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Living in Belize, Pt. 5
By Jane Goodwin | August 14, 2007
More interesting day-to-day life with Mr. and Mrs. John Madeira in their Belize home!
“We have been using various contractors for various tasks around the house. We have used block layers, cement workers, plasterers, cutters and bush hog operators. The workers are hard to find because of lack of skill and lack of transportation. We used cement workers and block layers to build a storeroom in the lower area and small wall around our deck. We used plasterers and some cement workers to plaster the outside of the house. We use cutters, a hard worker that knows how to use a machete, for keeping back the rainforest. The bush hog operators merely drive a tractor that pulls a huge brush cutter. Approximate rates are as follows:
Cutters $15 US per day
Bush hog operators (everything included, tractor, fuel, labor) $15 US per hour
Plasterers $4 US per hour (This is the high side of the rate)
Cement and block people $3 US per hour
We are always being asked if we need cutters but until recently, no one has shown up. The cutters are amazing. They can clear large areas very fast and stack everything for burning. I have noticed that they stop to sharpen their machetes every hour. They encounter swarming ants, bees, mosquitoes, snakes, large spiders, other biting bugs and whatever the weather brings, be it heat or rain. This is a tough job! They earn their $15 dollars US per day!
The bush hog man finally arrives.
The bush hog can make quick work of clearing the quick growing plants and trees. The cutters have to follow to get close to trees that will remain, fences that are in place, or to hack down some trees up to 5” in diameter which the bush hog chokes on.
The bush hog operator sits on top of a tractor. The bush hog is a set of huge steel blades partially enclosed that is driven by the tractors engine. When the operator enters the area to be cleared, the wall of weeds, trees and plants are 12 to 18 ft high. The force of the tractor knocks down some of the smaller trees but a lot of the overhanging vines and weeds hit the body and head of the hatless operator.
They should definitely build a cage around the operator’s seat. The ripping of the vines and groaning of the tractor’s engine can be heard from a distance as the bush hog moves through the area. Every now and then a terrible loud clanking sound is heard as a large rock is encountered. The upkeep on these things must be sizeable!”
Our readers are fascinated by your saga, Mr. Madeira, and we here at Heading to Retirement thank you once again!
Sphere ItTopics: Culture, Prices, Belize, Travel / Relocation, Lifestyle, Destinations, Real Estate, Money and Taxes, Retirement Overseas |
