Residents remark on the calm and simplicity in the village

By Michel Outridge

CHRISTIANBURG, Wismar, is a place of down-to-earth, friendly people, who are eager to talk to visitors.

And one of those persons is Dereck Klass, who was at the time picking some cherries to go make some fresh juice to go along with a meal.

The 53-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that he is originally from Mahaica, East Coast Demerara, but relocated with relatives a long time ago.

Klass is a labourer attached to the Town Council of Linden and is being paid a weekly wage, which he uses to buy things for himself and house.

He lives alone and prefers to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, and related that things are not cheap in Christianburg, but rents and electricity are reasonable and jobs are hard to come by.

Klass added that he had relatives in Christianburg but prefers living alone and he is contented with life as is.

He was expected to be back at work after his lunch break and was going home for a quick meal.

The Hayneses

The team also met a mild-mannered elder of the village, Clifton Haynes and his wife, Natasha.

This couple has a lovely house that sits at the edge of a corner and they have a shop which is supported by villagers.

This family keeps a nice garden of flowers and cash crops in their backyard.

Haynes reported that Christianburg is his place of birth and he grew up in a house next door and after he became an adult and got married, he had his own house.

He is, however, pleased his street has an all-weather road which was once a dam; that road leads to the Katapulie Creek and is well traversed.

The 66-year-old added that life is relatively quiet in the village and even if people play music, it is not too loud to disturb the peace and quiet.

“This is a place where people go about their daily activities quietly and nothing bothers you, unless you want it to,” he said.

Haynes stated that whatever he grows he eats and is accustomed to fresh foods and really likes living there.

Even though the village has been neglected, he related that if some infrastructural works take place, the place will be upgraded and the drains will flow freely and the weeds will not overrun the environment.

Meanwhile, his wife, Natasha Haynes, who resides overseas mostly, said it is good to be back home because her husband is there.

The mother of four stated that Christianburg is a lovely place to live, but lacks development and she would like to see an ICT hub installed for the children and youths in the community.

Since the advent of the pandemic a lot of children are not benefitting from on-line learning as such, they should be able to have access to the internet.

She reported that Christianburg has a lot of landmark sites and it is a place of rich history, all of which needs to be preserved.

The Hayneses told the Pepperpot Magazine that they enjoy a simple, quiet life away from the city and it suits them just fine.

This couple seem to be pleased with their life and would plant flowers in their garden daily to enhance their surroundings and protect the environment.