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The lovely days in these villages are gone
Dear Editor,
Pleased offer me space in your letter column to offer advice to the crafters of our youth policy. I grew up in the village of Bachelors Adventure on the East Coast of Demerara a village that felt the brunt of the attack on the enslaved Africans who were agitating for their freedom from slavery on the plantations in Demerara on the 20th of August 1823. On this day over 200 Africans were slaughtered by colonial solders which was ordered by the then Governor of Demerara. Today this event is remembered as the Demerara revolt of 1823.
This village has not totally recovered from that brutal act, and it is because of this that His Excellency, the President Brigadier David Arthur Granger was instrumental in erecting a monument on the lawns of the Paradise /Bachelors Adventure/Melanie Community Center situated at Public Road, Bachelors Adventure over five years ago with the cooperation and support of families of those martyrs. With the emancipation of slavery in 1834 (apprenticeship lasted 1834-1838) the freed Africans bought villages, built mainly churches and schools.
It was common to use the schools for community meetings, weddings, indoor games , gym, etc. Youths in and out of school who are members of the community would also use the building for evening group study, and as such the security of the buildings was ensured. We all benefitted immensely. Our young men and women excelled during the reign of the PNC. Government implemented free education from nursery to University. Crime was at an all time low through an amnesty granted after the riots of 1964 guns were taken off the street. However, when the PPP came to power in 1992, the guns were back, the school buildings which our forefathers built were declared off limits to the young people of these villages. Guards were employed to enforce this act. The education standard plummeted.
Youth groups which once used those schools at weekends are now prohibited since many of these villages do not have community centres, and where they may have a center as in the case of the Paradise, Bachelors Adventure ,Melanie Community Center, there are a few who proclaim ownership of this building using political influence. These school buildings should be used for training young people who no longer attend school but who are keen to acquire skills that will render them employable.
Aaron Blackman
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