MEET 63-year old Seighfred George Knights who could not complete his education back in the days, but was determined to make his life a success by learning whatever trade he could to support himself.

He was born in Georgetown but grew up in Essequibo with his parents and three siblings. The family was very poor as his father provided for them by doing small community jobs. He was known as a ‘shovel digger’ back then, cleaning drains and the like. his mother was a midwife. And so the parents couldn’t afford to send all the children to school
However, Knights was fortunate though to attend the St. Lawrence Anglican School. It was a primary school and the only one he managed to attend.
Considering the very limited options available back then, Knights said growing up, he wanted to become an office assistant, for some reason also known as a ‘messenger.’ But he never managed to secure this job.
In the 1970s, though, he decided to join the Guyana Youth Core and participated for two years. “It was like an army in Burnham time. It trained me in agriculture, how to build and set up a house and so. I decided to go because this was what was available at the time and I felt I can learn something,” Knights related.
But on finishing, Knights said he still had nowhere to go in terms of work and so he resorted to shoe making, and then to security work. He started a security job sometime in his 30s and has continued with this to this day. “I like my job. If you don’t have education, you have to turn on something.”
Knights, a father of two, said life has not always been easy for him, especially in terms of family relationships. After he concluded he has “no luck with women,” he resorted to being alone, with no one to cause him any stress.
He pointed out, though, that hard work has at least helped him to acquire three houses in his life so far. With his own hands, he built one at Mahaica, La Penitence and North East La Penitence.
Over the years, Knights worked with many different firms. “But I don’t work for long. I work for a short time while looking for a better paying security job. It has to do with the security firm you choose to work with. So you have to be smart about it,” he explained.
Security work, according to him, has its good side and its bad side. On the bad side, he said if something goes missing, the police would come for him. Furthermore, his life is also at risk in many cases.
Knights continues to enjoy every day of his life. “I don’t want to fight up behind anything or anyone. It’s time now for me to cool out and live my life until the master is ready for me.”
Knights loves to play music and look at television. “That is my fun when I knock off work,” he said.
By Telesha Ramnarine