The World Beyond Georgetown

Just over 31 miles from the city on the East Coast Demerara, and bordered by Zealand and Cottage, is a community called Planters Hall where the people live up to the name.

Unity, East Bank Essequibo is a little village between Blake and Hubu.

Byderabo is a picturesque community on the outskirts of Bartica. Its diverse population, a large percentage of whom depend on gold mining for their livelihoods, is made up of at least five of the six Guyanese ethnicities.

Down the left bank of the Mahaica River between the populated villages of Supply and Cane Grove is the community of Strathavon, which is home to approximately 800 people.

Formerly rice fields, Lowland, Hope, on the East Coast Demerara, is home to hundreds of people, many of whom depend on fishing for their livelihood.

Richmond Housing Scheme on the Essequibo Coast has been in existence for more than 30 years and a haven to the 1,000+ people who made it their home over the years.

Formerly called Johanna Cornelia, Blake is home to a population of approximately 60 people, most of whom farm and vend.

Shieldstown, West Bank Berbice serves as a haven for its more than 1,500 residents.

Strangroen is a tiny community in Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara. Its handful of families have a total of 25 members, most of whom are grown and are employed in the rice fields or at Rayaadul Rice Industries in the village.

New Scheme, Hope Estate is a multi-ethnic community totalling approximately 200 residents from many different parts of Guyana.

Vereeniging is in Mahaica, sandwiched between Supply and Cane Grove. This farming village is home to approximately 200 residents.

What is known as the Old Scheme at Hope Estate lies at the far end of the village.

Wine Bush, a sub community of Leonora, West Coast Demerara is bordered by Groenveldt and the seawall that keeps the Atlantic at bay.

Big Biaboo, nestled between Little Biaboo and Grass Hook at Mahaica, has some 100 residents.

St Lawrence is in the Parika, East Bank Essequibo area, between Present Hope and Hubu and opposite Hog Island.

With just over 250 residents, Sisters stands as the most populated village on the Upper East Bank of Berbice.

Fourteen years ago, when Naline Singh got married she left the busy village of Goed Fortuin to live in the quiet countryside village where her husband grew up.

Last week in the World Beyond Georgetown, I began to explore Goshen, mostly through the eyes of ‘Auntie’ Carmen Williams.

Goshen, a satellite community of River’s View Village, is situated in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), though it is across the Essequibo River from Bartica, which is in Region 7 (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

Rebecca’s Rust is situated between Harmony Hall and Carlton Hall at Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara, approximately 47 kilometres from Georgetown.