THE UPROAR from the direction of the political Opposition over the construction of the Marriot Hotel should alert Guyanese as to the small world mentality of a collective that daily displays a lack of understanding of what modernisation is all about.  The assault on this ground-breaking project has been  led by the  A Partnership For National Unity(APNU) and the Alliance For Change(AFC), but principally by the latter, ostensibly on behalf of one of its premier financiers, who is also a hotelier.
It is simply a case of the AFC doing its best to save this financier’s hote, from the heavy competition it will face when the Marriot opens for business. Never mind all the other questions from this party as to the identity of the shareholders, and financial returns. It was really a case of fighting a rear-guard action on behalf of their important member.
But then, such action, premised on purely selfish motives, is in essence anti-national and anti-development. OBSERVER is certain that such businessman is a believer in competition, but not where it involves competing with his entity. How selfish!
No country that intends to promote itself as tourist destination in these modern times, intending to attract international visitors, can ever hope to do so without a brand name hotel. Call the latter – the ringing bell for attracting visitors. And rather than assail the government for its visionary and bold decision in leading the charge for a vibrant tourist destination, the respective leaders of the AFC and APNU ought to give commendations for such a step.
The larger picture, easily understood by any junior economics/business student, is that competition is healthy for business; it is the fillip that stimulates new ideas that will lead to, among other things, a better product and a better service. More so, it will generate income that will redound to the economy of this nation.
Therefore, it is inconceivable that any single brand, such as the one that has been around for over four decades, that its current owner/Chief Executive Officer should continue to believe that new horizons with regard hospitality will not be undertaken. Improvements are the spice of any progressive enterprise, and not a shut-in mentality that can only lead to a dead end, and inevitable collapse.
Surely, Guyana’s hospitality industry needs to be taken to another levelof first world standards; and, to this end, government would have already  commenced the process of  marketing  Guyana’s potential, that has been responsible for increasing visitor arrivals. Couple this with the proposed $4B Hospitality Institute that will become the flagship for servicing a rapidly developing industry, and Guyanese will, in a few years, laud the government for the Marriot initiative.