SHANTI Sugrim is a resident of #68 Village Carnarvon, Upper Corentyne, Berbice and she has a roadside shop which is supported by the locals.

The 61-year-old is a family-oriented woman who spends her days tending to the shop and her three grandchildren, including twin boys.

She is the owner of Ramkissoon and Daughter Shop and is the mother of one — a daughter — and described life in the countryside village as being quiet and peaceful.

Her husband is a rice farmer and he was away in the rice field tending to crops.

Sugrim doesn’t have any neighbours and she likes it that way and would pretty much keep to herself, since she has a lot to do, including cooking.

She was residing in another part of the village, but moved to the roadside property 11 years ago, so she lived in the village for 36 years in total and she is accustomed to life in slow motion.

Sugrim is originally from Skeldon and relocated to #68 Village after marriage.

“I would hardly go out because she takes care of her ill 85-year-old mother-in-law and I am not comfortable leaving her home alone,” she said.

The barber/shop owner
A stone’s throw away, over the road is the home and business place of Mukesh Bridgemohan, the local barber and shop owner.

The barber also works as a rice mill employee and a carpenter and has two children and a wife, who are overseas.

“Living alone is nice until you have to do all the work, but my sister would come by to help with the household chores and I am happy for the assistance,” he said.

Bridgemohan reported that the country life isn’t fast-paced, so he is accustomed to that, but it gets too slow at times and since the pandemic things have been challenging.

His small business is called Wire Barber Shop and a small shop adjoins the same building and he would operate both when he is not working outside the home.

Bridgemohan used to have a barbershop on the public road, but relocated to his house after he was unable to pay the rent for the place he was renting.

The pensioner
In the back street is the home of Lakhan Ramdeholl, who is doing some repairs to his house.

The 79-year-old is a very pleasant man who was once a rice farmer and is the father of five.

He is a pensioner and resides with his wife, their dogs and a few animals.

Ramdeholl has been residing in #68 Village since 1974, when he acquired a plot of land and a few houses away is his father’s rice mill, which is operated by his sibling.

Even after all these years after he expended thousands of dollars, he is in receipt of the transport for the land he is occupying and he is pleased.

Ramdeholl said life is fair and although he is a victim of five break-ins at his home, he is trying to stay safe and has installed some solar lights.

One time he had saved up $300,000 to repair and paint his house and had secured the money in his house and one night a bandit came into his house and took it.

These days he is not worried about anything because of his golden age and has given up rearing cattle.

His wife, Maharanie Ramdeholl, 72, has a few cows and she would take care of them.

The couple had already completed chores and had prepared a meal of rice, dhal, fried ochro with shrimp and was deciding on a dinner menu.

The pig farmer
Just opposite to their house is the home of their neighbour, Donna Jones, a mother of one, who has been living in the village for the past 20 years.

The 59-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that she has some pigs and chickens and she would stay at home to tend to them and care for her ailing mother.

She reported that life is simple, even though she is not benefitting from electricity, but at least she has enough yard space to rear pigs to earn.

Jones is from Skeldon, but grew up with her grandparents in #68Village, her current residence and is the only Afro-Guyanese in that part of the village, but has good relations with her neighbours.