He has spent his life fishing in the waters of the Columbus Channel and now, at the age of 86, Khadir Baksh is facing a life of darkness.Baksh, a distant relative of former Works minister Sadiq Baksh, is fast losing his vision because of cataract. He lives in a shack at the Gran Chemin beach in Moruga, and he is recognised as the oldest fisherman there.However, although he is well respected by the people in the area, Baksh has never known the comforts of modern living.His shack has no running water or electricity. The only appliance is an old stove, given to Baksh by his daughter Brenda, who lives in the United States. When night falls, Baksh sleeps on a piece of hard wood, covered by a thin sponge.
He has grown accustomed to the sound of the waves and intermittent rain, which gushes through the gaping holes in his roof. He has no toilet. Whenever he wants to defecate, Baksh hobbles down the beach with his walking stick to find a quiet spot. He then washes off in the sea.Despite his battle with arthritis, Baksh remains content."I don't think I want to move from here. I good right here. I have seen many fishermen grow up on the beach and when they leave, they die. I want to live a little bit longer, so is here I am staying," Baksh said, giving a toothy grin.Slouched on a chair, Baksh said he was born in 1927 at California, Couva. As a young child, he migrated to Cedros and began working on the seas.
"Fishing back then was nice. Fishermen used to get ten cent per pound of fish. Now they getting big money," Baksh said. Years later, he journeyed to Gran Chemin and settled down. He purchased his shack for $2,000 and devoted his life to the sea."I remember the times when we would pull up 3,000 pounds of fish. It had no trawlers or seismic surveys then. We could afford to fish then," he said. Baksh trained many young people in the art of fishing. He also taught them how to mend boats and nets.Because he never got married, Baksh continues to depend on his neighbours to take care of him.
Facing a life of darkness
"I stopped fishing about six years ago. It just became too hard for me to go on the sea. The fishermen from Moruga bring back fish for me," Baksh said, pointing to a pot, filled with fish and rice.
He also showed off gallons of water which he uses to drink."When I want to wash my clothes, I go to the stand pipe but most times the young boys will bring back bottles of water for me," Baksh said. He explained that nobody, including the former minister, ever offered him help."I don't think anybody will come and build a toilet for me. I never wanted to move. The fresh air here is what is keeping me alive," Baksh said. He revealed, however, that within recent times his eyesight has been failing because of cataract."If they could do something to save my sight, I will be happy. This is all I need," Baksh said. He said he has never gone to his family for help. He has never seen his only grandson, whose name he doesn't know.
Sadiq willing to assist
When former minister Sadiq Baksh was contacted, he admitted he was a distant relative to Baksh.He said he was willing to help the fisherman if he wanted assistance.
'Pensioners suffering whenhealth centre closes'
Robert Boodram, a resident of Moruga, called on Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan to make the Moruga Health Centre open on a 24-7 basis. Boodram said too many pensioners were suffering. He said the centre did not have an ambulance driver, and anyone who falls ill on weekends or after working hours had difficulty getting to the Princes Town Hospital. Efforts to contact Khan were unsuccessful as calls to his cellphone went answered.