By Francine Black, Staff Reporter

Mixing cement is one of the every-day duties on a construction site. - Ricardo Makyn

_{THE STAR today continues one of its latest features A DAY AS A ... Our reporters will spend time doing jobs such as garbage collecting, vending and farming. If you didn't before, now you will know what it's like to be in these jobs. Reporter Marlon Vickerman spent his day as a construction worker in Portmore, St Catherine.}

Constructing a building can be a heavy and dirty job, especially if you do not have the skills to do it. That is what I found out last Thursday when I spent the day as a construction worker.

I arrived at the work site in Congreve Park, Portmore, St Catherine at 9:15 a.m. and immediately Michael Harris, the senior project manager/chief engineer and my supervisor for the day, quickly called a meeting and introduced me to my co-workers.

"You reach just in time, we are going for some cement," Harris said as I was set to work. I hopped into a pick-up and drove to a house nearby where I was instructed to load 14 bags of cement into the vehicle.

I bravely stepped up to the first bag and summoned all my strength but I just could barely move it. Thankfully Humming Bird, a workman, recognised that and helped me to carry some of the bags while he carried the rest by himself.

We then drove back to the site where, Duppy, another workman and Humming Bird off-loaded the vehicle. When we finished, it was time for me to learn the thing I dreaded the most, mixing cement. With some aggregate already spread out, I was told to pour some cement unto it. After that we mixed them together, made a heap, and added water.

I had to then shovel the mixture into buckets for it to be taken closer to the other workmen, who were busy using it to rough cast the outer walls of the house.

Francine helps a fellow construction worker carry a bag of cement. - Ricardo Makyn

While I was working on my task, a radio, which provided music to keep the team entertained throughout the day, was set up. It was vital to help the work load seem lighter

During one of the many breaks that I would take throughout the day, I learnt what was to be my lunch. "Yuh eat chicken back," Duppy asked me.

"Yes. Why yuh ask?," I replied.

"Because that is what I was planning to cook today with some dumpling," he said.

It was during our 10 a.m. break while I was having some syrup, that one of the men went to the shop to buy the much anticipated food.

At 11 a.m. the food arrived and Duppy, also the chef for the day, set about cooking. Harris also left for a while leaving strict instructions for the men to ensure that I worked

At 12:30 p.m. the food was almost done but the heat of the midday sun began to make me sleepy.

At 1 p.m., the food was finally finished and I was given my two dumplings and curry chicken back to eat. All the other workmen got their containers and gathered around the pot to collect their food. We 'washed down' the food with some more syrup, which I drank from a cup made by cutting a plastic bottle in half.

We waited a few minutes for our food to digest and then it was back to work. Duppy and Humming Bird started to mix more cement and then told me to start carrying the mixture to the work areas for the men to continue rough casting the walls.

This was a difficult task, but the men tried to make the buckets lighter by only putting two shovels filled with the mixture into my bucket. Nonetheless, the buckets were heavy and I continuously felt like I was getting cuts on my hands because of the burning sensation.

Despite their heavy task the workmen seemed to have become somewhat bored and decided to trouble Harry Don, a quiet dreadlocked mason on the site. He also happens to be an aspiring singer and had earlier serenaded me with one of his original tunes. They told him that another man, who had stopped on the site, was saying that he was wearing a nightie or a slip on his head. "Hey Harry, him say a wha kinda nightie dat or slip dat yuh a wear pan yuh head?" one worker teased.

After ignoring them for a time, Harry couldn't take it anymore and finally responded. "Mi live inna mi owna house, a addition mi a put on now.... A my money buy mi underpants and if me waan wear it pan my head, mi wi wear it pan my head," he said, much to the amusement of the other men.

After listening their jokes and carrying cement for several minutes I took another break. While I was resting Harris returned close to 4 p.m.. At this point I bid farewell to the team reflecting on a fun yet hard day of work.

Members of the construction team, whom I worked with on Thursday take time out to pose for the camera. From left, front row, Branford Scarlette, senior carpenter, Michael Harris, senior project manager, and workmen, Humming Bird, Joel, Harry Don and Duppy. In the back are Jerry Brown and the senior mason Orrette 'Glen' Noyan, while stooping are Brown Man, Red Bull and Blacks. - Francine Black