.
I support the establishment of an International Airport and Stadium in Berbice and commend the Govern-ment for being forward thinking.
Most respectfully,
Lenox R. O. Shuman, MP
Deputy Speaker
