The heart-warming welcome accorded President Bharrat Jagdeo by Buxtonians at the Buxton Community High School last Wednesday is a signal ice-breaker in a less than cordial relationship that has previously existed between a section of that community and Guyana’s Head-of-State and Government.
However, largely due to the intervention of two overseas-based Buxtonians, Mr. Mboya Wood and Ms Lorna Campbell, who had initiated the commemorative activities to celebrate the 170th anniversary of the purchase of Buxton in 1840 by 141 freed slaves, what was described as a “long-overdue” engagement between the President and residents of Buxton/Friendship took place with great cordiality last Wednesday.  The initial meeting between Mr. Wood and President Jagdeo was facilitated by another Buxtonian, Presidential Advisor Odinga Lumumba, subsequent to which Mr. Wood began to engage his fellow Buxtonians in efforts that culminated in a very warm reception to the President by members of that community, with each side making special efforts to bridge the divides and heal the wounds.
Members of the Buxtonian Diaspora, who recognized that their home community in particular, and the country in general, were hurting badly from this impasse, where Guyanese distrusted each other on farcical and nebulous grounds fostered by power-seekers and power-brokers, to the extent that it actually bordered on hatred at some levels, initiated steps that precipitated what may very well turn out to be a historical turning point in Guyana’s socio-economic dynamics.
The President said that he is always willing to work with anyone who has a positive outlook and, according to Presidential Advisor Odinga Lumumba, the time is right for a mending of relations between Government and Buxtonians that would catalyse and accelerate the socio-economic fundamentals of Buxton and consequently the country as a whole.
The country has been moving apace in the various sectors, but Buxton, which once boasted stellar achievements in academia, among other areas of excellent performance, has been sadly lagging behind.
Of recent times the rural schools have been keeping pace with the nation’s top performing schools, as has been demonstrated by yesterday’s release of CXC examination results, with several top performers  coming from rural schools; and even demonstrating the capacity to out-perform, which the CAPE results proved.
One Mr. Phillips requested that a literacy programme be resuscitated in Buxton, to which the President advised that the group partner with the facilitators of the Ministry of Education’s remediation initiative that works through the school system.  This would sustain focus and continuity and allow optimal use of resources.
What came out of that meeting was the evident willingness of Buxtonians to work toward the re-development of their community to restore it to its former glory days, and Mr. Wood, Ms Campbell, other Buxton Diasporeans; as well as local organizers, such as Ms Barbara Thomas-Holder, are showing the way to peace and progress, which will consequently eventuate into prosperity for Buxton and redound to the national good.
The Buxton Diaspora has precipitated change in the community, and if the spirit demonstrated in the Buxton Community High School on Wednesday last prevails, that change will be no less than cataclysmic.