No $$ for wedding

THE wedding of Cedros fisherman Awardnath Hajarie and his common-law wife Hermatie Sankar, carded for May 16, will most likely be delayed as the family says they have no money.

The couple’s son Nicholas Hajarie told Newsday that he and his father now have to struggle to find work as the pirogue they used to catch fish for their livelihood is still being kept by Venezuelan authorities, as the owner has not paid the fees to release it. Nicholas, 26, Awardnath, 52, and their friend Shammi Seepersad were arrested by Venezuelan Coast Guard on April 5 for fishing in Venezuelan waters.

After facing a Venezuelan court, the three were reprimanded and discharged. They returned home on Saturday after spending 16 days in Venezuela. Yesterday, Nicholas said while he and his father are elated to be back home, the struggle to find work has started. “We haven’t gotten the boat back and we don’t know when we will get it back because the owner has to send for it,” he said.

“So right now we have no boat to work and no way to make money so the wedding might be delayed.”

He said fishing is his main trade as he has been doing it for over 12 years. “Sometimes I might get a private job but for now we don’t have work and no money is coming in and we can’t afford to get our own boat so we stick right now. Remember is over two weeks we didn’t work cause we was across there.”