Troubling reports

Dozens of Barbadians whose lives were uprooted by the July 3 passage of Hurricane Elsa are now preparing to spend the holidays in welfare accommodation, as housing officials make slow progress with repairs and new houses.

In the meantime, however, there have been troubling reports of verbal and physical altercations at shelters across the island, which, in some instances have required police intervention and/or the expulsion of residents.

Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, Cynthia Forde, confirmed that the Frank Walcott Labour College at Mangrove St Philip, Codrington College in St John, the Sons of God Apostolic Church at Ealing Grove, Christ Church, and a few other locations were still being used as shelters. As the numbers of needy increase, Government is also resorting to using private houses, but the demand remains well beyond what they can supply.   

“People are being fed, and they are getting their vouchers, but of course there is nothing that would make you happier than being in your own home because you have your privacy and everything else. So on a day- to- day basis, that number is changing, so I can’t tell you off the top of my head how many people are in shelters,” Minister Forde told Barbados TODAY.

State agencies are providing meals, vouchers, toiletries and other necessities to the residents, who, to a large extent, are unemployed.

But a few have taken the goodwill for granted and, according to the minister, have chosen to be disruptive.

In fact, she revealed that police had been called into some institutions more than six times, with at least one serious incident occurring in the last three weeks.

“It is horrible, coming from one or two of them… So the police have to do what they have to do, and the owners of the property, as they are all Christian environments, generally will have to do the same if persons are cursing and fighting and all kinds of things, the same way as if you are at home,” she noted.

“Some people just don’t have any manners, and they behave there as they behave on the road and people have little children in there. The cursing and the carrying on, the threatening, that cannot work.

“If they were in my institution and that was the case, I would order them all out on the road because all they will do is destroy the reputation of the institution they are in and disrupt the lives of the people who are there as well,” she added.

At the Frank Walcott Labour College where 30 people are staying, residents were mostly complimentary of the hospitality extended from the Barbados Workers’ Union at the sprawling, well-manicured and breezy St Philip property.

Judith Phillips, 68, revealed that her house in Ebenezer, St Philip, had suffered extensive water damage when the roof blew off during the storm.

From her meticulous one-bedroom studio, Phillips explained that after spending some time at her daughter’s house, she eventually opted to accept the government-sponsored shelter. On her dresser was a small bible that survived the storm and has been helping her through the trying months.

“It’s not always easy because you worry. You study where you were and how you are now. It throws you off sometimes in terms of your mental state, but I try to stay focused, and I pray and ask God to help me, and I try to stay peaceable and comfortable,” Philips told Barbados TODAY.

“I know I won’t be home by Christmas, but I don’t worry because I have stayed by myself at Christmas before. I try to make everything clean and try to enjoy myself,” she added.

When contacted, Minister of Housing Dr William Duguid confirmed that with the ministry embarking on 540 house rebuilds, 650 repairs for more than 2,000 displaced people, many would spend Christmas away from their homes. 

“We’re pushing every day, but obviously it is a huge task as you would appreciate to get as many contractors mobilized and as many people’s houses repaired,” Duguid revealed.

“Those who requested materials have been a great success story, but the others who require the state to do the repairs or rebuilds, that’s taking longer,” he added. 

Shelter Coordinator at the Labour college complex Serena Browne admitted there have been numerous challenges over the last five months helping residents to co-exist peacefully with their new neighbours.

Shelter Coordinator at the Frank Walcott Labour College, Serena Browne

“People here definitely need to seek counselling. I think it’s a must for them, and not only the residents here, but the staff who work at the shelters,” said Browne.

“There are people who are here who really do not know how to deal with stress, who don’t know how to deal with anger management and that would be something that we can look at for everybody,” Browne added.

With nine children on the compound, administrators have been discussing the possibility of offering programmes for recreation, self confidence boosting and conflict resolution.

Another resident, Errol Mondore, whose home at Leadvale, Christ Church, was damaged, was forced to seek refuge alone at the BWU’s complex.

“I’m sorry that I’m not at home where I could do my own thing and feel better, but I respect everything that the labour college has done for me.”

Dave Bryan, 44 from Lyder’s Hill, St Philip, revealed that after months at the shelter with his girlfriend and two children, the beams on his new house are being cast and soon they expect to have a permanent home.

“Me and my family are a close-knit unit, so wherever we go, once we are together, everything is good. We may have our little ups and downs, but I can keep my corner, so I don’t have any problems with the people here,” he explained.

However, Shanice Prescod Henry, who lives at the shelter with her five-year-old son and boyfriend, is becoming restless. The family lost their Greg’s Farm, St Andrew house to land slippage, and since then, a new plot has been cleared, but there has been very little information from authorities.

“You may be on the outside looking in and saying that it’s fine and everything, but it’s not a bed of roses. I know things are being done slowly, but something needs to be done so that we can go to our homes. I know it’s just temporary, but this is not our home. We just want to go home,” the frustrated mother complained.

(kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb)