Village feature – Adventure, Corentyne

Students attend the Kildonan Primary and Bush Lot Secondary Schools, as well as schools in New Amsterdam. Persons access health care facilities at the Bush Lot Health Centre and at the Port Mourant or New Amsterdam Hospitals.

Fishermen would use the canal that separates the village from Hogstye to moor their boats when they come in from sea. During this newspaper’s visit, most of the fishermen had already gone out to fish. Some would spend a few days out in the deep and return with a catch of big fishes such as snapper and trout, while others would not venture so far and would return within a day.

This reporter caught up with three fishermen; Shahab, Looknauth, and Mangal Outar, who were preparing to go out to fish later in the evening. They catch mostly ‘Hanafolk’ and other smaller species of fish which they would sell by the pound in either wholesale or retail quantities. At the time they were in the 40 ft boat, fitted with a 15 hp engine which belonged to Outar, mending their seine.

Wesley Marks (left) and his friend, Colin Moore
The men said that about six boats use the facility and they wanted the authorities to make it more convenient. According to them, a “floodlight” is badly needed for when the fishermen come in late at night. They also called for the establishment of a wharf and said they would be willing to pay for the improved facility.

At the home of Dookie Rickram, his two dogs rushed to the gate, barking loudly as this newspaper approached. But they quickly scampered away when Rickram’s five-year-old son whom he had just picked up from school, chased them to the back.
The man who has been living in the village all his life, does rice and cash crop farming to earn an income. At the end of the rice crop he takes his paddy to Nand Persaud Rice Mill along with most of the other farmers on the Corentyne.

Zalena Ali proudly displaying the organic farm in her backyard
As for the cash crop produce, that is sold at the Port Mourant market in wholesale and retail quantities. During the last rice crop he suffered losses in a section of his field because of the constant heavy rainfall. He hopes that this crop would be better.
Rickram who lives opposite the police college said even with the presence of so many officers some persons are still being affected by petty thieves who would raid their “ducks and fowls” in the pens.

Next door, Wesley Marks was sitting in the front of his yard chatting with his friend, Colin Moore, a cane-harvester of Alness Village. He is engaged in cash-crop farming in his backyard and in the backdam, but he did not invest in this crop because of the rain. The land where he farmTurn to pages 4 & 5Bs in the backdam is “low and it is affected by flooding.” The authorities had fixed the drainage but his farm is located in the “reef.” He moved to the village several years ago and said it was “okay to live in.”