With a number of indigenous communities restricting travel to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), some like Micobie and Bonasika are struggling to come to grips with the changed circumstances.
Villagers within these communities are now more than ever relying on their farms for food but how does this bring in revenue for them to take care of other necessities, one toshao wondered last week.
Toshao Cleveland Henry of Micobie in Region Eight said the national lockdown order and distancing measures have resulted in miners and mobile vendors not frequenting the village anymore. However, vehicles from the village would make trips to Georgetown to purchase groceries to restock the village shop.
Henry said that the village council has some funds it has set aside if things should get worse, but at the moment they are trying their hardest to not have to tap into it. If they were to resort to this, it is not clear whether these funds can provide for all of the 641 people living there and even if it were possible, the toshao questioned for how long would that be.
“Presently visitors are not allowed here but we cannot stop our villagers from leaving because they need to go shopping. Most of them shop on a fortnight basis,” captain of Bonasika, Stafford Williams said.
According to the captain, the majority of those living at Bonasika in Region Three are labourers who work on farms. Being a labourer he said, doesn’t pay much but the lockdown has seen a big decrease in available work which is now pushing families into poverty. He informed that there are thirty-plus households in the community and villagers have gone from working daily to getting work this week and none the next week or for some, just two days. The owner of one of the farms he said has taken to this work system so as to give each family a chance to earn a living for themselves and families.
“If we can get some assistance that would be good. At least it will take care of some of the items that we need,” Williams said.
He admitted that he is worried for the safety of the people of his village should someone contract the virus, adding that they have no health facility in the village and that the closest is at Morasi Village, situated opposite Fort Island. They also rely on Fort Island’s Health Centre as the one in Morasi is not always open. Someone wanting to get to the hospital, would have to take the half an hour boat ride from Bonasika to Hubu then journey for an hour more before they get to the Leonora Cottage Hospital, which is the closest hospital.
Another of the toshao’s concerns is regarding the children in his village who will be sitting the National Grade Six Examinations. Williams disclosed that one of the children who will be sitting the exam is his granddaughter. “I wanted to know about the lessons that are being given online and you know those who have access to those things will be fortunate but here in Bonasika, we don’t have those things. I was hoping that the Ministry of Education will allow our teacher here to teach them before the exam,” the village captain said.
