RELEASING THE GIANTS :
Saving Guyana ’ s
( Sitting on the bow of the boat heading to the first camp site )
By Alex Arjoon - Reel Guyana
The 14ft aluminium boat chugs its way up the river under the raging sun with four plus hours left until we reach camp for the night . I am delegated to the bow so that the boat is well balanced but my face is prime real estate for the glare off the river . We are off to the village of Apoteri , an indigenous community in the Rupununi region that is well known for its Catch and Release Sport Fishing Tourism , where visitors can catch the mythical Giant Arapaima , the world ’ s largest freshwater fish .
This year has been one of the hottest on record with an extended drought that has persisted since mid 2023 with no signs of slowing down . The country prays for rain as fires tempt fate in the developing urban spaces of Georgetown while ravaging vibrant biodiversity and pristine ecosystems over vast areas of our hinterland .
On the river the water level has dropped to the point where you are able to walk most of the journey . Were it not for the cameras , fuel and food rations we are carrying , wading the shallow water would be a far more appealing option .
The very thought of dipping my head in the river is enough to satiate my longing for the cool , or at the very least two minutes of consistent shade , but the boat chugs on at half speed , very careful to not jam unsuspecting rocks below .
Filming the far ends of Guyana for the better part of the last decade has been surreal . My job has taken me to places most Guyanese don ’ t even know exist . Lands so inaccessible to the town man or woman that they may as well have entered the closet to Narnia . But even Narnia isn ’ t this special . The sounds of the forest and smell of the river become the portal to a frontier that is the country ’ s best kept secret . One that is slowly being revealed by the constant push of EcoTourism to the global marketplace . An industry that has the potential to boost Guyana to the forefront of environmental prowess and label us a model of sustainability and community owned enterprise . Guyana is one of the leading countries within the Caribbean region that can boast community lead and owned tourism businesses and it seeks to further empower its Indigenous people and elevate their label as the
26 | TOURISM GUYANA 2024