Madewini residents feel under siege

FED UP Madewini residents are demanding immediate government intervention for relief from
hardships created in their community by the presence of Bounty Farm, a major player in the
country’s poultry and feed industry.
Community members are unhappy and blame Bounty Farm poultry operations in Madewini for
destroying the roads they struggle to maintain with funding from their own pockets.
“These big trucks that come into the community to take out their chickens are the ones that
continue to damage the roads and you can tell them nothing because they are big. Bounty Farm is
one and you also have ‘Tall Man’ is another,” they said.
The person known only by the soubriquet ‘Tall Man’ is not a resident but conducts his business in the
community. They said that this is a norm where people operate businesses within the community
but live outside, thus not having any interest in the wellbeing of the community.
“Most of these people doing business there don’t live there so they aren't concerned as to what
state they leave the community for us residents to live in. This is really bad and needs the
attention of the Government because we are suffering in the community,” outraged residents told
www.aroundtheregions.com.
They are further contending that every time they do self-help to enhance their community, the
hard work is wasted by subsequent callous behaviour of Bounty Farm and other firms operating
out of their community.

Residents blame Bounty Farm’s arrogance on the fact that the firm provides significant
employment for women living at Madewini, making it uncomfortable for them to publicly
complain against their employer.
Whenever the women speak out, they are usually suspended and or dismissed by the private
sector business and this has a chilling effect on their other colleagues.

They said that every few months the residents are forced to raise some $60,000.00 to purchase
materials to help fix the streets which, soon after, is destroyed by Bounty Farm heavy equipment.
The Soesdyke Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) denies jurisdiction of the East Bank
Demerara community and directs residents to take their grouses to the Demerara/Mahaica
(Region Four) Regional Democratic Council (RDC) at Triumph, on the east coast corridor whom
they assert has responsibility for the community.
This back and forth is frustrating for them.
“Whenever we come to this NDC (Soesdyke) they would say that they can't do anything, so we
need to go to the Region,” one of the residents said.
Vice Chairman of the Madewini Group, Mr. Ramdeo Dhanram, had similar views.
“After they (Bounty Farm) and us had the problem they complained that (since) we are not afraid
to speak out against them (and) they used to assist in helping fix the streets (they) stopped and
told us that we can go to whoever we want as they don’t care. I told them that they can’t be
operating like this and they told us that we can go wherever and to whoever we want,” Dhanram
disclosed.
Services provided by the Guyana Post Corporation (GPOC) also received a tongue-lashing from
irate residents.
“We have raised this issue several times at various forums regarding the way letters and (other)
mails for our community are being treated. As a matter of fact, this matter has been raised with
the Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC) but it remains the same way and we are hoping that
after today the (the meeting with the two) ministers can bear some fruits,” VC Dhanram said.
Residents want to feel included in ongoing progress happening across the country.
“We would see those living in Timehri and Soesdyke benefiting but we who live right in the
middle at Madewini still can’t access any help for our community and this is what bothers us the
residents. We have complained in the past over and over, yet nothing has been done and we are happy that we can present our issues to the visiting ministers (Kwame McKoy and Nigel
Dharamlall) so that they can understand what we are experiencing,” another resident, Mr. Tony
Ramkellowan echoed.

They pointed out that the water system within the community is another challenge, stating that
there is a four-inch pipe with three major fowl farms that suck up most of the water supply
during the day. This, he argued, has resulted in the residents being unable to access adequate
supplies of water for domestic purposes.
“We do spend at least about $4,000.00 a month with ordinary pumps as we are forced to use
significant electricity and this isn’t fair to us,” Ramkellowan said.
www.aroundtheregions.com learnt that there are some 60 families living in Madewini with over
76 school-aged children ranging from nursery to secondary schools.
“It’s very hard to be raising our children under these conditions as they are having grave
difficulties at managing and it is very frustrating to us as the parents,” according to a community
member.