AT 26, Laurence Vandenburgh is the newest elected Toshao to serve on the Orealla Village Council (OVC) under the Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) administration.
An election for the leader of the Orealla/Siparuta (a satellite village) Village Council was held on May 15, 2024.
At the end of it, Vandenburgh was declared the winner, with more than 200 votes, after having contested with three other people.
“I was always behind the scenes doing a lot. I was a quiet kind of person, but people were looking at my conduct, and they elected me to become their village leader. I will not disappoint them; I have already started overseeing projects to improve their lives rapidly. I had anticipated becoming the Toshao because I have the support of the people, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve them,” he said.
Orealla is an Amerindian Settlement located about 50 miles from Crabwood Creek, Corentyne, Berbice on the Corentyne River. It is managed by a Toshao and a Village Council. It is close to Suriname, and from atop the hill, you can see the Dutch Republic, which is a very scenic place.
The village is accessible by boat, and depending on the tide, it takes hours to get there. It has a launch service which operates only a few days per week to transport goods and people. Orealla has about 1200 residents, mostly Amerindians and a few mixed-race people, while nearby Siparuta has about 500 residents. Both communities are remote, but there is a road to Siparuta, which is a satellite village.Vandenburgh has authority over both villages, but six members of the village council were appointed to function as village leaders in Siparuta.
Immediate priorities of the new Toshao are 24-hour electricity and adequate water supply for the entire village as well as addressing the road network and transportation issues.
At the time of this interview, Vandenburgh was in Corriverton to meet with the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) team to discuss plans to improve the water distribution to parts of the village that are not benefitting from adequate supply, which includes the hilltop, the highest point in the community.
Orealla has a pump station, but water isn’t reaching uphill for the locals residing there, so an additional pump will be installed to provide an adequate supply to their existing water tanks.
The Toshao added that they are also hoping for 24-hour electricity to be supplied to the entire village, and dialogue will be initiated with Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) for that to happen soon.
At present, GEA has a solar power farm that provides electricity to all government buildings, including the health centre, schools, the Orealla Village Council building, and the dormitory.Vandenburgh reported that the Orealla Village Council has a generator that provides electricity for the locals from 17:00hrs to 22:00hrs daily, which is not sufficient for the growing community.
He revealed that, annually, 7 Million dollars are expended on fuel for the generator, and they are looking to minimise the cost and he was hoping to move towards solar power for sustainability.
The Toshao related that the main economic activities for the residents include white sand mining and sale, which is in demand, and a structure will be implemented to reduce waste while loading barges etc.
Locals earn from fishing, logging, hunting and 10-day per week part-time work at government-owned places in the village.
Vandenburgh told the Pepperpot Magazine that he plans to enhance the way of life for the locals by improving transportation by road in the community to reduce costs using boats. He also pointed out that residents are being trained to become dentists to improve healthcare in the village. With the construction of a pharmacy and laboratory, they need staff to fill vital positions.
Vandenburgh reported that being a remote community, they have had support from the regional administration, and he is hoping for continued partnerships to boost community development for the people.
The village leader also noted that many young people are leaving the village in search of stable employment and he will look for job creation within the community to keep the youths there.
Vandenburgh’s mother is the head teacher for Orealla Primary School, and his father passed away in 2012. He is a native of Orealla and is of Amerindian ancestry on both sides of his family tree.
