Residents of communities along the lower West Bank of Demerara are living in much discomfort as they are frustrated over the increase of crime in their communities.
Albert Vieira, a retired sugar worker
During a recent visit to the nearby village of Patientia, Guyana Times met with upset residents who called on the Toevlugt-Patientia Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) to ensure that street lights in the community are reinstalled. Their concerns were registered following a string of recent robberies in which some of persons were attacked by bandits armed with guns.
“To me, them got to put de lights them; some of the girls who coming late from work might get rob because you got nuff boys does pull people bag,” a male resident and retired sugar worker told this newspaper.
The lights were recently removed by the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) as the company opted to install smart meters with the aim of reducing electricity theft and unauthorised connections. However, the lack of lit roads is upsetting to Patientia residents, who indicated that increasing night time robberies are only adding to other robberies they said are occurring during the day.
According to information obtained, one of three recent robbery attacks was committed at Fourth Street, Patientia Housing Scheme on a female pensioner in her 70s.
Reports were that three bandits broke into the woman’s home in the wee hours and robbed her. Residents expressed worry over business places that have been attacked in recent weeks. These included the Super Bet gaming facility at the front section of the community and Dawa’s shop at the back street where a husband and wife duo was attacked.
According to information disclosed, several men went to Dawa’s shop during the day purporting to be officers of a tax collecting body. They later reportedly robbed the shop owner and his wife while being armed with guns. D Division (West Bank Demerara-East Bank Essequibo) Commander Rishi Dass told Guyana Times on Friday that one suspect was arrested and later charged in connection with the Super Bet robbery.
Unemployment
Meanwhile, many in the area have linked the robberies to a lack of employment opportunities compounded with the Wales Estate’s closure.
Retired sugar worker Albert Vieira told this newspaper that many young men in the area are sitting around in the community because they are unable to find jobs.
For the ones who happen to secure employment, this is not on a consistent basis and the former worker stressed the need for jobs in the area.
“When this estate used to run, all dem boys had work,” he noted, adding that petty theft is also increasing.
His comments were shared by a mother of three who told this newspaper that some persons are so desperate that they would steal clothes from clothing lines from residents’ yards.
“Now you can’t even leave your bicycle around. If you turn, it would get thief. Before when the estate was around, you could leave you bike all around and nobody would take it,” she highlighted.
The woman who was waiting for transportation added that many males with limited education – who had been able to secure work from the estate – are finding difficulty in securing employment since some jobs require some level of writing skills. It was explained that this setback is contributing to a “liming” culture, which some suspect may have elements of criminality.
Local Pandit and Justice of the Peace, Chandreeca Persaud, also expressed concern over the crime issue. He related that he has been engaging in talks with the Patientia NDC Chairman on ensuring that there are lights in his community. He said too that the Police should continue to ensure that there are patrols in the area as he has been seeing recently.
The Wales Estate ended operations in December 2016 and to date; some workers have not been paid their severance. When the closure was announced, many employees opted against taking up work at Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara out of concern that crime would increase in the Wales area. They also suggested that the community would be a “ghost town”. (Shemuel Fanfair)
