Grove Village: a busy settlement populated by joyous and jovial people

Jun 23, 2019 News

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BY ALEX WAYNE

There was no burst of excitement in me about the village chosen for me to visit. I think it was particularly because it was just within a few miles from where I am employed. I was thinking there was not going to be a long bus ride, and there was not going to be anything really fascinating to see there.

But to tell you the truth, I was in no way even visualizing a quaint little village alive with the mirth of a people that seemed to exist in contentment in the simplest of ways.
Golden Grove, more popularly referred to as Grove, is on East Bank Demerara, and nestled cozily between the villages of Diamond to the north and Good Success to the west. This village is located approximately some 13.6 km from the Garden City of Georgetown.
Touching Down in Grove
The bus ride from the East Bank Minibus Park in Georgetown was smooth until we arrived at Providence; where a traffic jam slowed things up a great lot. The vehicular flow slowed to a turtle crawl. I began fussing because the bus was just humid; passengers were just sweating from the heat. To top things off, the driver was blasting music from a sizeable stereo box quite close to my seat, driving me almost crazy.
I knew it would be a mistake to ask him to turn the volume down judging from the way the passengers were swaying to the rhythm.
Soon we were rolling into Grove and I was instantly taken aback by the very busy state of such a small village. Residents of all shades and creed were patrolling up and down the main road, intent on completing one mission or another.
I was almost dumbstruck at the many shops and variety stores, and liquor hotspots in such a small village. Barbershops could be found in almost every nook and cranny of the village, and almost everyone was overflowing with patiently waiting clients.

That village is also close to the three commercial banks just outside the village, in Greater Diamond. Things are certainly looking up for residents of Grove and this can be seen in the constant economic bustle of the village, and its developmental infrastructure.
I stepped out of the bus and thought instantly, “Wrang bang Alex…wrong outfit… the sun is going to cook you in your thick camouflage track suit”.
I had adorned myself with that form of attire since rain was falling when I left home earlier that day. But not long after the sun came out with great intensity, and already beads of perspiration were spurting from my pores.
Setting my discomfort aside, I proceeded down Jimbo Street, and became the instant target of three rather brazen school girls. What struck me as odd was the fact that it was only 10:00 hrs and they were in the street surrounded by six rather grown males.
Two of them swept me up and down with their eyes, and one stepped forward, mouthing, “Eh eh…dis is a face bai…But is wheh you going wid book and camera and all dat? Like you is ah reportha?”
Before I could respond, the prettiest of the two shouted, “ All yuh leave the man alone and leh we deal with dem Hotskulls dem dis hea”. She was refereeing to the men, some of whom were smoking cigarettes and staring at the girls rather suggestively.
One girl, on hearing the muffled conversation of two of the males, glared and shouted, “For your information dutty face, we ain’t things, so don’t address we as things. Tek a good look at we… I sure yuh women dem can’t look like we, suh know yuh place, right.”

I speedily left the scene and suppressed the strong urge to reprimand the young girls. The last thing I wanted was to be engaged in a brawl with them. I however voiced my concerns to a well-dressed woman I met in the street about the girls being out of school and she swore and responded, “Three young ones right mista? Is dem again… I going and deal wid them right now. Dem ain’t gon done till dem carry home belly to their mothers.”
Fuming, she marched up the street in the direction of the young girls. I did not stay around to see what transpired.
Grove was by far the busiest village I have ever been to with vehicle swerving dangerously close in their bid to avoid commuters. The honking of horns and the deafening drone of sand trucks seemed to heighten the bustle of the location, even as residents were screaming at the top of their voices to be heard above the commotion.
Chatting with villagers
Chatting with residents, I found out that Grove now has over 20,000 residents, and before time, was predominantly occupied by people of East Indian descent. Many are gainfully employed at a number of
taxi services, supermarkets, pharmacies, schools, restaurants, police stations, auto shops, or boutiques.
Persons also travel from nearby villages on the West Bank Demerara, and from Timerhi, to trade in groceries, vegetables and other items along the roadside on busy market days.

John Mangal who trades in vegetable, ground provision and water coconuts was eager to talk to me, and so after I enjoyed a cool water coconut at his stall, we began chatting like brothers.
“Grove is a very nice place and I have been living here for quite a while. Everyone live here in peace and harmony, and in most areas, we operate like one big family. In times gone by, it has been rumoured that there were political conflicts amongst different races here, but if there is much truth to that, such a situation hardly exists today.
“At present, people accept each other and respect the beliefs and customs of a brother or neighbour.
Though we are a happy and contented people, we however have pressing issues that we would like the relevant authorities to deal with.

“This trench along Jimbo Street is one of the main irrigation outlets in the village but the NDC and other bodies have been ignoring it for years. Look at this trench now. One has to look very close to see that it is a trench and not a dam that is now overgrown with trees, grass and bushes.
“Snakes and alligator come out of it in the nights posing danger to persons who traverse in that area. I am desperately hoping that Kaieteur News can highlight this, and force those responsible to do something about the state of this trench.”
My next stop was to visit elderly resident, Alma Francois-Bovell, who owns a very thriving day care centre at Samatta Point in Grove. At first, she was very camera shy but with much persuasion, she soon rushed off to change into her best outfit and matching sandals. She even powdered her nose for the cameras.
In no time, she was giggling and beaming as she told a stirring tale of Grove in its yesteryear state in comparison to present day.
“It’s easy to picture Grove as a young girl, because the memories are still alive and fresh in my mind. I remember the days as we ran about in the streets, with mud about our bodies, laughing in the sunshine. I attended Grove Primary School, which was close to the Jimbo Bridge, then later moved on to Diamond Government School.
“After a special exam, I was on my way to the Government Educational Trust Academic Institution. In those days, Grove was always a busy place, and many residents were gainfully employed at the Diamond Sugar Estate.
Many employees were able to get loans from the estate and they built cottages, which saw the arrival of a housing scheme. These houses had pit latrines and potable water was always a problem. We had to gather in groups at standpipes around the village.
“Sometimes the water was ‘rusty looking’ and we had to boil and strain it before drinking. The drainage was bad and in the rainy season, many areas became flooded. But as water rose in the trenches, it made it easier for villagers to catch bush fish and shrimp which were found in the trenches.
“In my young days, Grove had a roadway made from burnt bricks, and was almost surrounded by cane fields. We used to wash our clothing at the roadside trenches and many were either employed at the Diamond Estate or earned a living by burning earth to make bricks.
“Market days in Diamond and Grove were the happiest times, since we got to meet vendors from Soeskyke and other areas. We waited for late hours to shop, since this forced them to lower their prices.
And we used to party just like the young people nowadays.
“We would often dress up in our mini dresses and cork heel shoes and attend bottom house parties. The young people were well behaved in those days and will consume only juices at parties. They were not allowed to consume alcohol like today. The Mc Koy Banquet Hall was the place for our excursions and everyone anticipated these events.
In August month, it was wild celebrations in the village with residents flouncing to flutes and drums in their traditional African Emancipation costumes. The youths in those days were well behaved and did not loosely use profane language like today.”
Present Day Grove
Much development was seen in Grove in the early 1970’s and around this time, the village saw many persons planting gardens during the reign of the late President, L.F.S Burnham. Today, the location has developed greatly and called by names Market, Post Office, Sarran, Santoo, Times Square, Station Street, and of course, Reid’s Avenue.
That aside, there are Jimbo Street, Burial Ground Street, Niles Street, School Street, Campbell Street, Tank Street, Downer Street, Squatting Area, Grove Scheme with extension of Grove Scheme that includes Samatta Point and Kaneville.
Resident farmer, Randolph Williams, said that Grove has a football field and the best football team, on the East Bank of Demerara. However, he feels that the village has much more scope for additional recreational opportunities. He feels that Grove should get more streetlights in certain areas for the security of residents.
Golden Grove is not only busy during the day but is as much the same at nights because of the thriving businesses, and the entertainment packages they offer.
Mashuri Singh, a teacher, vowed that the village was a great one to live in but like many other locations had its fair share of mishaps. While she said that crime was on a rise in years gone by, she noted that that stigma has been greatly reduced by sustained police presence.
She however made mention of a recent incident that had unsettled the community later when the dead body of a villager was found.
“In this same year, Rohan Kanhai Persaud was found dead with a gash on his abdomen. His intestines were protruding through the wound and it was a horrible sight. His T-shirt was also rolled up around his neck while his back bore marks of violence.
“We heard rumours that the suspect had moved into the dead man’s home after he had misunderstandings with his brothers. However, while there, he reportedly started a relationship with the dead man’s wife.
This led to numerous arguments between the man and his wife and she moved out of the home.
An argument between the deceased and the accused resulted. It is said the accused used a stingray (fish) bone and dealt the man one stab wound to his abdomen.
That incident aside Grove present day is a village that is holding its own against many other developing locations.
Come visit this location on a sunny day, and you will see in this village you will want to stay. Grab a rod, bait and a hook, and you are guaranteed there will be lots of bush fish to cook. Come bask in the touching camaraderie of the residents. And you will never regret the comfy time you have spent.
Join us next Sunday as we take our cameras to Berbice at Ithaca.

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