That phase followed the intense joint services operations to flush out criminal elements in the East Coast Demerara village.

The phase of that operation entailed the fixing of roads in the community, which were damaged by some Buxtonians.

An army official reported that village elders had been enlisting the support of other villagers to join in the exercise. However, the villagers’ involvement at that time was not forthcoming. But there was no resistance, nor any form of obstruction, the official said. Buxtonians were just taking it light and easy.

While heavy earth-moving equipment went through the village excavating and clearing away debris from the streets, with soldiers armed with shovels doing their bit of fixing, the villagers were going about to and fro with a sense of ease, visibly relieved that life for them was once again business as usual.

Some people had opened their shops while others had put out their sweets stands on the roadside for business.

Along the dreaded Church of God Road, many youths were playing a game of cricket and along the railway embankment road a group of young people sat on the grass playing and obviously enjoying a game of bingo.

It appeared that villagers no longer bothered about what the soldiers were doing - whether hunting down the criminals who made their village a safe haven, or fixing the damaged roads, making way for transportation services to be restored there.

According to the Army official, persons had been complaining about the lack of proper access in and out of the village. Therefore, those persons would view the work that the Army has been doing, and are aware that it was all for the social benefit of that community.