STREET food vendors are no stranger to Guyana but the idea of introducing mobile kiosks of international standards here is new and enterprising although such facilities are well known worldwide but more prominent in Asia.
Here in Guyana, people who work in the City and the towns are very familiar with roadside men and women who sell street food for a living. Some operate in the morning only, others in the morning go late in the afternoon and some into the evening and then there are those who come out in the evening only.
Some of these vendors have graduated from small stalls to established places of business, and some are thriving organizations today. In the current COVID-19 environment where indoor dining is limited, one would reasonably assume that known street food vendors enjoy good days, weekdays and weekends.
This is particularly good if they adhere to all established hygiene and good hygiene standards as set out in their operating license as well as adhering to, and ensuring adherence to, national COVID-19 guidelines, particularly in relation to wearing masks and social upkeep. distanced.
Although street food vendors are in a small way part of the local food culture – be it Georgetown, Anna Regina or New Amsterdam – the sale of street food is largely informal in nature but nevertheless represents a way honest to many.
With Guyana in a strong position to become what some have described as the ‘Dubai of the Caribbean’, upgrading or introducing a standard mobile food kiosk will fit perfectly with the modernization trend.
And here Guyana has a golden opportunity to create an identity among locals and the thousands of tourists who visit Guyana all year round, through foods prepared to international standards and readily available in mobile street shops .
Like its people of diverse origins, the delicacies served will be wide and varied, presenting a smorgasbord of options for locals and foreigners alike to choose from.
What could be more beautiful and convenient than being greeted by the sight and smell of Indian delicacies, luxurious African dishes or the delicious foods of our Amerindian brothers and sisters while going to work in the morning or going for an evening stroll.
It would be great if kiosks with fresh fruits and vegetables were added to the mix as Guyana has plenty of them – from avocados, pineapple, watermelons, mangoes, guava and pomegranates – to name but a few that many foreigners crave and spend high sums for them to get.
These kiosks, once tied into the local tourism package and maximized, have the potential to set Guyana apart from Caribbean and South American nations when the tourist talk or discussion food zones.
Perhaps in the same way when one looks at the kiosks and street food vendors in India who are enjoying very wide popularity on Youtube and other social media platforms.
Moving to standardized mobile kiosks in Guyana by Minister for Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud couldn’t be more timely as Guyana focuses on safety, including indoor dining in restaurants and welcoming an influx of tourism when the COVID pandemic -19 subsided.
It is also encouraging to know that these food establishments would be no ordinary operations but facilities with high standards of hygiene, uniform in identity and staffed by culinary experts. In the eyes of foreigners, Guyana is known for the Kaieteur Falls, the largest single drop waterfall in the world; plenty of water and arable; and as an extensive sanctuary for flora and fauna. There is nothing stopping it from becoming a major destination for varied and delicious foods that are readily available on the streets. With rigorous standards in place, in terms of hygiene in food preparation, taste and presentation and wholesome marketing, who knows, Guyana could become one of the region’s food capital.