This week’s Stabroek Business Fruits and Vegetables Personality is Joodnauth Bissesar aka Cecil. At 67, Cecil is currently in his fourth decade as a fruit and vegetables vendor. He plies his trade at the Hydronie Parika Market, East Bank Essequibo. During the 1970’s Cecil made regular shopping trips to Port Kaituma aboard the MV Kimbia, accompanied in those days by his Father-In-Law Vernon Sukra, to purchase ginger and eddoes for resale at the Stabroek Market. Sometimes the inward journey was made by aircraft.
Time was when the Cecil sold plantains and ground provision to buyers exporting to to the Caribbean and North America. There was a period too when he sold ground provision, plantains and ginger to the Guyana Marketing Corporation. (GMC).
Prior to himself and Veronica, his wife of forty seven years, doing business at the Hydronie Parkia Market, they operated stalls at the Ferry Stelling and at various spots along the Parika road.
Its been a rough few weeks, Cecil says. Wholesalers have jacked up their prices to the extent where, over the past month he has had to go into overdrive to meet his stall rent. Last Sunday was a ‘rough day’ for Cecil. The day’s trading yielded just two thousand dollars.
It is, however, not the easiest of tasks to suddenly have to ‘change gears’ from a pursuit that has been his ‘living’ for most of his life. Cecil, therefore, is resigned to continue to provide this service, ensuring that his customers continue to have access to the best quality of produce that he can offer.
Cecil has three children and ten grandchildren and is awaiting the imminent arrival of his first Great Grandchild.
