Wine Bush, a sub community of Leonora, West Coast Demerara is bordered by Groenveldt and the seawall that keeps the Atlantic at bay. This beautiful and close-knit neighbourhood is a haven to 52 families, many of whom were originally from Groenveldt.
In just a matter of two decades, Wine Bush has developed a lot. Before then it was a forested swamp filled with purple berries and the only persons who set foot there went to catch crabs, cut firewood and have bush cooks. Now, Wine Bush’s residents have access to potable water and electricity as well as restaurants, places of worship, a police station, a hospital, supermarkets and schools. Most of the roads are paved except for two, which they wish to be done. Residents also want streetlights to be installed.
Shamshudeen Ally, better known as ‘Frazer,’ knows about those days. Born and raised in Groenveldt, Wine Bush was Ally and his friends’ playground. “This was sheer bush,” he said. “Abi use to call it Wine Bush. It had some purple berries on it that we call baby jamoon, but it wasn’t the same jamoon tree; this tree used to grow small. Some ah the long-ago people used to use dem fuh mek wine that dey used to soak fuh Christmas time. Abi use to play war-break and mek baby house and cook and so inside hey. Abi would come across the trench with a boat fuh cut wood fuh carry back fuh bun fireside but used to end up ah play.”
