Protect Farnum Playground: A Call to Government to Safeguard Community Space

Dear Editor,
Residents of Subryanville and other users of Farnum Playground encourage citizens to protect their spaces as Minister Vanessa Benn has urged (Guyana Chronicle 25,/10/2026 https://guyanachronicle.com/2026/10/25/protect-your-spaces/ ).

We note Minister Benn’s call to citizens was made at the opening of community spaces on the East Bank of Demerara.  We call on Minister Benn and the Ministry of Housing and Water to account for the inability of the Central Housing and Planning Authority and other Government Agencies to deal with the occupation of Farnum Playground in Subryanville by a private business.

The CH&PA in October 2025 had issued a cease and desist order to the construction by the private business on Farnum. We have been calling on the Government to protect Farnum Playground as a community green space. Recently, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports supported a vision for Farnum Playground which does not include any private business operating on the ground.

The implementation of this vision will be hindered by the operation of the private business on the ground.

We look forward to the Government agencies supporting Minister Benn’s call to work with all citizens who want to protect their community spaces.

Yours sincerely

Ryaad Bacchus
Donald McKenzie, President of the Northern Rangers Football Club
Deborah Nunes
Ingrid Clarke
Shad Fernandes
Paul Vallidum
Jonathan Fernandes
Amrita Singh
Lianne Sears
Stuart Gonsalves
Johnette Gonsalves
Luana Fernandes
Kevin Sears
Clair Pestano
Kerri DeGroot
Tunuja Persaud
Aisha Fraites
Leah DeGroot
Robert Fernandes
Raphael DeGroot
Ronald Luckhoo
Michael Fernandes
Sabine McIntosh
Saskia Wyngaarde
Bonita Harris
Elizabeth Deane-Hughes
Dominic Fernandes
Vidyaratha Kissoon