Interviews by Frances Abraham
with photos by Abigail Semple
Cureen Fraser, unemployed – ‘I have 4 kids, ages 11, 8, 6 and 6 months. I need a home. It’s okay if I just get the house lot even because I don’t have anywhere to go or any money to pay rent. It is very tough and I really don’t know what will happen after this 2 weeks extension at the shelter.’
Ywan Lowe, private sector employee – ‘So far staying at the shelter is good but after this 2 weeks I think I will have to go and stay by my grandmother. I have one child. I already put in for the land and I am waiting to see what will happen.’
Virginia Romascindo, unemployed – ‘The people at the shelter told us they will keep us until we find a place. I got a land over the river; it’s just the house that got to build. My son said he will rent a place but we still have to get pots and utensils. The shelter is nice, everybody got their own room; you get meals, water and everything. They treat us good. There’s a man that cooks every morning and so.’
Samantha Harris, unemployed – ‘I think after the two weeks at the shelter, I’ll have to come back right here (the Kingston fire site) if the Ministry of Housing don’t give us the land. I want to get the land to at least build and be comfortable.’
Lisa Joseph, unemployed –‘Being at the shelter is alright for now but after the two weeks I think I will be right back here also. I want the housing workers to give us the house lots so we can all be comfortable. I also want to give thanks to those people who give us stuff like Digicel, Mr Ming and Mark Benschop.’
Gregory Romascindo, public sector employee – ‘I got a place to rent in Duke Street that I used to rent before. I will continue working and see what I can do in terms of land. Everything, like all my papers, burn up but I’m working on getting them back.’
Gloria Nedd, unemployed – ‘Right now plans are not going well because I’m not working. I’m waiting to see whatever help the Ministry of Housing can offer and to see how much we will have to pay for the land because right now it is very hard to rent a place. People who pass saying that we are wicked and asking why we can’t rent a place, but it’s not easy. People don’t like taking tenants with children. We are trying to get some wood to build up something for now.’
Keon McPherson, unemployed – ‘I am currently staying by my brother and I want to go into the interior to work. I am hoping that when I come back I can get the land so that I can do something for myself with the money I come out with.’
Wesley Sobers, public sector employee – ‘From the beginning everybody knew they would have to move but right now we are looking forward to the ministry giving us the land because nobody ain’t renting their place to people with kids. Everyday people coming and embarrassing us about why we don’t find somewhere else. We are asking that housing speed up the process because even when rain fall we get wet. If everybody move from here is like giving away the opportunity of getting a piece of land so we are staying.’
Eversley Jacobs, public sector employee – ‘My desire right now is for the Ministry of Housing to speed up the process so that we could at least get these lands as soon as possible so that we can make a move forward in removing ourselves from here. It’s not that easy for some of us because some people don’t really have a proper job to provide for themselves. Once they would have gotten the land, they would still need some assistance to help build. I am hoping to get the land so that I could do something after that.’
