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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 20, 2017

Land of the iguanas LOCATED in the delta of the Essequibo River, Leguan is 18 square miles in size and is home to less than 3000 residents, the vast majority of whom are East Indians. About 80 per cent of residents on the island, which was first occupied by the Dutch before Britain took over, are East Indians; 15 per cent are of African descent and the remainder are of mixed race. According to the residents, the island about 30 years ago had a population of about 8000 with 36 villages, but due to heavy migration, some villages were abandoned and only 27 remain today. Leguan is primarily an agricultural island and was first utilised by the Dutch to cultivate cotton. When that industry declined, attention was turned to sugar which was eventually phased out on the island. As sugar declined, rice became the dominant crop and even to this day, it remains the mainstay of economic activities on the sparsely populated island situated close to Wakenaam, another of the 365 islands in the Essequibo River. Residents also engage in cattle-rearing, livestock and cash crops cultivation, as well as the hunting of iguanas which are in abundance on the island, to sustain their livelihoods. They say from what they were told, when the Dutch

first came to the island, they saw so many iguanas that they decided to name the island leguan. The Dutch word when translated into English means “Land of the iguanas.” From then to now, the iguanas are still in abundance on the island and can even be found on road shoulders, some as long at five feet. Elderly residents related that in the 1980s, the migration began and continued even today. It was fuelled by lack of economic opportunities and development and

The Leguan stelling, located in the village Enterprise, at dawn

have access to nursery, primary and secondary education, but they have to leave

seen many young people leaving the island in droves to pursue opportunities in

Farmers socialising under a tree after tending their farms in the backlands

limited education opportunities. Students on the island

The recently constructed road covers a distance of about eight miles, starting at Enterprise and ending at Endeavour

their abode if they want to pursue studies at the tertiary level. Lack of job opportunities aside from farming has also

Students riding from school

Georgetown, other parts of Guyana, the Caribbean and farther afield. Those who have migrated took up residence in other

parts of Guyana, while others settled mostly in the Caribbean, the U.S., Canada and the UK. NEW ROAD Last year, asphalted roads, covering a distance of about eight miles were constructed in the Region Three island for the first time, much to the relief of residents there. They related that prior to the new road, the crushand-run road network was in a deplorable state, recalling that oftentimes tractors and trailers used to get stuck in the huge potholes which look like ponds when it rains. With a new road built to the tune of millions of dollars at their disposal, taxi drivers can now move around without much fear of wear and tear on their vehicles, schoolchildren can ride confortably to school on their bicycles and farmers can now easily transport their produce to the Enterprise stelling. Leguan is one of the very unique places in Guyana when it comes to security. Thefts and robberies are practically non-existent on the island and many residents sleep with the doors of their

homes open. According to some residents, the only “little offence” that is committed is when a sheep or goat happens to be close to a filled rum shop amid a drink and a gaff in full swing. “It is goat or mutton curry for the boys. It is an understandable thing, no big offence. That is how we celebrate down here,” one resident told the Guyana Chronicle as he noted the easy going life on their island, which seldom has reports of domestic violence and other social ills. At about 05:00 hrs, residents on the island are in their farms, working until 09:00 hrs before returning home for a rest. At 15:00 hrs they return to the field and work until 18:00hrs. During the downtime, farmers usually meet to socialise under a big tree or in a nearby bar. Leguan has a rich colonial history, but all the historical buildings on the island have been consumed by the elements, except the St. Peter’s Anglican Church which is in need of urgent repairs. Along the beaches and foreshore of the islands, Dutch bottles, seals, coins and other artifacts can be found. Leguan has a police station, a cottage hospital, nursery, primary and secondary schools, a magistrates court, a guesthouse, a plantain chip factory, rice mills and religious places of worship. There, African and Indians coexist in harmony and Muslims, Hindus and Christian leaders regularly speak in each other’s places of worship.

A coin bearing the image of King George 111 that was washed up on the Leguan foreshore. This coin was issued in 1817

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 20, 2017

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 20, 2017

190-year-old church needs urgent repairs THE St. Peter Anglican Church, one of the oldest places of worship on the island of Leguan, is 190 years old and is in need of urgent repairs. Even in a ruined state, the church holds services twice every month and on special occasions on the Christian calendar. At first glance, the landmark building appears to be an abandoned structure. Its doors were tightly locked; some of the windows were opened, some broken; the pews were dusty and look like old furniture; the roof is in a deplorable state and the exterior of the building,though it appears in good condition needs painting. Just opposite the church, at left, is the bell tower, which appears to be abandoned years ago. The steps to the tower are out of place and there have been an appreciable buildup of dust in the tower. The church,which is located in the village of Enterprise, was built in 1827 and boasts of tiled sanctuary, massive brickwork, asphalted floor, architectural rafters and windows portraying events in the life of the patron Saint

The St. Peter Anglican Church at Enterprise, Leguan, Region Three

Peter. Saint Peter also named Simon, formally a fisherman, was a disciple of Christ who is recognised as the leader of the disciples in the early Christian church. The church was first opened for service on December 9, 1827. According to the National Trust of Guyana,

the structure was replaced by the present one on June 29, 1855. Prior to the erection of the first church, services were held under a clump of bamboo trees.About 17 percent of the residents of the island are Christians. On November 25, 1826, a meeting was held in the

house of Captain Thierens of Plantation Vissailvalligheid. At this meeting it was decided that a church and parsonage should be built. A site was chosen on the front lands of Plantation Enterprise, Leguan. On December 9, 1827, the church was opened for service. The church, which is built

of bricks, was originally covered by a roof of wallaba shingles which was later replaced by metal roofing. At the left of the North Western entrance stands the detached bell tower, surmounted by an octagonal brick spire. With this artistic design and leaning tower, St Peter’s Church is located on

10, 843 acres of land and is regarded as one of the finest brick structures constructed in Guyana. Minister of Business and Tourism,Dominic Gaskin,on a recent visit to the island stressed the need for the restoration of the building;pointing out that it has the potential to be a useful tourism site. He told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that the Draft Tourism Policy calls for the acceleration of plans for the delineation and upgrading of heritage trails/ districts in Georgetown, Essequibo and Berbice. GINA said within that framework, the Department of Tourism in the Ministry of Business intends to work closely with the National Trust of Guyana and other bodies to bring to prominence those aspects of the building’s heritage that have value as tourism attractions. Visits to the site can be included in tourism tour packages, Minister Gaskin told GINA, pointing out that “… some form of restoration needs to take place on the building and surroundings.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 20, 2017

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 20, 2017

Aurora: a once thriving sugar plantation By Mohamed Khan OUT of the 37 sugar plantations on the Essequibo Coast, Mr Clarke’s plantation Aurora was the finest one in 1869. It was later amalgamated with Spring Garden in 1876. However, it did not remain for long under canes. It became a mere grazing ground for the cattle of

the time-expired Indian immigrants from 1880. Africans slaves were brought on the first slave ship to work on this plantation, and then Indian immigrants joined them until slavery ended. The leaders of the African slaves then bought Good Hope and settled there .The chimney which was built by the British in 1905, is still standing there near to the seashore, mark-

ing the site where sugar works once stood. This estate realised a fair fortune within its short term of operation. It was an old Muscovado estate with common processing machinery. It produced 1,170 tonnes of sugar with acreage of 714 in canes, 12 acres in plantains and 241 acres uncultivated. It had a population of 243 creoles or African, and 306 unindentured and indentured Indians. There is still a large area of fertile land available for any description of cultivated produce, unsurpassed by any on this fertile coast. The plantain disease was proving to be a scourge of the peasantry in the second half of the 19th century. The state of Aurora estate is not only a standing example of what it has degenerated to, but for intelligent, forethought of those who fought the battle of immigration and slavery. After the amalgamation of Aurora and Spring Garden, Mr Clarke set up a set of vacuum – pan machinery which superseded the old Muscovado-type ones mainly because of the English tariffs which discouraged the import of high-quality raw sugar. But it had some setbacks of labourers at reasonable rates, difficulty in drainage and shipping with sea and erosion threatening the narrow dam. Mr Clarke then decided to make an advertisement for a certain number of thousands of tonnes of rock- stones to make a barrier from the sea and land. The colonial civil engineers have expended large sums in an attempt to defend the adjoining property and the Neptune system of well-bound groynes in tim-

ber was used to keep out the sea. But the ocean still kept forcing itself on the narrow strip of sea defence dam. TRADING POINT The estate was located near the Essequibo River bank for easy access to shipping of its sugar, rum and molasses. It boasted the finest cane lands in the colony of British Guiana during the 18th century. The very fine mixed soils of sandy loam and shell which crop out on the coast in front of Aurora helped to make it one of the most salubrious places. The chimney was constructed of red bricks on a huge concrete base by a bricklayer from England named Gordon, and it served as a beacon to ships approaching the 37 sugar estates on the Essequibo Coast. When sugar cultivation came to an end, the estate became the home of Bobby, Indira and Krishna Misir. The new owners cultivated the land immediately around their neat ranchstyle buildings. The comfortable homesteads with vegetable garden, flowering trees and fruits trees of all kinds attached formed a truly pleasant sight. Much has been written about the perils of sugar dependency on the Essequibo Coast. The Dutch introduced sugar here in the 17th Century and almost all the agricultural land under rice cultivation was once under cane. The tall brick chimney and wheels of the sugar mill abandoned in 1876 are still standing there. Indra Misir told me that she will keep the surrounding of the chimney clean each day; the family continues to preserved this place since it was bought by Bobby Misir senior.

The tall brick chimney at Aurora, Essequibo Coast

They want it to remain one of Essequibo’s heritage sites, but need Government input for the young generation and visitors to see and learn of its history. The fragile sea dam was lately repaired by BK International to keep the sea out. This

village has a population of 3000 people, the majority of whom are East Indians and are rice farmers. It has shops, a police station, post office, two new primary and nursery schools and a health centre. The Pomona/Good Hope NDC office is also in Aurora.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday March 20, 2017

Mangroves a frontline defence -- in protecting Leguan from the encroaching Essequibo River JUST over six years since a sea defence breach at Cane Garden, Leguan, caused flooding at the northern end of the island and losses of rice and cash crops, mangroves are being used as a frontline defence to prevent a recurrence. Mangroves protect people, houses and farmlands from natural disasters such as storms, floods and tidal waves. Their trunks and branches act as barriers, helping to reduce the impact of waves, flooding and storm waves. The area where the breach occurred was once a thriving mangrove forest, but with many residents at the time cooking on firesides, the forest became a reliable and easily accessible source for fuel. Around the same time, the natural coastal cycle of the Essequibo River had changed and sand instead of mud began to accumulate in the roots of the plants, causing them to gradually die out. The mangrove forest was a buffer against the high-tide waves, reducing the force of impact before the waves reached the earthen sea defence dam. With the destruction of the forest due to the felling of trees and the work of natural elements, the area where the trees once were became prone to erosion and eventually the earthen sea defence dam at Cane Garden was left exposed. It was just a matter of time before a breach occured, and in 2010, it happened. It was first spotted by residents who implored officials of the then Government to promptly address the problem, but their advice was not heeded. And what was initially a 9.6-foot breach, ended up being a breach measuring 5,670 feet, requiring the construction of some 500 metres of rip-rap sea defence and a groyne field costing millions of dollars to keep the sea at

District Three (Leguan) Engineer Seenarine Nandram

bay. Residents told the Guyana Chronicle that due to the late response of the then authorities, the breach quickly widened and the sandbags and tonne sacks used to seal it proved ineffective. This temporary measure was effective in other areas in the Essequibo region, but with no mangrove forest in place, it could not withstand the turbulent waves that battered the earthen sea defence dam. Farmlands in the area were inundated and had to be abandoned for close to a year-- in some cases longer-as authorities battled to seal the widening breach. LOSSES Awadh Gewan, who was forced to abandon his farm and move his cattle to higher ground, said all his cash crops were lost on the day the raging waves breached the vulnerable and neglected mud dam. “We complained to them before that the dam was weak, but none of them paid

any serious attention, so when it [dam] break, it was not too much of a surprise. “But the problem get worse when they [authorities)] take long to respond. The breach get bigger and bigger and it

come around, talk with we, take down we information and promise we compensation but we never see them back,” Gewan said, as he tended his ochro plot with the help of his wife. He said about 30 years ago, in the area where the breach occurred, there was a thriving mangrove forest, but it vanished some years ago after large deposits of sand got into the roots of the trees. Esan Fraser, another farmer who was affected, said he could not have cultivated his 180- acre plot of land for five years, pointing out that it caused him great strain to maintain his family. “Is only last year I restart planting and them told me that I have to pay rates for the land, even though I could not use it for five years. Them want me to pay $110,000 per year for the five year. I can’t afford that. I had to work with people to support my family and it was a real struggle. The amount they are asking for is unfair and I am hoping that they reduce it, because for five years I could not cultivate

Leguan Mangrove Ranger Donald Ramlakhan

Fraser acknowledged that heavy buildup of sand resulted in the mangroves dying out, but pointed out that the habit of residents cutting the trees for firewood made the

A section of the 500 kilometres of rip-rap sea defence that was installed, following the breach of the earthen dam in 2010

was hard for them to fix in a short time. I could not farm and I eventually had to sell out my cows. Some people

A thriving mangrove forest about 200 metres inland from the fortified sea defence at Cane Garden

my land,” he said in a sad tone. CUTTING OF TREES

forest die a faster death. Leguan Mangrove Ranger, Donald Ramlakhan, has been actively sensitising stu-

Esan Fraser stands behind his farm

dents, farmers and residents of the 18-square kilometre island on the importance of mangroves and the need to preserve them. He said since the 2010 breach in the sea defence, a groyne field consisting of six groynes was built at Cane Garden, the northern end of the island to trap the mud washed up by the river, so as to allow for the replanting of mangroves lost in that area. The groynes were built at a point in the village which experienced heavy erosion, but since its construction in 2012, it has been unable to accumulate the elevation of mud required to enable planting. According to District Three (Leguan) Engineer, Seenarine Nandram, the groynes were constructed at the wrong end of the island, pointing out that where they are built will see the accumulation of sand and not mud. “You have to look at the sediments deposited by Turn to Page 18

Hanuman glorified

BUILT by a skilled rural sculptor named after a prince who laid down his life in defiance against worshipping a mortal in one of the legends behind the Phagwah celebrations, the (murti) statue of Hanuman towers over the island of Leguan. Standing at a height of 52 feet, it is comfortably the tallest in Guyana and reportedly, the second tallest in the Caribbean. Other huge statues of Lord Hanuman in Guyana can be found at Ruimzeight, West Coast Demerara (22 feet built on a raised platform) and at Blairmont, West Bank Demerara (15 feet). The largest in the Caribbean can be found in Trinidad, at a height of 85 feet. The marvel is the brainchild of Pandit Sunil Sharma, who recruited his master sculptor brother-in-law Prahalad (only name) to build it on a parcel of land located next to the Rama Krishna Mandir at Blenheim, one of eight mandirs on the 18-square kilometre island. Incidentally, Blenheim is the largest village in Leguan. According to Sharma, there is no significant event that drove the construction of the masterpiece, relating that it was an idea that crossed his mind and he threw it out to his congregation and received their full support. Initially, they intended to build the murti at 20 feet in height, but his congregation thought it could be bigger, and bigger it eventually became. When it was settled that the image of the devoted servant of Shri Ram (the avatar of Lord Vishnu, the Preserver of the Universe) will stand at a height of two scores and 12, many in Leguan and across Guyana pitched in with contributions. Work on the huge structure started in November 2014 and was completed last year to the tune of $2.4M. The grand commissioning of the murti was graced by then Social Cohesion Minister, Amna Ally.

VIBRANT CULTURE It stands out not only as a landmark, but also as a symbol of the vibrant Hindu culture on the sparsely populated island. Some 70 per cent of the close to 3000 residents of Leguan are Hindus. Hinduism is the oldest religion in

real name is Sanatana Dharma. This Sanskrit phrase when translated into English means “Eternal Truth.” Hindus believe in one Supreme God, who has many names and manifests in many forms, among them Lord Hanuman (considered to be a manifestation of Lord Shiva, the Destroyer). Lord Shiva complements the divine trinity of Brahma (The Creator) and Vishnu (The Preserver).

The towering murti next to the Rama Krishna Mandir at Blenheim, Leguan

the world, dating back some 10,000 years and with a following of over a billion, it is the third largest religion in the world. Hinduism is also a major religion in Guyana, as some 28 per cent of her population are Hindus. Only Nepal (81 per cent), India (80 per cent), Mauritius (54 per cent) and Fiji (33 per cent) have higher Hindu populations. Quite interestingly, the word “Hinduism” is not the real word for the faith. That name was given by the Greeks and Arabs to the dwellers by the Sindhu River, India. The

Mangroves a frontline... the river in the northern direction. They are course particles and these are not conductive for the growth of mangroves. The groynes should have instead been built on the southern end of the island, where the sediments are fine and conduce to planting of mangroves.” DIFFERED However, engineer at-

tached to the Guyana Mangrove Restoration Programme (GMRP), Luandra Jack, differed, pointing out that the groynes were able to halt erosion in the area where they were built. She also pointed out that due to natural processes, the cycle of the river changes every 20 years, and while the amount of mud has not accumulated to allow for

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 20, 2017

planting of mangroves, the process has already started. “At low tide, you can see that the mud is gradually building up; it is a process that will take time. At the southern end of the island, the river is very turbulent and if you put groynes there it might not work, because the waves would not allow for a buildup of sediments to enable planting,” Jack

The groyne field built at Cane Garden, Leguan, to facilitate mangrove cultivation

BRAVERY, INTELLECT Hanuman is glorified in the Sundarkand and Uttar Kand (books) of the sacred text, the Ramayana, the longest poem ever written as a personification of dedication, pure devotion, strength, courage and bravery and extraordinary intellect. Son of Anjana, an apsara and father of Keseri, a brave chief among forest dwellers, Hanuman was a dedicated servant to Shri Ram (the Avatar of Lord Vishnu). Against all odds, he crossed into Lanka on a spy mission to locate Sita, the wife of Shri Ram, who was abducted by the demonic king Ravana. On his journey, he encountered the demoness Sursa, who had a boon that everything that crossed her path must enter through her mouth. At every attempt she made to swallow Hanuman, he made himself larger before assuming a tiny form, entering her mouth and exiting through her gill, thus fulfilling the boon granted to her. On entering Lanka, he located Sita but was captured and brought before Ravana, who ordered that his tail be set on fire. Hanuman, recognising their plan to torture him, lengthened his tail to great lengths until there was no cloth left to wrap it. And when it was lit, he made himself small, and leaped all over Lanka, setting the city on fire before joining the forces of Sri Ram, who by the time had seen the completion of the Ram Setu, the bridge over Lanka. The bridge is also referred to as Adam’s Bride, which is a real land bridge built some 3500 years ago, around the same age of the Ramayana. Ravana’s army was defeated in battle as related in the epic Ramayana and when Hanuman was asked what boon he wished for, said he wished to live as long as men glorify the deeds of Shri Ram.

From Page 17 explained. In an effort to restore Guyana’s coastline, the GMRP has planted some 400,000 black mangrove seedlings between 20102012, resulting in an additional 6.9 kilometres of coastline being protected by natural sea defence, with a buffer zone of 60-80 metres. While there is no mangrove forest on shore at Cane Garden, inland, just over the mud dam, a thriving forest has regenerated naturally after being destroyed in the 2010 sea defence breach. Underscoring the importance of mangroves, Ramlakhan said that apart from acting as a buffer against the forces of nature, they provide a habitat for biodiversity, including migratory birds and endangered species; capture carbon dioxide in their roots, stems, leaves and soil to help mitigate the effects of climate change; pro-

Cash crop farmer Awadh Gewan picks an ochro in his farm

tect Guyana’s productive coastal agricultural belt from flooding and salt water intrusion; sustain fisheries that provide jobs and contribute toward the

growth of Guyana’s economy; and provide natural learning environments and recreational areas for all to explore, discover and enjoy.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, March 20, 2017

Rice farmers bracing on cattle, cash crops

WITH rice not doing well due to poor prices and partly bad weather, Leguan farmers are bracing on cattle and cash crops to earn a decent income. Rice farmers told Guyana Chronicle that since the collapse of the Venezuelan market about two years ago, they have had to contend with low prices for their produce and therefore scaled back on cultivation to avoid operating at a loss. According to Hemraj Sharma of the Rice Produces Association (RPA), cultivation this crop is down to 4,000 acres from around 7,000 the previous crop. He said $1800 and $2000 for a bag of paddy is not sustainable for rice farmers and called on the Government to subsidise fertiliser and fuel and remove VAT on machinery and spares. This, the Blenheim resident said will cut production costs for farmers and allow them to make a “reasonable” profit, pointing out that some farmers did not replant this

crop since rice nowadays is

has been assisting farmers

A cash crop farm at Uniform, located at the northern end of the island

“risky business”. “Rice farming is the main cultivation on the island and when rice is not doing well, there is a slowdown in business as you see at the shops. Even taxi drivers feel the squeeze as they get less work since circulation of money is less,” he said. With limited resources, Sharma said the RPA

in every little way it could by providing them portions of seedlings and fertilisers. Farmers also utilise the drying floor at Endeavour free of costs. Even with the belt-tightening measures that they are forced to implement, some farmers remain optimistic that the industry will rebound from the slow period it is cur-

rently going through. While rice is on the decline, some farmers have shifted their focus on cattle, which are not doing badly and cash crops, which are in demand at the Leonora and Parika markets. “Right now the turnover is with cash crops,” the RPA representative, who is a farmer, said. His story was supported by other farmers whom this newspaper spoke with, which include Roberto Stuart, who lives at the opposite end of the island. Stuart, a resident of Claremont, is into cattle and livestock. He said beef is not fetching the price it once had but he gets by, since the price and demand for pork on the island have not waned. “Here is where I make it up. I get regular orders for pork and in some parts of the island the price has increased. Generally, I tried not to increase the price but to increase supply since in this way I do not lose customers and I sell more,” he said with a broad smile.

Cannot be plantain chips alone WORKS on the building that will house the plantain chips factory at Leguan have been completed, but the factory is yet to be up and running. In August last year, the Ministry of Business, in an advertisement in local newspapers invited interested investors to submit Expressions of Interest and their business proposal to get the factory going. According to the ad, investors should have the capacity to take possession of the property immediately after signing the contract. Community Development Officer, Amjad Shaw, told the Guyana Chronicle that efforts are still being made to locate an investor, and ideally, the factory should not be focus-

ing on making plantain chips alone. “It should also be making eddo and cassava chips, and mango, guava and passion fruit juices. These fruits and vegetables are in abundance on the island and I believe that it would be vital to process them so as to make the factory financially sustainable,” he said, pointing out that most of the fruits and vegetables produced on the island are sold at Parika. Global reports indicate that the demand for passion fruit is increasing every year on the world market. In Europe, consumption is rapidly expanding, with the fruit being used in sweets, jellies, cocktails, icings, salad dressings and cake fillings. The mango, guava and passion fruit juices, he said,

can also be sold to schoolchildren right on the island. The factory when up and running is expected to provide direct employment for about 20 persons on the island and indirect employment to scores more. Leguan residents depend on farming to earn their livelihoods and many are into rice-farming. Rice has not been doing well and production has been reduced, due to poor prices and partly bad weather. Shaw said in light of these circumstances, it would be important to get the factory in operation, as rice farmers who are interested can utilise portions of their land to cultivate produce required by the factory. “It would be great when

The plantain chips factory at Leguan, which is yet to be operationalised

the factory begins to work. It will be a source of pride for local farmers and it will help to solve some of the issues of unemployment, especially unemployment among young people,” he said.

Personality profile ROBERTO Stuart, 44, is a father of four and resident of Claremont, a village with about 50 people and one of the smallest on the island of Leguan. Stuart is pastor at the Wesleyan Church at Uniform, the nearby village and is also a cattle and livestock farmer. A jovial man, he told the Guyana Chronicle that he is originally from Wakenaam and started living at Leguan only after he got married. He related that he met his wife as a pen pal after writing her a letter from the information he saw in one of the newspapers at the time. Stuart said at first, it was no easy going, since he is of African descent and his wife is East Indian, and at the time they got to know each other, relations between the two ethnic groups were “not all that great.” “My father-in-law did not like me. Of course, he did not know me. He was a miner and had a perception of Africans based on those of whom he interacted with or worked with. Those in the mines I was told would recklessly spend out their money and did not appear to have a serious approach to life,” he said. Stuart noted that instead of going overboard to explain that he is not an irresponsible man, he stayed quiet, and let his potential father-in-law observe for himself that he is a different person. “It took him some time to be convinced that I am a good man before giving his approval for the marriage,” Stuart said, pointing out that he has been happily married for 17 years. Three of his children are in secondary school and the other recently started kindergarten.

Roberto Stuart

When Stuart is not tending his animals, he spends the time relaxing, “gaffing” with his wife, helping his children with their homework and studying the Bible. He said since moving to Leguan, life has been beautiful as there are lots of opportunities for farming, and life generally is quiet and easygoing. But he noted that there is need for higher educational opportunities to be made available on the island, since students who finish secondary school have to move out if they want to pursue tertiary education and skills training. That aside and a few minor social ills, the pastor told the Guyana Chronicle that life in Leguan is comfortable and enjoyable. “In Georgetown, people busy, busy with work. Not too much of that here. Also, you watch National Geographic documentaries on TV. Here in Leguan with all dem iguanas, crabs, fish, birds, snakes and bush motorbikes (salipenter), we see National Geographic live, right here,” Stuart said, to much laughter.