Two years after their plight was highlighted in the Stabroek News, a family of 12 of Vive-La-Force is still anxiously awaiting a house lot after numerous frustrating efforts and even though the Ministry of Human Services had promised to work along with the Ministry of Housing in securing same.
Rohan Hanuman, the head of the family, says that it now appears that the family will be homeless as he has been told by a local official to remove the shack his family now occupies as the canal near to their home needs to be cleaned.
In 2004, this newspaper reported on five young boys left at home alone in a dilapidated, weather-beaten, wood and zinc two-room shack they called home while their parents went to seek work elsewhere. The humble dwelling located in Vive-la-Force, West Bank Demerara sits at the end of a muddy dam a stone’s throw away from a sluice which when opened, releases water into the Demerara River.
The five boys: Suresh, Anand, Ravendra, Rajesh and Remano Ramdeen had been left to fend for themselves. They had said that they did not have enough to eat and hardly had any clothes. They looked to their eldest sibling, Suresh who performed the role of a surrogate parent and during the time his parents were away did all the cooking and caring for his brothers.
The task was particularly difficult for the then 13-year-old youngster as he had to go about finding food for them every day. This included catching fish in a small boat in the Demerara River and begging neighbours and close relatives to supplement this.
Subsequently their parents returned. Hanuman, a cane-cutter with Guysuco, had said that with the out-of-crop season work being offered to them being very demeaning, he had gone to Linden to seek work. His wife had gone to Linden to get money from him for the children but while there, she fell ill and was unable to return.
After Hanuman’s plight was highlighted, Guysuco had given him a job as a painter. He had also pledged to stop drinking alcohol after this was cited as one of the reasons why Food for the Poor Guyana Inc (FFTP) had severed a link with the family which it had previously adopted. His family last week concurred that he had stopped and only drank “once in a blue moon”.
The union between Hanuman and Tajemattie Ramdeen called ‘Gita’, had, at that time, produced nine children; they have since had a tenth child. FFTP had offered to build a house for the family but said the family would first have to get a house lot and at that time this newspaper was informed that the Ministry of Human Services had promised to work along with the Ministry of Housing to help secure the house lot for them.
Immediately after the story was published also, citizens had donated foodstuff and other items to the family and there had been pledges of assistance from persons both locally and overseas.
When Stabroek News re-visited the family last week, it seemed that nothing had changed. They still live in the tiny weather-beaten shack, though a section was added. The children, clothed in shabby garments, were still frail-looking.
There was an air of gloom about the entire place and with two siblings ill and a third complaining of feeling unwell yesterday it was a feeling that intensified.
When Hanuman related his story again, it was one of heartache and frustration.
He told Stabroek News that after countless visits to the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), the family has not seen any progress in the issue. He said: “me full up everything and send am and when am come back, me never know what them a do”. He produced several documents including one signed by the then Minister of Housing and Water, Shaik Baksh, which was undated but sent to the Regional Housing Officer and which stated: “Do interview and [word is unclear] by Friday 2, 2004.” A later document dated September 11, 2006 from the CH&PA informed the couple that regarding the “Reselection of lot no. for Belle West”, they were asked to come in to the CH&PA “to see the undersigned in connection with the lot allocated to you at the above-mentioned scheme”. It further stated that failure to comply at an early date “may hinder your chances of obtaining an available house lot”. It was signed by Derise Jackson, Data Processing Clerk.
Hanuman said they had previously been allocated a house lot at Belle West, which was subsequently given to someone else. After the letter arrived, they said, they went to the CH&PA at the stipulated time but were told that no lot was available and they would have to check back in the next two weeks.
They complied with the requirement and were given the same response a number of times. The frustrated man said his wife last went to the CH&PA in the first week of December last year. Since then they have had no money and could not afford to return. They are planning to go again when Hanuman gets paid at the end of the month.
Declaring his frustration with the situation, Hanuman asked, “you think it easy to go to town every two weeks?” He said that with the money he spent on transportation he could have afforded to pay at least half the cost of the house lot. He said he feels that because he is poor he is being given the run-around.
Meanwhile, he also revealed that on Monday, a local official had visited their home and informed them that they would have move as the canal near their home needed to be cleaned. Hanuman said he objected and the official said he would personally remove him within two weeks. He said the canal was cleared before without them being asked to remove. He said he had cleared his area but the grass has grown from the other side.
“If me get a house lot me gon go but me can’t left me children; whe they gon sleep?” he questioned. He further declared, “me glad if me can get a house lot, it better for me”, and stated that if he received one he was prepared to move out the next day.
His wife Gita also declared her frustration with the situation. She said that only two of the children’s birth certificates had been obtained and after an official of the Ministry of Human Services, who was assisting them had apparently left the job, she never heard of the matter again and was unsure of the next step. Hanuman said he had spoken to President Bharrat Jagdeo in Uitvlugt, the then Minister of Human Services, Bibi Shadick, then Minister of Housing Shaik Baksh and even Komal Chand who had all promised to help, but so far no help has been forthcoming. He also stated that with recent increases in prices, times are harder than ever.
Meanwhile, he has obtained a seine which he uses to catch fish with the assistance of his two eldest sons – Suresh and Anand – who no longer go to school. Hanuman sells the fish to provide for his family although he said sometimes they do not catch any fish.
Suresh said he would like to be a mechanic but after venturing into the world of work and being robbed by an employer who never paid him, the quiet boy is unsure if that would ever be realized.
