This week the Pepperpot Magazine visited Parika Façade, East Bank Essequibo, a community that has many back alleys with one access road where the façade (canal) is and dozens of families reside on both sides of that drainage canal.

Parika Façade is part of Parika, a large area that has many sections and a central hub for businesses.

Parika Façade Village (Carl Croker photos)

Parika Façade is located at Barns Avenue and this village is between Hyde Park and Hydronie communities.

The village has four streets with one long access road which is being upgraded and many mud dams and back alleys.

The village itself doesn’t have any schools or other facilities, but the neighbouring villages have nursery, primary and secondary schools, Health centres and at the Parika Junction there is a Post Office, a Police Station, the ferry service, the speed boat service, Guyana Revenue Authority office, the Mora/Parika Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), three commercial banks, fast food outlets, a lot of large supermarkets, hardware stores, shopping malls, shops, eating houses, sawmills, restaurants, gas stations and the Market.

Parika Façade Village (Carl Croker photos)

The population is just about 1,500 people which comprises mixed people of all races including East Indians, Afro Guyanese, Amerindians and some Spanish-speaking immigrants.

Parika Façade is a farming community of poultry, cash crops, citrus, ground provisions and rice.

The village has some small shops and some people are self-employed while others work outside the village in both the private and public sector.

Some families have poultry businesses rearing meat birds and have kitchen gardens.

The people of Parika Façade are friendly and welcome some development within the village to enjoy a better standard of life.

Mora/Parika NDC
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Mora/Parika NDC, Jagdeo Sookhoo told the Pepperpot Magazine that the NDC comprises seven villages and within the villages the population is about 13,000.

He reported that Parika is very populated, and it is a central hub for many businesses and one of the largest villages on that corridor.

Sookhoo related that at Parika Junction under which the NDC falls there are several government buildings such as the police station, GRA, the NDC, the Post Office, the Parika Health Centre and many others.

He reported that most areas in Parika are agricultural-based and they have a ferry service that goes to Bartica, Supenaam, Leguan and Wakenaam.

The Mora/Parika NDC Chairman stated that they also have the speed boat service and Stelling on the beach area at Parika near the Parika Ferry Stelling and there is the market area with both hire cars and minibus parks.

Sookhoo added that the area is a busy place for business and a lot of people pass through daily to go to the interior and other places which are accessible via Parika.

He told the Pepperpot Magazine that in Parika itself, they have three ball fields, many schools, and public facilities.

Sookhoo pointed out that in Barns Avenue, that is, Parika Façade the main access road was recently upgraded but the four internal streets are yet to be paved.

He stated that a plot of land has since been identified for Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) to drill a new well for the area but a family is occupying the land and efforts are being made to have that family relocated.

The NDC has since assisted that family with $25,000 cash and transportation of their tractor to have their belongings moved to another plot they were allocated.

Sookhoo reported that the lands between Naamyrck and Vergeongen belongs to the Water User’s Association.

The Mora/Parika NDC has 10 CIIP workers who maintain the drains and parapets in the seven villages they oversee.

The NDC is headed by the Chairman Jadgeo Sookhoo, the Vice Chair, the assistant overseer, one office assistant, a public health officer and 13 councillors. Two councillors have since passed away.

Sookhoo disclosed that the NDC has equipment such as backhoe, a tractor/trailer, a mini excavator, spray cans, weeder machines, and other things for the general upkeep of the villages that comes under their jurisdiction.