Introduction
Nestled on the northeastern tip of the South American continent, Guyana is a country that is the very epitome of highs and lows. It is rich in biodiversity with over 80% of the country covered in virtually untouched forests and natural sanctuaries (Introducing Guyana 1). As a result, thousands of species of flora and fauna exist within the borders of Guyana due to the relative peace and safety found rarely in areas encroached by human expansion. In terms of the potential wealth the country possesses, various mineralogists have stated that the country does possess untapped mineral resources such as gold and bauxite in scattered locations and the potentially lucrative timber industry could help to elevate the status of the Guyanan economy (Introducing Guyana 1). Despite these apparent advantages Guyana has an underdeveloped developed economy which ranks it among the poorest of the world’s least developed countries, has a sizable external debt, suffers from a lack of skilled labor due to the effect of population migration which creates a brain drain on the local society and finally has a distinct lack of industrial expansion (Guyana 1). Due to the overall lack of foreign direct investments coming into the country, slow industrial expansion is an inevitable result; as such one goal of the present administration is to encourage global awareness of Guyana through an ecotourism campaign that highlights the rich biodiversity found in the country (Guyana 1).
History of Guyana
Originally Guyana was populated by various Native American tribes such as the Arawak and Carib tribes till 1616 when the area was subsequently colonized by the Dutch and ceded to the British by 1814 (History of the Republic of Guyana 1). During British control, the country received an influx of slave labor from Africa and India due to the primarily agricultural nature of Guyana at the time. As a result, most of the country’s population can trace their origin to African-born slaves or a combination of Native American, Indian, and African mixed descendants (History of the Republic of Guyana 1). On the 26th of May 1966, Guyana was able to attain its independence from British rule through a peaceful pull-out and subsequent release of control by the British government (History of the Republic of Guyana 1). Overall, the status of Guyana since then has been a slow push towards a progressively modern state with various political squabbling and a distinct lack of industrialization being the primary reason why the country has remained under its third-world status.
The current State of Guyana
The main concerns facing Guyana today are threefold: its economy, health conditions, and education within its borders. As mentioned earlier the current state of the Guyana economy is one of barely any industrial development with nearly 28% of its exports being concentrated in the production of sugar (Economy of Guyana 1). To develop into a truly globalized economy the country would need to focus more on either developing itself as a prime tourism location or as a supplier of other materials besides agricultural products and a few mining sites here and there. While the efforts of President Bharrat Jagdeo such as creating a VAT (Value Added Tax) and having nearly US $800 million in debt being written off by the IMF the current state of the Guyanan economy is still in need of much need foreign capital investment (Economy of Guyana 1). Health conditions for people are abysmal at best due to a lack of government investment into a sufficient medical infrastructure. Emergency care is limited, medical professionals are scant and the facilities themselves cannot handle major injuries or diseases. It is due to this that the current President of Guyana is trying to attain medical assistance from various countries such as India to help develop the country’s medical infrastructure to sufficient levels (India and Guyana discuss Bilateral Issues 1). Finally, the system of education in Guyana which formerly was considered the best in the Caribbean significantly deteriorated by the 1980s due to the brain drain occurring at the time as educated citizens of the country left for greener pastures (Trail of Diplomacy 1). As a result, the current state of the school system is far cry from what it used to be, and with the current status of the Guyanan economy could continue on the sad state of affairs it is in for many years to come.
Resolving the Guyanan Problem
The best way to resolve the economic, health, and education problem in Guyanan is to develop the country in such a way that it becomes a viable location for foreign investments. In fact, the country already possesses the ability to do so through the sheer amount of biodiversity available in its forests.
Conclusion
By encouraging the growth of ecotourism into the country, Guyana would be able to encourage more people to invest in it and as a result, help to encourage the development of its economy to retain and increase its educated population.
Glossary
- Exports – Products made in one country and exported elsewhere
- VAT – Value Added Tax – a percentage-based tax placed on certain products
- Third World – Refers to the poorest and least developed and industrialized countries
- Industrial expansion – The creation of numerous businesses that help to support the local economy and give jobs to the population
- External debt – Debt owed by the country to other countries or institutions
- Biodiversity – Amount of different species located within a single area
- Foreign direct investments – Money coming from people in foreign countries for gaining a profit through investing or developing businesses in the country
- Ecotourism – Tourism based on the diverse ecology of a country
- Ceded – To give away
- Colonized – The establishment of a settlement of a foreign power on another country.
Appendix
Works Cited
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“Guyana.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation, 2011.
“History of the Republic of Guyana.” Guyana.org. Guyana News and Information, 2010.
“India and Guyana discuss Bilateral Issues.” Economic times. Economic Times, 2008.
“Introducing Guyana.” Lonely Planet. Lonely Planet, 2011.
“Trail of Diplomacy.” Guyana.org. Guyana News and Information, 2010.
“Travel Guyana.” Geographia. 2006.