Tractor operator fulfilling his dream

Ever since he was a child, 23-year-old Owen Merchant has always admired tractors and knew that one day, he would be able to operate one.

But for years he had difficulty finding someone to train him - that is until an operator finally gave him a chance two years ago.

"Mi deh pon a work and mi always admire the backhoe and stuff like that, suh mi deh there and watch the operator - young youth like mi self. Fi 'bout a week mi a watch him a duh the work until mi just guh to him and seh 'A long time mi wah learn fi duh dis enuh'," Merchant said. He said that the operator then told him to continue observing and learn all he could. Then one day the operator told him to put his observations into action.

"It was a Saturday and him seh to me seh 'Well a todeh a your day enuh. Mi a guh put yuh in a di tractor and see if yuh learn nothing'," Merchant said, adding that he was excited to finally be operating a heavy duty vehicle.

"Mi nah tell nuh lie, mi did kinda nervous. But it did feel good fi get the chance because a sumpn weh mi always want duh," Merchant explained.

Still, after that first chance, Merchant had difficulties getting consistent training, which led him to become very discouraged.

"From dah day deh mi never get fi guh inna a tractor for a good period a time, and mi did a look somebody fi train mi but it did difficult. People seh them aguh do it and seh mi fi link them, but when mi link them mi nuh get no answer. Whole heap a guh round thing gawn," Merchant explained. However that changed when a friend connected him with a veteran tractor operator.

"A youth leave di work because him seh them did a under pay him and mi just fill in a dah space deh and the elder start train mi. When the elder a train mi, him a seh 'No man yuh have a open mind to this because a you a di quickest youth mi ever teach','" Merchant said, adding that he was pleased to be catching on to the trade quickly.

Merchant told THE STAR that even though he was happy to be living his dream, it is not without its risks.

"Is a dangerous work, yuh really afi know weh yah duh, watch yuh surroundings and always mek sure seh yuh have an escape route," Merchant said. He recalled that in 2021, while working on a 30-foot retaining wall, it collapsed with him on it. Despite the frightening experience, that did not discourage Merchant from getting right back to work the following day.

"Every now and again yuh get a likkle shake up, something will happen weh yuh nuh expect. But mi love dis. Mi cah si miself a duh nothing else me. Right now, mi a work with excavators and mi wah learn more," Merchant said.

He is also working on upgrading his licence so that he can operate a vehicle on public roads if necessary.