Canje continues to cry after closure of Rose Hall Sugar Estate

By Brandon Corlette

One wish that every Canje resident has is the reopening of the Rose Hall Sugar Estate.

Guyana Times visited the Canje area, where feedback was given about the negative impact the Sugar Estate’s closure has had on the residents.
A first glance at the entire Canje area will give you the impression that it is an official ‘ghost town’.
During a visit on Monday to the Ancient County, this publication spoke with a number of sacked sugar workers, business personnel and other civilians, including the young population. They have all expressed similar sentiments.
A specific gentleman who was among all the other residents who refused to give their name and designation told this publication that the people were literally suffering.
“We don’t have money to send our children to school, since jobs are limited,” the resident detailed.
A stop at a supermarket revealed that the owners are sitting waiting for hours for their next customer to enter the premises. It is now a rare sight in Canje to see persons frequently visiting the supermarkets as money in the Canje area has diminished since the closure of the estate.
The owner of the business told this newspaper that he could not even afford to pay his employees as a result of the lack of finances. He added that the present A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government has evidently forgotten the Ancient County of Berbice and further forgotten their role as a government.
Since the closure of the Estate back in 2017, the state of the area has continued to worsen. Guyana Times also visited a local car wash in the area, where the owner revealed how slow business has become.
Working on the Sis publication also visited a local wash-bay in the area were the owner has revealed how slow business have been. emieses. ugar Estate had been the main source of income and although some of the workers have been transferred to the functioning Albion Estate, vendors who usually ply their trade are out of work.
The citizens of the Rose Hall, Canje area remain hopeful of the reopening of the Estate, since the present Government has now been tasked to revive interest in the estates by prospective buyers.
Guygulf International Trading Development Industrial and Financial LLC (a parent company of Nand Persaud &Co Ltd), has shown intentions of acquiring the Skeldon and Rose Hall Estates.
The negative impact has continued to influence business personnel and former sugar workers, but the young people have also expressed their disappointment in the closure of the Estate. A young individual who completed the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations and was successful also felt the heat of unemployment from the Sugar Estate that served as the main source of employment.
The hub for shopping – the New Amsterdam area has also been affected by the closure of the Rose Hall Estate.
The main market has also suffered the consequences as vendors lack support from the Canje population who has seen a drastic decline in income.
The furious residents are calling for this matter to quickly resolve as things will only get worse in the Canje area.