Village in Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Guyana
Windsor Forest is a village in the Essequibo Islands-West Demerara of Guyana. It is located along the Atlantic Ocean coast.[2] It was the first Chinese settlement in Guyana, however few Chinese remain. It was the birthplace of First Guyana President Arthur Chung.[3]
Overview
Windsor Forest started as a plantation. In the early 20th century, Windsor Forest and neighbouring La Jalousie, were purchased by the government, divided into acre sized lots, and offered for rent.[4]
The economy of the village is mainly based on rice cultivation.[5] It has a primary school[6] and a health centre.[7] Between 1900 and 1974,[8] Windsor Forest had a railway station on the Demerara-Essequibo railway.[5]
The area is prone to flooding.[9] It used to be protected by mangrove forests. A citizen's initiative by Deopaul Somwaru aims to replant the mangroves along the coast.[2]
Chinese settlement
Between 1853 and 1879, indentured labourers from China were brought to work on the plantations in British Guiana. On 12 January 1853, the first labourers arrived aboard the Glentanner, and 105 people were assigned to the Windsor Forest plantation[6] making it the first Chinese settlement in Guyana.[3] In 1986, a monument was erected in front of the primary school to commemorate the event.[6]
Few Chinese remain in the village. Of the 1,602 inhabitants of Windsor Forest at the 2012 census, only five identified as ethnic Chinese, and 1,484 as Indo-Guyanese.[1]
Guyana