A tale of Barbados and Guyana

THE EDITOR: Thirty years ago, the fathers of Caricom acting in their collective wisdom, accorded Guyana and Barbados the distinction of serving as host countries for the two regional institutions — the Caribbean Community Secretariat and the Carib-bean Development Bank respectively. How these two “honoured” states have performed in the interim is fundamental to the present and future of Caricom and the wider region. It is more than mere conjecture that Guyana was selected as the capital of Caricom because of its vast, hospitable land space (83,000 square miles), mighty navigable rivers which demarcate Guyana’s three counties Essequibo, Berbice and Demerara; shared borders with Brasil, Venezuela and Suriname and abundant mineral resources including gold, diamonds and bauxite. Guyana is unique and diverse. It has a wide variety of flora and fauna; imposing waterfalls including the mighty Kaieteur with its sheer drop of 741feet; British, Dutch and French heritage; vast timber resources and the largest population of indigenous Amerindians in the Caribbean region, still living in their natural interior habitat. The Bartica Triangle at the confluence of the Mazaruni, Cuyuni and mighty Essequibo rivers is ideal for inland water-sports. There is also the full range of topography — from Mount Roraima through table lands to the savannahs and flat coastal plains.

As a country that borders Brazil, the largest economy in Latin America, the oil-rich Venezuela and the Guianas, Guyana is potentially the Caribbean’s gateway to South America and a very important trading post when the Free Trade Area of the Americas comes into effect. This potential will be boosted by the upgrade of the road between Georg-etown and northern Brazil. It should also be noted that the North West extremity of Guyana shares a border with Venezuela and already there is significant cross-border trade between the countries. I am of the view that Guyana needs to further enhance its strategic position by fostering greater trade, cultural and sporting ties with the other Guianas — Suriname and French Guiana. With the three countries linked by roads and ferries, it would be possible to develop the No 64/Benab Beach on the Corentyne coast as a tourist centre and playground for the Guianas. Additionally, inter-Guianas sporting events should be encouraged to a greater extent and Guyana should move to revive horse racing at Springlands where a modern race track should be built. Apart from its strategic international sporting value, this track will serve to replace the once thriving Port Mourant track. Inter-Guiana motor sports should also be encouraged. The network of primary and secondary roads and ferry connections between the three countries are natural ingredients for a trans-Guiana rally. Perhaps, Guyana’s motor racing tradition should be exploited to develop ties to the motor racing industry in Brazil. This would give Caribbean enthusiasts something to aspire to in this universal sport.

With its rich gifts of nature and its strategic location, it is tragic that Guyana languishes with Haiti and Bolivia as the poorest countries in the western hemisphere. In contrast, Barbados, the host of the Caribbean Development Bank, has made tremendous strides since independence. It has taken advantage of its traditions as a functioning democracy, to pursue good governance and sound economic policies, which have led to relative prosperity for its 260,000 people. Barbados can proudly boast of its imposing infrastructure including the Bridgetown Port which can accommodate the largest cruise ships in the world, modern tourist plant, the Grantley Adams Airport and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, the symbol of health care in the south Caribbean. Great store is placed in human development. The island invests heavily in education at every level. The primary and secondary school system as well as the Cave Hill campus of the University of the West Indies, the Barbados Community College which is soon to be incorporated into the University College of Barbados and heavy investment in vocational training by both the public and private sectors attest to this. The greatest vision for the future of Barbados was contained in the throne speech delivered by His Excellency the Governor General Sir Clifford Husbands at the opening of Parliament on June 6 2003: “There are some 100,000 vehicles on our roads today. This underscores the need for an upgraded, modernised and expanded road system.

My government will continue the national highway rehabilitation and construction programme, the principal element of which will be the expansion of the ABC Highway from two to four lanes. My government will support a Park and Ride System, which will accelerate the programme to ensure that every major community has a paved road by the end of the first decade of the century.” Prime Minister Owen Arthur announced that the highway and road project will be given priority. With completion of this project in five to seven years, Barbados’ physical development will be greatly advanced to a point where it will stand out as a beacon of modernisation in the Caribbean. It is my fervent hope that Guyana, a country with close cultural and historical links to Barbados, will follow the latter’s example and recognise the importance of its road infrastructure. In this regard, the construction of the Georgetown to Northern Brazil road is key. Because of the advent of globalisation, the value of a road link to Brazil extends beyond the borders of Guyana to the entire Caribbean Community. For this reason, the Caribbean Heads of government should take much greater interest in its establishment. Perhaps, the planning, financing and construction should be entrusted to a social Caribbean commission.
This would elevate this most important project to the level of importance accorded to the Panama Canal in a past century. This could be a crucial symbol of Caribbean-South American trade and Carib-bean Community action.

WILTON A ANGOY
St Michael, Barbados