By Michel Outridge

In Kuru Kuru Village, residents became multi-skilled overnight to put bread on the table for their families. That is, they have to do more than one job to meet the financial expenses of the household.

One of the jobs done by locals is coal-mining. This occupation provides an income for residents such as Darshan Dookram, who is also a farmer and a block maker.

This resident of Kuru Kuru Village, Soesdyke/Linden Highway told the Pepperpot Magazine that coal-mining is a technical task that requires some form of knowledge and it entails long hours of hard labour.

“This is not a job you can just come and do it, just so, it wouldn’t be easy because you have to know what you are about or you will be in trouble,” he said.

Dookram explained that coal-mining is a lengthy process but he does it anyway because he has no other choice.

First, he would gather waste wood from the nearby sawmills and he would fetch it to his home. Waste wood consists of the ends of wood that are usually discarded.

There, he would dig a pit, three feet by five feet, and lay beams of solid wood after which the wood ends acquired from the sawmills would be placed on top of the beams, from large to small.

Dookram added that then branches would have to be cut from trees to cover the wood and it would be ignited causing the wood to be baked not burnt to ashes.

He related that this part of coal-mining is tedious because you have to turn over the wood to ensure it doesn’t burn and check it constantly to make sure the wood is properly baked.

The 49-year-old disclosed that the process lasts overnight and run into days depending on how much wood was placed in the pit.

He stated that after the coal-mining process is completed after 14 days the coals are placed in a salt-bag and sold for $700 per bag.

“If you know what you are doing you can speed up the coal-mining process by four days because it takes 14 days to completely bake the wood,” he said.

Dookram told the Pepperpot Magazine that a lot of people are into coal-mining because it brings in an income to the home and they need it.

“This is a side hustle and it is not easy work facing the fire and heat but I have to do it because of my family,” he said.

The resident admitted that the demand for coals is there but the process takes time and he does it when he has the time because as a skilled mason/carpenter he also does those jobs that are required in that area.

Dookram pointed out that for one to have a roadside stand selling coals, permission from authorities must be granted which is a lengthy undertaking so often it is sold from their homes.

He reported that some residents have a more modern operation for coal-mining in the form of a kilt pit but the process takes the same 14 days to fully complete.

According to Dookram, coal-mining incurs a cost because he has to source salt-bags, wood and other materials to make the process possible.

He stated that at times they have to buy wood and that in itself is costly and the profit isn’t attractive.

Dookram is originally from North West District Region One (Barima-Waini) and left his home village in search of work and a better life and relocated to Kuru Kuru where he is eking out an honest living.

He has been living in the community for the past 23 years and said it wasn’t easy relocating because he had to start from scratch to build a house.

The father of six pointed out that simple necessities such as reliable potable water can make life better for villagers.

He explained that when they have the dry season like they do now, the lack of water causes the crops to die and they are forced to buy water which costs $3,000 for a black tank.

Dookram added that a regular bottle of drinking water is $350 and it puts an unnecessary strain on his pockets.

He also has a farm in his backyard which is for home use and the excess is sold or given away.

“We are normal people here trying to earn but we need water to do many things and without that, there is only so much we can do,” he said.