By Michel Outridge

VILLAGERS of Clay Brick Road, Canal Number Two Polder, West Bank Demerara, are simple, everyday folk, who work hard to make ends meet.

The Pepperpot Magazine met an elderly resident, Sahadeo Ramillah, who was ‘taking some breeze’ at a shed in the village.

The wristwatch vendor/repairman
The 65-year-old stated that life for him is a bit rough, since he is unemployed as a result of the pandemic and has to depend on a few friends in the neighbourhood to support him financially.

Ramillah is a wristwatch vendor and repairman on Water Street, Georgetown, but has been unable to work since March 2, 2020.

“Right now I am not doing anything because of COVID-19. I can’t work, so I am at home most times and I decided to take a ride out on my bicycle and take some breeze then go back home,” he said.

Ramillah added that the shed under which he was sitting is a meeting place for locals, who would gather there for a chat but since the pandemic, people are afraid to socialise, so they are social-distancing.

He is a single parent with three grown children who live elsewhere and he is finding things to do to occupy his time.

The senior citizen stated that life at Clay Brick Road is simple and the people are hard workers, mostly farmers.

Ramillah said Clay Brick Road is one mile long and the entire access road for Canal Number Two is seven miles long.

Village elder
Meanwhile, the Pepperpot Magazine also met Ramlall Boodhoo, a retiree and a village elder, who is “taking it easy” in his golden years.

The 76-year-old stated that he has been in the village for the past 20 years and in his younger days he used to work hard to upkeep his wife and children.

The senior citizen added that he used to work at a rice factory at Harlem, West Coast Demerara, for many years until he retired.

The father of two pointed out that nowadays he tries to stay active by doing yard chores, but the cooking is done by his daughter-in-law who lives next door.

He resides alone and is being cared for by his eldest son, who has a wash bay.

“In my young days I worked very hard, so it’s time for me to relax now and I do get up for a brisk walk or do minor chores,” he said.

Back in the days, Boodhoo used to work at the Clay Brick Factory at the back of the village until it closed.

The greens/fruit vendor

The Pepperpot Magazine also encountered the village greens/fruits vendor, who plies his trade via a canter truck.

Kevin Mohan is a resident of Clay Brick Road and he has been vending via his canter truck for the past 10 years.

Most of the vegetables and fruits come from their farm, which is managed by his father.

The 28-year-old stated that vending is his only source of income and he would begin his trade from his village to Belle West and along Canal Number Two Polder Road.

“My father is the farmer and I do the selling of the produce from the farm, which includes citrus, greens and fruits,” he said.

Mohan reported that they have two canter trucks, but had to park one because of the economic situation due to COVID-19.

“Without the spending power people are not buying as before and business is not ‘bright,’ because a lot of people are not working,” he said.

The father of two pointed out that he would start selling at about 08:00hrs to midday. He usually drives and sell and does it alone, since he had to lay off his only employee.

“Before the virus I used to sell until night, but now I would return home just after midday daily,” he said.

On the farm they have only three employees because they had to lay-off 10 and they have a cultivation of 86 acres located in the backlands. When it is dry they would use the dam to access the farm, but when it rains they have to use a boat to get to the crops.

Mohan disclosed that on their farm they have healthy produce of seedless limes and they used to export 80,000 every week and got up to $35 per lime, but now it is selling at $15 each.

“It wasting away on the farm; when it drop from the trees we have to pay someone to pick it up because it damages the soil which is not good and we are not getting market for it,” he said.