Jonestown

Ruby Hunte with her son Lloyd

Voorzigtigheid was what it was once called, today it’s known as Jonestown, a sprawling village situated at Mahaica some 37.5 kilometres from the city tucked between Hand-en-Veldt and the vegetation leading to the Atlantic Ocean. Jonestown is believed to have been settled since the time of the Dutch and today serves as an oasis for its more than 300 residents.

My trip to the village began by taking a car to Helena Number 2, also in Mahaica, then a taxi; buses run along the road to Jonestown as well.

From outside of the village, Jonestown houses look snug together, lot after lot, but a closer look reveals that houses sit yards apart and coconut trees occupy vacant lots.