Hustling honestly for a living
Amarnauth Latchman and Balgobin liming at Parika Junction on their push-carts awaiting customers
Amarnauth Latchman and Balgobin liming at Parika Junction on their push-carts awaiting customers

-The push-cart operators of Parika

PARKED :Push-carts in the vicinity of Parika Ferry Stelling

STRUGGLING against the difficulties of unemployment being faced in their communities, manual push-cart operators at the Parika Junction, East Bank Essequibo have echoed the need to be respected and treated fairly since it is an honest job.
The Pepperpot Magazine visited Parika and spoke with several manual push-cart operators about how they use this simple form of manual labour to support themselves and family.

RESPECT US
Balgobin, also called “Chinee” is unmarried and chooses to support himself by operating a manual push cart to fetch heavy materials from place to place for various customers. He told the Pepperpot Magazine that he is often looked down upon due to his choice of work.
He related that many people would view him with a hint of scorn because he is a manual labourer, but stated that his choice to undertake this profession came five years ago when he was unable to get a regular job.

This 36-year-old explained that the job is not easy and has its troubles, such as braving the weather and having to put up with people who sometimes do not want to pay for his services.
The Parika resident said that there is stiff competition as well because there are others doing the same job and it is the ‘real hustle’.

HARD LABOUR
Balgobin’s day starts at 06:00hrs and ends at 17:00hrs and he earns enough to feed himself for the day at times, while on other days, he doesn’t make much.
He confessed that the job can be quite fatiguing because he doesn’t have a donkey or horse to aid him in carrying heavy loads which require some effort to get going.
Balgobin said that while he is not ashamed of his job, some people treat him with disdain and that should not be because he is earning honestly and is a law-abiding citizen who is contributing to society.

STRESS RELIEF
Even though he admits to a bit of a “drinking problem” Balgobin explained that he is not an alcoholic but because of his frustrations, he would indulge at times with his fellow push-cart operators when there is no work.
As a result, he related that some people have since branded them as ‘rummies’ which is quite disrespectful since he believes that having a drink with his friends is of no harm to anyone.
Balgobin added that if he is fortunate to get a good job he will take it, but for now he has settled and is holding on to his job until such time.

IT IS WHAT IT IS
His colleague, Lennox Roberts told the Pepperpot Magazine that he started the job just six months ago when he suffered a setback as a vegetable vendor right at the Parika Junction, near the stelling.
He said that some days, business was so bad he had to throw out rotten vegetables because people were not buying any and he decided to do something else.
The 49-year-old stated that the job is ‘back-breaking’ since it is often a difficult task to manually push the often-heavy cart from one point to another while also navigating the busy stelling which is filled with minibuses travelling to and from the Parika Junction.

A MAN’S JOB
He said, “This wuk is not for boys, it is a man’s job which is strenuous and hard because when the sun is out you get to know how strong you are pushing heavy bags among other things.”

Lennox Roberts on his push-cart in front of Flat Shop at Parika

Roberts of Façade, Parika said there are about 100 push-cart operators in the area and everyone has to fend for themselves to get customers and that in itself is an effort.
He invested $60,000 to build a wooden cart large enough to accommodate an ample load of goods or whatever needs to be carried.
“This work is nuff fight down among push-cart men and often there is bickering but at the end of the day, we all does sit down and gaff but you got to fight for yourself or you do not earn,” Roberts said. “It is a job at the end of the day. We earn like everybody else and it is honest and we don’t thief, so treat us with respect like how you would want people to treat you.”

As for Amarnauth Latchman, the job is so difficult that being in the blazing sun caused one of his colleagues to get “strokes”, he collapsed, causing him to not work anymore.
Latchman told the Pepperpot Magazine that only when the Transport and Harbours Department ferry is working they get jobs to carry bags for a small sum.
Each push-cart is outfitted with a license number and a name and they each have to pay revenue of $500 every six months and when they use the stelling they have to pay $140 each to traverse for the day as a ‘pass’.

Michel Outridge photos saved in a folder in Graphics as Push-Carts.

 

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