The two candidates for the Toevlugt-La Retraite, West Demerara constituency in Friday’s Local Government Elections (LGE) are looking past the planned closure of the Wales sugar estate even while they accept that the impact will be severe.
If elected, Mohan Jugmohan, of Nismes, or Derrick Venture, of La Retraite, West Bank Demerara would be responsible for sections of Toevlugt and of Stanleytown, both in the First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) component. Jugmohan is representing the opposition PPP/C and Venture the governing APNU+AFC and they are contesting constituency one for the Toevlugt/Patentia Neighbourhood Democratic Council.
Jugmohan, 65, a pensioner/part-time canter driver and Venture, 59, a cane farmer for over 40 years, are both aware of the negative impact the closure of the Wales Estate would have on their community. However, they are optimistic that they would be able to lead their community successfully.
Jugmohan said one of his priorities is to enhance the security system, taking into consideration that the closure of the estate may result in increased criminal activities. He emphasized that six NDCs would be “heavily affected” and that the government has not put alternative arrangements in place to deal with the high unemployment rate.
As such, Jugmohan plans to give the first opportunity to residents within his constituency to earn through the community projects. For instance, he would see that they are hired to clean the drains and canals, which are among his plans to develop the community. He would also ensure that the roads are well maintained and the surroundings are always clean.
With youth as his focus, he also intends to enhance the playground at Stanleytown, which is in a poor state, to a standard that can facilitate matches and competitions.
He knows that there would be lots of vacant land available following the estate’s closure.
As such, he would try to get residents organised into groups and be part of an agricultural drive, similar to what the government has started in the interior.
He would also try to acquire “vacant state land” to set up a big community pasture.
He noted that a few farmers are engaged in rice farming while the majority have planted cane to supply to the estate.
Irrigation
Venture also plans to improve the drainage and irrigation system especially in the farming area, which has been broken.
According to him, since 1992 there were promises that the “trenches would be re-dug and the structures would be rebuilt. Nothing was done and we are still suffering. For farmers to move on we have to get it up and running.”
He stressed that “with the closing of the estate in the air, if [cane] farmers want to get into other crops the irrigation system would be in good order.
He said cane farmers are undecided about taking their cane to the Uitvlugt estate so they may very well want to look at other options. Among his plans are to work with the Guyana Telephone & Telegraph Company to have landline telephones available in each home.
He would also have a total upgrade of the environment and would revamp the playfield for the benefit of the youth.
Some of the projects would be undertaken with money from tax collections but with the planned closure of the estate and many people out of jobs, he is not sure how that would work.
He said the closing would have “serious implications in terms of job creation but you have to move on with life and adjust to the given situation. We have to look at other avenues to make a livelihood.”
He said that the officials at the NDC did not do much because “their hands were tied. The rates and taxes had to go through the RDC [Regional Democratic Council] and then the NDC had to apply for funding…”
He is confident that after the LGE, he would be able to manage the community better with input from the people on the ground.
Venture serves as “secretary for the largest cane farming society in the country; the La Retraite/Stanleytown Cane Farmers’ Marketing Society and I am fully au fait with the farmers and the struggles that they are going through.”
He said there are also fruits and cash crop farmers and a few rice farmers in the community that are going through difficult times.
