BUDRAM Tambarin is a resident of Plegt Anker Village, East Bank Berbice. He is a simple man who is a ‘jack of all trades’: a farmer, a mechanic and even a handyman around the house doing what needs to be done daily.
The 52-year-old doesn’t complain and is contented with life as is. Being a farmer is hard work, but he doesn’t mind because he is self-employed and can work at his own convenience.
That day when the team visited the village, Tambarin was in the process of fixing a motorcycle, a task he was familiar with.
“If I can fix my vehicle or motorcycle, I will do it, but if it is something I cannot handle, only then I take it to the workshop for the specialised mechanic to do the job,” he said.
He has been a resident of Plegt Anker Village for the past 20 years. He relocated from a small village along that road so his children could go to a nearby school within walking distance.
“I had a house a few villages away, but the distance for my children to go to school was very far and I wanted them to benefit from an education, so I had to move closer to a school. I left that house, a sibling is there renting it, and he is also a farmer,” he said.
Tambarin stated that life in that part of the country was not very bright but fair as a farmer, who is a father of four and grandfather of one.
He added that his wife was also a farmer, and she had her own cultivation aback of their house while he did his farming elsewhere.
With the children grown, he has the time to do many things and he takes his time in whatever he has to do to earn.
Tambarin told the Pepperpot Magazine that the rain was too much for his crops, and he was presently operating at a loss due to the flooding of the farmlands, but he was trying to cope with what was left.
He was, however, pleased with the government’s cash grant, which will enable him to re-start his farm, and he was promised some chickens which he will rear to make a living.
The farmer added that he would journey to New Amsterdam market to sell his produce, and he was cultivating 50 acres of ground provisions, plantains and bananas.
His wife has her farm of three acres cultivating cash crops and citrus.
“I like this village, but we need the basic things such as potable water, electricity and landlines plus a better road. With these things will improve for us living here because we have to leave this village and go to New Amsterdam to buy drinking water, that is, 18 miles away and you see the condition of this access road, the only way in and out,’ he said.
Bahakan Abraham, the elderly farmer
Bahakan Abraham is 69 years old and he is still going strong as a farmer and a family-oriented man.
Abraham told the Pepperpot Magazine that he is originally from Good Faith, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara, his mom’s village, but they relocated when his father acquired farmlands in Plegt Anker Village, East Bank Berbice.
He came to Plegt Anker Village as a nine-day-old baby and has been living there ever since, a place he likes very much since all his 10 children were born there.
Abraham disclosed that on May 13 this year, he celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary and it was a good time for himself and his wife, Lillie Sanicharie, who is very supportive of him.
The elder is also a farmer and has crops of ground provisions, pine, plantains and bananas in the backlands of the village.
Abraham stated that his parents have since moved away, and three of his five siblings also died. He explained that his only sister was shot and killed years ago, leaving behind four children.
He is the grandfather of 48 and great grandfather of 15, and of his 10 children, one has since passed away.
Abraham said he was very happy because he is surrounded by his children and their families.
