Quake fear for family living in car

Valdeen Shears

Desperate and homeless, a family of six, including a toddler and a 10-year-old girl, living with full blown sickle cell anemia, (a blood disorder), experienced Tuesday's 6.9 earthquake huddled together in the family's Nissan B13 car.

They are now pleading with government to assist them with somewhere to live, so they can stop squatting.

Chinel Francis, Christopher George and their four children are facing homelessness for the second time in two weeks.

Last week, after living in a one-room wooden structure at Cashew Gardens, Chaguanas for three months, the couple was visited by workers of the Land Settlement Agency (LSA) and the police.

The structure was torn down and the couple ordered not to rebuild. The family's household items were gathered together at a neighbour's home, while they slept in the car.

However, George said after the earthquake and fearing for his family's safety, he decided to rebuild. They did so on Thursday evening,

On Friday morning, the family locked themselves and their children, into the structure when they saw that workers from the LSA, along with several uniformed police officers had returned.

Nevertheless, the structure was once again torn down. The material represented a fortnight's salary for the troubled mother, who works as a security officer.

Francis, though, queried if government agencies do not network to assist those in desperate situations.

"I wanted to ask them if they couldn't send us to anyone or refer our case to the Housing Ministry, so that we could get help. I know it was a chance we were taking but we really didn't know where else to go or who to turn to. Have you never felt hopeless, never felt desperate, especially when you have your children asking you where we sleeping mammy?" asked a tearful Francis shortly after the demolition of the one-room structure.

The couple spoke of recent months of hardship and desperation, which eventually saw them squatting at Cashew Gardens.

Francis explained why they felt compelled to re-build the structure.

"We have nowhere else to go. My husband became even more desperate after the earthquake. It was a really frightening experience for those who were inside a house, much less for us in a car and our children screaming in fear. We prayed and decided our children's safety from the elements and natural disaster, came first. We asked God to make a way, where there seemed none," she said emotionally.

She said they could not bring themselves to return to a family home at Crown Trace, Enterprise due to the recent killings. Francis said a family member was shot dead at that house just three weeks ago.

She said shortly before building the first structure at Cashew Gardens, they rented, but soon found that they could not continue the monthly bill.

Francis said she works for minimum wage and this, joined with what her husband brings in, can barely feed, clothe, cover medical and travelling expenses and allow them to seek affordable rental.

"School reopens next week, and while most mothers are already papering their children's school books, I have to worry about where my children will be sleeping when the night comes. Can somebody, anybody, please help us?" she lamented.

Up until yesterday, Francis said her husband, a construction tradesman, who either does private jobs or ply his car for PH hire, was once again contemplating rebuilding.

"Ma'am, really what choice do I have? I have nowhere to put my children, nowhere to put my wife. If not like we asking for a hand out. We are willing to pay. At least they could put us in an HDC house or something. We will pay, between my income and what my wife earns, we will pay. That's all we asking for someone to have a heart nah, please," cried a frustrated George.

Anyone wishing to assist the family can contact them at 739-6800/386-6702.

No comment was forthcoming when Sunday Newsday attempted to get a response from LSA's chief executive officer, Hazaar Hosein, on Friday. He was said to be "unavailable" by staff who answered his direct line at LSA's Orange Grove office.