By Michel Outridge 

Drupattie Somariah is taking care of 40 dogs in Bushy Park, East Bank Essequibo and is a resident of Tuschen, also on East Bank Essequibo, a few villages away.

She has been tasked with caring for the pets, who belong to an overseas based-Guyanese, who resides in England.

She is an animal activist, who takes care of stray dogs and would also feed street dogs.

Somariah was left to care for the dogs in Bushy Park where she would visit the premises daily to cook two large pots of food for the dogs and clean up then leave for her residence.

The next day, she would repeat the routine, she is being paid to do by the animal activist but with the coronavirus (COVID-19) there is a lock-down in England so the woman is unable to send money here.

As such, Somariah has put a hold on feeding street dogs because funds are done and she is ‘hanging in by threads’.

The mother of three stated that she is scared to leave her house because of the coronavirus but has to work since her husband is ill and she is tasked with supporting the family until he can work.

“My children are 9, 11 and 13 years old and they are staying at home and I took the decision to come out and work in an effort to feed the family and had on a makeshift mask make out of a jersey,” she explained.

Somariah told the team that she is trying to finish her chores to leave for home for 1pm where she has to cook and do other household duties since her husband is 60 years old and very unwell.

“It is simple, stay home and starve or come out and work to feed my family”, she said.

The mason of Bushy Park
The Pepperpot Magazine also met Anthony Atwell, a mason, who moved to Bushy Park, three months ago.

When the team went to his doorstep he was in a hammock taking rest before he returned to work, right in the village, where they are constructing a house.

He had returned home on his bicycle for lunch and was taking a rest before he re-joined a group of men, who are also working to build a new house in Bushy Park.

“I am originally from Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara but I take a girl from here and I moved to this village where we reside in this cottage and things are ok, so far,” he said.

Atwell added that the place is very quiet and the people mind their own business and it is not a normal time now but they are trying to overcome things but staying positive and praying,” he said.

He however, apologised he couldn’t chat longer because he had to rush back to work and hurriedly left via his bicycle for the worksite, a short distance away.

“I came home for lunch and after that I fell asleep is when you called I jump up and now I late so I got to hurry back to work but I sorry I can’t talk more,” he explained.

Atwell however, was kind enough to cut some lemon grass from his yard and give the team to make tea to fight the coronavirus.