RECENT utterances by Mr Sydney Allicock (MP) during the 2013 Budget Debate, in which he labelled the Rupununi region as the most backward place in the Caribbean, is an injustice to the efforts of thousands of his fellow Amerindians who are benefitting significantly from the efforts that are being put into the development of the region as Guyana’s premiere eco-tourism destination. Undoubtedly, the Rupununi region is one of the most beautiful eco-tourism destinations of the world.

This is evident by the significant increase in numbers of visitors to the eco lodges, resorts and hotels.
Many villages of the Rupununi have been given the golden opportunity to establish thriving eco-tourism facilities and products. Because of this positive development, hundreds of our young Amerindian brothers and sisters have been trained in many professional areas, such as information technology, tour guide, accounting, management, culinary and reception skills. Guyana is one of few countries that experienced growth in the tourism sector during the global recession. Almost all of the Caribbean countries reported negative growth in tourism. In the Rupununi, the occupancy rate was well over 60 per cent which is more than acceptable in any form of the tourism business.
Lethem is the administrative and commercial hub of the Rupununi where hundreds of Amerindians are employed as sales persons, supervisors and managers, while many more work in the booming housing and business construction areas. Guyanese no longer depend on Brazil to seek employment as this culture that existed for decades has been reversed. Many Brazilians living in neighbouring Bom Fin are employed in Lethem, while they can also be seen on a daily basis peddling their wares, including vegetables and fruits.
In June of 2012, the first ever tri-nations tourism conference was held in Boa Vista, Brazil. Over 40 Guyanese participated in the conference, with 27 coming from the Rupununi. Presentations were made by each country and Guyana proudly promoted Community Based Tourism, much to the surprise of the participants from Brazil and Venezuela, who were informed that Amerindian villages now own and manage their own tourism businesses.
Recently, airline operators of the Rupununi region doubled the number of flights into Lethem, Annai and Surama, where airstrips have been upgraded to accommodate larger aircraft. Plans are also in the pipeline for the Lethem airport to be constructed in 2013.
Guyana is on the upward path of social and economic development. The Rupununi region is moving forward equally with this positive development, and clearly is not ‘backward’ as Sydney Allicock mentioned in his budget presentation to the National Assembly.