A trip to Wine Bush and Shantytown Villages

Heeralall Persaud retired from the Uitvlugt Sugar Estate after 46 years of unbroken service, but these days, he gets the time to do many things and enjoy his old age at home.

He is a resident of Wine Bush Village, Leonora, West Coast Demerara, and his house is located at a corner spot overlooking the squatting area and the drainage canal with fruit trees and wooden benches along it.

The 61-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that the village got its name from the early days when people moved into the area and there was a berry that used to grow all through the village.

That berry was used to make wine by the locals and grew so much that it almost overrun the place; thus, the name was derived. The bush no longer grows in the village today but the name remained.

The father of two stated that the village is a safe place to reside and it has all the basic amenities and infrastructure for a comfortable life.

They have electricity, water, landline phone, internet, good roads, bridges and drainage and the village itself is peaceful and quiet.

The locals have done their part to beautify the environment by planting flowers and fruit trees and placing wooden benches as a recreation area by the canal running through the village.

Persaud is one of those persons who saw the need to contribute to society and he along with his cousin, a neighbour, planted fruit trees, made wooden benches, and placed them along the avenue.

He explained that when he first moved to Wine Bush Village, it was overrun with bushes and the jamoon-like berry and he cleared a plot and built a small house and it was 22 years ago.

Persaud is originally from a different section of Leonora and he wanted his own house following marriage and moved away from his parents’ place.

He was among the first settlers. He recalled the first person to occupy a plot in Wine Bush was Harry Bans, he was squatting on Guysuco’s land and when he was ordered to move. Persaud said he pleaded with the then-President, Janet Jagan, for mercy since he had nowhere to go.

Persaud related that the man had threatened to end his life and those of his children and after some time he was allocated a plot and he constructed a small house.

He has since passed away but his son resides in the house which was renovated with his family but that day when the team visited, they were not at home.

Persaud told the Pepperpot Magazine that Harry Bans died before the village was regularised as more people began occupying the land in Wine Bush.

Wine Bush, Leonora, West Coast Demerara is between Edinburg and Stewartville villages and Sea Spray, Leonora is home of President Dr. Irfaan Ali.

Persaud disclosed that the people of Wine Bush Village are mannerly and peaceful, and go about their daily activities as usual.

He added that it is home to fishermen, skilled workers, teachers, sugar workers and others who venture out of the community for work.

Persaud related that the correct name of the village is Groenveldt, Leonora, but it is referred to as Wine Bush Village.

He reported that Wine Bush has small streets with one main access road.

The neighbouring village, also a small community, is Shantytown, which was so named because of the makeshift zinc houses that resembled a shantytown.

Wine Bush and Shantytown are part of Leonora, a large community divided into sections, including Sideline Dam, Pasture, Groenveldt, Sparrow Field, Sea Spray, ‘C’ Field, Wine Bush and Shantytown.

These two villages are small, with just a few cross streets and the populations are less than 500 people of mostly Indo, Afro, Spanish and Amerindians.

Persaud disclosed that the first man to live in Shantytown was named ‘Stanley’, who has since died, but his descendants are around.

Wine Bush and Shantytown are both relatively clean and well-kept villages. The locals have certainly done their part to beautify the place with potted plants, flowers and trees, and seating accommodation under huge trees by the roadside.