By Michel Outridge 

THE community of Timehri North, located behind the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) is home to more than 2,000 persons.

The Pepperpot Magazine spoke with Chairperson for the Community Development Council (CDC) Carmen Simon. According to Simon, the area has more than 400 houses and the regularisation of this village has started.

She added that some residents benefit from potable water, electricity and landline phone service, while others are without and they are trying to have the entire area regularised.

“Timehri North is a big area; we are trying to make life but development has been slow, but we are patient because the previous government wanted to relocate us but this administration informed us that we can stay and they are trying to work with us and for that we are grateful,” she said.

Simon reported that they have come a long way and the residents are determined to make a life for themselves and they are employed at sawmills, the airport and Bounty Farm Limited. Some are teachers, they have some soldiers and others even journey to the city for work.

Although Simon is not originally from the area, she moved there some years ago from Kitty, Georgetown, and has made Timehri North her home.

“People around here have no real issues and we live in unity and everybody here does do something for work and it is a mixture of people reside here,” she said.

Timehri North has many shops, churches, small businesses and an active Community Policing Group.

Simon said the unemployed women were empowered when the Government of Guyana (GoG) through the Ministry of Social Protection established the Timehri North Co-operative Society Limited Salted Fish Processing Facility; it is funded by the Sustainable Livelihoods and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED) Project.

Since the start of this project, 10 women who were unemployed have become gainfully employed and are now equipped with a skill to earn a living.

The women, all from the community, prepare the different types of fish after which it is salted, dried and packaged for sale to mostly wholesale buyers, then distributed countrywide to be retailed.

The Pepperpot Magazine visited the facility and spoke to some of the women, who were busy preparing the fish.

They shared similar sentiments of being happy because they are earning and are able to contribute to their households.

Behind this village, are the Timehri Prison, the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) and other companies including the Laparkan Shipping section.