On Tuesday the 4th June 0213 I met with AFC representative Brian Rodrigues at Lethem.
He had previously indicated that a visit to the village of Baitoon was long overdue especially as the AFC won the village at the last election without any visit from any senior executive ember.
Prior to my visit Brian had indicated that the Villagers had embarked upon a cassava project and urgently needed a cassava mill to assist them in the production of cassava bread and farine for sale in Lethem and beyond.
Brian provided on request, quotations for the mill, the cheaper mill was $65000.00.
I provided Brian with the money and indicated to him that it was a donation from the AFC.
He returned with the mill and gave me a receipt. He indicated that he would like me to travel to Baitoon to hand over the mill. He also indicated that the only way into Baitoon was on motor cycle as the water was high and we would have to cross a river by boat during the trip.
We departed from Lethem around four on two motor cycles. One of the motor cycles is owned by the AFC.
I was towed by Elvis Fernandes one of our activist from Baitoon who knew the route to the village.
After riding for about an hour and a half in fading light we arrived at a river with rapidly flowing water. Moored on the bank of the river was an aluminum boat with no engine.
For a brief moment I thought that we would be met on the other side by the villagers with transportation. No such luck. We had to lift the motor cycle onto the boat paddle across the river then return for the other one.
On the other side we continued our journey in rapidly fading light. After about twenty minutes we came upon a swamp which necessitate my dismounting the motor cycle and walking through the swamp for about one hundred and fifty meters in water which was mid thigh in height. Fortunately I was not possessed of an overactive imagination at that time about what might have been lurking in the water. It was a brisk walk through the swamp.
On the other side I remounted the pillion seat and continued our journey through even more water.
We eventually arrived at Baitoon at 6.15 in what was the very last bit of the day’s sunlight.
The villagers who had apparently been expecting us much earlier had returned to their homes and had to be sent messages by Elvis to return.
Baitoon is spread over quite a wide area with the residents’ homes scattered at considerable distances between each building.
By 7.00 PM a significant number of villagers had assembled at the community center.
The Toshau was not there so the Headmaster for the primary school Sir Niles chaired the proceedings as well as acted as a translator.
There is no electricity in Baitoon so the handing over took place courtesy of a battery powered light which struggled valiantly to provide some light.
I thanked the village for their support and emphasized the importance of organizing for sustained production of cassava bread and farine.
The Villagers expressed their deep appreciation.
After the formal thank you I invited the villagers to share the issues which concerned them most .
They pointed out that in the rainy season the village was isolated as n vehicle could enter the village once the river was high thus in cases of emergency thy would have to ride with the patient all the way to Lethem. The thought crossed my mind at the time that there was no way I could or would call anybody if anything happened to me there.
Also on the list was a bridge over the river which we had crossed earlier, transportation to Lethem, as travel was expensive and moving their produce to the market especially during the rainy season had to be done by river.
They complained that their village received little or no assistance from the Region because they had voted for the AFC.
They also urged that we return and overnight
Photographs were taken of the handing over ceremony. See attached.
After the ceremony I was shown a mill which the Regional development officer had donated to the village. It never worked a single day. It was second hand. I took pictures. See attached.
Made several hopeful inquiries of Elvis and Brian about whether we would return to Lethem that evening. The idea of my walking through the swamp while they rode their motor cycles through it was a sobering one.
They said we must leave as Elvis had a traffic matter the following morning in court so off we went into a very dark night.
One of the beautiful features about the south Rupununi is you are afforded a view of the stars that eludes you anywhere else in Guyana.
Running through a swamp at night makes you feel that Usain Bolt would face tight competition if he was running against me in similar circumstances.
We did the entire trip in reverse save that the rain started to fall about twenty minutes out of Lethem.
The following day I gave both Elvis and Brian a contribution towards tehe gas for the trip.
I was able to solve Elvis’ traffic case and I believe that he headed back to Baitoon.
While there I met and spoke with former Aishalton Toshao Tony James. He brought me up to date on the mining lottery and the events which took place after the protest.
Brian proposed that we spend an extended time in the region when more visits to other villages can be facilitated.
C.A. Nigel Hughes
9th June 2013
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