By Shaniya Harding

THE recent infrastructural development in Albouystown is no secret. But what is not talked about enough is just how big of an impact it has had on businesses in the area.

On the outskirts of Albouystown in La Penitence lives Seeram Madray, commonly called “Johnny”. With so many new developments, he says that the community he has called home for more than 30 years looks very different today. One thing he says that hasn’t changed, however, is the view people have of communities like La Pentienece and Albouystown and how the residents have persisted regardless of it.

To Johnny, one of the major differences he has seen over the years has to be the boom in small businesses.Taking a walk through any street in Albouystown, Charlestown and La Penitence showcases Guyanese entrepreneurship and ingenuity. With everything from bicycle repair shops to club owners, places like Albouystown can become hubs for business development. And with ongoing works in the community, they just might become just that.

Johnny believes that places like Albouystown and La Penitence are great places to live, especially at a time like now. When asked how he would describe it to outsiders, he said, “People get the wrong idea. People think the area is this big bad place. But that was way back in the day when we had gangs. Over time all of them died by gun, violence and gang fights. The area is quiet. I wouldn’t tell anybody that it is a bad area because I’ve been living here so long.”

Johnny, who is a jeweller by trade, explains that he has seen the rise and success of many entrepreneurial endeavours in recent times. “The most major change is that we’ve had a lot more businesses in the area. We have more grocery shops, a few furniture shops, printing businesses and so on. First, it was something of a residential area. There weren’t nearly as many businesses around the area. But now, as the place starts to develop, you see more businesses,” he said.

Johnny shared that as a businessman himself he is happy to see the shift in activity. The topic of jobs in places like Albouystwon has been a long-standing conversation. Years ago, when an area like this was undeveloped, Jonny shared how difficult it was for a young man or woman to be employed, especially as an entrepreneur. Johnny himself learned his craft as a young man after a family friend decided to teach him. Even though he has kept true to his craft, he says it feels good to see more people venturing out and developing themselves.
Expressing his long-held belief that his home, Albouystown, has great potential was Cloyde. He is the owner of ‘City Vibes’, a sports bar located in the centre of Albouystown on the corner of Sussex and Hogg Streets. After opening his business in 2016, he said he saw the opportunity and took it and his business has been developing since. Sharing similar sentiments to most other residents, he believes that with the development of the community, there will be change in the people. “It takes discipline to run a business and to take care of the boulevard. I hope everyone will take care of it. The government can only do so much. It’s up to the people to keep going,” he stated.

One thought reiterated by many residents of Albouystown, primarily business owners, is that perception and stigma do, in fact, impact businesses and how well they do. Cloyde comments on how this was one of his prime goals in starting his establishment. “City Vibes is one of the first-ever registered bars in Albouystown. We see people as different depending on where they come from. My reason for having my bar here is to show that everyone is equal,” he said and it seems to have been working out well thus far.

Looking at the village of Albouystown down the boulevard, it has managed to become an overwhelmingly busy hub of people in the early mornings and late afternoons, all while retaining the same simple charm it always has. From a friendly jeweller who explained the process of making rose gold to the Pepperpot Magazine, to shy but welcoming shopkeepers, Albouystown is a place that is bound to see a bright future while never losing its unique hint of history and culture.