Guyana Where and What 2023-2024 for website_compressed

Guyana’s 10 Administrative Regions
because of migration to other parts
of Guyana, However there is still a
primary school and a church on Hogg
Island. An ancient windmill still stands
on the north eastern side of the island.
FORT ISLAND – Fort Zealandia &
Court of Policy
The third location of the the Dutch in
the Essequibo River was at Fort Island
originally known as Flaggen Island or
Flag Island. The plundering nature of
the English and French ships caused
the Dutch to build Fort Zealandia
and the Court of Policy In 1744. In
addition to protecting the interests of
the Dutch West India Company from
their European rivals it also served as
a stronghold against internal forces
such as rebellious slaves. This brick
fort, which replaced the original
wooden structure, was constructed in
accordance with a design of Laurens
Storm Van Gravesande of the colony
of Essequibo, (the colony’s longest
serving Dutch Commander, 1738-
1776) to conserve funds.
The building was relatively small, its
lozenge-shaped structure following a
pattern common in West Africa during
this period. The two storey redoubt is
about 15m x 20m and is enclosed by
ramparts with four bastions, one at
each corner. The bastion on the river
side has fallen into the river. The total
area to the outside of ramparts is 56m
x 78m. Bricks are used throughout.
Within the compound of the Fort are
the Armory used for the storage of
ammunition and several canons
reminiscent of the belligerent history
of the site.
COURT OF POLICY now renamed
‘DUTCH HERITAGE MUSEUM’
This is a solid clay brick building 31.1m
long and 11m wide. The walls are
61cm thick. There are three “rooms”-
the Court of Policy to the northern
area that served as a church at the
centre, and the area for auctioning
slaves to the south. It also served as a
store, a sales office and in recent years
a church before being converted into
the Dutch Heritage Museum.
During the period of Dutch occupation
the Fort and the Court of Policy were
part of a large urban settlement that
extended along the northeastern
section of the island. This was the seat
of the Dutch administration in the
colony of Essequibo and became the
site of Guyana’s first parliament when
Berbice, Demerara and Essequibo were
joined to form the colony of Guiana.
Inside the Court of Policy are the
tombstones of Johannes Backer,
Captain and Commander of the Colony
86