Bull Bay residents still struggling months after flooding

Months after they suffered tremendous losses from heavy floodwaters, residents of Shooters Hill in Bull Bay, St Andrew, say that their woes continue.

Norman 'Foodie' Grant, 50, who lost his two-bedroom dwelling to a landslide in late October, said he is stressed beyond measure.

"Things rough on me, and a bare talk and empty promises me a get from when," he said. "Right now, me and mi wife just a kotch at mi brother house in a little space because we can't do no better. There is nothing in the pipeline that I know about either, because nobody nah communicate with we or try to help us."

Scores of residents in the East Rural St Andrew constituency were left traumatised after torrential rainfall associated with Tropical Storm Zeta damaged their properties. The flood-prone area saw the Chalky River and other waterways overflowing their banks and sweeping through people's homes, leaving behind mud and rocks.

"Me would a try block up back a little one room, but the money is not there. Mi wah si them give wi place to live, if a even a Food For The Poor house," said Grant. "Right now, mi wife sick and need Pampers and mi can't buy it. If is even something fi her, mi would a love that."

Last November, Member of Parliament Juliet Holness had established a GoFundMe account to raise money to nurse her constituency back to good health. Her goal was to raise US$20,000 (approximately J$2.9 million). Up to yesterday, less than US$4,000 had been donated.

"Some people from the Government did come and say mi mus look a place to live and dem will give mi money to pay rent, but all now mi nuh see them back," Godfrey Morgan, another resident who had lost his home, told THE STAR.

"Right now, a piece of the house that leave, from it did break off, mi clean out and live in now; and as a little rain fall, the place wet up and mi start fret," he said. "A little money wah mi get mi a try use to see if mi can build back sumu myself. It very rough, man ,because mi nuh have no money. Mi use to work a airport and because a the COVID thing them lay me off."