By Naomi Parris

DUE to the continued economic effects resulting from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, many organisations have been forced to either temporarily dismiss some of their staff or cut their pay.

Unfortunately, 29-year-old Rhinold Cameron was one of those employees who were temporarily dismissed from their jobs. Cameron however, who was a flight attendant employed by LIAT Airlines, flipped the switch and started his own delivery business ‘Cameron’s Fast Carriers,’ to provide for himself and family.
He noted that the idea was birthed during the period when persons were advised to self-quarantine. “While I was there locked away in Barbados for three months before being repatriated back to Guyana, like most other people my mind was toying with what can I possibly do as a business venture as a means of gathering income when I get home,” he said.

He added that he had come up with several ideas; however, the idea of owning his own delivery service seemed like a good idea, especially since at that time there was a growing need for delivery services across the country.

“There was a growing need for delivery, even the fact that people weren’t able to leave their homes, so I said you know what, I can work on this one,” he said.
At the beginning of his business venture, Cameron noted that Guyana at the time had only two major delivery services; however, soon after the lockdown was implemented, several other businesses rose up and took the delivery business by storm which made it hard for him when he arrived on the scene.
“Being away for that three months actually put me on the back burner for the bit in terms of getting myself on the market before others came along,” he said.
Coming back home and having to integrate himself into the market, he said, has been a challenge; however, he is grateful for the support he has been receiving thus far from his partners and customers.

A family tradition

Cameron, who grew up in an aviation family, noted that he had always wanted to pursue a career in the aviation field, but he ventured off into the world of computer science and communications, but given his background when the opportunity presented itself, he made no second guesses and took the leap.
“Most of my male family members, including my fatherA worked in the aviation sector. My grandfather was a manager at Guyana airways, so I was always around aviation- [and a] flight attendant [was] one of the things I wanted to do earlier; [being a] pilot [was] the second thing,” he said.
When Cameron pursued an education at the tertiary level, he studied computer science and communication studies, holding a degree in both courses from the University of Guyana.

He had initially planned to further his career within the technology and computer world; however, life had other plans and he found himself in the communications sector which he had a passion for.

While those careers seemed fit for him, he found his way back to his first love, aviation, and had applied for a job with Fly Jamaica when the airline first commenced operations in Guyana back in 2013; however, he was unable to get the job because of one requirement — the ability to swim.
Despite being “bummed,” five years later Cameron gave the aviation field another shot and applied for a job at LIAT.

Within some months, Cameron disclosed that he had missed a phone call from a strange number from Antigua and was baffled as to who would be calling him from that island; he later found out that it was LIAT’s representatives trying to make contact with him.
“I returned that call early a Friday morning to them and they were like, ‘Yes, I was trying to get on to you, we want to invite you to Antigua on the Monday morning for an interview,’”

Although he was nervous, Cameron noted that he walked into the interview with all the confidence in the world. He soon after returned to Guyana and whilst waiting for his call back for the second phase of the interview, tragedy struck.

On the very day he received that call for his second interview, he lost his beloved grandmother,
Struck with grief at what was supposed to be an exciting time in his life, Cameron made his way to the airport in tears, trying to keep his composure for the interview in Antigua. He weathered the storm, but was unable to hold his grief back and broke down during the interview.
He soon after returned home and was in the midst of funeral preparations when he received a confirmation call that he had got the job.
Cameron, who had been stationed in Barbados for the last two years, noted that he would return home at every chance he got to be with his fiancé and two children.
Despite the glories and adventures of the job, Cameron noted that it has been difficult for him as he would be away from his family and would often miss a few precious moments. Nevertheless, he made the best of the situation and would video chat with his family as much as he could while he was away working.
He stated that with his new business venture he has been able to spend much more time with his family. As such, his decision at the time is unclear if he will return to aviation.