–with modernised logistics network, world-class marina, tourist attractions on the horizon

PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan Ali used his visit to Bartica on Sunday, to highlight the town’s emerging role as a hub of digital innovation, economic diversification, and regional connectivity, signalling a new chapter for Guyana’s hinterland development.
While the event marked the sod-turning for a new BK airport terminal, the President framed Bartica’s growth as part of a broader national strategy aimed at linking all regions through infrastructure, technology, and investment.
“Development begins with connectivity,” he said, adding: “Before economies can expand, before opportunities can spread, and before regions can flourish together, they must first be linked physically, digitally, and economically. Connectivity is the backbone of economic development because it links people, goods, services, and ideas.”
President Ali pointed to digital infrastructure as a key enabler of this transformation. In 2025, a submarine fibre-optic cable was landed in Bartica, bringing high-speed internet and 5G connectivity to the town.
“Fast internet today is not a luxury, it is electricity for the mind, it is the digital network of the future. Bartica is now connected digitally,” he said, stressing that connectivity would allow local businesses to operate more efficiently, attract investment, and open new markets.
Dr. Ali also outlined plans for a modernised logistics network. With improved roadways, river transport, and air services—including the proposed BK Terminal—he said Bartica would become a “golden triangle of connectivity” linking river, road, and air transport.
Economic diversification was another key theme. President Ali emphasised that Bartica’s growth would not rely solely on gold mining.
He pointed to the upcoming development of a world-class marina and other tourism infrastructure designed to expand hospitality, leisure, and recreation opportunities in the region.
“A town with one industry is a town with one future, but a town with many industries is a town with many futures and many possibilities,” he said, signalling the government’s commitment to multi-sector development.
Healthcare infrastructure will also benefit from these initiatives. The President announced plans to launch a new state-of-the-art hospital in Bartica before the end of the first quarter of 2026, integrating the town into the national health system and ensuring faster emergency response through medivac services.
President Ali repeatedly underscored the importance of inclusive development, noting: “Integration harmonises the movement of people, capital, information, and services, reducing inequalities and fostering shared prosperity.”
The Head of State added: “Bartica has been walking shoulder to shoulder with national development. Bartica will not just only be the gateway to the gold fields; it is being primed to become a tourism hotspot.”
With investments in digital infrastructure, transport, health, and tourism, he emphasised that Bartica is poised to evolve from a historic gold rush town into a diversified economic center, serving as a model for sustainable hinterland development across Guyana.