Last week Stabroek News visited the village of Victoria, East Coast Demerara and asked the man/woman in the street: what are you most proud of as a Victorian? How do you see the future of the village? And what can you do for it? Their responses follow:
Dewyne Stephen, student – ‘I am most proud of the history and rich heritage of the village. The Victorian group formed by overseas-based Victorian Guyanese works to develop the village and preserve the history of the village. They also focus on developing the infrastructure and create jobs within the village, which sees a bright future for the village. A lot of qualified persons came from this village. I plan to be a part of developing the youths of the village, I want to get the youths involved in sports etc. They are my main focus because they are the future.’
Briony Francis, public service employee – ‘I am most proud of the young people, most of them are employed. Also we have lawyers, teachers, and doctors coming from this village. We need a lot of improvements for the youths, like there should be a centre where they could meet and form a group where they could do a lot of activities, so we could instill a lot of things in them, they could learn more about sexuality. I would love to work along with them, if they form some sort of group, I would love to take part and be the leader or something.’
Nicola Wood, self-employed – ‘This is a good village. Sometimes you might get ups and downs, but the people are always at your rescue. The future of the village seems good because we have hard working people. They don’t really sit down, everybody does get up and get. We are supposed to get a village library and I would love to help out at the library.’
Ketroy Jaffarelly, mason – ‘I am proud of our heritage. Our village has come a far way in terms of infrastructure, and even though it
can be better the access roads are really good. We have maintained the history of the village. I can see a bright future. If you look back at the past, where we had no electricity, it tells you that we are going somewhere. I plan on developing my family allowing that to be transcended into other members of the village, so that we can be a spectacle, others can adapt and have a good life as well.’
Tafanie Ashby, student at the Venezuelan Institute – ‘I am proud of the village because there are a lot of cooperative people living in here. I see the future of the village will be good because many people work together. I would participate in the development of the village by presenting brochures and so on, so that others can participate as well.’
Akeeta Kingston, past CAPE student at President’s College – ‘I am proud of the people who live in unity. There is cooperation, and the people come together; that’s what I like about Victoria. If things continue to go as they are going now, I don’t see that the future is pretty good. The youths aren’t trying to better themselves and get an education. The elderly will eventually go and I don’t mean to make that sound bad but the youths are the future. I plan on opening up a centre where students can come to read and things like that because the children who are really willing are not getting the resources to really push themselves.’
Patrick Romn, cane harvester and interior worker – ‘I come in this village and live and married and I see it making progress. The place
quiet and nice, no problems as long as you mix with the right persons. You could mind fowls and sheep and start your life. The place is going to develop more, because when I first came here, we did not have this road. People are moving in all the time. I would like to help develop the infrastructure.’
Dewene Griffith, electrician – ‘I don’t really know much about the background history, but from what I have heard, the village was bought by the slaves and it’s a village that was built by the community, not depending directly on the government for anything. That’s what I am proud of, the village built itself. I see a lot of future development but it still depends on the youths. There is a need for the youths to find something interesting to do that will give them a foundation for the future. I think I can try to be more like a role model for the youngsters in the village, which I am kind of already. A lot of people look up to me as a young man and my life and so on. I would try to get them into some youth friendly activities.’
Darius Hunter, works in the interior – ‘This village is a peaceful village, I was born here and grew up here. The future of the village is going to be good because it’s already good. I will help to keep the village clean and share my knowledge with the youths.’
Deon Solomon, works in the interior – ‘Victoria is a proud and peaceful village, we living in love. We have a lot of intelligent youths coming
up in this village so the village will be more proud. I would like to give the young people advice so that they could follow the good and become good in the future.’
