Swan Village
Swan Village (Samuel Maughn photos)
Swan Village (Samuel Maughn photos)

– a place of development 

By Michel Outridge 

THIS week, the Pepperpot Magazine visited the close-knit community of Swan on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, an Indigenous village which is home to mostly residents of Regions One (Barima-Waini) and Five (Mahaica-Berbice).

The quaint village is tucked away just off the highway and can be accessed through the Marudi Resort main road.

It is home to less than 500 mostly Indigenous residents with a few East Indians and Africans, who are construction workers, coal miners, loggers, gold miners; some work on large-scale poultry farms along the highway.

The Village Chairman of the Community Development Council (CDC), Norbert Charles, who is the first resident, said Swan is a registered Indigenous community and he has been in the position for more than four years.

Charles moved to Swan from Kamwatta Village, Region One (Barima-Waini) and is one of many villagers who reside on a 40-acre plot of land which was allocated to them.

Within the village, residents live in the 65 Food For The Poor (FFTP) houses. Each cottage-style structure is outfitted with a solar panel which provides a single light for the edifice.

The building which houses the Community Centre was also built by FFTP and handed over to the villagers on November 4, 2013.

Development 
Charles related that the village’s development is based on presidential grants and they do works within the village to enhance the lives of residents.

“We have seen development works such as the water-extension project, so every household has a standpipe in their yard; and works to roads in the village, because when it rains there is erosion and the loam roads are destroyed and often need repairs. We bought some culverts and pipes but it didn’t work,” he said.

The village chairman of the CDC added that they will soon benefit from electricity, but he is not sure when. Utility poles with transmission power lines were however evident within the village.

Initially, Charles reported that FFTP built houses for 40 families, but over time, the population grew bringing it to about 75 families to date with about 415 villagers.

“The community has developed a lot over the years and we continue to see advancement as a result of government’s allocation of yearly Presidential Grants,” Charles said.

He pointed out that the Presidential Grants were used to develop the community, in which roads, drainage, and water-extension projects were done.

Charles added that the money was also utilised to construct a concrete trestle on which four more black tanks were installed in addition to the existing four, to provide water to residents within the village.

The village chairman stated that low water pressure has been a bugbear for them and water is rationed and supplied by sections from the FFTP-built well.

Charles said at one time they had an outbreak of diarrhoea, causing Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) officials to visit the village and they conducted some tests on the water; they were informed that the water was good for consumption.

He said they have asked for another well but they are awaiting a response from the relevant authorities. Charles also highlighted the need for a library for the schoolchildren since they have a large number of school-aged children in Swan; there is also need for an outpost for the Community Policing Group. There are no schools or a health post in Swan and children journey to nearby schools daily.

Heritage celebrations 
When the Pepperpot Magazine visited the village recently, Charles and two other men were engaged in repair works to the steps, verandah and foundation of the wooden building which houses the Community Centre. The centre sits on a sizeable piece of land that serves as the playfield.

This area will be transformed into a hive of activities beginning today for the Swan Village Heritage celebrations and a cultural programme will be the high point of the day.

Charles told the Pepperpot Magazine that the students of Swan will participate in dancing and other stage performances during their live stage show and the locals will have their foods and beverages on sale.

Charles explained that funds garnered will go towards paying the village coordinator, the dancers, security guards and owners of the music system. This year, he reported that they have a sponsor on board and he was very thankful for that.

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