April 16, 2021 – Georgetown, Guyana – As Guyana advances as both a business and tourism destination, the ‘National Beautification Project’ undertaken by First Lady Arya Ali will play a key role in enhancing the experience of visitors and citizens alike, building the Guyana brand.
Arrivals at the roundabout leading to Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) will now be greeted by a 20-foot tall, illuminated “Welcome to Guyana” three-dimensional sign, commissioned by First Lady H.E. Arya Ali in a ceremony attended by her husband, President Dr. Irfan Ali and a number of dignitaries.
The installation of the sign and beautification of the surrounding landscape was budgeted at approximately GD25 million, and forms part of the First Lady’s ongoing “National Beautification Project”, which she has undertaken over the past few months to enhance Guyana’s brand.
“With Guyana’s economic landscape changing drastically,” said the First Lady, speaking at the commissioning this week, “the interest of potential investors and tourists continues to grow with each passing day. Over the past few years, Guyana has been featured prominently as one of the world’s emerging tourist destinations. To complement this revolutionary change, I thought it appropriate to embark on an ambitious national beautification project.”
The National Beautification Project provides leadership in scenic conservation and revitalization as a way to motivate and accelerate community renewal and reinvestment. The project is guided by five principles of scenic conservation and revitalization:
Retain the distinctive character of Guyana’s cities, towns, and communities as beautiful spaces to live and work
Protect and regulate the country’s scenic resources
Regulate and monitor of all forms of unlawful intrusion on the landscape or community appearance of public spaces
Educate on the value of scenic conservation and the importance of environmentally-friendly lifestyles
Establish a link between stakeholders to increase Guyana’s tourism capacity
Lars Mangal, CEO of TOTALTEC Oilfield Services commented on the initiative, “As anyone who has worked across the international oil and gas industry will tell you, the experience of airport arrival makes an important first impression. This welcome sign is a fantastic addition, instilling pride in our own people, and enthusiasm for those who visit. TOTALTEC was pleased to support this important initiative.”
Read full coverage of the commissioning ceremony here, the sign complimented by hanging baskets sponsored by TOTALTEC.
First Lady Arya Ali, her husband, President Dr. Irfan Ali (center) and other dignitaries are pictured at Cheddi Jagan International Airport for the commissioning of the “Welcome to Guyana’ sign, part of the National Beautification Project (image from the Department of Public Information https://dpi.gov.gy/first-lady-unveils-25m-welcome-to-guyana-sign-at-cjia/ ).
Learn more about the many initiatives that make up the National Beautification Project at https://dpi.gov.gy/?s=National+Beautification+Project
About TOTALTEC
TOTALTEC Oilfield Services is focused on the success of the energy industry in Guyana for the benefit of the country, its people, and partner companies. It does this through three areas: people, partnerships, and facilities. Qualified and motivated Guyanese develop through the International Petroleum & Maritime Academy. Partnerships prioritize products and services that are starting points to grow from, creating new Guyanese led companies. Examples are Guyana Shore Base, Inc. providing support to offshore operations and Jaguar Oilfield Services offering a