Despite battles, Swan aims to make do for Christmas

Dec 25, 2019 News

In a little village, east of the Soesdyke/Linden Highway, about 400-plus residents struggle to eke out a daily living. It has not been easy for Swan.
The Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) is now laying posts for electricity and the water that comes, when it comes, is brown.

Children and residents during the recent Christmas events at Swan

But despite the daily struggles, the village is celebrating Christmas. They will make do with what they have. There are scores of young mothers in the area.
According to Councillor of Lamaha/Waikabbra, Fenton Ragnauth, Swan is about eight years old.
“There was a squatting of a few persons in the ‘One Mile’ area. They were given a 40-acre plot by Government.”
The area is mainly Amerindian, quite a number of them from Region One.
The houses are scattered and dot the community.
According to the Councillor, the residents depend on farming and work from the nearby sawmills.
“Yes, it is a quiet community, but we need lights and roads. It is lonely in certain areas and we have women who are coming and going to work at all hours.”
For the children, it is a struggle. Many of them foot it out during almost an hour’s walk to nearby Kuru Kururu.
There are no schools, police outposts or health centres in the area.
“We are asking for solar streetlights to help improve the security in the village,” the official said.
To get to Swan, residents have to walk through the trail leading to Marudi resort.
The turn-offs are all red clay, which become slushy in the rainy season.
According to Ragnauth, over 60 families benefitted from homes from Food For The Poor Inc.
Quite a few have solar for several light bulbs. But that is not enough.
While a few are employed also in the mining areas, in Region Seven and Eight, there have been opportunities for labourers right on the poultry farms in the highway area.
As of now, said the Councillor, the residents are trying, but need more help.
The official was one of several leaders of the small community who gathered recently in the area as the Guyana Pride Foundation, a non-governmental organization based in the Grove/Diamond area, East Bank Demerara, journeyed recently to Swan to fete the children.
Almost 200 children were given gifts and lunch. A number of parents also received small food hampers.

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