–         Says Buxtonian social activist Mboya Wood
“We want to rebuild the spirit of 1953” said Dr. Cheddi Jagan in one of his speeches.  He was alluding to the spirit of national unity against then Colonial domination.
It is fitting today that a Buxtonian is spearheading the historic drive to heal and make the Guyanese nation whole once more, because that community is a village of firsts.

QUOTE:
“All in all I think that the visit by the President was important because we were able to address numerous concerns that the villagers had, and I believe in my gut that the President would hold true to his word.” – Mboya Wood

In an interview with the Chronicle, Mboya Wood spoke of his motivation for precipitating initiatives that could consequence a healing in the national soul and eventuate in the concretization of our motto; so ably crafted by the late Brindley Benn:  “One People, One Nation, One Destiny.”
Introducing himself, Mr. Woods said that he is one of the principal organizers of the commemorative events that were recently celebrated in Buxton and also the Founder-Member of the 170th Anniversary Committee, which was formed with the specific objective of celebrating the purchase of Buxton in 1840 by 141 freed slaves.
Several members of the opposition political parties, among them Dr. David Hinds of the Working People’s Alliance, have sharply criticized Buxtonians for responding to the invitation to express their concerns to President Jagdeo at a meeting held Wednesday last at the Buxton Community High School.  Mr. Wood also was not spared a pen-lashing for “selling-out”.
However, Mr. Wood explained that one of the reasons that he was inspired to initiate the visit to Buxton by President Jagdeo was because he felt that this is a time for healing in the nation, and that whatever animosity there existed should be relegated to the past, calling this rapprochement the birth of a new day and a time for reaching across a sharing hand so that President Jagdeo could now be welcomed into Buxton.
According to Mr. Wood, the visit by President Jagdeo could be described as a circle because it was facilitated by Presidential Advisor on empowerment, Mr. Odinga Lumumba, himself a Buxtonian, who had arranged, on August 11th, a one-on-one discussion between the President and Mr. Wood.
During that interchange, the Diasporean Buxtonian had articulated to the President the pressing concerns of the villagers, which included the issues of drainage and irrigation, of the need for a community centre, and the burning imperative of economic empowerment – the need to take Buxton out of the malaise and retrogression into which it had descended, among others.
Alluding to the period of trauma which the village had gone through since 2002, Mr. Wood said that the society is intent on reclaiming its former prominence in the national construct, and that the perception was that it was time “when we can reach across the floor and extend the hand of unity so that some of these problems can be addressed.
“Sitting on the street corner and politicking is not the solution to Buxtonians’ problems.  The plight they are in…the needs of the villagers are vast, humongous.  They need economic empowerment; they need a number of issues with regard to education to be addressed, among others.  The only way I felt that these burning issues could be adequately addressed was by inviting President Jagdeo to listen to Buxtonians articulate their concerns; also to demonstrate that Buxtonians are not monsters but living persons – Guyanese like everyone else, people who are ready and willing to move forward and put the past behind them. This is what this visit was all about and not some opportunistic scheme on the part of anyone.
“Buxtonians want to show that they do not want hand-outs; that they are not looking to stay home and receive hand-outs, but to be afforded opportunities to empower themselves.
“And President Jagdeo has responded by offering a number of services by way of which single parents can access assistance to educate themselves and establish businesses.  What has not been written about is the fact that, prior to President Jagdeo’s visit, he had instructed that a number of organizations like WoW, the social services department, representatives in the agriculture sector, the department of education and others make their services available on the 9th August at the Roman Catholic school to address some of the needs and concerns that were articulated by Buxtonians.  Many took the opportunity to apply for loans that could help them to advance economically through these trying times.
“A strong education committee was put together to deal with the issues of children left untended while single parents work; issues relating to truancy and its causes.  This committee met with the Ministry of Education on 16th August.  At that meeting heads of schools and parents expressed concerns in relation to their areas of responsibility and solutions to those problems were proposed.”
Mr. Wood said he is in possession of the list of proposals and that the grouping that is organizing these initiatives would be following up on future developments.
Stating that he felt Buxtonians were very happy with the President’s visit, Mr. Wood said some of the concerns of the people were dealt with on the spot, citing an instance where a farmer complained of constant flooding of his fields, after which a team was sent to investigate.  According to Mr. Wood, he had accompanied the investigating team, which included Minister of Transport and Hydraulics Robeson Benn, and the experts concluded that the pump being used was inadequate and would be replaced.
“All in all I think that the visit by the President was important because we were able to address numerous concerns that the villagers had, and I believe in my gut that the President would hold true to his word.”
Mr. Wood said that all his interactions with President Jagdeo were very cordial, and that he had gathered from their discussions that the Head-of-State meant what he was saying and that his every instinct told him that the President genuinely, “in his heart, felt that there is a definite need that Buxtonians have, and he is prepared to address it, forthright.  I think he is going to deliver on his word.
“One, he has articulated his concern for the Tipperary project and has decided to put his soul into seeing that project come to fruition.  Also he has indicated his concern about the drainage and irrigation problems, which I had raised with him, and has indicated that efforts are being made, and would continue to be made, to address this issue; but one also has to bear in mind that D & I interventions are not an overnight phenomena, and climate change is a very real factor.
“In my analysis I have found President Jagdeo to be very sincere and, all in all, it is my conviction that working in cooperation with the Government is the best solution to develop the community of Buxton and for the future of this young generation.
“I have put aside all the politicking and am prepared to take all the flak coming from anywhere, because I have no apologies to make to anyone for the direction I have taken.  I think this is the only solut
ion to stop the retrogression in the Buxton community.  This is the dawning of a new day for Buxton.  I am convinced that we should have no hatred for each other – just love.  There was so much love radiating between the President and the people that day that it was unbelievable.
“It was a day when Buxtonians actually felt free to ask for something with the expectation of getting something in response.  This community has suffered for a long time and I think this is a time when healing should take place.  This is a time when we need to lay our fears and doubts behind us and move ahead.”
Refuting Dr. David Hinds’ contention to the effect that President Jagdeo and PM Sam Hinds had shunned Buxton commemorative activities, Mr. Wood said that the invitation, although prepared, had not been dispatched.
This momentum of national healing catalysed by Mboya Wood will face many hurdles cast in its way by protagonists with divisionist agendas, but if this step he has taken fructifies into a movement that could concretize Dr. Cheddi Jagan’s dream of national unity, then he would certainly stamp his name in the history books of the land.