Enmore

The Village of Enmore

A Brief History of Enmore

The village of Enmore is located in Region Four, on the East Coast of Demerara, Guyana and it is roughly two square miles in size.[1] It is 15 miles away from Georgetown and has about 3000 residents. Enmore during the 19^th Century was the site of both Sugar and Cotton Plantations. It was owned by the Porters family.

The estate became a community in the 1940’s, when villagers were granted plots of land. During 1963, the racial tension in the country and the savage attacks on Indians and government supporters, led to a mass migration of people. Both Indians and Africans relocated from villages in which they were a minority to ones in which a majority of their own race lived. Due to this, Enmore has since become a mainly Indo-Guyanese community.

In and Around the Village

Present day, Enmore is a thriving community. In the health sector, it contains a Polly Clinic, Estate Dispensary, and two Pharmacies.

The Dispensary

Lil Pharmacy

The religious community comprises of two Mosques, four Mandir’s and four Christian churches.

Enmore Mandir

Enmore also contains a number of both public and private schools. Three Nursery Schools: Blossom Scheme Nursery, Hope Nursery and Ghandi Nursery; Two Primary Schools: Enmore Newtown Primary and Hope Primary as well as Three private schools: Ebascol, IBE and The Enmore Muslim School.

Enmore Primary School

Enmore Islamic School

A number of goods and services can be obtained in Enmore. There are two bakeries, and P. Nauth’s store is internationally certified to for beverage distribution. A variety of hardware and building equipment can be obtained from A. Itwary Hardware and General Store. Enmore also has two major Internet Cafe’s: Halal Meat Center Internet Café and Co-Fax which both offer internet, printing and photocopying services. In addition Halal has faxing and Internet call services. There are also many more stores, snackette’s and Chinese Shops.

Halal Internet Cafe

Club 65, Pools Hall and Cone Zone.

Enmore also contains a community center ground. Numerous shows, cricket and football matches, bar-b-q’s are held there on a regular basis. There is also a community center building, (separate from the ground) which has gym and library facilities. Also, located on the main road in Hope are the local NDC offices.

The Village is made secure by the presence of a Police Station.

On the opposite side of the Police station to the west is the Digicel Tower.

The Enmore sugar factory is another important feature of the village. Located at the back of the village, the estate employs many residents of Enmore and the East Coast.

Enmore Estate is also the site of Guyana’s brand new packing plant. The plant completed construction September 2010 of last year; however the upgrading of the facility will be completed by October this year. The facility will package sugar from Skeldon’s upgraded sugar factory. The sugar will be packaging high-quality brand, table ready sugar, mainly for export. [2]

(construction of the plant)

Enmore also has an annual Pagwah Mela at the ‘Play Ground’

The Enmore Martyrs

The Enmore Martyr’s Monument and the observation of Enmore Martyr’s Day are important features of the history of both Enmore and Guyana as a whole. On the 16^th of June, 1948, workers assembled at plantation Enmore in order to protest for better working conditions. Colonial police shot at the protesting crowd. Five workers were killed and others injured.

In Bogota, Colombia in June 1976, at the Continental Conference of the National Affiliates of the World Peace Council, the five murdered sugar workers were dubbed the Enmore Martyr’s. The Enmore Martyr’s monument was constructed in their honor at Enmore. It is designed by Dennis Williams and was constructed by the Government of Guyana. Then in 1977, on the 29^th anniversary of the death of the workers, Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, then Prime Minister, unveiled the monument.[3] The monument is located opposite the Enmore Community Center Ground and the land is simply known “Monument Square,” to the residents of Enmore.

Annually, there is a wreath laying ceremony at the monument in honor of the Enmore Martyr’s.Wreaths are laid by important political figures and relatives of the martyr’s. Speeches are often given, usually by Politicians, The President of Guyana, The Indian Arrival Committee, and members of GAWU and GUYSUCO.

Bibliography

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[1] “Enmore, Guyana.” Guyana Wikipedia. 21/07/2008. 18/04/2011. < http://www.guyanawiki.org

/mediawiki/index.php/Enmore%2C_Guyana >

[2] “GuySuCo Project Gold Sugar Packaging Facility, Enmore, Guyana.” Packaging Gateway.Com. 14/04/2011. < http://www.packaging- gateway.com/projects/guysuco-facility/>

[3] “Enmore Martyr’s Monument.” Chronicle. 22/06/2003.

Done By Amaraydha Kartick

Nappi Village

Nappi Village

Guyana’s tourism product has been classified as natured based adventure tourism. In Guyana our tourism product has been classified by the Guyana Tourism Authority GTA as nature based adventure tourism, with this theme stamped on us one must assume that our the bulk of our tourism product is concentrated in the interior and one would be right. Many of the country’s major attractions are located in the rainforest. What is also located in the rainforest are our local villages, villages that hold a vast array of cultural and traditional heritage as well as beautiful natural attractions that compel visitors to come to Guyana.

The Nappi village in Guyana South America is one of the projects that is quickly rising to the forefront of community-based tourism in Guyana is the Maipaima Eco-Lodge at Nappi village. Nappi is a small but sprawling Amerindian village in the southern end of the North Rupununi Savannahs, about an hour’s drive from Lethem. The Makushi village is built in the foothills of the pristine Kanuku Mountains; according to Conservation International the range supports the highest biodiversity in Guyana and is one of the last remaining pristine Amazonian habitats.

MANAGEMENT: The Eco-Lodge was a gift to Nappi from the U.S.-based nonprofit organization, Foster Parrots Ltd. Foster Parrots is dedicated to rescuing and providing sanctuary for unwanted and abused captive parrots and other exotic bird species at their New England Exotic Wildlife Sanctuary. This belief led co-directors, Marc Johnson and Karen Windsor to start Project Guyana, an ecotourism-based conservation project at Nappi village.

The Eco-Lodge belongs to Nappi village and the ecotourism project is community run with all profits going directly back to the village.

ABOUT THE ESTABLISHMENT: The Maipaima Eco-Lodge is roughly 6 miles (10km) from the village at the base of the Kanuku Mountains and is surrounded by pristine primary rainforest. The lodge, built in a large opening in the trees that was once used for farming, consists of one main round benab that acts as a lounge/dining area, and two additional benabs that house four bedrooms. Everything was built in a traditional manner with wood and thatch and sits on stilts; the rooms are connected to the main benab via an elevated walkway.

ATTRACTIONS: Nappi is beginning to draw visitors because it is the only village with a lodge that provides access to the Kanuku Mountains, one of Guyana’s most pristine, but largely inaccessible, habitats. With an abundance of wildlife, waterfalls and unexplored terrain, they are a haven for ecotourism. The more energetic visitors to Nappi have the opportunity to visit Jordan Falls. At some 900 feet, these are spectacular falls, though, a series of steep steps and not a single drop like Kaeiture falls.

Even so Jordon stands as one of the most beautiful sites in Guyana, however less than 100 persons have seen it. A stay wouldn’t be complete without a village tour to see the balata artisans at work. There are a handful of artists working from their homes in the village, using open flames, old pots and traditional tools to practice their trade of carving figures and traditional Amerindian scenes from the natural latex.

Nappi is great for bird watching, animal spotting and nature photography. Some highlight species include healthy populations of Red-bellied, Scarlet, Red-and-green, and Blue-and-yellow Macaws, as well as the Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock and a rare Harpy Eagle. There is also a Capuchin bird that lurk near the lodge.

Done By: Alicia Williams

Independence Day Guyana

Independence Day Guyana

History

Guyana became an independent nation on Thursday, 26 May 1966, but the independence celebrations began four days before and continued until 29 May. Public buildings and business places were brightly decorated with streamers and buntings bearing the colours of the Guyana flag. On the evening of 25 May, a grand cultural performance took place at the Queen Elizabeth Park now known as the National Park. Dignitaries in the audience of thousands included the Duke and Duchess of Kent, representing Queen Elizabeth, and representatives of foreign governments. Then at midnight, the Union Jack, the symbol of British colonial rule for 163 years, was lowered and the new flag of Guyana, the Golden Arrowhead, was raised to the top of the mast. Just before the flag raising ceremony before a huge crowd, Prime Minister Forbes Burnham and Opposition Leader Cheddi Jagan publicly embraced each other, indicating their satisfaction that Guyana had finally won its political independence. With the raising of the new flag, fireworks burst across the sky in various parts of the country. Then around mid-morning, the State opening of the Parliament of Guyana took place. It was preceded by a military parade accompanied by much pomp and pageantry. Significantly, for this occasion, a portrait of Sir Walter Raleigh decorating the wall of the Parliament chamber was removed and replaced with a portrait of Prime Minister Burnham.

In welcoming independence, Dr. Jagan seized the opportunity to point out that the Burnham Government was abusing its powers through the extension of the state of emergency beyond the date of independence. This, he said, was generating fear throughout the country and was detrimental to the struggle for peace and security. He also highlighted the view that his party was the victim of repeated constitutional manipulations designed to keep it out of office. He added, "We are confident that despite these manipulations the People's Progressive Party can be triumphant at future elections if these are fairly held." Later that afternoon, Sir Richard Luyt was sworn in by the Duke of Kent as Guyana's first Governor General at a ceremony in the ballroom of Guyana House, the official residence of the Governor General.

During the period of the independence celebrations, many public events were also held. These included carnival-style parties, exhibitions, float parades and public rallies addressed by Burnham and his Ministers. On achieving independence, Guyana became the 23rd member of the British Commonwealth. The new state received instant recognition internationally. However, in its note of recognition signed by Foreign Minister Iribarren Borges, the Venezuelan Government stated that it "recognises as territory of the new State the one which is located on the east of the right bank of the Essequibo River". The Venezuelan note claimed that the boundary between Guyana and Venezuela ran "through the middle line of the Essequibo River, beginning from its source and on to its mouth in the Atlantic Ocean".

Activities that were celebrated annually

While in Guyana there are the flag raising ceremony, parade and concerts to commemorate this festival, there are also activities executed in Canada where they are some Guyanese residing. The celebration of Guyana's Independence in Canada is a month-long affair spanning five provinces and involving tens of thousands of Guyanese and Canadians in a truly remarkable way. Guyanese-Canadians come together in a joyous celebration of their heritage while contributing to the richness of Canadian multiculturalism.

The annual Festivities commence in the third week of May with the Guyana Awards Gala followed by the Guyana Heritage Celebrations, and culminate in the Guyana Independence Festival in the penultimate weekend of June.

Guyana Awards

The Guyana Awards, initiated in 2000 by Consul General Danny Doobay, recognizes the outstanding contributions of individuals and organizations in the Guyanese Canadian community towards the achievement of excellence, promotion and development of Guyana, and the prolongation of Guyanese Heritage and Culture in Canada. The Guyana Awards Council seeks to encourage Guyanese-Canadians to emulate best practices in the areas of leadership, innovation, dedication to community, and commitment to Guyanese heritage. The Award recipients are selected by an independent panel of Judges from scores nominations submitted by the Guyanese-Canadian Community. Done by: Tiffany Griffith