The name is Dutch and translates to excuse/pretext, but in this case, it was the surname of Ignatius Uitvlugt, who owned an enormous sugar plantation.[2] The plantation continued as a sugar estate and merged with the neighbouring Leonora estate in 1981.[3] In 1871, the village became known for the sugar factory that is now owned by GuySuCo.[3] The sugar factory supplied its sugar via a pipeline to the nearby rum distillery. The rum distillery closed in 1999.[3]
As of 2012 the population was 2,980 people from a variety of ethnic backgrounds.[1]
Unusually for the region, the village has seven churches.[2]