Local of Present Hope Village, East Bank Essequibo, Herman King is promoting sports through the development of a ball field next to his house which he maintains.

When the Pepperpot Magazine visited he was spraying pesticide, clearing the drain and de-bushing the ball field since he doesn’t want it to be become overgrown by grass and bushes.

It was a venture he started this year, just before Easter and whenever donations are not forthcoming he would go into his own pockets for the general upkeep of the ball field where cricket matches are held on Sundays.

“I sell bumper balls at my shop and the children in the village would come and buy it but had nowhere to play with the balls so then I had the idea to develop the plot of land next to mine for a ball field so the children and youths will have a place for recreational activities,” he said.

King explained that the plot was donated by its original owner, Edward Matthew and before he passed away many years ago he had gifted the land to the community for recreational purposes.

A shrine was erected in his honour on the ball field as a reminder of his generous deed to the community.

It is the only place in Present Hope where children and youths can go to unwind with a game of cricket and it is the location where they have developed cricket teams to compete with others.

King has his mind set on further developing the ball field and he is optimistic others will see his doing and would come forward to lend a helping hand to fill the place with sand and loom so whenever it rains it would not be so muddy.

Since the village isn’t under any Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) he has to hire a tractor and trailer to do maintenance works on the ball field.

“On Sundays, this ball field does be filled to capacity with children and youths but since the COVID-19 they have to limit the gatherings to just adults, who would have a game or two in small numbers,” he said.

King told the Pepperpot Magazine that they have both girls and boys teams for the under-18 as well as for the over 20-years-old teams for both men and women of the community.

“Although at times we didn’t win when in competition at Swan, Soesdyke/Linden Highway and Timehri, East Bank Demerara, it was a good experience for the teams and they had fun,” he said.

King explained that in Present Hope there is nothing else to do except farming and even the young men need something meaningful to take up their spare time and thought that sports are a good initiative to empower them.

The resident related that many years ago through the Community Policing Group (CPG) which is now defunct they were able to acquire cricket gears for the teams.

King added that when they have cricket matches outside the village, the sawmillers would pitch in and ensure meals and beverages are provided for them.

He has been residing at Present Hope for the past 25 years, his father owned a shop and when he passed away he inherited the small business and took over the farmlands, as well.

King would take his produce of assorted ground provisions and fruits to Leonora Market every Saturday to sell.

“Here we have provisions plentiful and it is cheaper to cook a pot of soup because everybody has a farm of it and when you ask for plantains it’s a bunch you getting not a few,” he said.

King is Grateful they have a well-paved all-weather road which runs through several villages making it accessible for the movement of produce and services.

The farmer/small business owner reported that life is comfortable at Present Hope Village and they have all the basic amenities but they are hard workers, who don’t have idle time.

King explained that if it wasn’t raining he would have been on his farm tending to crops like most villagers.

He operates his shop within the curfew period and would disperse any large gatherings at the business place where he sells beverages and confectioneries.