– URBAN DEVELOPMENT OF NECESSITY
IMAGERY of Georgetown that decorates coffee table books are restricted to Main Street, Water Street and certain areas of Robbstown, but never the overcrowded areas of Werk-en-rust, Charlestown, Albouystown, La Penitence and even old Tiger Bay; nor the early villages where infant mortality, disease and poverty were rampant are showcased, for obvious reasons, that they belonged to the category of ‘dutty linen’ and would not serve as good postcard material. Housing was a slow process pre and post-independence, the ‘Nigger Yards’ were thrown across Georgetown from Kingston to La Penitence with about a third of city folk living in these ‘Yards’ and contributing to a severely negative social evolution.

Between the 50s and 60s, pre and post-independence housing in the former plantation Ruimveldt area commenced. Laing Avenue, East-West Ruimveldt, East-West La Penitence, Festival City, South Ruimveldt and Roxanne Burnham Gardens were realities, the latter in the 70s, some with levels of self-help contributed. But because housing was tailored to address overcrowding a further housing extension within the next 10 to 15 years would have been necessary to deal with an emerging generation of young adults, because this level of expediency housing could hardly be considered as ‘family development,’ space-oriented housing,’ except for South Ruimveldt and the estate scheme in West Ruimveldt, most were range houses. That extension housing never came, because between 1973 and 1979, the politically generated ‘Oil Crisis’ was launched on the world (Saddam Hussein was blamed for this), even affecting the leading economies and crippling small ones like our Guyana.

In the late 70s, it was obvious that overcrowding anxieties between siblings and couples were leading to conflicts, even murder. A group in West Ruimveldt brethren who were mainly Rastafarians decided to move onto the virtual rainforest west of Roxanne Burnham Gardens to create a stable community. I knew of this, I was encouraged to participate in this squatting exercise, but declined because I had ventured on exploring and developing my artistic skills, creating illustrated storytelling (comic books), so I needed electricity and stability, do or die, I had to rent, it was a necessary adventure, but one I couldn’t undertake at the time. Thus, the process went ahead and after the initial clearing for the first dwellings was done, the community of Rasville was launched on the 11th of June, 1981. The founders of Rasville were Roland Benjamin ex-GDF medic, Neville Wiltshire aka Natty, Greenidge (National Footballer)Pele, Christopher George, Ras Polo aka-Beard Man, the late Raul Benjamin, Tony Favourite; former policeman, Keron Tanner, Monzun. Many other residents, as well as trials, would follow. This year 2021 is the 40th anniversary of the community. The principal goal of the community was to cultivate and maintain the difficult supply of organic produce to the well-populated communities around, maintain canals and a high level of community ethics. The initial flow of residents was from the intended areas that abound. I cannot narrate the chronicles of Rasville without telling the story of the tragic experience of kin-folk which I’ve penned before in detail. My little cousin and the father of her children Michael Jules moved out of a crowded West Ruimveldt range apartment- Michael aka ‘Porridge man’ a ganja seller. He was murdered and robbed, my little cousin’s bracelets were taken off her arms by the late Leon Fraser and Cosbert, because he refused to pay them a tariff that would enable him to sell marijuana. These, of course, were members of the ‘Black Clothes police.’ This was a matter I took to the then commissioner and to then President Hoyte, who paid attention. Roland Benjamin and Christopher George began the land-scouting for lucrative soil and eventually found it next door. Upon clearing the northern side of the canal behind Rasville, they recognised the potential of the dam, and there they began to cultivate and clear further and sustain the canal.

My anniversary visit to Rasville last week was an experience reaching there. I did an article in 2017-18 about communities that were paveless, where cars drove pedestrians into the slippery put-ta-put-ta, and there it was, the “Back Road” had its pavement. I’ve driven down the “Back Road” many times but never noticed it. Well, this time I was paying attention, nor could I help but notice what I can only refer to as the ‘GWI housing scheme.’ Luckily, I didn’t tell the youth driving the bus to “STOP BY THE WELL” because the old well was gone. My visit was prompted by a reminder from Roland ‘Lepke’ Benjamin (who apart from being a dedicated farmer, is a herbalist and masseur) whom I saw downtown, of the anniversary of Rasville. The population of the area back in beginnings were not confined to the initially anticipated scheme population. Through unfortunate circumstances, Roland was out of that jurisdiction for some time, on his return to his surprise the population had grown by completely unknown settlers, though this could not be avoided, and was expected, it had far exceeded what was anticipated. But though his small core group itself was affected by migration, Benji and Chris continued on the fundamental objective to produce a unique organic community farm. I saw the farm and was completely impressed, over the years a mainly two-man team had developed an impressive farm with solid varieties, our culture is not subject to whining and complaining, but to take this dream of awakened men onto the next level, they would need some external input. I had to remind them on the eve of ‘Black History Month” that our ancestors had provided for over 250 years of free labour and then low wages, a subvention to the creation of the then colony, now the nation of Guyana. These brethren have fulfilled the initial dream of Rasville, and have begun to write the second chapter.