CORNELIA Ida, located on the West Coast of Demerara, is a community of individuals who believe in making valuable investments.It is key to their personal development and the development of their community.
The rural community is a place where tranquility dwells and with an interesting vegetal contour of parapets and lawns.
Creating a clean and green Guyana is a part of what residents there do. Taking a drive into the western wing of the village is quite a beauty to behold. Beauty, some say, lies in the eyes of the beholder.
Cornelia Ida is a reasonably populated village and though it is far from the look of a town, there is evidence that it is of a strong economic base on the rise.
A distinct array of fruits hung and rested flat in an attractive fruit and vegetable stand along the roadway first caught my eyes.
Inzaman Mohamed, the youngster behind the counter, informed me that the shop opened three months ago.
It was not such a slow day for business, and not much of a fast one either, but Mohamed agreed that he has a good spot. He was hoping that sales would “pick up” during the holiday season.
I was struck by some of the beautiful buildings in the rustic community.
One was the masterpiece creation by architectural engineer Lakh Raj.
Coated in cream and dark green, the uniquely designed mansion resembles a top-class hotel and carries several stories in a climbing fashion.
This excellent creation stands as first testimony to the brilliant character attached to the School of Excellence, the leading primary/nursery in Region 3.
Headmistress Latchmin Gopal said her architectural engineer husband built the edifice and painted it in cream and deep green.
Gopal taught formerly at Leonora Primary School as a Grade Six teacher and has produced students who obtained Queen’s College and other senior secondary schools.
The headteacher collaborated with one of the children’s homes in the community and offered a scholarship to a less fortunate child.
Staff and children alike understand that distinction is a must and a comfortable learning environment is necessary for it to be achieved.
In this regard, the school hosts a number of extra-curricular activities.
Happy children in white and royal blue tetrex uniforms play courteously and comfortably in the tiled and tidy school compound.
Friendly taxi drivers spoke with the Guyana Chronicle team and directed us to where should be our next stop in their hometown. The drivers line the roadside — family men and singles alike — display honesty in earning a living.
One of the taxi drivers told the Guyana Chronicle that he was hoping “Christmas brings a lot of joy” with brighter business for the holidays.
A barber at one of the shops along the road on the eastern side was reluctant to speak to us, but after learning of our mission, he opened up, even sharing laughter in an entertaining gaff.
With emphasis on keeping the community clean, signs are erected warning people not to dump garbage in trenches and the corner of the streets, and while some drains are neatly palled, others starve for clearing to allow for a more beautified space.
Religion has a tremendous presence at Cornelia Ida. Christian churches, Hindu temples and Muslim mosques are open for worship on a regular basis.
The community is just one of the economic blocks along the East Bank of Demerara. Businesses lined the entrance of every street corner. There are also big stores along the public road.
This publication was told that families and religious groups adopt large numbers of children, making them comfortable in homes.
The Guyana Chronicle stopped by an orphanage, in which one family chose to take in more than 25 children who needed a safe place to stay. The orphanage is owned by the Campbell family, who said they live happily with the children and consider them as “one family.”
Atish Dowdat is the proprietor of Century Spring Water. He said one day he became tired of the high presence of rust in the water and decided to open a business of his own, purifying and selling water. Century Spring Water is located along the Cornelia Ida Public Road.
A government project to create a U-shaped drain is being undertaken by a private contractor but the supervisor on the worksite had little to say.
As we departed the community, an old woman was spotted patiently pulling grass from the parapet in front of her home, a single grass at a time.
Females were hardly spotted on the roadways or hanging out. A few of the taxi men at A&S Taxi service told the Chronicle that 50 per cent of women work mostly in offices, while the other half are housewives dwelling quietly and taking care of their homes and families.
Citizens of Cornelia Ida believe in investment and with businesses ranging from hair salons and restaurants to private schools and electrical shops, the thriving community appears set to be a popular business centre in the future.