By Michel Outridge

THIS week. the Pepperpot Magazine journeyed to the village of Craig, East Bank Demerara, where many residents engaged us in lengthy conversations.

Craig is about eight miles from the city and is divided into three parts: Craig Old Road which has four streets, then Busbee Dam which leads to the farmlands via a canal and Grant’s Housing Scheme.

The village falls under the Caledonia/Good Success Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) and has about 26,000 residents which consist of a mixture of people.

Upon arrival at Old Road, Craig, the Pepperpot Magazine met some friendly folk, who were seated under a shed by the side of the road to begin their habitual chit-chat. The group comprised Anthony Wyatt, a coconut vendor who vends on the public road and is also a resident of the village.

He wasn’t vending that day due to circumstances beyond his control, but was nevertheless in high spirits as he was chatting with Jeanette Balgobin.

“To earn you have to spend. I buy coconuts from a man in Pomeroon at $160 each and I re-sell it but the profit is minimal; plus I have to buy ice and steel drops because most people want cold coconut water with steel drops inside as a back builder, so I am trying with it,” he said.

Wyatt has been at this job for the past two years after he had to quit his jobs as a miner and a seaman because of an accident; both his legs were broken, so he cannot put pressure them. He therefore has had to resort to a less strenuous job.

The father of two related that although things don’t always turn out the way one expects, one has to try and make it work, one way or the other.

He noted that Craig has good roads, the drains are cleaned from time to time, and there are schools, a health centre, the NDC office, many shops and other businesses.

Wyatt said the people of Craig Village live peacefully and co-exist and they are truck drivers, bus drivers, taxi drivers, vendors, people who work in offices and others, who do different things.

Jeanette and her liming spot

Meanwhile, his friend Jeanette Balgobin, who is wheelchair-bound and was in their usual liming spot, said a few of them would meet up there and talk about many things to pass the time.

She told the Pepperpot Magazine that five years ago she suffered from strokes and as such, she has to use a wheelchair and life has become difficult for her having to cope with living alone.

It was her sibling who took her in at Old Road, Craig, and is taking care of her. She would try to help herself by taking a shower, getting dressed, and assisting in feeding the dogs among other things, since her sister has a small shop to manage.

The 64-year-old said she was a fish vendor for many years and managed to build her house, which she had to vacate after getting sick.

Under the shed is Balgobin’s spot where she and her friends would meet to talk about everything under the sun; it is like her favourite pastime, thanks to her friends, who are also villagers.