Cheddi Jagan Bio Diversity Park

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is orphaned as few or no other articles link to it. Please help introduce links in articles on related topics. (April 2008)

This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (May 2008)

Cheddi Jagan Bio-Diversity Park was established in 2001 in memory of the great patriot and national hero Dr. Cheddi Jagan by Isahak Basir CCH
It is located on a historical site created by slaves in the period of the 18th century and also a symbol of action that lead to the final closure of Hampton Court Estate in 1943 being the last of the 34 sugar mills in Essequibo.

Location
Lima Sands
Region # 2
Essequibo Coast
Guyana
South America

[edit] HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF "CHEDDI JAGAN BIO-DIVERSITY PARK" - SEPTEMBER 2001

The Dr. Cheddi Jagan Bio Diversity Park was identified in September 2001 and officially opened in 23rd of March 2002 by Minister Clement Rohee M.P., Ally Baksh - Regional Chairman, Vishnu Samaroo - Vice Chairman and Sabra Basir A.A. The idea of identifying an appropriate park consistent with Dr. Cheddi Jagan concept and likeness and love for nature came from Isahak Basir C.C.H. a personality who has had forty years of very close political relations with the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan. Hence the "Lima Sands" located in Essequibo, Region 2, Guyana, South America, was identified. The park is consistently with a variety of flora, fauna and subordinating savannahs - ¬access is by road, west of Anna Regina, parallel to the Tapacooma Main Canals. The history as follows:

The entire sea coast from the Corentyne to Barima River in the North West District was occupied by rivals’ such as the Spaniards, French and the Dutch, even though the Dutch paid for their final occupation.

The Essequibo Coast was no exception; from Supenaam to Better Success each estate owner had their own landing, police and control system. Cotton, coffee and sugar dominate production, with thirty four sugar mills on the Essequibo Coast lands.

The areas between Reliance and Paradise were dependent on water supply from Tapacooma Lake, which main supply canal was under the control of the Dutch planters of Anna Regina estate. The stealing of slave and denial of irrigation was always rebellious situation, consistent with that of the 1763 uprising in Berbice.

The Plutocracy from Richmond to Paradise comprising of eleven estate owners decided in 1788 to engage about 150 slaves .to dig a canal North West of the Tapacooma Lake landing to the back of Lima estate, so as to avoid the high charges and sabotage of water supply from Anna Regina owners and slave masters. This effort was met with armed opposition that forced the location of the canal further inland.

However the canal was completed about eight miles cutting the Lima Sands. A wooden Koker structure, built in the 1920 is still noticeable. The Lima sand was an escape route for runaway slaves, who were easily captured by Amerindian in the Dredge creek water way, now known as 'Manicuri' Canal.

The word 'Manicuri' is of Locono origin, means "hiding place". The British who took control in 1810 and in 1860 period brought mules and Bison to help in the sugar plantation. Lima Sand became a heaven for escaped Bison, some eventually migrated to Troolie Island and one Sernauth Ally killed the last Bison in1954 in Danielstown.

The three counties, Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice were merged in 1831 under British occupation, but each county had their elected representative in control.

By mid 1920, the main contestants for the Demerara court of policy, from Essequibo were Dodds of affiance, Seymour of Reliance and Brashington of Hampton Court. It was a heated election in 1928 and Brashington lost the majority. He became enraged and immediately closed down the Hampton Court estate saying, "Essequibo coolie must perish and wear jute bag for clothing". He damaged many infrastructures, broke down many logies and destroyed one of the most beautiful chimneys build by the Dutch in Hampton Court. His final assault was to damage a "waterwheel" which prevented Hampton Court from flooding and instructed his remaining disciples to pull a huge "iron cane punt" and block the supply canal of lima that led to the Tapacooma lake and one that led to the Anna Regina back lands. The iron punts can still be located about 500 meters west of Lima Sands submerged under savannah's vegetation.

The Lima Sands, remote as it is, has a rich history complimentary to our survival. The Marsh Plan promulgated in 1957 by the P.P.P Government resulted in the construction of the major Tapakuma project and was commissioned in 1963 by Sir Ralph Grey and Premier Dr. Cheddi Jagan.

The present cite for the part was chosen because the hard work of building a huge dam by slaves is still visible, where one can ponder of what our ancestors went through using basket, shovel, spade, enduring the slave masters' whip to build such a land mark.

The Cheddi Jagan Bio Diversity Park was enriched when the "ashes" of a young school teacher P.Y.O members Balram Khanhai which was placed in a corner stone. Balram Khanhai was murdered at the P.P.P. 27th Congress held in Berbice on July 22nd 2002.

The members of Dr. Cheddi Jagan, this great, teacher, father and leader must be preserved and cast in stone, hence the Dr. Cheddi Jagan Bio Diversity Park.