Although his recent term as toshao of Orealla-Siparuta, was far from smooth sailing, Carl Peneux, 64, is hopeful that his successor can build on the groundwork that he has laid for the development of the Corentyne River indigenous communities that have a population of about 1,700 of mainly Lokono (Arawak) and Warrau peoples.
While his tenure as toshao put him in the public eye, Peneux has spent most of his life as an educator and he is hopeful that the new village council follows up on the petition his council sent to the government for a secondary school to be built in Orealla because of the prohibitive costs of transportation, boarding and lodging for students in the towns and city.
The secondary department at Orealla Primary does not cater for more than five or six subjects at the Caribbean Secondary Educa-tion Certificate (CSEC) examinations. It does not have the staff or facilities to teach the children.