Story and photos by David Pappanah
Of Guyana’s six towns Rose Hall is the smallest. Situated on the Corentyne coast 14 miles from New Amsterdam with the Portuguese Quarter to the east and Hampshire to the west, it was the fifth village in the country to gain the status of a town in 1970. It had first been designated a village in 1908. Rose Hall Town is home to 17,000 inhabitants, covers 5.1 square miles in area and now comprises three sections: Middle, East and Williamsburg. Originally with a predominantly African-Guyanese population, it has since become a multi-ethnic location.
H P Benn was the first mayor of town while the legendary electrician, William Hendrax, was the last one before Rose Hall was placed under an Interim Management Committee in 2005.
Residents described their town as “convenient,” because all the stores and businesses are located on the Public Road, and they do not have to go to different areas when they are shopping. The town is the home to clothing stores, pharmacies, general merchandising outlets, two banks, a