Women’s Chronicles

“I could remember vividly that as a child I would run from him because he would always try to touch my privates.

“I knew something was going on, but I could not put my finger on it.

“When my daughter write she get the lowest school in Georgetown.

I recently visited the women’s psychiatric ward of the Georgetown Public Hospital and I felt that were it not for the Grace of God I could have become mentally ill from just the appearance of the area and the depressing conditions under which its two patients were housed.

“My mom was not there for me, she would never support me with my homework and so.

“I got pregnant when I was 12 and my mother was angry, and she would beat me.

“There are always the memories, there are tears sometimes too. Quite a lot of memories, but I console myself with the fact that according to my faith in the resurrection I would see my son again under better circumstances.”

“Well some of my days are beautiful, and bright and energetic.

“I want a divorce. I don’t know if he is going to give it to me, because I believe he may want to give me a hard time.

“Some days does be trialling, but I had to throw pride and dignity behind and just do what I have to do.

“My daughter-in-law water bag buss since yesterday morning and she in suh much pain and only now dem preparing she to go theatre,” the woman said, worry etched on her face.

“I really don’t know how I get this thing and who give it to me.

“Sometimes I feel as if I am going out of my mind and then at other times I feel guilty as if I am not doing enough and I am failing them,” she said with a sad shake of her head.

The telephone on my desk rang. I answered and was informed that I had a visitor.

“My father put me out and now he say he will tek back me son, but he don’t want me back at the house.

“I wanted to die,…. I remember one time going to the harbour bridge at about three one morning with every intention of jumping over and this policeman pulled me over and he sat in the car and just talked to me.

“I am disappointed, and for me from my point of view I wouldn’t encourage nobody right now to go and try to get justice because if she did not get justice I don’t who could.

“Look just give meh a knife and leh meh kill meh self.

“I don’t know how to feel but the matter get dismiss on the same day when was International Women’s Day.

“I would close up like around 10 sometimes, you know, because people coming from work does stop and buy.