By Michel Outridge

Sabita Rambhajue is a single mother of two, who is self-employed and works from home, selling home-made plantain and cassava chips, ice, icicle and cold beverages.

She related that she was married for 21 years but separated from her spouse and is a resident of Old Road, Le Destin, East Bank Essequibo.

“Around here everybody minds their own business and goes about their normal daily activities and it is a quiet and peaceful place to live,” she said.

When the team met Rambhajue she had just finished making some plantain and cassava chips with mango sour (sauce with mango and pepper) on her fireside.

She added that when the chips get cold she would place it in plastic bags after which it would be sealed for sale.

“Being home I does make ice and icicles and sell too because I have to time and it brings in money into the home and I don’t have to work with people,” she said.

Rambhajue stated that she also sells non-alcoholic beverages, from her home and her children, both grown would assist in these chores.

She explained that with school out her son is at home and her daughter is home, as well, from work because of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic and would work about a day or two per week.

“Because of the staff rotation system, the workplace doesn’t want a mass gatherings of too many staff working at the same time, a strategy to offset the impact of COVID-19,” she said.

Rambhajue told the team that her family is observing the 9-day Navratri observance and they will be fasting with no meat and her children were upstairs preparing a meal of rice with fried calaloo.

She reported that the Old Road has a few houses and everyone is related except a few and it is a community of mostly Muslims, a mosque is in the village.

The Pepperpot Magazine also spoke to Rudolph Chintamani, who operates an internet café owned by his wife at Public Road, Le Destin, East Bank Essequibo.

S.F and L Internet Café, Wireless Tech and Accessories offers services in photocopying, printing, browsing, laminating, and internet calls.

Chintamani explained that the business is only opened from 15 to 20:00hrs because he has a day-time job at the Tuschen Health Centre as a dental technician and when he is off-duty he would manage that business.

“Most times school children would visit to utilise the services and some people would come to make internet calls which are relatively cheap,” he said.

With the business place situated right at his house, it is convenient for him and he seems quite comfortable providing a service to the community.

It is also the only such small business in Le Destin.

“Right now things are a bit slow but we still open and try to keep our door open for business and that’s why I cannot employ anyone so I do it myself,” he said.