RESIDENTS of Warapoka, located along the Waini River in Region One (Barima/Waini), are very thankful to the Government for development in their community over the past 19 years. The village, with a population of some 500, has a new primary school and a health centre with adequate drugs.
Councillor of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), Mr Marco Boyant said 160 children are attending the school.
He said the village, which is headed by a toshao, also has a new $17M guest house which is operated by the Village Council as an economic venture and soon it will have new roads and vehicles.
The councillor said work was recently done to widen the existing walkway into a road around the village over several hills.
According to him, the village also has its own office and received a boat and engine from Government.
However, many residents, who cannot afford houses with zinc sheet roofs are calling for a housing scheme project similar to those in Mashabo that was recently commissioned, as many of them still live in thatched roof houses although some have constructed with zinc roofs.
Councillor Boyant said such a project would be a great blessing to his community, as it would change the landscape of the village into an attractive one that would certainly pull tourists to visit.
Boyant, who is also the village health worker, said they also need a community centre, play park for children, a village market and a small cottage hospital, as well as electricity, either through a generator or solar panel.
The councillor, who is also a leader in a Christian church, said farmers want to expand their cultivation and start on large scale cultivation of organic pineapple, corn, beans and citrus.
Boyant said the community can become a major supplier of organic pineapple to local and international markets but farmers will need guidance and assistance from the Government through the Ministry of Agriculture.
He said fertile lands are available for farming while the community can also tap into tourism.
Boyant said the village has several large rocks that were placed by nature and that alone can attract many tourists from overseas to investigate.