The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MHSSS) is intervening to address a situation where a family was left homeless after a relative demolished their house on Tuesday afternoon.
Homeless is Rose Harry of 2255 21st Avenue, Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara and her five children, including a seven-month-old baby. According to a post on the Ministry’s Facebook page, the mother slept on the side of the road on Tuesday night and needed urgent assistance.
Harry told Stabroek News yesterday that her father-in-law demolished her home on Tuesday at around 1:43 pm while she was at work. She explained that when she arrived home, she saw her five children, including the seven-month-old baby, sitting next to the demolished home with her belongings on the road.
Harry related to this newspaper that her children eventually spent Tuesday night at one of the neighbours while she watched her belongings. Yesterday morning, the father-in-law returned with the police.
Harry told this newspaper that her father-in-law brought the police to remove her from the curb but because she was homeless the police left. Harry related to this newspaper that when her husband died, she and four children were left in the home but ever since her father-in-law has been trying to put her out the house and off the land.
She told Stabroek News that she related to her father-in-law, when he had approached her about vacating the area, that she had nowhere to go. She noted that she had asked him for some time so she can find somewhere to rent. She said that she was never informed by her father-in-law about his decision to demolish the property, so, it came as a shock to her when she came face to face with a demolished home on Tuesday.
Harry said that the MHSSS has been interacting with her and has been providing support. She says that the children may stay with her cousin until she figures out her future. She is asking the government for assistance to build a home for her and her children to live in.
