Rose Hall Estate is a very inconsiderate entity

Aug 17, 2012 Letters

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Dear Editor,
Death is a must. All good books have echoed this truth since creation. Disposing death should this be an issue.
It is with displeased emotions that I penned this letter in an attempt to highlight the current state of the access road leading to the Reliance Cemetery and Crematorium. This burial site has been in existence over decades and has been the chosen site for almost 85% of residents living in the populated East Canje Area for their deceased relatives.
Additionally, it is imperative for me to mention that the crematorium site is the only one in the area; the closest alternative being Babu John Cemetery, miles away. Basically, it can be said that this crematorium serves residents from the East Bank Berbice, to West Canje, to New Amsterdam, to East Canje, and East Coast Berbice.
The current state of the access road is disgraceful, impassible and represents negligence of the Rose Hall Estate to assist the community in which most of its employees reside.
It is impossible for a bicycle much less a funeral procession to traverse this path. It is no longer an issue of potholes. Can someone advise me how to traverse swamp lands?
The buck stops at this entity because firstly it is its machinery that has repeatedly destroyed the track way. It is this entity that destroyed the reasonable state it once enjoyed. It is this entity that erased where a street once stood in the settlement of Reliance. It is this entity that destroyed the street before the bridge and after the bridge on both sides.
The problem is simple, not complex as scholars may want to believe. The “track”, note the word, “track” being used to describe an access way for a cortege procession, is simultaneously used by Rose Hall Estate to carry out its punt-pulling exercise. This exercise is mostly done by tractors.
Instead of the estate using a piece of the dam, (as has been done in Lochaber), the mess is all over. Only last week, the body of an overseas-based Guyanese was returned for cremation and as expected the entire dilemma replayed. The family hired a tractor to transport the body, however, as expected, the tractor stuck in the “slushy” section.
The family had to deal with the unpleasant ordeal of lifting the body through the muddied conditions, notwithstanding the tormenting distance before reaching the site. It was a sad scene, as Guyanese returning home wondered if this is how Guyanese must be treated.
Is this the respect we have for the living and the dead? Worst yet, people started to question the meaning of the word tourism and its applicability to Guyana. One needs to understand that not only the buildings and fancy resorts make people return to Guyana, but times of sorrow too.
Such state sends a bad impression of Guyana’s cremation grounds. Tourism must be understood in a holistic sense; proper roads, clean drinking water, full-time electricity, reduced bureaucracy and red tape, availability of proper citizen security, etc.  No doubt basic infrastructure needs to be in place. It was heartening to see the priest’s condition after this cremation. Why do our religious leaders have to endure such unfair treatment on a regular basis, since almost every day this drama unfolds?
Does the management of Rose Hall Estate ever use the track to experience this plight, we, the helpless people stomach?
One reading this letter may ask why not blame the NDC instead of the Rose Hall Estate. Answer simple! “You bruck it, you mek it.” It would be shameful if a question as to the ownership of the track arises as this matter of life and death transgress beyond all thoughts.
Why can’t Rose Hall Estate express its rightful corporate responsibility and build a decent street and bridge to alleviate this issue? I am not saying that Rose Hall Estate should cease its operations, instead I am pleading on the relevant managers to work on a fair and decent solution. Restore the streets you destroy and build a separate bridge for us! You would only be exercising your rightful corporate responsibility you owe to all your employees, their children, their grandchildren and the next generation to come.
Another issue that disturbs me and the residents of the East Canje community is the nasty state of newly built roads in the Canje area. It is very dangerous to traverse on the roadways after Rose Hall Estate machinery has moved from Point A to Point B. The amount of mud that is released from the wheels of these machines makes our roads unsightly and definitely leaves room for a major disaster.
Solution? Install a washing pump nearby and wash the mud off before these machines are allowed to travel on the roads. Option Number two, acquire a trailer to piggy back the machines. Option three, wash the roads afterward. By doing this you would join the other residents in caring for our roadways and reduce the likeliness of a major accident that can be caused by the heaps of mud on the road (imagine a scenario where it is raining and the driver attempts to apply brakes and slides because of the mud and runs into the market, or worse, the school nearby…. Ponder….).
We hear every day about environment pollution. Well what we should do with this culprit? Every day, the residents have to put up with the dust that emanates from the estate.  I personally see housewives sweeping their yards, washing their houses sometimes thrice daily. This problem I understand is a complex one. The dust cannot go away because it is what is produced from their operations. Hence, I am not sure if it can be reduced or collected by a receptor. There are two sources of dust; from the cane fields (this may be difficult to contain), and from the chimney (maybe controlled). Therefore, compensation must be given to residents, it is compulsory. The compensation I am speaking of is merely reminding  Rose Hall Estate of its moral, social, and environment obligations and responsibilities – Fix the two previously discussed problems!
The residents of Canje I am sure will welcome these changes if Rose Hall Estate starts to behave responsibly to live up to its obligations. We are praying for the day when funeral processions will no longer be forced to halt because of bad roads.  The access road must no longer be a Berbice disgrace.  Help us! Become caring!
We anticipate the fulfillment of your obligation.
Before I end my letter, can someone explain why safety brackets have been installed on the public road from Rose Hall Estate Primary School onwards on such a  narrow road, believe me this is hazardous, and not a safety move.
Concerned Resident

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