THE business owners of Fort Wellington share their opinion

The beginning of Fort Wellington is marked by a bridge over one of Guyana’s many canals. Something that has also become a part of Fort Wellington is a shop that lies at the very edge of the village. It has been in existence for almost two decades. It was opened by a single mother who sought to provide for herself and her daughter in the small village of Fort Wellington.

Yonette Dehnert came to Fort Wellington almost 25 years ago. And she says that, in those years, the village looked nothing like it does today. “In the past, we didn’t have this many buildings and now we have a GECOM office and so many other things,” said Yonette. She then went on to describe the development and changes Fort Wellington has seen in recent times. As one of the smaller villages in Mahaica, it plays an integral role in the region.

Although Fort Wellington has seen a wave of development, very few people still see the community as a place to develop business. Today the village of Fort Wellington has two small businesses. Yonette stated, “There aren’t that many small businesses in Fort Wellington. It’s only myself and one other lady that have small businesses in Fort Wellington.”

Yonette says she saw the opportunity in the small community and opened her business. “I have lived in Fort Wellington for a long time and I like it. When I came here all those years ago as a single parent, I didn’t have a source of income. I had to support my daughter and send her to school.” said Yonette.

Hadassah Dehnert is Yonette’s daughter and lives in Fort Wellington with her mom and is as old as the shop she helps run today. She agrees with her mother that their village has seen some changes and a few more businesses would be welcomed. “When I came here to live, I put this little shop here. It has been basically the same,” said Yonette.

The pair agree that although the village isn’t a business hub, the new infrastructure has been a nice addition. “In the 20 years that I have been here there has been mass development. They opened a new scheme at the back. There have been more people. It’s just been excellent,” stated Yonette.

“In my opinion, Fort Wellington is a very nice community; it’s a residential area. And you have everything you need right around you. School, police station, post office, everything is nearby.” Yonette Stated. The views of Yonette and her daughter are mirrored by many of the villagers. And although they may not all agree on everything, everyone living in Fort Wellington agrees that it is a humble and happy place to call home. And a trip down to Fort Wellington would be well worth your while.