Soesdyke sits at the entrance to the Linden Highway, and had its first Mashramani celebrations last Saturday. Large crowds turned up to participate and watch the procession that included dancers and two floats.
The Mashramani celebration was an initiative which was put together by the business community of Soesdyke and neighbouring villages. Promoter ‘Luymphe’ was the driving force behind its organization.
Luymphe said that they have been trying to get a Soesdyke Mash for the past three to four years, but were only able to pull it off now. More than six businesses participated in the celebration. Tricia Beepat from Patsy Food Court, one of the entities involved, said that the business community had decided to come together and hold their own Mash for the people of Soesdyke because they had never had one for the community before.
People could be seen all along the roadways waiting eagerly to see the Mashramani procession as it passed. Dancers and floats were assembled in front of a shop at the highway junction from where they tramped to the Soesdyke Back Road. Persons in the procession said that they were participating for fun, since it is not a competition.
Luymphe said that getting everything in order for the big day was not easy, but it was fulfilling, and they planned to continue to hold the event. They hoped for a better turn-out next time.
While crowds came out to watch the Soesdyke Mash on Saturday, residents told this newspaper that normally the village of about 2000 people is a very quiet place. It has its own health centre, nursery, primary and secondary schools.
Carlton Loncke was taking an afternoon drink with a friend when we chatted with him. He told us that he has been living in the community for as long as he can remember and that it is a peaceful place with a mixture of all races. He said that there were more Africans than Indians, and that Christianity is the main religion of the villagers but there are some Hindus and Muslims. However, Loncke added, “Everybody does live nice hey.”
With its white sandy soil, many people have taken up farming as an occupation. Pineapples, plantains and eddoes are the main crops grown and framers would normally sell their produce in Georgetown. While farming is the primary occupation of the villagers, some are employed at Bounty Chicken Farm. Loncke added that there is also a high level of unemployment in the community and as such, some youths become hooked on drugs. “There are no jobs here,” he said, “is either you go and wuk at Timehri Airport or Bounty Farm…”
When asked about what he used to do in his younger days, Loncke said that he used to work with the Ministry of Agriculture, but he has retired and now spends his time at home with his daughter and grandchildren. He would also spend time in his kitchen garden where he plants vegetables for his personal use.
There are also a few small shops in the village that supply the consumption needs of residents, and Loncke explained villagers do most of their shopping inside the village since they have groceries and hardware stores. He said “We have Western Union if you have to pay any bills or anything. We don’t have to go anywhere far…”
Further down the road we meet, Waveney Marcus, who was sitting with her grandchild in the company of other women looking at the Mashramani procession as it passed. As we approached she looked very serious but quickly opened up to speak about Soesdyke. Marcus said she likes her village because it is quiet and hence is a nice place to live. She told us that she lives way down at the back of the village and while she has access to a telephone and electricity, she has difficulty getting water.
Marcus also stated that she has been living in the village for a long time, adding that long ago it was much easier than in the present era. She said “the money was little bit but it used to go a long way. Now you getting more money and it’s not going anywhere to spend. Thing you used to get for that money you can’t get now.”
Marcus also told us that in the old days they did not have electricity, but used to make out fine and would use car batteries to play their radios. She even added that the village is “boring” because they have nothing much to do other than watch their television sets in their homes. She went on to say, “The big people does sit and watch tv. When you ain’t get nothing to do you sit outside, you look around and then (bed)… we ain’t have nothing in Soesdyke…Soesdyke plain and boring.”
Because of this, residents are in their homes by 8pm Marcus said. Lack of recreational
activities was seen as the main area that needs to be developed in the community residents agreed. Loncke said that to occupy themselves on weekends people would go to the junction of the Linden Highway and enjoy karaoke music and lime with others.
