Refuting Kaieteur News report…
TOURISM and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) Preeident, Mr. Paul Stephenson has said the organisation is engaged and committed to working with the Government towards the development of the local tourist industry.
He was speaking at a press conference, hosted in Cara Lodge, Quamina Street, Georgetown, in response to a Tuesday report in Kaieteur News.
Stephenson alluded to articles in Tuesday’s newspapers about Guyana Telephone & Telegraph Company Limited (GT&T) and THAG signing a three years $7.5M agreement to help promote and develop tourism.
“As I went through the various newspapers, I was looking at the content, how factual it was, how accurate it was et cetera, etcetera and I was very pleased to see there is a big emphasis put on GT&T, because it is our opportunity to get that corporate body good responsible coverage and recognition of what they have actually done for THAG and the sector,” he said.
However, Stephenson said he was very disappointed when he read the article in Kaieteur News, because a section in the middle of it caused him “a bit of concern.”
“When I read the article, it appeared and it could be interpreted that there is a fight going on between the Government of Guyana, which is a very broad-based statement and THAG,” he stated.
Stephenson also took note of the word ‘recent’ used in the article, which has also caused concern and he said, from the formatting of the article, it appeared and could be interpreted that that actually was a quotation by him.
The Kaieteur News article said: “Just recently, the association had to fight off an attempt by the Government’s regulatory body – the Guyana Tourism Authority- to publish a rival tourist guide to ‘Explore Guyana’, which serves as a main source of revenue for the association.”
It went on: “The relationship between THAG and the Government has been testy of recent, but President of THAG, Paul Stephenson, said that the association will still be pursuing support from the Government, including subvention and support to attend international travel shows.”

Telephone calls

Stephenson told the media that, by 10:45 h, he had received at least eight telephone calls, asking him to justify and explain what fight he was having with his executive and the Government.
“This is my concern. My request of you would be to record what I do and what I say accurately; record the event accurately and recognise the event and, if you can, focus on that event,” he stated.
Stephenson said the report has negative consequences and the perception has been created that THAG has a major problem with the Government of Guyana.
“There was no reference during that whole process (the signing of the agreement) about the Explore Guyana magazine…there was no mention of a fight or problematic issues between the Government and ourselves,” he maintained.
Stephenson exhorted the media to get the journalistic issues set up as a standard and to get them right and focused.
“I have got no issues with anybody, period. And that’s the way I have operated for 25 years in Guyana,” he insisted.
Stephenson explained that THAG is made up of a group of professional executives. “So, if there is a fight between the Government and THAG, it reflects on my executive board, as well.”
He pointed out that the other corporate entities which are engaged with THAG, to lend support, called him, as well, to enquire about the article, which is another negative.
Stephenson said, with the new executives, there has been a huge achievement level in rebuilding confidence with various ministries and other stakeholders, including corporate institutions, with the first visual result being the agreement with GT&T.
That is a result of positive hard working executives, he attested.
Stephenson said “there is good stuff happening” and he has no intention of “bringing baggage” along.
He said, when he took over as THAG President, he, immediately, requested a meeting with the Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Mr. Manniram Prashad, who, immediately, agreed and they had four good, productive meetings, to see how they can work together in terms of the sector.
Stephenson disclosed that his biggest need from the Government, at the moment, is statistical information regarding arrivals, which are very important  and needed and, hopefully, can be obtained before year end.

Marketing strategy

He said the statistics can be analysed and help in the marketing strategy for THAG and he underlined that the biggest problem that THAG has with its magazine is distribution.
Stephenson said they are looking at how they can get them to the international market place, noting that hard copies are still a requirement and the Ministry has committed to help in this regard.
He said they are looking at the legislation and standards currently in place and fine tuning regulations with the Government.
Stephenson said they are looking at a couple of very specific issues through ongoing meetings and working together to make things possible while building relationships.
The THAG President also revealed that they are engaged in discussions and sharing information with the Director of Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), Mr. Indranauth Haralsingh.
Stephenson conceded that, when he assumed the position of THAG President, he did engage Prashad and Haralsingh on the magazine but it was on the layout and change of the traditional messages in the ‘Explore Guyana’ and all the meetings on the publication have been good and their distribution has helped.
He said that THAG has been engaged in a series of meetings with the Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Clement Rohee, too, reminding that that Ministry has an integral part to play in the tourism sector.
Stephenson emphasised that he has not received any signal from the Government about it running an alternative magazine and THAG is using it as a main document to promote Guyana.
About THAG membership, he said members had left and that had been a challenge but some came back, while there are about 11 new ones, from the Lethem area.
Stephenson admitted that the membership was dissatisfied for a number of years in the past and the association is trying to get that confidence back.
“We are even engaged with other stakeholders, such as the Guyana Arts and Craft Association,” he offered.