John’s Village – A close knitted community

Jan 15, 2023 News

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Village Focus…

Malisa Renada Playter Harry

Kaieteur News – John’s Village, Corentyne, Berbice, is quite small, but it is still a very significant community. It is known as the village with the University of Guyana (John’s Campus), and is made up of people from various backgrounds. The villagers are hardworking people who are determined to improve their lives little by little.

When you enter the community, you’ll immediately spot a GUYOIL filling station, which is a great convenience to drivers, since the next gas station is several villages away. Further down the road, within the cross streets, you’ll find the villagers either consumed with their daily chores or relaxing. Most of the women are home makers, taking care of things while their husband’s are out at work and children at school during the week. As you make your way around the village, it is evident that many persons have either migrated overseas or deceased, leaving homes empty. Some of these homes have deteriorated and are overgrown with vines and unwanted vegetation.

Some residents are unhappy with the way the current Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) conducts the affairs of John’s Village. There are apparently myriad complaints against the NDC and its Chairman. Sadly, many of the people in the front section of the village have complained of being neglected by the NDC, and it has gotten to a point where they no longer believe that they can benefit from development.

Complaints ranged from the NDC hand-picking persons within the comm

 

unity to receive cash grants, to also hand-picking who they want to get the government’s 10-day job arrangement. Residents expressed that only a certain section of the village are beneficiaries of governmental initiatives. They noted that the NDC is virtually non-existent and that the Chairman and many of its councillors do not work in the interest of every individual living there.

Lilwati Budhu, 56, who lives with her adopted son since her husband died a few years ago, has had her fair share of issues that have caused her to lose her job as a cleaner at the University of Guyana, John’s Campus, even after giving 18 years of service. She lost her job after she applied for and went on two weeks leave.

Budhu said she is a simple woman that requires very little and because she does not know to read and write well, she felt she was taken advantage of by the administration of the university (in Berbice).

It was evident that she shares a good relationship with her fellow villagers because her phone rang and it was a neighbour calling for her to assist to roll puris for a religious function. She promised them that she would go by to help. Bhudu said she usually helps out when persons have any function; it’s something that keeps her engaged and makes her feel good that she can help out.

But the loss of her job since 2016 has rendered her unemployed since then and she is solely dependent on her son’s earnings to assist in the home.

“Since 2004, me working at UG and me ask for two week leave.” She was also told to write a note stating that she left the job but she questioned that since she had all intentions of returning back to work. Upon the conclusion of her two-week leave, there was no job waiting for her. She made contact with the Ministry of Labour and was told that her case was closed, she feels that she was unjustly removed.

Budhu said she plans to approach the Ministry of Labour again to see what can happen and mentioned that she wanted to apply for the 10-day job but was told that persons over 50 will not be hired. Budhu mentioned that the building that now facilitates UG at John’s was built to be a Dharamsala but was later converted to the tertiary institution.

Meanwhile, ‘Patricia’, a 60-year-old who lives along the public road of John’s, said she has been living there with her husband for over 40 years. Her husband, a cash crop and coconut farmer was not at home when The Waterfalls visited, but ‘Patricia’ was kind enough to speak with us. She stated that being coconut farmers, many years ago, they sold coconuts and sometime after ventured into making coconut oil from it, noting that it was much more profitable back then. She said persons would purchase the coconut oil from them quite often but as they got older, the work was too tedious for her and her husband. Now they do not make it as much.

She described the community as a quiet place with friendly people who are employed in various fields but more prominently, the sugar industry.

 

 

 

 

 

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• Berbice, Corentyne, Entering John's Village, John's Campus where all the sciences are taught., John's Village, Lilwati Bhudu, Patricia, The Nand Persaud and Company Soil Testing Facility..

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