THE BK Group of Companies is seeking to transform a section of the BK Quarry at Teperu/Itabu along the Mazaruni River, into a tourism destination and an exclusive get-away spot.

Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle recently at the quarry, Manager Rickford Inniss related that management is striving to contribute to the developing tourism sector in Guyana by combining the rugged feel provided by the operations of the quarry with the natural beauty of the Mazaruni area.

A tour of the site would show that it is much, much more than a quarry. Employees who reside there have comfortable living spaces with their meals and laundry well taken care of. The quarry boasts modern living facilities and of course, an entertainment area which is primarily a bar.

Amidst the quarry sites, there are farms which produce food for dwellers. But perhaps the main attraction would be the Teperu Falls that caresses the entertainment area.

Cognisant of how attractive the waterfall is, Inniss highlighted: “What we are trying to do is create a lake, so that the Teperu Falls would fall into that lake and so it will always be filled with water.”

At the quarry, that very same area designated for the lake is currently being drilled and blasted. Once this is done, plans to establish the lake should move ahead. Inniss said that the aim is to also foster kayaking, swimming and whatever else is desired to enhance the tourism appeal.

The intention too, he noted, is to provide an atmosphere that could give persons an adrenaline rush of sorts—from seeing the blasting or drilling of rocks or just watching on (from afar and with protection, of course) the process of making the construction materials.

Already on weekends, residents from Bartica and surrounding islands and communities, are allowed to use the place free of cost, according to the manager. Persons can even bring along their own food but must pay for stocks from the bar. The falls usually attracts a crowd.

Inniss explained, “Because we want to sell the BK Group of Companies, and more directly the quarry, as a tourist attraction, we try as much as possible to be within the means of the locals.”

And quite frankly, he acknowledged, “We know people don’t want to spend too much money.”

Once the quarry becomes a large-scale business however, the manager said that there will certainly be a cost attached. And he believes that within the next year, or two, the quarry will be transformed into a tourist hub.

“We want to showcase that BK is a tourist attraction for Guyanese and to the world as a whole,” Inniss said.

B.K. Quarries Inc., located some two miles from the Bartica airstrip, is a sizeable quarry operation, subsidiary of the BK International. In 2011, a two-day Caribbean Community (CARICOM) retreat culminated with a dazzling rock blast at the Teperu quarries that amazed leaders who witnessed from a distance the main operations of BK Quarries Inc.