Piece by piece, the Latchman children acquire items for their new home. 17-year-old twins, Shantie and Gomattie look after the house and farm while their brothers, Parmanand, 16, and Samaroo, 20, work in construction.
“The last two months de really tough but now it is getting better…everything is now shaping up and we just trying to take it light,” soft-spoken Shantie said during a visit to their Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara home on Wednesday. When Stabroek News arrived, the twins were teasing each other while Parmanand and Samaroo were doing some final work on their new home.
The flat, concrete structure is a promise kept by Garden of Eden villagers after the children’s old home when up in flames – set afire by their father, Satchitanand Latchman after he killed their mother, Susilla Latchman – on May 25. Latchman subsequently consumed poison and died a few days later at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Their family thrown into turmoil, Shantie explained that it was a neighbour, ‘Uncle Zam’, who they have known all their lives, who took the initiative and arranged for the new home to be built. The building was completed about two weeks ago. The girls were pleased with the house and said they were very grateful to all who contributed.
The children are looking to make a fresh start and with all their belongings burnt in the fire, they are now working to reacquire most of their basic day-to-day needs and commodities for their comfort.
The boys are both working in the construction field. Samaroo is a mason while Parmanand operates heavy duty vehicles at different construction sites. The girls were both employed at a city store but since the incident, were asked by their brothers to stay home and take care of it as well as their small farm in the backyard.“They don’t want us to work because somebody have to stay home and cook and so…we does have to take care of our farm too… we does grow cherry, orange and coconuts,” Shantie explained. The girls explained that the farm has been a source of income for some years now.
As the siblings work to rebuild their lives, Shantie said that some progress has been made. In a joint effort, they managed to purchase a brush cutter which Samaroo operates, thereby contributing to their household. The children said they are working towards purchasing vinyl to have the floor covered and also some pipes to set up a proper drainage system by this weekend. The Fire Service, Shantie said, has also donated two beds and a few kitchen utensils.
Everything is finally shaping up, Shantie said. But they are distressed that two older sisters do not communicate much with them. The two women are married and live in nearby villages.
“They come to the funeral and the 10 and 13 day and so and they call like two times but that was it,” a saddened Shantie said. The girl added that her older siblings have not contributed to what has been accomplished in the past two months since their parents’ death.
Even as they rebuild their lives, the girls miss their mother and father. “We still believe them deh with we…that they ain’t gone,” Shantie said.
