Last December, 21-year old Katie Spotz set off for an adventure of a lifetime — a solo row across the Atlantic Ocean! She is now on her journey to Georgetown, Guyana. After 2,500 miles and 70-100 days alone at sea, she will become the youngest person ever to row an ocean solo and the first American to row from Africa to South America. One Woman One Ocean One Dream. But this row is about more than ocean adventure, world records and personal challenges. It’s about something much more important: safe drinking water. That’s why Katie partnered with the Blue Planet Run Foundation to help raise funds for sustainable safe drinking water projects all over the world.  (Read the full article now on http://blueplanetrun.org/news/katie_spotz) or visit http://www.rowforwater.com for more on Katie Spotz adventure.

This December, 21-year old Katie Spotz set off on the adventure of a lifetime — a solo row across the Atlantic Ocean! She is now halfway between Africa and South America. After 2,500 miles and 70-100 days alone at sea, she will become the youngest person ever to row an ocean solo and the first American to row from Africa to South America.

But this row is about more than ocean adventure, world records and personal challenges. It’s about something much more important: safe drinking water. That’s why Katie partnered with the Blue Planet Run Foundation to help raise funds for sustainable safe drinking water projects all over the world. Unsafe drinking water is the leading cause of sickness, disease and death worldwide — but it’s a problem that, working together, we can solve.

“While this will be a solo row, I can’t do it alone,” explains Katie. “My goal is to raise enough funds to help, at the very least, 1,000 people gain access to safe drinking water. So no matter what your budget, your contribution can make a big difference. In fact, for just $30 you can provide one person access to safe drinking water for life! To join me in helping the billion people around the world who lack access to safe drinking water.

(Read the full article now on  http://blueplanetrun.org/news/katie_spotz)

or visit http://www.rowforwater.com for more on Katie Spotz adventure.

Guyana’s first Las Vegas style casino is now open with 300 slot machines and 11 gaming tables (2 roulette tables, 7 card games – blackjack and poker and 2 Texas Holdem).The Casino is located at the Princess Hotel on the East Bank of Demerara. The casino is not a 24-hour facility as yet, and will only be open from midday to 4 am but not to locals. Director of operations for Princess Casinos in the Americas Oguz Tayanc  said that the casino had created 130 jobs for local persons and  that in the next two months, this number would increase to 160. He said once the entertainment centre of the hotel became operational the number of local jobs would increase to 200. The casino’s management is promising live entertainment to its patrons and  there would be persons coming from Canada and the USA specifically to play in the casino.   The casino also hopes to benefit from a number of upcoming sporting events, including the ICC Twenty/20 World Cup,international motor racing meet, West Indies v.s Zimbabwe series, caribbean  and regional rugby tournament , karate and power-lifting tournaments which will be hosted in Guyana. Tayanc said that plans were still on board to have the local casino be a satellite casino for the World Poker tournament which is slated for June of this year.  He said that from May/June of this year it was expected to have satellite tournaments in the casino.

Passengers arriving at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport were treated with a simple “Welcome home for Mash 2010′ activity this morning.
This activity was hosted by the Ministry of Tourism, Guyana Tourism Authority, Cheddi Jagan International Airport and Banks D.I.H Limited. Visitors were treated with Banks refreshments and entertained by models wearing the Banks 2010 costumes.

Happy Mashramani to all Guyanese.

The Guyana Tourism Authority recently conducted a training session for taxi operators attached to the Eccles Cab and Car Rental Agency. This training session is just one of a series of training sessions planned to be undertaken by the Authority this year. The Authority is aiming to update taxi operators and services on tourism in Guyana and how they can play a role in improving this sector. Taxi drivers and dispatchers were taught on elements of good services, attitude, characteristics of good drivers and dispatchers, role of drivers and dispatchers, value of customer loyalty, communication skills, needs of customers among other areas.

Guyana is currently participating as a sharing company in the Suriname Tourism Foundation Booth at the annual Vakantiebeurs Trade Fair in Utrecht, The Netherlands from January 13th – 17th, 2009.

Vakantiebeurs is regarded as the largest platform for travel in the Netherlands. The Vankantiebeurs Trade Show targets three (3) main groups: consumers, trade visitors and professionals from the travel industry, press and media. It is the key consumer and trade show in the Netherlands which is held in Utrecht.

Vakantiebeurs attracts Europe’s regional and national travel agencies, travel information offices, tour operators, travel agents and travel companies. Hotel chains, camping sites, car rental companies, campers and caravans and bungalow parks also exhibit at Vakantiebeurs.

Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority, Mr. Indranauth Haralsingh is in Holland representing Guyana, Mr. Haralsingh is looking to establish partnership and links with numerous tour operators to better promote and market destination Guyana.

Hon. Manniram Prashad, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce commissioned new and refurbished facilities at No. 63 Beach on Tuesday 12th, January, 2010.

Minister Prashad at the simple ceremony stated that these facilities will add to the visitor’s comfort and experience at the beach. This project was made possible through several public/private partnerships. No. 63 Beach, the main tourist attraction in Berbice, now boasts four benabs, two washroom facilities, two changing rooms and three pavilions. He further mentioned that Cortours, a local tour operator in Berbice have already committed to build a pavilion to add to these facilities. Minister Prashad also encouraged other businesses to invest in other similar beach facilities.
These facilities were handed over to the No. 63 Beach Committee which is now tasked with recruiting rangers and cleaners to monitor the area, especially during weekends and holidays. The Minister also urged the committee to be proactive in raising funds which will go towards maintenance the facilities. He also urged the residents of Berbice to take good care of these facilities which has been built for their comfort and enjoyment.
No.63 Beach on average per week receives 4,000 visitors and 20,000 visitors on special occasions such as Independence Day and Easter Monday.  The Minister noted that the opening of the Berbice River Bridge has resulted in a high influx of people into Region Six, particularly to enjoy the beach, making its upgrade an essential one.

Location : South America border by Venezuela, Brazil, Suriname and the Atlantic.
Size : 214, 969Kmsq.
Climate: Dry and Wet.Wet season mid-November to mid-January and May to July. Dry and Hot season from February to April and August to October.
Temperature: Avg. temperature of 27.5 degrees, coastland temparature 18-34 degrees(C), interior 18-40 degrees(C).
Population: 770,000(estimate 2006)
Official language: English with a Caribbean creole flavor.
Capital: Georgetown
International Airport: Cheddi Jagan International
Other towns: Linden, New Amsterdam, Rose Hall, Anna Regina, Bartica and Lethem.
Major Exports: Sugar,Rice, Gold, Diamonds,Timbers, Bauxite, Agricultural produce.
Currency: Guyana Dollar(G$)
Exchange Rate: US $1 = G $200
Time: GMT-3
National Independence: 26th May 1966 from Great Britain.
National Anthem: Dear land of Guyana
National flag: Golden Arrow Head
National Bird: The Canjie Pheasant
National Flower: The Victoria Amazonica
National Day: 23rd February, 1970
National Sports : Cricket

Guyana is truly a land of Gaints, little known to the world and unexplored.

• Kaieteur - The highest single drop waterfall in the World(741 feet in height). Kaieteur is one of the world’s natural wonder.Imagine 45,000 gallons of lush black water thumbling down the rock escarpment every second. We guarantee you’ll say “Oh, my God” at both the adventure and the beauty that you behold

• Mount Roraima - the most famous Tepui in the World over 1,700 million years old

• The Kanuku Mountains - recognise by Conservation International as being one of the few remaining pristine Amazon habitats.

• St. George’s Cathedral - reportedly one of the world’s tallest free-standing wooden buildings.

• The Harpy Eagle is the largest eagle in the Americas and one of the largest and most powerful birds or prey in the world. The Harpy Eagle can be seen mostly in the Kanuku Mountains in Guyana

• The Giant Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) the largest of the 13 otter species and found only in the rainforest and rivers of South America

• Jaguar - South America’s largest cat seen mostly in Rewa and the mighty Essequibo river

• Giant Anteater - the world’s largest anteater found mostly in the Rupununi Savannahs of Guyana.

• False Vampire Bat - the largest bat in Central and South America

• Capybara - the world’s largest rodent

• The Giant Goliath bird-eating tarantula - the largest spider

• Green Anaconda - the world’s largest snake

• Black Caiman - the world’s largest of subfamily Alligatorinae

• Giant South American River Turtle - the world’s largest freshwater turtle

• Arapaima - the world’s largest freshwater fish

• Victoria Amazonica Lily - the world’s largest lily

Guyana is amazing with more than 800 species of birds and 4000 species of plants. Flora and Fauna in abundance

Guyana is a nature and Eco paradise for the world to see.