—Captain Latchman urges

“IT doesn’t matter how often I visit a resort, it always feels like the first time for me,” says boat captain Vincent Latchman.

Being a jet boat captain for Old Fort Tours, Vincent Latchman is a people-oriented person who has travelled the length and breadth of the Essequ

ibo River.

He is part of a team of professionals who conduct tours to resorts in the Essequibo River for foreign and local tourists.

Latchman began working with Old Fort Tours in 2015, but before that he worked on a part-time basis with the same privately owned company.

He is a boat captain/tour guide and production officer who is part of the tourism business in Guyana, hosting tours to resorts in the Essequibo River.

The 39-year-old has been a boat captain for many years and his expertise is appreciated because he is very familiar with the many islands and resorts among other places in the Essequibo River.

This ever friendly boat operator grew up in Bartica but resides at Parika, East Bank Essequibo and started his journey at Captain Da Silva Jet Boat Marina at Roden Rust, Parika.

He conducts tours for Old Fort Tours along with Andy Kam, Office Manager and Tour Guide, Jamal Thomas to eight resorts in the Essequibo River.

Latchman told the Guyana Chronicle that he likes his job more so, because he meets people and interaction is part of his daily routine.

“It doesn’t matter how often I visit a resort, it always feels like the first time for me because it is so peaceful and serene… so different from the ‘hustle and bustle’ of everyday life in the city,” he said.

Latchman added that in his job he also gets to showcase Guyana’s tourism product, our nature resorts and it never gets old for him.

He said, “Even though some of the resorts were man-made, visits to the resorts give off a completely different feeling, a relaxing one which is felt deep within and it is so tranquil, a really good feeling all in all.”

This boat captain has no problem ferrying people around to the tourists’ destination since he knows the Essequibo River like ‘the back of his hand’ and manoeuvring is quite easy even at nights.

Latchman told this newspaper that visitors are usually enthralled with the resorts, the sheer beauty is enough for them to re-visit and some even say it is like ‘paradise’ here.

Old Fort Tours and Resort is owned by a Guyanese businesswoman who has tours to most resorts in the Essequibo River, to Kaieteur Falls, to the Lethem Rodeo, to Banks DIH rum facility, City Tours, to Lake Mainstay and Charity Tours, all with transportation by road, air and water available.