FOR the past 22 years, Margaret Smith has been preparing meals for passengers on board the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) MV Kimbia, where she is in charge of the canteen.

This spritely and energetic lady is always up for a ‘gaff’ and given her effervescent personality, she is quite pleased to provide a service to the people by preparing sumptuous meals and snacks while on board the vessel.

Smith, who is 64 years old, got started when she was asked by regional officials to prepare meals and when it was time for her to leave they didn’t want her to.

“I started through the region. They asked me to do a job for them within the region and when it was time to leave, it was a problem. May 10, 2019, marks 22 years I been on this ship cooking in the canteen,” Smith said.

The mild-mannered Smith has two helpers in the canteen, but she is the cook and whenever the ship sets sail she is there to prepare meals of choice for passengers.

“I do all the cooking in this canteen where we sell snacks such as plantain chips, biscuits, beverages and foods like cook-up-rice, vegetables, chowmein, fish and chicken and chips. I also prepare vegetarian foods for non-meat eaters and whatever else is requested by passengers,” she said.

Although Smith did not receive any formal training in cooking she can meet the demands of customers in the preparation of almost any meal.

“I grew up in a house where cooking was a ‘big thing,’ so I learned quickly and was able to handle myself in a kitchen and I cook for a lot of people including, ministers and others,” Smith said.

As regards the long journey via the ferry, Smith said that most passengers know what they are in for and they come prepared to endure the trip.

“I really don’t have to do this job, but I do it because I like to provide a proper service to people on this ship, because they didn’t have such a service before and it is my duty to satisfy customers,” Smith said.

She explained that at her age she should not be on a ship working, but she is accustomed to hard work and does not mind being in charge of the ship’s canteen at all, since it gives her something worthwhile to do, that is, serving people.

“I am humble and I like to see people well fed and that gives me the will to continue and I really like it,” Smith said.

On board the MV Kimbia, Smith is also hailed as a hero, because she assisted crew members in the safe delivery of two babies on two separate occasions.

“Well they had nobody that could have done it and they call upon me to assist and I did my best to help. Right on this boat, we get a room upstairs and we deliver the baby, but on the last occasion I couldn’t end it, even though I started the process,” she said.

The second birth was a difficult one, where the mother went into labour since about 23:00hrs that night, but she advised the crew members to allow the mother to rest that evening and the baby was delivered at 07:00hrs the following morning.

She was happy to report that both babies and their mothers are doing well.