Roxborough clings reluctantly to history

Roxborough is a culturally-rich, traditional village still grappling with modernity.

Situated between Argyle and Delaford, along the Windward Road, in the Tobago East constituency, the village’s "town centre" comprises houses, bars and other businesses.

Along the bustling strip, visitors can also find discoloured remnants of government buildings, including an old courthouse and Inland Revenue office.

Within recent times, these dilapidated buildings, though still a part of the area’s infrastructural landscape, have made way for a new Roxborough Administrative Complex, police station and fire station.

These buildings were delivered in July 2019, December 2019, August 4, 2020, respectively.

The Roxborough hospital, on Parlatuvier Road, is currently under construction.

The $88 million project, managed by the Urban Development Corporation, is expected to be completed before the end of the year.

Residents are generally pleased with the development that has come to their village over the years.

But some claim not many villagers were employed on the projects.

At the fish depot, Kern Roberts, 27, chatted with Akeel Morris as the latter cleaned cavalli fish hoping to get some sales.

Roberts, who has lived in Roxborough for the past two decades, claimed young people are being bypassed for jobs on major infrastructural projects.

“Is more outsiders on these projects,” he claimed on Tuesday.

Morris, originally from Betsy’s Hope, chimed in: “If a Trini contractor come up here, they walking with dey people.”

The Prime Minister, speaking to reporters during a tour of the hospital in June, shared a different perspective on the issue.

Dr Rowley said, then, he was very pleased with the number of local people employed on the project.

He said “a significant portion of the labour and skilled costs would have gone to those people.”

Roberts, who described himself as a sea-goer (someone who fishes but does not own a boat), claimed young people are also being overlooked for certain Government jobs.

“When is time to sign up for Government work, only a few people does know.”

Nevertheless, Roberts said he is grateful for the development in Roxborough.

“That real good. We benefiting from that police station on the road and the hospital when it is finished.”

But he believes the Government needs to pump more resources into agriculture and fishing.

Roberts said apart from Cepep and URP, many villagers are resorting to planting kitchen gardens and fishing to survive.

He said life in Roxborough has been exacerbated by the covid19 pandemic.

“Roxborough normal but the struggle out here now is real. But we have to survive.”

Roberts said businesses and food establishments are being seriously affected by the restrictions imposed to prevent the spread covid19.

“Before, when tourists are here, you might have to carry them somewhere. But now, you ain’t have none of that going on.”

He said villagers usually pass the time liming in bars or playing football and cricket.

Another long-time resident, Verita Fraser-Wright, also said she is glad for the development in Roxborough.

“Roxborough is a real nice place but it has been neglected,” she said.

In spite of the amenities the village enjoys, Fraser-Wright said there is still a "disconnect" because many young people, either through lack of interest or opportunity, are not accessing training/skills programmes.

She observed many young people, in the run up to the August 10 general election, also were “not listening to the issues.”

Fraser-Wright believes there needs to be a change in people’s mindset to fully embrace Roxborough’s potential.

ROXBOROUGH'S RICH HISTORY

For many residents, Roxborough’s pathway to development can be traced back to the Belmanna Riots of 1876.

The riot occurred on a cocoa estate when disgruntled workers protested the bad working conditions.

The manager of the estate was also attacked and the estate house burnt down.

According to historical accounts, as disorder spread, the five policemen in the village led by Cpl Belmanna tried to quell the insurrection.

But a violent confrontation between the police and protesters ensued, leading to the death of a civilian.

The rioters later seized Belmanna, who was badly beaten, stabbed and mutilated. His corpse was then set on fire.

Today, Roxborough’s re-enactment of the historic riots continues to be one of the highlights of the Tobago Heritage Festival.

Newly-appointed president of the Tobago Youth Council, Janae Campbell, 18, said the Belmanna Riots is an intrinsic part of the village’s history.

“That is something in our archives as a very significant event that would have taken place in Roxborough.”

She believes the story of the riot should be told to those who visit the area.

The Campbell recalled the days when Roxborough teemed with activity.

“I always saw Roxborough as a booming village with lots of fun and excitement. There was always some form of recreation,” she said.

“Roxborough was always considered a second town and, as such, there were many activities and events that were held in the area.”

Before covid19, she said Republic Day celebrations, including fireworks, are usually held at the Cyd Gray Sporting Complex, named after the 2006 World Cup footballer.

“Most times, persons would even prefer the Roxborough celebration as opposed to the Independence celebration in Scarborough.”

Campbell said Roxborough is usually the venue for the Miss Tobago Heritage Festival Personality queen show.

She said: “These are events that would usually have taken place in Roxborough but because of the pandemic there has been a switch.”

Campbell recalled Roxborough also had its own queen show.

“In years gone by, there was something called Bay Queen. That was our own mini queen show. And they used to have a lot of boat races that really pulled crowds. Roxborough was always a culturally-rich environment.”

Within recent years, she said, the area has also the old time harvest in the heritage festival.

'COUNTRYSIDE GEM' NEEDS DEVELOPMENT

Describing Roxborough as the “gem of the countryside,” Campbell said in spite of the amenities that have come to the area, many people still consider it a shanty town.

She attributed this view to the lack of private sector input and the “old, dilapidated buildings that are on the main road.”

Campbell added: “There have been efforts to build the area for it to be actually considered a second town. But I still think in terms of us actually reaching that status, it is heavily based on private sector.”

She said while the structure of some of the old buildings could remain, they must be refurbished.

Campbell said Tobagonians, generally, must think on a grander scale.

“I believe that we, as Tobago people, need to have a wider perspective and business strategies. Because what we practise in Tobago is always small scale. You always have persons with gifts, talents but there is hardly room for expansion.”

She added: “So, that is my admonition. Most people don’t want to get into anything that will cost them too much because they don’t think they would reap the returns.

Having a grocery or any establishment in the countryside is pretty hard because the support you get would likely be from villagers and these villages still prefer to go to town or go by Penny Savers to purchase their goods, because they complain that the prices up here ( Roxborough) are too high.”

She said the private sector needs to play a greater role in developing the east.

“I would not put the blame entirely on the Government, But, I just think persons really need to invest in their own development.”

During his visit to the area in June, Dr Rowley noted Roxborough was once a thriving centre “which fell on hard times over the years.

“Our infrastructural facilities were either not there or had become aged and one of the priorities that we had from 2016 was to accelerate the development of Roxborough,” he said.

“So, now, anywhere that you can stand in this location now, you can see Roxborough.”

On that occasion, Rowley said the Government also intends to develop Roxborough’s agriculture, fishing, tourism and cultural sectors.