Passing of Pandama Retreat & Winery co-founder seen as blow to tourism

Warren Douglas, local vintner and owner of the well-known nature retreat getaway Pandama Retreat & Winery, died suddenly on Thursday at the Linden/Soesdyke establishment he called home.

The Ministry of Tourism has said that his passing is a major blow to tourism here and the niche market he helped popularise.

The former United States Naval officer was 58 years old.

Condolences have poured out to Douglas’ family and loved ones from his friends, acquaintances, patrons of the business and those whose lives he impacted.

“The passing of Warren Douglas is a major loss for tourism in Guyana. Warren and his wife Tracy invested significant resources and time in developing the Pandama Retreat and Winery and their love for the hospitality industry was undeniable,” Minister of Tourism Oneidge Walrond told Stabroek News.

“Warren will be remembered for his sterling contribution to the development of this niche tourism product in Guyana. He will also be remembered as the experienced and skilled vintner and host, who treated customers like family,” she added while extending her sympathies to his wife, Tracy, relatives, and friends “during this difficult period.”

The Guyana Tourism Authority also paid tribute to Douglas.

“The Guyana Tourism Authority is saddened to learn of the passing of Warren Douglas of Pandama Retreat and Winery. Warren and his wife, Tracy, have over the years demonstrated their commitment towards providing unique rejuvenating tourism experiences in Guyana,” the tourism body said as it also expressed condolences to Douglas’ family and loved ones.

For Douglas’ childhood friend Nigel Hughes, his demise came as a sudden blow that he was still trying to come to grips with.

Hughes reflected on the fond memories shared since the two began high school at Saint Stanislaus College and shared the same classes until Douglas left for the United States. They had also played football for the same team.

He said that they would keep in communication and when Douglas decided to moved back to Guyana, he assisted in getting them to set up the purchase of the lands for Pandama.

This year, as the Hughes law firm celebrated its 50th anniversary, the firm chose to hold a staff retreat at Pandama.

“I am pained by his passing,” Hughes lamented. “… He is one of the finest human beings I know and possessed a beautiful soul. It was a privilege to have lived in his time and to have shared a close friendship.”

The Saint Stanislaus Old Boys Association also paid tribute to Douglas and over 200 former students expressed condolences.

Colleague business associate and owner of Netsurf Nature Park Stephen Thompson recalled a man that was not afraid to share advice and lessons learned from setting up his business.

“I met Warren years ago when I was setting up my own business on the highway. I visited him during the commencement phase and he was always very helpful. He shared so much and gave guidance and advice on what to do and what to expect and so forth. He was always very jovial and a free spirit. You can’t say this about a lot of business folk but he was a man of integrity and someone honest and to his word. I don’t have to elaborate on what a hard worker he was because that is evident in his bringing his business to what it is today,” Thompson said.

Hundreds of friends and patrons of the retreat took to social media to share their experiences as they too expressed shock at Douglas’ passing.

“Many moons ago someone told [me] about a couple who’d come back from America and building a resort on the highway and that I should go check it out. We rolled up uninvited and met Warren and Tracy. First thoughts? These were some busy people. Warren was building benches and a fence, Tracy was painting and decorating. They’d planted just about everything under the sun… I got free food and at some point Warren told me he was going to start a winery. I remember looking at him and going, wine as in white man wine? He laughed and said yea bro, real wine from Guyana fruits,” Mark Jacobs wrote in a tribute to Douglas.

“Every time I popped into Pandama, Warren would whip out the latest creation with a smile. ‘You gotta try this’. What is it? ‘Duka’. Duka? Warren yuh mekkin up names now. ‘No bro. It’s from that tree right there’. Next stop. Trudging through the backdam harvesting aunty desma by the salt bag. Bit by bit the pieces came together. Resort. Camp site. Winery. Camp site.

Tie dye. Jewellery et cetera et cetera. Outside of Pandama our best times were chilling at the fish shop after Warren and Tracy made wine deliveries. Roger, Godfrey, Jermaine and Warren. I think it was at one of these sessions Warren unveiled a new creation. Pulse, the libido enhancer. He just laughed and put it on the table. I said, yea Warren yuh gone clear,” he added.

For tourist Kim Mathis Gaviria, visiting Pandama was always on her to go list when here. “One of our favorite places to visit in Guyana was Pandama Retreat & Winery; a place to slow down, enjoy life and make memories. Thank you, Warren Pandama Wines Douglas for always sharing your energy, laughter & love with us. What an amazing life you lived & what a gift you gave to everyone who had the honor of knowing you,” the Maryland resident wrote.

Beautiful memories were also shared by scored of other persons, both local and from overseas.

On the company’s website, Warren told of why he returned and the insight into Pandama and his wine making venture.

Warren Douglas

“I remember sitting in our back yard in Charlotte, North Carolina with my wife Tracy when a very interesting conversation ensued. Tracy intimated that she wanted to start making soap again - Tracy had manufactured her own soap for several years. I remember indicating to her that I always wanted to make my own wine, and I was going to start researching the process. I read everything that I could get my hands on about wine making and decided to invest in the equipment. My first batch of wine was made from North Carolina peaches, and it was a hit with friends and family all across the United States. I continued to make wine and we gave bottles as gifts at parties and gatherings,” he expressed.

“When Tracy and I decided to move to Guyana to live I knew that wine making would be a major part of the Pandama Retreat experience. With the proliferation of exotic fruits in Guyana, it didn’t take much time for Pandama Wines to come into being. We currently offer several fruit wines which include Pineapple, Jamoon, Aunty Desmond, Noni, Cherry,

Malacca Pear, Duka, Carambola and Sorrel. We will continue to develop new flavours periodically. Pandama Wines also offers Pulse, a libido enhancement tonic wine which is made from barks native to Guyana and the Amazon Basin. It is a real treat and has gotten rave reviews from ladies and gentlemen alike,” he added.

He had shared with this newspaper that he had always envisioned remigrating home. And after visiting for cricket in 2007, he and his wife Tracey bought the 17-acre property. After years of hard work, it has been transformed into the tranquil nature meditation getaway and retreat, which offers overnight cabins, bird watching experiences, dancing and painting classes and a famous black water creek, that is filled year round and has not to date had a bad review.

Douglas will be remembered for creating more than a space for the ultimate zen experience in Guyana as his personality and indelible memories he created with customers rivals that of his business.