Brandon Gopaul is the man to fix fishermen's engines

Moruga supplies a significant amount of fish to fill the country's needs. The pirouges used by the fishermen are powered by engines that can range from 75hp (horse power) to 200hp. Engines are expensive and can cost upwards of $35,000 per unit depending on the horsepower and brand.

Brandon Gopaul, 52, is a boat engine mechanic and resides on La Ruffin Road, La Ruffin. His garage is opposite the La Ruffin Port, a river port at the River of Hope, accessed by over 100 fishing boats. It is also next to the fishing facility. His father, Balroop "Mr Hennessy" Gopaul, was a fisherman and there began Brandon's journey.

The younger Gopaul said, "I've been fishing with my father since I was 16 years old. He would repair his own engine and he got good at it. From there we started to do it for others."

As he told his story, his hands were busy repairing a 75hp engine for a man who came from Guayaguayare. While he worked, he was surrounded by other boat engine owners who were waiting patiently to have their engines diagnosed. Some came from as far as Claxton Bay, 52km (of mostly winding road) away. One boat owner from San Fernado said, "He is one of the best and I just came to see what the problem is. He will open up the engine and once it can be fixed, I will go and get the part."

Gopaul said, "Boat parts are very expensive and the nearest place to get them is either in Marabella or on St Vincent Street, Port of Spain. People come from Guayaguayare, Cedros, Woodland and many other places come to get their engines serviced. There is one other guy who repairs engines. He is in Grand Chemin (another village in Moruga) but he recently got a stroke and isn't doing much work again. The next possible place to repair your engine would be in Marabella. Due to the covid (restrictions) I don't stay down by the garage everyday again. I work by appointments."