Battling to remain buoyant – Struggling with indebtedness, Lake Mainstay Resort appeals for public support

April 25, 2016, http://guyanachronicle.com/bat...-for-public-support/

Some of the cabins at Lake Mainstay Resort

THE idyllic Lake Mainstay Resort on the Essequibo Coast has, for years, been the perfect escape destination of choice for both local and foreign visitors; but, for years now, this major tourist attraction has been experiencing a decline in business, and would require more support from Government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the business community, and members of the public to remain viable.In the past few years, this tourists’ paradise has been battling to clear a debt of some $180 million, most of which is due to high electricity costs, while continuing to invest in upgrading the entity into a must-see, must-visit destination. With the price of fuel on a downturn on the world market, Lake Mainstay Resort is now breathing a sigh of relief; and with more support from the Government and other agencies, proprietor Wilfred Jagnarine is confident that the once booming paradise would regain a sound financial footing.

“Over the years, the resort has seen a decline in business from the Government. This has negatively contributed to its fortunes. We will be more than grateful if this new Government can reverse what used to obtain in the past. It would be great if more Government conferences, workshops and retreats are held at Lake Mainstay. This resort has been surviving mostly from the support of the churches, the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Health Organization, NGOs, regattas, fund-raising activities and daily tours. These non-governmental agencies would usually host their conferences and workshops at Lake Mainstay,” Mr Jagnarine told the Guyana Chronicle.

On average, occupancy at the Lake Mainstay Resort is 15 per cent per annum. In a bid to promote the resort, its management has, during the past couple of years, been investing in advertising to increase business. Mr Jagnarine thanked the Government for its help in this regard, even though he believes enough is not being done to promote Guyana internationally, especially in the diaspora.

GENESIS
The resort has an interesting beginning. It was birthed in the early 1980s amidst a major foreign currency shortage. In those days, the then People’s National Congress (PNC) Government under President Forbes Burnham had imposed a tight restriction on persons travelling out of Guyana with foreign currencies.

Incidentally, many senior Government functionaries, including in the Cabinet and the Judiciary, used to spend their vacation overseas. With the foreign currency restriction, their ability to vacation abroad was severely restricted, and an alternative had to be found.

President Burnham came up with the idea of creating a resort second to none and equal to any beyond these shorts. Thus the resort was built, and an airstrip was constructed nearby.
The resort was also intended to be a place where the President holds his Cabinet meetings in scenic and serene ambience, arriving in and descending from a helicopter.

Unfortunately, President Burnham was called to the Great Beyond months before his splendid creation was commissioned. With his death, Lake Mainstay Resort was never officially opened by the PNC Government, and his successor, President Desmond Hoyte, quickly set aside the tight restriction on foreign currency possession while implementing a raft of measures which opened up and breathed new life into the economy.

No longer constrained by a tight foreign currency restriction, many senior Government functionaries opted to vacation abroad, and the beautiful paradise was left in a state of abandonment. The forest encroached, and termites took up residence in the luxurious buildings within its parameter. In 1992, the Government was changed and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) came to power under Dr Cheddi Jagan.

The new PPP/C Government promised to place emphasis on tourism, and bids were open to private individuals/businesspersons to restore and manage the vacation site. Mr Jagnarine, along with four others, bade and won the project in 1997; and after two years, with millions spent in renovation works and rolling back the encroaching jungle, the Lake Mainstay Resort was finally opened.

But by this time Dr Jagan had also been called to the Great Beyond.

In December 1999, the sprawling resort, which sits on 15 acres of land and boasts 54 buildings, including 41 cabins, two bars, a restaurant, stores, band stand and other entertainment facilities, was opened by the then President Bharrat Jagdeo.

Situated on the shores of Lake Mainstay, the resort is within courting distance of the Amerindian village of Whyaka. Years ago, the Arawaks inhibited the area around the lake, which it called quacabuka, meaning ‘in-between’.

The buildings on the resort are owned by Government, while the land is owned by the villagers. Mr Jagnarine has a lease of 50 years, and he said business at the resort was great initially, but things began to decline in 2001.

DISTURBANCES
At that time, the election-related disturbances in Georgetown and on the East Coast of Demerara contracted the economy. These disturbances were followed by a crime wave, and, according to Mr Jagnarine, business at the resort has since never regained sound financial footing.

“Since then, it was a challenge to keep our doors open, and I have made a personal decision to take up residence at the resort and do all I can to make it work and remain in business. In spite of all the renovation works that we have done, there are still works to be done, and we have been doing (those in) small strides.

“We need the help of the Government; more of its events can be hosted at the resort, and attention needs to be paid to fixing the deplorable road leading to the resort. I pleaded with the previous Government for years, and it fell on deaf ears. The abandoned airstrip should also be restored, as it will be a boost to tourism as well as provide a service to residents of the region. Miners on the coast have to travel all the way to Ogle, East Coast Demerara, to get flights into the interior. Of course, they can utilise the Kayman Sankar airstrip, which is a private airstrip at Hampton Court, but the State should provide this service to residents 24/7,” Jagnarine told this publication.

Notwithstanding competition and the struggle to stay afloat, management of the resort has been trying to improve its condition and the ambience of the facility.

The resort has electricity 24/7, and a backup generator is available in case of blackouts. All cabins are outfitted with comfortable self-contained rooms, wardrobes, air conditioning units, washroom facilities and suites. These also have television sets and refrigerators.

Prices range from $9,300, $14,000, $20,000 and $24,900 (5 persons) per night. These prices cover only the cost of accommodation. The resort can, at any time, provide accommodation for 166 persons, and persons overnighting have access to all facilities, except board games.

The resort’s spacious conference hall can accommodate a maximum of 250 persons, and is available at a rate of $10,000 per hour. Equipped with PA systems, air conditioning units, stage and other facilities, it is ideal for conferences, workshops, weddings, birthday celebrations, and church and family reunions.

“We are here to stay, but we need the support of the Government, the business community, NGOs and the public to stay afloat. (The nation’s) help will ensure our viability,” Mr Jagnarine told the Guyana Chronicle.