-Development to advance as funds become available
THE COMMONPLACE oftentimes has more to offer than a cursory glance would reveal, and in the Region One sub-region of Moruca, the natural wonders provide a base that can be developed to propel the area as a major tourist attraction.
Moruca is home to a number of Guyana’s fascinating ecotourism wonders — numerous bird species, endangered turtles, glimpses of several wildlife species native to the collection of communities that constitute the Moruca sub-region, and meandering waterways which harbour little marvels of their own.

In recognition of the sub-region’s touristic potential, Council Members in the area engaged volunteers from the Voluntary Service Overseas organization (VSO) who just last week met to chart Moruca’s future as a tourism destination.
According to Vice-Toshao, Ms. Genevieve Rufino, the onus is on the leaders of today to leave the youth with a legacy that will have far-reaching impacts. Tourism no doubt has that effect, since it is a major driver of economic and social development.
“At the meeting,” Rufino said, “we involved several young people…They are the leaders of tomorrow, and from our discussions, if we can develop the potential we have, then we can leave the children something special.”
She sees the development of sustainable tourism for the economic and social benefit of the sub-region’s people as just the beginning of a new journey for Moruca, and a shift in the paradigm that is currently Moruca’s way of life.
“Change is sometimes good,” she said, “and that is what we hope this move will do for Moruca…We are now starting this, so there is still a lot of work to do.”
Noting that the region has come a long way in terms of development over the last years, Rufino said engaging in tourism is a continuance of this positive trend of things, which in the long-run will redound to the benefit of all Morucans.

Funding and support

“As soon as we have the financing, we will go. We have the support of VSO and the Presidential grant. If we have additional support, we can make the dream for Moruca’s development a reality,” Rufino said.
She however acknowledged the need for specialized support and technical assistance, especially in the areas of marketing, human resource development, information technology and sustainable tourism development.  But this is in no way a deterrent to stakeholders, she said; they are very optimistic about the way forward.
“We are hoping some other groups, NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and others will come on board with us…We need all the help we can get, as this will become a reality,” she said.
Among activities with potential for development are birding, hunting, turtle watching, canoeing and even the establishment of a zoo, Rufino said.
“We are trying to use the natural potential and the daily activities of people in Moruca to interest tourists,” she said.
A case in point is cassava milling, whereby newcomers to the area can experience the complicated process of turning raw cassava to different products. Another is the development of one of the community’s prime recreational facilities. “We have a very lovely creek, too, and if we can develop the area around it, then that will be a nice attraction,” Rufino said.
Most interesting of all the prospects, however, is the pitch for the development of a River Tour, more particularly a tour of the 99-turn River.
The river got its name from the number of sharp turns that mark that particular waterway. From here, tourists can catch a glimpse of the wildlife that abound in the area… everything… from monkeys springing from the branches that line the river, to the rare spectacle of an alligator gawking at them curiously from a safe distance.

Guyana, over the last few years, has stepped up investment in the tourism sector, and in 2010, visitor arrivals rose to 150,141, representing a 6.3 per cent improvement on the 2009 record high.
Additionally, this year saw some $150M being budgeted for the continued expansion of the tourism sector, with a focus on destination awareness.
That said, there’s no doubt that there are still countless hidden treasures that Guyana can be rightfully proud of, and with the investments in development, these can be shared with people  the world over, while at the same time contributing to  development of the livelihoods of Guyanese.
The commonplace holds these treasures, and, given a closer look, such hidden potential can be uncovered; it all starts with that second look.