Local Gov’t Ministry to clear garbage at Kara Kara Blue Lake

One day after this news agency reported on the garbage situation at the Kara Kara Blue Lake in Linden, Region Ten, the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development has offered assistance to clean the area. In a statement on Tuesday, it was announced that the Ministry will commence work to clear the garbage from the entrance of the lake.

The lake was officially launched as a tourism destination on Sunday after successful meetings with the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, The Guyana Tourism Authority, the Region 10 Tourism Committee, and the Blue Lake Committee.

During her visit to the lake, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond expressed concern about the indiscriminate dumping of garbage at the entrance of one of the country’s pristine tourism sites. Regional officials also signalled their unease about the issue and indicated that they were exploring options for relocating the dumpsite.

However, after meeting with the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall on Monday, Minister Walrond announced that work will begin almost immediately on removing the debris from the site. “The garbage is an impediment to the attractiveness of this tourism destination, and we could not allow this situation to persist,” Minister Walrond noted.

“It does not matter which area, region of how people voted; we are about the development of Guyana,” she stressed.

Tests done locally and internationally have verified that the water at the Kara Kara Blue Lake is safe for swimming and the minister pointed to the potential of the lake as a feature around which a major regional tourist attraction could be built.  She reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to the development of the tourism sector in all regions of the country and reiterated Government’s desire to see Guyanese businesses benefiting from true partnerships in the large projects and investments that are coming in the sector.