Urban eco-lodge centre will be ready by early September – President Ali

The 30 brand-new urban eco-lodges being constructed in Diamond, on the East Bank of Demerara will be completed by the week of September 7, ahead of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) cricket finals.

President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali made the disclosure on Friday afternoon during his inspection of the site.

The urban eco-lodges project is being managed by 120 women and is being constructed under the Ministry of Housing with DuraVilla Homes as the executing contractor.

President Ali expressed that he is “very pleased” with the progress of the works thus far.

“In here will be what we call a golf-cart operation. It will have walkways, and a beautiful oasis kind of feeling in here. So, when you come in here, you’ll feel as though you’re in a real eco-lodge, eco-resort kind of operation. In the drains on the outside, they’re going to have lilies, and all the lodges will be pre-assembled by this weekend. And then in the new week, all the lodges will be in place,” he explained.

The lodges will be naturally varnished, with a modern interior, air-conditioning system and wide patios.

President Ali noted that all 30 units have already been rented out for the 9 days of the CPL finals.

“[These units] are maybe four minutes from the stadium. So, it makes sense to rent these units. In addition to the lodges, there is one main facility here, where the reception area will be built. That area will carry a restaurant, and they have already laid the foundation,” the president outlined.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of DuraVilla Homes, Rafeek Khan, said that the area will feature a restaurant, gym and spa.

“So, we just did this as a pilot. These will be 120 women who will maybe own $1 or $2 million. When they collectively come together, maybe $400 million. And what we are hearing from the valuation officers, this has increased their net worth by almost 3 times already. So, this is what these projects do. They empower,” President Ali stressed.

The eco-lodges are being constructed with 100 per cent Guyanese labour, using materials sourced and manufactured exclusively in Guyana. They will also be decorated with Guyanese paintings, and feature more than 100 species of plants as decoration throughout the centre.

President Ali explained that this is to facilitate a 100 per cent Guyanese experience.

Wastage of wood is also being minimised, as excess wood is being reused to construct smaller parts of the lodges.

Following the CPL finals, the eco-lodges will be available for booking online throughout the year.

Once the new four-lane Eccles to Great Diamond highway and new regional hospital on the East Bank corridor are completed, persons occupying the eco-lodges will be able to access essential services within close range.

With a police outpost just seconds away, and a fence to be constructed, occupants will enjoy a sense of security throughout the duration of their stay.

The eco-lodge pilot project is part of a number of new initiatives to revolutionise the housing and tourism sectors in Guyana.