GORDON Webster is one of the respected elders of Hopetown Village, West Coast Berbice and he is a learned man of many stories.

He is a retiree of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) who spent 33 years and eight months at the rank of Superintendent and was Officer-in-Charge of Brickdam Police Station ‘A’ Division under the guidance of then Commissioner of Police Balram Raghubir.

The 84-year-old retired from the GPF in 1990 and now resides between Guyana and the United States of America (USA) but spends most of his time here in Guyana, in his hometown of Hopetown.

Webster is well-known in his village and resides in a yard where there is a huge golden apple tree and has a well-kept garden of fruits and vegetables.

The retired cop related that the village has developed over the years and it is improving where he observed there is the paving of all-weather streets and roads in the community.

He reported that with the current administration, things are looking good as compared to before and the village has received some attention.

“We used to get power outages a lot before the government changed and that was a real problem for us but now we experience few power outages and when we do it restored in good time making it easy for people to plan ahead when doing business, especially storing perishables,” he said.

Webster noted that the drainage in Hopetown is good so farmers don’t have to worry about their crops being destroyed by floodwaters and they try to maintain the general upkeep of the community.

As compared to before, Webster told the Pepperpot Magazine that people are more inclined to return to Guyana because things are better and they can enjoy the same things as in other countries.

He pointed out that on the West Coast Berbice wing, health care and education which are major ingredients for development in any society are more accessible.

Webster commends the health care professionals at Fort Wellington Hospital for their prompt and reliable service, a facility he visits for check-ups.

“I would leave there with a sense of satisfaction and hope after every visit because they would tend to you in good time,” he said.

The father of seven added that the village was one with many senior citizens but many have passed on as the years rolled by but he noted that the young people are thinking of development and have invented ways to make a living.

He was alluding to the fact that he is proud of his son, the only one that resides in Guyana and in Hopetown, who is contributing to society in his own way.

Webster said his son lives in Semple Street and has a general store, the only one in the village and provides a service for the community.

“If people cannot afford to transport items bought at his store he has a vehicle and would assist them in taking it to their homes and it is a good thing to do,” he said.

The senior citizen stated that as a villager it is always good to live a life of respect and do simple things for others, that way people will remember you as a role model.

Webster said these days he is enjoying life in his hometown and is taking it easy having worked in the US for 15 years and eight months as a security personnel at a hospital.

“Hopetown is home for me and it is a nice place to live and enjoy your retirement and golden years as an elderly,” he said.