THE upcoming 36th Biennial Caribbean Union of Teachers Conference will be held in Guyana, from August 4 to 9, under the theme ‘Improving the professional status of teachers in the Caribbean’. It is also a platform for boosting the local tourism industry, according to President of the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU), Mr. Colin Bynoe.
He said so while speaking to the media, at a Wednesday press conference, in the GTU headquarters, Woolford Avenue, Georgetown,
Bynoe said the forum is being hosted by the Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT), in collaboration with the GTU and the Ministry of Education and participants will be from 25 Caribbean territories.
He said the hosts intend to showcase Guyana and the culture of its people at the opening ceremony on Monday August 5 in the National Cultural Centre (NCC) at Homestretch and Mandela Avenues, also in Georgetown.
Bynoe said, on that occasion, they will be seeking to show their colleagues from the Caribbean what Guyana has to offer, so that they would want to visit the country, again, bolstering the tourism drive.
A ‘Guyana Night’ will be at the Education Ministry Sports Club Ground, Carifesta Avenue, in the city, too, on Wednesday, August 7, and that is an extension to promoting Guyana, as well.

Guyanese talent
GTU General Secretary, Ms. Coretta McDonald informed that this family-oriented event includes a fashion display and a concert with local artistes, since they are using the opportunity to promote Guyanese talent.
She added that lots of Guyanese foods will also be available to be tasted free of cost and they include pepperpot, agouti, iguana, mutton and hassar curries and cassava pone.
In addition, there will be one week of activities for camp followers, who are teachers from all across the region here on vacation. Among other things, they will visit places of interest in the capital, like the Umana Yana, the National Library, Stabroek Market, the Lighthouse and State House.
Those visitors will also be taken to Linden in Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Berbice), to see bauxite mines, the Blue Lake and historic sites such as the old sawmill and the water wheel.
Visits will also be paid to resorts like Jubilee and Splashmins, Arrowpoint and Baganara Island and Kaieteur and Orinduik falls.
Bynoe said the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has been briefed on the itinerary and will be playing its role in monitoring and overlooking the programme, providing the necessary security and protection.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also has a part to play in dealing with the protocol aspect of the conference and the related events, he indicated.