Albouystown and Tiger Bay residents say they are ready to bid goodbye to 2013 as it was a very challenging year and they are eagerly anticipating 2014.
Several persons told Stabroek News that they planned to spend Old Year’s Day in church. Tiger Bay residents also said that they are very thankful to the individuals and companies that shared food hampers in their neighbourhood, though a section of the community remains saddened about the fact that they
have been given one month’s notice to find housing elsewhere.
Suzette Steele of Albouystown said though 2013 was one of the most difficult years of her life, she is grateful to be alive.
Steele, accompanied by her daughter-in-law and a friend, reflected with Stabroek News on the financial difficulties she experienced during the year. The woman became distressed as she recalled that her community had experienced a number of shootings and several times she had been nearby when they occurred. These experiences have informed her decision to draw closer to God in 2014, Steele said.
Another resident of Albouystown, Carlton Canterbury, also wants to quickly move on from 2013. Canterbury said that he has experienced a lot of heartache this year stemming from the shooting death of his brother Jermaine. (Jermaine Canterbury was one of three men shot to death outside the K&VC Hotel during an altercation with police.)
He said obtaining a good job and acquiring his own home are his top priorities in 2014 and later on he hopes to find a loving wife and have “a few offspring.” Canterbury said he is eager for the New Year to start and he will continue to pray for continued health and strength.
Kathleen Bamfield said while she is always enthusiastic about life, she is deeply saddened by the death of her 30-year-old daughter to cancer. An employee at the Guyana Elections Commission, Bamfield said her eldest daughter’s death on November 6 after a year-long battle with cancer has left her depressed and she has not made any plans for the New Year.
“I have to take care of my grandson because meh daughter ain’t deh. She gone, now my poor grandchild gotta be without a mother,” she said. Bamfield is still hopeful about the future and revealed that she would like to have her own home in 2014. The woman is also thankful that she is employed and said she planned to usher in the New Year in church.
Several residents told this newspaper that they hoped steps would be taken to alleviate flooding in the community. Makeela Hamilton was among residents who said they are disgusted by the poor drainage and the flooding that the community experienced during the latter part of the year. She said her New Year’s resolution is to relocate from Albouystown as she believes strongly that she needs a change of environment and a better standard of living. Hamilton, too, planned to ring in the New Year in church.
In Tiger Bay, residents from one half of the community said they were not looking forward to 2014 as they were not sure where they would be residing. Persons who have lived in a section of the community their whole lives said they had been informed that the plot of land on which they have built their homes has been sold. As such, they have until the end of January 2014 to remove their belongings.
“I have no New Year’s resolutions because in the past I keep saying I gon do this and that and for some reason nothing seems to come through,” a dejected Margaret Sears said. The woman has decided to live day by day, though she did reveal plans to break the New Year in church as she had always done. Sears said while she tries to be hopeful, her disappointments have devoured her ability to remain positive.
The residents of Tiger Bay have not been forgotten, said Basil Gibbons. According to the man, every two days, private individuals and companies visit the area and share food hampers and other items. This has brought joy to the community, he said, while sounding a call for more persons to assist with providing guidance to the youths in this neighbourhood during the New Year.
Regarding his personal aspirations for the New Year, Gibbons said he plans on becoming a better man. He wants to earn more money and move his family out of Tiger Bay.
Shonett Accra was hopeful that she would become wealthy in the New Year. Clutching a pair of Lotto tickets, the woman said 2013 has not been a bad year as she and her family had enough to eat every day.
“Every morning I would wake up and we would have food to eat,” Accra said, flashing a broad smile.
Accra said her goal is to move out of Tiger Bay and that she had saved enough to acquire a piece of land at Haslington, East Coast Demerara. However, though she is anxious to start building her house, she does not have the finances to do so as yet. The woman said she worked hard to get out of a difficult situation and she is slowly finding the light at the end of the tunnel. Accra plans to attend church on the last day of the year.
Flamboyant Dakota Agard was happy to share her New Year’s plans with this newspaper. She said 2013 has been a good year as she is employed and is very thankful. She extended New Year’s greetings to her co-workers at R&S Fisheries, her relatives, friends and neighbours.
