Guyana Zoo set for major upgrade under Three-Park Initiative – Beharry Group donates Gy$5M towards project

The zoological park (zoo) is set to benefit from a massive transformation as part of the Three- Park initiative being undertaken by the government.
It is aimed at bringing up to international standards the zoo, the National Park and the Botanical Gardens.  The Beharry Group of companies on Monday presented Gy$5 million towards the startup of the feasibility study for the zoo’s upgrade. Chairman of the company, Anand Beharry, handed over the cheque to Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud at Jenman’s Building at the Botanical Gardens.  Witnessing the handing-over was head of Conservation International (CI) Guyana, Dr David Singh.
CI, a non-profit organisation, works with leaders of society in 30 countries to support care for nature. It was CI that brought the Beharry Group on board with the zoo project. The feasibility study is to create the concept design for the upgrade to the zoo that will see it being transformed from just a holding facility for animals, into an information education delivery facility. There will be other features such as different zoning areas including a Coastal Wetland Zone, a Savannnah Zone and a Mountain and Forest Zone, each with a minimum of five enclosures and other amenities such as information booths.
Persaud said that Cabinet would soon approve the ministry’s Three-Park Initiative, and that it committed resources to undertake some necessary security and infrastructure upgrade to the parks.  Included in this is tending the opening hours of the National Park 21:30 (9:30pm), increasing security, and getting the support of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) company to rehabilitate the shared fencing.
Upgrade necessary
Persaud said that the upgrade to the parks is necessary and will put the country on par with what is offered outside Guyana. The upgrade to the zoo itself will allow people who live in the capital city and along the coast to better experience the country’s rich biodiversity, he said. The feasibility study for the zoo is to begin in March and is expected to take about two months to be completed.
The plan will then lead to the creation concept design for the facility’s transformation and will include illustrations of the various zones and enclosures. The ministry will then shop this concept design around to corporate and civil society to solicit support in implementing the changes. The plan is not to collect monetary contributions from those willing to support the project, but to have these donors instead seek out their own contractors and on agreed terms and agreed design, execute the zone that they chose to contribute to.
“We are not interested in going on a fundraising drive to collect money; we want companies to come in with cash, come in with ideas and stay with us in terms of assisting with the management of these facilities too,” Minister Persaud said.
It is expected that more than Gy$200 million will be spent on the concept designs for the parks and the cost of actual upgrade itself is expected to be massive. Conservation International’s Dr Singh said the Beharry partnership with the ministry is a reflection of the group’s understanding of its responsibility to support, nurture and care for the country’s natural resources. He said that the project itself is important as it leads to better morbidity and mortality rates, especially for lower income people in the urban environment. For the Beharry Group, the investment will help to create wholesome family entertainment, which it sees as lacking in Guyana. (GINA)