BY VAHNU MANIKCHAND
The Tourism Ministry’s “Romancing the Fort” dinner saw an excellent turn out as couples, families, friends and even co-workers stepped out on an intriguing trip which they will remember for the rest of their lives.
Romancing the Fort was held at Fort Island, the home of Fort Zeelandia in the Essequibo River, on the lawns of the Court of Policy on Saturday.
The trip was inclusive of a tour of the island and performances by the Tradewinds, Dave Martins and Friends. Over 100 persons made the trip.
The journey began with patrons being transported from the Guyana National Stadium, East Bank Demerara to the Parika Stelling, East Bank Essequibo. There were four tour buses, each with its own tour guide, who pointed out major landmarks along the way. When they arrived at the stelling, patrons were escorted onto the Sandaka Ferry where they were served with rum punch as they socialised and soaked up the mesmerising and breathtaking view along the Essequibo River on the one-hour sail to Fort Island.
Upon arriving there, acting Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali was welcomed to the island by residents. The trip was set back by an hour as against the planned time, and as such, immediately after landing on the island, patrons split into two groups: one heading to Fort Zeelandia located on the eastern side of the island while the other went to visit the Court of Policy, which is the oldest non-military structure in Guyana. It now houses a museum.
Inside were bits and pieces of artifacts collected from around the island.
These include Dutch bottles, clay jugs and tools, among other things. There were also boards with Dutch history, of not only Fort Island and Essequibo, but the entire Guyana.
Intriguing
Meanwhile, the trip to the fort was intriguing as the guides explained the history behind it. By this time, night stepped in and patrons gathered under the tent for dinner. At this time, acting Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali addressed the gathering, thanking them for coming on the trip.
He said the event is just a stepping stone to Guyana’s journey of becoming the number one tourism destination in the region.
“We have one of the most comprehensive tourism products, we have one of the most beautiful products and I’m always excited when those who are serving our country can get to see its beauty and appreciate it,” the minister stated. He expressed gratitude to those who made the event possible.
Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) Director Indranauth Haralsingh said the objective of the dinner is to promote the island as a tourist attraction.
“Guyana has a very rich heritage and culture and each one of you got a taste of that today.” He told the gathering that by purchasing tickets for the event, they are supporting their heritage and history, and implored them to visit other historical sites in Guyana to keep their invaluable importance alive.
The GTA director disclosed that Guyana has been listed among the top 21 destinations around the world in 2014 by National Geographic.
Refreshing
Even the residents of the island welcomed the initiative, stating that it brought “life to the island”. They thanked the minister as he passed by their yards and encouraged him to make the event an annual feature.
Meanwhile, Martins dished out some of his most popular tunes, serenading the patrons. These included “Is We Own”, “Cricket In The Jungle” and “Honeymooning Couple”. He had the entire audience’s attention with his jovial and stylish demeanour.
While he was singing, everyone had their dinner, a scrumptious meal served buffet- style after which the minister took it upon himself to serve dessert.
When everyone was full and the band finished its more-than-one-hour performance, the floor was opened for karaoke and several persons took advantage of the opportunity to showcase their talent.
To make the visitors remember the trip, the islanders assembled a few artifacts for sale so that persons would be able to take back a part of Fort Island with them.
An hour later, everyone assembled at the stelling and boarded the boat, which soon after set off. Being on the island, everyone felt the romantic atmosphere that was created and while on the boat, they continued the karaoke.
With the moon in its waxing crescent shape and the skyline illuminated with stars, everyone enjoyed the last few moments of their trip before disembarking at Parika, where the buses waited to transport them back to Georgetown.
All in all, for Gy$ 10,000, everyone got their money’s worth, and the Tourism Ministry and the GTA should be commended for a job well done.
