Small business thrives among the giants

“When we came here, there were only six other houses,” said Rosalind. Rosalind is in her late 50s and her family moved to the Extension when she was only ten. It is the parlour boasting an array of snacks in front of her house that initially drew Business Day to her. We went out among our community to find out how these small and micro level enterprises were doing, particularly with the presence of their new neighbours. Rosalind is sitting outside with two young girls.

In the yard are seven to eight sandbags, a reminder that this area, with the Caroni River mere feet away, is prone to floods.

The community’s development has been rapid, particularly now with the presence of the outsiders. Rosalind spoke of the old days, when there were no lights, or water to be had and the road was little more than a dirt track.

“Back then, if there was a flood, you would be afraid to go outside, especially at night, because of the snakes and the caimans,” she said.

Her little shop was closed when we visited. She invited us inside her home just behind to show that she was still engaged in clean-up operations from the passage of the tropical storm last week.

“Yes, it is good that they are here,” she said when we ask about the larger businesses, “The place bright now.” She also doesn’t mind the occasional purchase she gets from employees, though her son in law, who arrives some minutes later said they were not as many we might think.

A little way down is a variety store. It is air-conditioned and sells foodstuff, toys and clothing.

The man behind the counter sold a bottled water to an employee of Massy Communications just opposite. He is hesitant at first as he explained that his wife and sister were the persons who really deal with the business and he’d prefer if we speak to them, but he said that the presence of the larger concerns has generally been good, as they brought employment to the area.

Alicia didn’t agree. Alicia is a seller of soaps and creams who passes through the area regularly. She tried to pitch us her line of products as we offered her a drop back across the highway where she was heading. On the way, we saw one small eatery and another parlour. There was a line in front of the eatery. They looked like office staff from the surrounding buildings.

But it doesn’t seem as though they are as generous with Alicia.

“They don’t do anything,” she said shaking her head, frowning.

When we returned, we spoke to another parlour owner, this time just opposite the Camacho Brothers wholesalers.

He told us he has been there for 14 years and is grateful for any business he gets. His location is a little out of the way off the main flow of traffic though, and he told us that people were more likely to go to somewhere that was closer. Ultimately, he was glad, because even if it wasn’t him, it was someone else within the community benefitting.

His words give an indication of the kind of spirit that seems to govern the small neighbourhood, where cooperation is evident and entrepreneurship is clearly encouraged. In the young and the old.

Rose is short for Rozeena. She has a gift shop and an adjoining roti shop on Chanka Trace.

Rose as she preferred to be called has been in business since her late teens. She is now 38 and has decidedly moved beyond the one small table she told us she started with.

“Yes, it is good that the other businesses are here you know,” she told us, “Because people walk down the street, they see the shop, they will stop and look and they will buy.” She thought however that the businesses could do more to help with problems such as flooding.

Meanwhile, there is the larger than life “Bossman” just a few houses down on the corner. Bossman rents out part of his building to a Chinese restaurant. His own grocery and general goods store sits next to it and his home, upstairs.

Those in the immediate vicinity of the interview as it is going on agree that he is something of a neighbourhood ‘live wire’.

“If I close here for a day, they would miss me,” he said.

Bossman is in favour of the larger businesses in the area, saying he has definitely benefitted from their presence.

As we leave, we turn down the corner. A group of young men outside another home, sell limes, $10 a bag.