On Corpus Christi, the Hololo, Santa Cruz Working Committee, breaking from the strains of a few deterrents, got something wonderful done for the landscape of the Santa Cruz area.Journeying into Santa Cruz often leaves visitors wondering why the entire country could not be like that area. Its bushy, rural attractiveness is pleasant on the eye, and its lush strolling leaves a wonderful, picturesque memory of how the old time days were.There is, however, a great deal of development taking place in Santa Cruz, with many outsiders referring to the area as the new "Westmoorings."
Working together to benefit the whole
Recently, the Hololo, Santa Cruz Working Committee was formed with the aim of getting various infrastructural issues addressed.To date, they have been able to collectively build a bus shed at the bridge leading to the village, purchase and install mirrors at dangerous points, and even arrange for stray dogs to be collected by dog catchers.On Corpus Christi, the committee's executive called on the youths of the area to partake in a clean up exercise near the bus shed, at the bridge. From as early as 9 am, the youths, led by elders of the community cut, hoed, raked, planted and cleared the area of unwanted debris. Trees were planted, among them palm and almond. The younger children basked in the fact that they had been chosen to do the honours of planting trees, as the elders looked on with guiding words and supportive actions.
The committee's chairman, Elvis La Foucade, however, lamented that for some time, prior to this initiative, trucks would transport debris from various points in Santa Cruz to the front of the community, where it would be dumped and left, leaving what he referred to as an eyesore."We're hoping that by doing this, the trucks will stop dumping their garbage here," said La Foucade. He pointed to an area, a little further away from where they had been working, where pieces of scrap iron and other debris had been dumped a few days before."We really hope the respective authorities will step in to ensure dumping here is stopped. This is where we live and we are striving to keep it clean," he emphasised.
Works Ministry's help would be welcome
The group also took the opportunity to request the assistance of the Works Ministry in getting some of the area's access roads repaired. La Foucade said one of the roads, referred to as Redman Drive, was in tremendous need of repair, as large "swimming pools" would appear, hindering pedestrians from passing when it rained.Additionally, he explained that toward the Hololo hill, the road was caving in, and would eventually prove impassable for motorists and residents."We will do all that we can as a community but there are some things we just can't do on our own, so help from the ministry would be welcomed," said La Foucade.On Corpus Christi, the group were united with a single goal-the betterment of their small community. Now, their aim is to get more residents involved, and hopefully foster a greater appreciation for the beauty that lies within the area.