RESIDENTS of David James Scheme, a community located aback Charity in Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam), are still hopeful that the once-popular, thriving farming area would someday return to its former glory days.

The older folks especially, who lived and worked in the community back then, are full of fond memories of the environment that existed back then when people were much more connected and cooperated to get things done.

Choomanlall (only name), 78, and Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) Councillor Tilack Deo Ramdial were among the first persons to settle in the community that was being led by a farmer called David James (now deceased).

Because James looked out for each farmer and made a huge difference in the lives of many, the farmers decided to name the community after him. “The other farmers and I named this place. David James was like the boss. He had political privileges and distributed this land to us. He was a very good man and when he died, we named this place after him. That name is now official,” Choomanlall shared.

The farmers formed an association after James died in 1986, for which Choomanlall was the head. It allowed for great cooperation among them and for representation to be made as a group to the authorities whenever help was needed in the community.

Reflecting on how the community got started, Ramdial offered: “David James was a very good man in farming time. He born and grow up here and had big farms. He gave each farmer piece of his land. He kept the farmers happy and gave them everything they needed to farm,” he recalled.

In time, the government stepped in to help further, providing tools and seedlings to the farmers. People from Charity and other places started to go into the community to buy from the farmers.

According to Ramdial, James also assisted with making a road for the benefit of the farmers. “The farmers had no problems with flooding, and the market was there; you didn’t have to study market…coffee, mango, pear, guava; all kinds of crops. It had the value,” Ramdial expressed. Coffee, pear and coconut trees apparently were most popular back in the days.

After James died, though, no one else pushed for the area to be developed. To compound matters, the community started to be heavily affected by flooding. After some time, farmers couldn’t survive there; a majority of them opted to leave.

According to Overseer for Charity/Urasara NDC, Rameez Pir Baksh, about 60 farmers still live in the community today. Many of them are hopeful that a better access road and drainage work will become a reality so that more people would be encouraged to go in and farm.

At the moment, as soon as rain falls a little, the community becomes flooded. Following the massive floods last year, the authorities have sought to build higher dams in the hope of bringing some relief to farmers. The dams have been helping.

Keon Adams, a young man born and raised in the community, said he has big plans to go back into David James Scheme and develop a farm. Who knows in years to come that more development will happen at the back here with light and water.”

Apart from the more than two miles of road from Charity, the community can also be accessed via the canal that continues from the Pomeroon River.

Several residents expressed that they were happy for visitors because it is only during elections time that they would see people at the back there.

One of the main concerns stressed, though, is the poor access road that residents now have to contend with. It is especially challenging for Indira Ramnauth, who has a disability that renders her unable to walk.

Her partner, Dindyal Dusrajh, would often have to help her out of the community with her wheelchair, and sometimes she would roll it on her own. But when rain is falling, and there is slush, she cannot make it on her own.

“The hardest thing is the access road because it makes commute very difficult,” she shared with this publication. Her husband was helping her home as she clutched a few trays of eggs that she planned to sell in the community.

Ramnauth is convinced that her life will be made easier if a better road becomes a reality.