President Donald Ramotar and acting Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali on Sunday declared opened the Park Vue Hotel, a multimillion-dollar facility situated at Farm, East Bank Demerara.
Dignitaries including government ministers, Private Sector Commission (PSC) Chairman Ronald Webster, Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) President Kit Nascimento and Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) President Clinton Urling were given a tour of the 52-room hotel, which has a boutique, restaurant, lounge and bar.
Praise
However, before they toured the modern facility, government officials and representatives from the private sector praised the owners of the facility, Robin and Sharon Persaud during an official opening ceremony. The Persauds have returned from abroad to invest in Guyana.
President Ramotar applauded the Persauds for believing in Guyana’s economy, noting that the construction of the hotel along the East Bank Demerara corridor will contribute significantly to the growth of tourism in the country.
According to him, the investment comes at an important time when the country’s tourism sector is on the move.
Great expectations
“Now is a good time to get into the sector, because we anticipate that there will be many more arrivals in Guyana. We are working on having more airplanes coming to Guyana, and therefore we expect the number of people visiting here will increase,” President Ramotar said as he spoke at the poolside.
Minister Ali said the government through his ministry will be working with the management of the hotel to establish a park to complement the facility.
“I stand here confident of the fact you will be successful and that the tourism sector is going to be successful in Guyana and we are going to be a rival for many other countries in the Caribbean,” Ali said to resounding applause from the audience.
He said the government of Guyana will continue to create growth poles and expand business opportunities in Guyana beyond the capital city.
“A few years ago, one would have doubted that a group of investors would look at this area for a hotel, just like how one would have doubted that a group of investors would not look at this area for the largest call centre that will be built in all of the Caribbean and South America,” he said
Positive partnership
He said all Guyanese have a choice to make positive decisions that would accelerate the country’s development.
The minister said too that it is not the Donald Ramotar administration’s desire to govern in a conflicting manner, but rather through collaboration.
“He has time and time again extended the olive branch, reaching out to every single stakeholder with the aim of developing Guyana… but we, as Guyanese, we must be positive, we must stand for the development of Guyana, the economic advancement of Guyana,” he said.
He added that Guyanese must come together to “build today for a stronger tomorrow”.
Meanwhile, Webster also used the opportunity to congratulate the Persauds on the “gigantic step” taken.
He encouraged them to place major emphasis on customer service and raising the bar of hospitality in the country.
“Leave an impression that will last,” he said as he spoke directly to the management and staff of the new hotel.
He also used the opportunity to express disappointment over the attacks on developmental projects in the country, but expressed hope that the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Expansion Project will materialise, catering for the influx of visitors, family and friends anticipated to visit the country this year.
