President Ali declares open Essequibo Expo

An event that has been in the planning stages for weeks now, President Dr Irfaan Ali on Friday night officially declared open Essequibo Expo 2023.

And as various stakeholders committed to working with the government in achieving a massive eco-tourism hub along the Essequibo River, the Head of State assured residents that Region Two will greatly benefit from this strategic plan.

The two-day event (October 27 and 28) invites visitors and locals to engage in the many experiences available in the area and is a great opportunity for businesses and investors to meet.

Discussing the massive transformation slated for the region, Dr Ali said there are many investments by the public and private sectors in the region that will assist with the government’s goals.

“We are going to spend in excess of $200 million in an agriculture entrepreneurship project in which we will build a world-class hydroponic facility here and 100 of your young people will be the owners of this innovative facility we are going to build here in Essequibo,” the President said.

He explained that the government is ensuring that the socio-economic development in the region is balanced between improving the lives of residents and developing new innovations.

The Essequibo Coast and the Lower Essequibo are seeing the development of new tourism products and the expansion and improvement of existing ones.

A notable project being conducted is the ‘The Discover Essequibo Circuit Development Project’ that aims to promote the Essequibo Coast and Bartica as tourist destinations in Guyana.

Additionally, new hotels and tourist attractions have made the region a destination for all visiting the country. Recently a motorcross park was opened at Mainstay on the Essequibo Coast and it was already utilised for motor racing, kickstarting the plans to decentralize the sport from one base.

Soon a new stadium will be constructed at Anna Regina and President Ali said these are all investments to ensure that the Essequibo Coast is a major tourism hub.

“Now that we are going to have this stadium in Essequibo, I am in final discussions and negotiations with the West Indies Cricket Board for Guyana to host the Super 50 one day tournament here in Guyana next year and we want at least 40 per cent of those matches played in Essequibo,” the President said.