SATISH Prasad is now looking at becoming a full-time fisherman since losing his job.
The 45-year-old single Penang resident was earning $150 a week and had worked for the Fiji Sugar Corporation for 12 years.
He was a general labourer hand and was shocked when informed of his redundancy.
The FSC offered redundancy packages to 104 Penang mill employees last month after keeping them on the payroll for three years since the closure of the mill in Rakiraki following the devastation by Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston.
Mr Prasad was one of them.
“I feel bad until today that I don’t have a job,” he said.
Mr Prasad received $5000 as part of the package and he has spent about $500 out of this to buy fishing equipment.
“Fishing is also on and off and largely depends on the weather and I am not guaranteed a weekly income,” he said.
“I have been fishing for about 20 years and hopefully that will become my livelihood.”
Known affectionately as “Batlu” by close family and friends, he has a major concern now that he will be living on a hand-to-mouth basis.
“The cost of groceries is going up and I am worried my income won’t be able to sustain that in the years ahead.”
He intends to stay in Rakiraki.
