Dear Editor,
I write this letter to highlight the community of Agricola. Agricola is historically one of the earliest villages in Guyana. Having been known for its troubles and its sordid past in the early 2000s, Agricola as a community has turned a new leaf. The village is essentially redemptive and spiritual rather than political and physical. After Emancipation and Indentureship, 177 plots of land were purchased by the newly freed Africans on the southern boundary of Plantation Rome, later known as Agricola. The streets of the new village Remus, Romulus, Caesar, Cato, Titus and Brutus were named after outstanding Roman Conquerors.
After its establishment, it is said that Agricola had a good community spirit which aided in its growth and sustained development. The village thrived socially, economically and culturally. The village grew and became diverse, welcoming a rainbow of ethnicities which obtains to this day. In the 1970s the community was incorporated into Greater Georgetown, where, due to migration and Guyana’s economic travesty, the once-thriving village started experiencing unemployment and instances of crime, which plagued the community for generations.
However, while the community is not without its social issues today, crime and its association and involvement therewith, have significantly decreased to an almost non-existent state. The village is considered to be on the rise. Last month, Agricola received its first-ever visit from a Head of State with President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali meeting with residents to address the concern of the villagers to better their lives. Promises were made and we await their fulfillment.
The government has vowed to work alongside the village and its residents to accelerate their development. The President has also promised to promote opportunities that will foster a future that will give the young people of the community the best possibilities, as well as transforming the community. We look forward to this and hold President Ali to his word.
We desire many opportunities, in particular, for the training of our young people in construction as well as the development of technical skills. We have skillful athletes across all the sporting discipline. The Agricola Red Triangle football unit remains a heavyweight in the East Bank Demerara Football Association from the under-13 to the senior levels. More assistance is needed to develop the village’s talent better.
This new generation of young people has been completing school, passing with good grades. We, the future of this community, strive to aggressively find solutions to our social problems as we strive for self-empowerment and social development through much-needed incentives. We implore everyone with a willingness; to partner with us as we strive for better. We are keeping our face to the sunshine; thus, we cannot see the shadow of the past. We look to the future, being productive and prosperous.
We believe as a community firmly in the words of Barack Obama that says, “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”
Sincerely,
Nkosei Williams
Resident of Agricola
