Narine Urges Indigenous Ownership of Guyana’s Tourism Economy

Former Georgetown Mayor Pt. Ubraj Narine is calling on the Government to move beyond ceremonial recognition of Indigenous peoples and establish a programme that would place tourism assets and economic opportunities directly in the hands of Amerindian communities.

In a commentary published Wednesday in the Satya column during Amerindian Heritage Month, Narine proposed the creation of an Indigenous Tourism Ownership Programme through which Indigenous communities would own and operate tourism enterprises in their villages.

Narine said Guyana’s forests, rivers, wildlife and Indigenous cultures provide the foundation for a potentially significant sustainable tourism industry, but argued that communities where many of these attractions are located do not always receive the greatest economic benefits.