–Beautifully picturesque; stirringly simple

THERE are certainly many locations around Guyana that are captivating in their beauty and yet maintain an impressive simplicity that is arresting to the senses.

One such location is Charity, the small township on the Essequibo Coast in the Pomeroon-Supenaam area of Region Two. Actually situated on the Pomeroon River, Charity provides a gateway to the north-western reaches of Guyana’s interior and to Venezuela, which many Guyanese use to commute between Guyana and Venezuela, where they work.
Charity is a strategic location for farmers who live in this area. They bring their products to this location, and from here it is trans-shipped to other townships, including Anna Regina and Parika, and to the capital city of Georgetown.
Life is simple in Charity, but does not lack the customary trials and travails that beset us all. However, this does not deter the residents of Charity from employing their best efforts to ensure at least a comfortable life for themselves. And while there seems to be a high level of disgruntlement among residents in some areas of Charity, the majority of residents were more ready to deal with life’s vicissitudes and devise ways to rise above the disappointments life can sometimes challenge us to face.

Our arrival
 The speedboat trip from Parika to Supenaam was very exciting, especially experiencing ‘the humps and bumps’ as we seemed to soar through the air, sometimes crashing into the large waves of the Essequibo river, heading for the bustling locating of Supenaam. I must, in all honesty, confess that this aspect of the journey almost scared the life out of me, because I had no idea that speedboats were capable of travelling that fast. As such, my ‘blood grew cold’ at intervals, and I think my heart floated around in my stomach.
Then disaster struck, and I was all but ready to die when I found out that one of the twin engines on our boat had just gone dead!! We were thereafter forced to travel at a much slower pace, and I was very thankful for that development. However, it was quite clear that this boat captain was having serious engine problems when, not very long afterwards, the other engine sputtered and conked out entirely. By then everyone had become alarmed and began to raise loud voices to express their concerns. The boat caption desperately fiddled with the engines, and about twenty minutes later, one of the engines gurgled and started a ‘half hearted

humming’.
There we were, just moving as slowly as ever, a far cry from the pace of our earlier travel. As large waves buffeted our vessel, a group of ladies pleaded with the captain to transfer us to another boat; but the greedy man would have none of it, and kept cranking that engine until he got us moving at a turtle’s pace towards our destination. He kept mouthing under his breath that if he did what they wanted, he would lose big time, since no passenger would pay him for a journey not completed.
It was almost sunset when a boatload of very irate passengers pulled up alongside the Supenaam Stelling, swearing to ‘mark the boat and never travel with it again’. The minute we arrived there, we were literally swarmed by squabbling taxi drivers who almost fell over themselves in trying to solicit us to travel in their waiting vehicles.
As we travelled to Charity, an unseen hand guided by a definite purpose seemed to be moulding an aura of excitement around us, as lush, green rice fields rushed by, and horses and cattle, purposely ignoring the moving vehicles, grazed lazily by the roadside.

Luckily, the Perez family comprised patient people, and they waited for me all around the village. They were the ones who were going to take me around Charity to get a first-hand experience of what the village had to offer.
At almost nightfall, we retired to a dinner of fried bakes and salted fish, washed down with some hot Milo tea. I decided to rest a little since, in the next few hours, I would have to begin conducting the night life aspect of my exploration.

 Nightlife in Charity
 Charity has a vibrant nightlife. The area is gripped in frenzied revelry and various party concepts as the weekend begins. Zenon and Purple Heart hotels have now become the generators of ‘riveting entertainment specials’, and their nightclubs are packed to capacity on weekends.
We were lucky to be in the village when the popular X-Factor dance group out of Georgetown was putting on a few shows at various locations, and their presence seemed to be creating quite a stir in the community.
Visiting the Zenon Hotel, we learnt that it was customary for that entity to host regular comedy shows. From time to time, villagers would talk about these shows and the lasting impressions left by comedians like Kerwyn Mars, Miranda Austin, Leeza Singh, Mark Kazim and many others.

The Purple Heart Hotel, just next door, is also popular for hosting entertainment ventures of the same nature. That aside, there are several other locations where residents can either relax and have fun, or engage in frenzied revelry. The more popular of these hot spots is the Sky Bar. However a few house parties and birthday celebrations are welcoming events in this community.

Charity of old
 One would certainly want to ask what this community was like in bygone years. ‘Uncle Maco’, the Charity boat builder, told us a little about the evolution of Charity. He related that in years gone by Charity had the appearance of a very quiet settlement, with just a demure simplicity to its existence. While houses were scattered here and there in no particular order, the abundance of fruit trees and general foliage strangely lent a feeling of contentment, coupled with the ever-ready smiles of residents as they toiled relentlessly to put food on the table.
“Charity was a community that was very bushy, and even swampy in the low-lying areas. While just a few persons possessed very large houses, others lived in smaller cottages and other makeshift buildings that sheltered them from rain and sun. None of those fancy roads existed, and many areas became impassable during heavy rainfall. However, things changed as time went by, and we began to see development. And here we are today in a community where we are seeing great signs of an economic climb,” he proudly said.

He said a few shops were found in the township, all of which had limited supplies of grocery items, but that never bothered residents, since catching fish and crabs was the ‘in thing’ for most families, thus not only providing added food choices, but also paving the way for diverse sources of livelihood.
Soon more shops began to pop up in the area, many of them well established businesses, as the village gradually began to wear its prized coat of modernization.
Farming continued to be a major form of occupation for many residents, and some throve on this immensely, since they can market their produce not only in Charity, but also at Anna Regina and at the outlying Parika.

 Economic development
 Every village, over time, sees both economic and social growth, and Charity was no exception. Residents informed that even in the early 1970s, things were beginning to change. By the late 1980s, Charity had taken on a more unique appearance, and there was a distinct improvement in its infrastructure. Then

came shopping malls, supermarkets, Internet cafes’ and the Charity Amazon Market, which was welcomed by farmers near and far. The swampy areas in Charity soon became very busy and populated zones as squatters began erecting houses in the blink of an eye. Many spent their hard earned dollars and did work on the swampy lands, building it somewhat to accommodate houses, shops and other structures. Today Charity is a buzz of activity as shoppers rush to cash in on deals at the supermarkets, or grocery outlets, especially now that the Christmas season is here. The massive Alfro Alphonso and Son’s entity now supplies all with every imaginable household need or article.
Residents no longer have to travel distances to conduct cash transactions, since the Citizen’s Commercial Bank in the village now attends to all their ‘money needs’. The Big Bird Supermarket now allows shoppers ‘various shopping options’ and an opportunity to compare prices; and the ‘Lil Indian Sound House’ is doing wonders for local musicians in the area, since folks there are supporting and selling the original songs of talented singers in Charity.
To date, Charity Calypsonian Edward ‘Young Fyah’ Perez’s hot reggae single, ‘I am not the Man’ is a hit at this location, amongst the selections of many other musicians.
Delip Singh’s Shopping Mall is also another massive structure that meets the kitchen and household needs of villagers.
And residents enjoy protection and high levels of justice provided by persons manning the Charity Police Station, Post Office and the Magistrate’s Court, all situated close to the Charity Main Road.
And just on the outskirts of this commercial haven is the Charity Tarmac, on which taxi drivers ply their trade around the clock.

Decrease in crime

Not so long ago, residents were rushing into their homes quite early, especially those residing around the Charity Dam. And they were doing this because of a series of events that was sweeping that township. Residents told stories of young girls being raped and males robbed on the River Dam, which is not properly lighted.
It is said that an unfortunate male resident was murdered and robbed while traversing the area several months ago under influence of alcohol. He had allegedly received his salary the evening before the murder, and was mugged and killed by perpetrators who reputedly did not succeed in getting booty since the man had left his cash at another location.
Flooding during the rainy season has kept residents in the Squatting Area locked in for fear of contracting water-borne diseases. During this dilemma, outside latrines are flooded and human waste floats around. Residents are requesting that the infrastructure of that area be developed, to encourage comfortable

existence.

Culture
Residents of Charity, whatever difficulties they face in life, still hold on to, and showcase, their rich culture. As a matter of fact, this community is very popular for hosting Masquerade competitions, which create quite a ‘feisty bacchanal’ among the spirited youths of Charity. Organisers of such events relate that, when this happens, they expect thousands of people, including overseas visitors, to be present at the colourful Masquerade competitions. The annual contest is reputedly normally sponsored by the Alfro Alphonso Group of Companies and the Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam) Regional Democratic Council (RDC).
At one point, several bands from across the Essequibo Coast competed among themselves for $900,000 in cash prizes and trophies. Masquerading, which is part of the Christmas Season celebrations, gathers Essequibians together in an atmosphere of joy, peace, love and laughter.
Not so long ago, one leg of the competition was hosted at the tarmac of Xenon International Hotel, Restaurant and Bar and included a Black Cake and Ginger Beer competition as well.

Unfortunate occurrences
And Charity would also have seen individuals meeting grave and cruel deaths, as related by resident Calypsonian and entertainer Edward Perez. He said that imprinted on his mind is the incident wherein a Charity woman was killed last month execution style. Two persons were taken into police custody in relation to that crime. This unfortunate incident occurred while the deceased was at a location in Georgetown.
Shelly Basir-Lall was gunned down execution-style at a bar in Kitty, Georgetown. According to information received, the two suspects were nabbed with guns that matched the bullets used in the shooting.
Reports surrounding this incident suggest that the dead woman’s husband went to Georgetown to conduct some business and left his wife at a city hotel. It is said that when he returned to the hotel, he found his wife in bed, so he went to take a shower, and when he was finished, a friend called and invited him to take a few drinks. Sources said he was reluctant to go and he did not force his wife to accompany him. However, when he started to dress, she decided to go with him.
The couple, it is said, met three friends at the bar at 23:00h, and at around midnight, a white car pulled up and two masked men came out and started to shoot. The dead woman had been running to safety when she was shot.

Employment at its best
Fishing, farming and crab catching continue to be the main sources of employment in Charity; but here of late, several employment gateways have been opened with the erecting of several new business structures in the area.
Young children are offered spiritual education along with craft skills, made possible by a branch of the Spirit and Truth Church operating there for the past two years. Added to that, the Alfro Alphonso and Sons’ Enterprise now offers tremendous employment packages for youths, and adults.
The Big Bird Supermarket, Zeon and Purple Heart Hotels, WD Shopping Mall, and Alfro Alphonso Fish Complex are all entities which have helped Charity residents to garner and maintain proper professions. Some prefer to be employed at the Kasia Crystal Ice Factory, the Pomeroon Oil Mill, or will settle for employment at boat building entities which allegedly pay well.

Camaraderie
The people of charity are very generous and hospitable, and good laughter and happy smiles abound always. Children can be seen frolicking in the sun, or sharing fruits and other goodies. The love and harmony amongst neighbours is enjoyed mostly in the Squatting Area, which is much closer to the River Dam. There we were mesmerized by the cheery chatter of children, mothers chatting over their fences, or women in groups enjoying a good gossip under a mango tree.
Children would rush off in the evenings to purchase items at a few small stalls where young girls sell pulouri, egg balls, black pudding, and other items. Some students would gather together for group studies in the afternoons, while others busy themselves with afternoon chores, for fear of screaming mothers brandishing belts and tamarind whips.

 Natural supply
Many years ago, inadequate water supply was one of the problems faced by residents of Charity. Even though this problem has been tackled considerably, residents still seem to prefer turning to the Pomeroon River for most of their water needs.
On weekends, mothers and daughters would fetch large tubs of laundry to various small water landings (gaaths) which families had erected at the Pomeroon Water Front, and spend sometimes the entire day washing and chatting in wild abandon. The young children would frisk about in the shallow areas of the river under the watchful eyes of their mothers, who seemed naturally able to record their every move, even as they divulge the juiciest gossips of Charity.
The water of the Pomeroon River is also used in the making of coconut oil, and for many other purposes in many businesses. Some families even related that they boil and drink that water, or otherwise treat it before drinking.

Scope
Charity may have become reasonably developed over the years, but there is still dire need for infrastructural development in many areas. Villagers are complaining of the need for access roads to certain areas of the township, and also bridges to link outlying areas to the ‘commercial locations’ in Charity. There is need for some side streets to be properly paved and covered with asphalt to effect smooth transport from one area to another.
With a little sprucing up by the relevant authorities concerned, Charity can be made to hold its own against Linden, Georgetown, New Amsterdam and the other townships in Guyana.