Foreigner sends garbage in barrel to relative in Jamaica

A struggling single mother of five children has been left frustrated and heart broken after she spent her last $31,000 to clear two barrels of food and clothes, only to discover that they contained what she describes as "pure ole bruck".

"The clothes dem smell mowly, like when you did have something wet up. They are old, bad coloured, bad washed, bleached out, paint up .... you name it," an irate Lorna McLean told THE STAR.

The Spanish Town, St Catherine, resident said the barrel, which was sent to her by a relative who lives in the United States, also contained "some slippers and it look like rat did a bite it up".

McLean, who earns a living by selling pastries and cooking gas, said she had to borrow money to help clear the barrels. She said that she considered it an investment as she thought she could have sold the items to earn some money. However, she could not find anyone to give some of the deplorable items to, let alone sell them.

Food was expired

The 47-year-old's great frustration stems from the fact that this is not the first time she has fallen victim to barrels of 'rubbish' from overseas.

"In 2014, she sent a barrel. The tin food was expired from about five and six years ago. All spoiled milk was in it. When me open the barrel, a pure white bug that follow light come out of it. It is a great insult," she lamented.

After that incident, McLean said she asked the relative why she sent a barrel of rubbish, and the relative explained that it was a friend who had packed the barrel and shipped it, so she was not aware of the contents.

When the relative again offered to send another barrel, McLean said she was reluctant to accept it, but the relative claimed she was sending good things that could be sold.

Now the frustrated mother is uncertain of what to make of the situation and has displayed the items on her veranda, much to the of amusement for persons in the community. She has not contacted her relative about the newest batch of 'old bruck' as she calls it.

"The way how me upset, me no say nothing to her because it's not like me call her and a beg things. A she say she a guh help me. Now me stressed ova the money that I could have used to do other things," she said, adding that she is not an ungrateful person.

Aware that other Jamaicans have faced the same situation, McLean said she wants to foreigners to desist from sending barrels of garbage to Jamaica as this is causing people to spend hard earned cash to clear them.