If you live on the West Coast of Demerara you most likely would have been to the village of Vreed-en-Hoop, and even traveled over to the capital city of Georgetown using a boat from the Vreed-en-Hoop stelling. This village bridges the gap between two regions, region 3 and region 4. It is located at the mouth of the Demerara River.
Origin
Vreed en Hoop is made up of several small communities, including New Road, Plantain Walk, Crane, and Coglan Dam. The town’s name is derived from the Dutch “Vreed en Hoop,” which translates to “Peace and Hope” in English. The name comes from the Plantation Vreed en Hoop, which existed in 1798. Sir John Gladstone took over ownership in 1828 and became the permanent absentee planter. The plantation had 415 slaves at the time of slavery’s abolition. Gladstone was the first planter to evict the majority of his former slaves and replace them with indentured servants from India in 1838. When newspapers began to report physical abuse at his plantations in 1839, Gladstone quietly transferred ownership.
Fun fact: Vreed-en-hoop has a total of 469 people residing.
Photo of a speed boat. Photo credits: Danielle Persaud
Transportation
Passenger boats (speedboats) traverse the Demerara River linking Vreed en Hoop to the capital city of Georgetown in about five minutes, much faster than using the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB). For safety, passengers must use the lifejackets provided.
The busy terminal and bus park that is located by the entrance of the stelling connects travelers to the West Bank Demerara road up to Parika, with cars and minibusses plying the routes.
Popular places you can find in Vreed-en-hoop:
The area is known for having small shops and stands that you can find along the roadside.
- Shopping – Amanda’s Bridal, Payless Variety Store
- Supermarket – Ram’s Supermarket, Massy Stores
- Banking – GBTI and Republic Bank
- Judicial – Magistrate Court, Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station
- Education – Teacher’s Training College, Vreed-en-Hoop Primary, Region 3 Education Department
- Regional Democratic Council
- Insurance – Hand-in-Hand Insurance
Plastic City
Picture showing two shacks in Plastic City. Photo Source: https://www.stabroeknews.com/2010/07/13/news/guyana/plastic-city-residents-cry-out-for-housing-relief/
As the name might have some of you wondering “Is this place really made out of plastic?”, Well, not exactly. Plastic City is a shanty town located within Vreed en Hoop. It is located a quarter mile from the village. To the north, there is a jetty that leads to the Atlantic Ocean, and out of sight, there is a makeshift village. Plastic City started in the early 1990s and has been growing ever since. The main problem is the lack of access to water and electricity and the proneness to flooding.
What is a shanty town?
A shanty town is a settlement of improvised buildings known as shanties or shacks, typically made of materials such as mud and wood. A typical shanty town is squatted and in the beginning lacks adequate infrastructure, including proper sanitation, safe water supply, electricity, and street drainage.
There have been many promises of presidents to develop this shanty town, at least to provide proper drainage infrastructure but nothing has ever been done.
Vreed-en-Hoop seawall and Groyne
The vreed-en-hoop seawall and groyne was built in the 19th century and made of stone and concrete. The groyne is located in the vicinity of Plastic City. The wall is approximately 5 feet high and 3 feet wide. The fortification has a tower which acted as a navigational aid. The structure can only be seen if you are to venture into Plastic City since it is obscured by mangrove trees which were planted in the 20th century.
Photo of groyne in Plastic City. Photo Source: https://m.facebook.com/243603706068114/photos/the-vreed-en-hoop-seawall-and-groyne-is-located-in-the-vicinity-of-the-area-info/588874218207726/
References:
- Places of Interest: Guyana by National Trust of Guyana,pg21
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vreed_en_Hoop#:~:text=The%20name%20of%20the%20town,became%20the%20permanent%20absentee%20planter.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanty_town
