Members of St Vincent De Paul Society (SVP) came across Edris Fraser and her mentally ill daughter while delivering a hamper in the Kitty area and made several efforts to get Ministry of Human Services and Social Security to intervene, so far in vain.
Father Edwin Thadheu SJ of the St Pius X RC Church in a letter published in yesterday’s edition of the Stabroek News said the elderly woman and her daughter were indeed living in inhumane conditions as highlighted by this newspaper.
His letter came shortly after two of the woman’s children insisted that she needed no help and that family abroad were catering for her needs. Fraser, 71, remains a patient of the Georgetown Public Hospital where she was rushed after her condition took a turn for the worse. She has diabetes, a swollen leg and was in a weakened state when this newspaper visited the dilapidated home she occupied with her daughter and two sons, several weeks ago.
Fraser is said to be mentally ill. Some of children also suffer from mental illness but to varying degrees.
Fr Thadheu said in his letter after reading the two articles this newspaper had published, “I vouchsafe that this story has not been concocted, and the family has no reason to be displeased with the stories published in the SN (Stabroek News).
He recalled that on November 7, three members of SVP went to deliver a hamper and saw Fraser also known as `Betty’ immobile on the floor, while her daughter was looking through the window laughing hysterically.
He said the SVP members immediately administered first aid to the mother, and placed her back on the bed. Based on what this newspaper saw, a piece of cardboard and an uncovered chair sponge made up her bed.
According to the letter, the members immediately tried to contact the Ministry of Human Services, “but their attempts were futile because Monday (November 7) was a national holiday. Engulfed by panic and anxiety, the ladies called me to the scene.”
Fr Thadheu said that as he was about to leave for the Kitty location from Albouys-town, someone gave him $5,000 to spend on “poor people. As I reached the spot, the victim of social neglect appeared to have overcome the crisis, so I gave the donation to the SVP members and asked them to render care until social services intervened to help.”
The following day, he recalled, he went with Fr Marlon Rodrigues to the Ministry of Human Services to request the necessary help for the family but unfortunately, “after going to different desks, we reached the probation desk and were asked to wait. After waiting for a few minutes, we left because of the nature of my work.”
He said that as he was leaving he met Labour Minister Manzoor Nadir, “who was kind enough to listen to our story and gave me his personal number with the promise of following it up. That very day, I drafted a letter and submitted a copy to the probation officer and another to the secretary to the minister.”
The priest said that on a couple of occasions thereafter he went to the ministry to see persons whom he knew in a bid to speed up the process.
He noted that last week he visited Fraser’s house but found it locked and he placed the food he had taken in front of the door and left. He said he later learnt that the woman was admitted to hospital “So I arrived at the conclusion that the ministry had probed the matter and had given the necessary assistance.
“I did not come across one member of the family during my visits to the victim’s house all those days. Now I am surprised to come across the claim that the family doesn’t need any help … My memory refuses to slough off the stench and the inhuman conditions under which these two people lived. I sense that the ego of the family members is hurt.”
When this newspaper visited Fraser on Monday, her daughter Margaret who lives a corner away was feeding her a meal of bora and rice which was prepared by the hospital. The elderly woman appeared well, but was crying out for pains in the abdomen. The swelling in her foot had also reduced considerably.
Based on what the daughter said, the woman is receiving medical attention for her diabetic condition but had run out of tablets.
Margaret told this newspaper that she was very upset at the article that was published on Sunday, stating that the family does not need help. She said there are relatives overseas who would send money to an aunt here who buys foodstuff for the family. Fraser lives with another daughter and two sons.
According to the woman, some time back the family secured a piece of land at Diamond from the Housing Ministry and relatives overseas have promised to build a house for them there. She said steps to start the building process have started and that the owners of the Kitty house have given them up to January month end to move out.
When Stabroek News visited there was no food, water or eating utensils visible. Fraser and her daughter were home alone and the house was smelly and littered with dozens of dirty orange football socks and pieces of clothing.
The wooden floor was bare and sunlight was streaming through countless holes in the roof.
There was also an old kerosene oil stove and the area around it appeared to be burnt. The two women were in an unfurnished room and apart from three ragged chairs there was no furniture in the house.
A shabbily dressed Fraser was lying on the floor on a bed made out of cardboard and a small piece of foam, which she used as the pillow. There was a strong stench emanating from a corner of the room, where there was an old barrel, a covered enamel bucket and two covered pots sitting on top of some old newspapers.
