The Tribune

Three weeks ago, Tribune reader Deno P Ellis expressed his concerns for an elderly man living in straightened circumstances in a converted toilet. Here he responds to the Department of Social Services “investigation” into the matter and bemoans a lack of action . . .

It would only be fair that I defend publicly the facts in my article ‘Resident left to live in a toilet for eight years’ in The Tribune on July 5 and the response to it by the Department of Social Services.

I am not an employee or investigator for The Tribune or any publishing entities outside being an internationally self-published author. I am simply a concerned citizen who was given the responsibility to act based on what I had seen, experienced and was shared with by an elderly Bahamian. After my article, the Department of Social Services apparently conducted an “investigation” and felt the need to publish a statement refuting parts of what I had written. In the statement it said “an official stressed that the department “is satisfied that the building being occupied is not a toilet, but a renovated wash house. And the amenities it lacks are accessible in a family-owned house on the same property,” Social Services Director Mellany Zonicle said.

The purpose of my story did not come with any ill intentions. However, respectfully, it would been better and easier for the Department of Social Services - and whoever else is responsible for helping this individual - to take responsibility for their failing system; do the right thing as human beings responding in aid of another fallen brother that is in distress; and just let it be. But rather than doing that, they attempt to discredit me, my purpose and the gentleman who is in his seventies.

Although I had personally met and spoken with Mr Saunders, in the event I had misheard him or doubted my own self, to satisfy my thoughts, I went back to his property at the rear of the Needle’s Inn Club on Washington Street and Lincoln Boulevard for a second conversation. He was not home but, fortunately, with two other witnesses as I had done before I was able to speak to a lady sitting at the rear of the property to the larger house, just in front of the little shack Mr Saunders calls home. This lady, I later learned, was his younger sister.

The lady named Mr Saunders as “her mother’s child”, among other things that were shared negatively about him. Notwithstanding that, I asked the lady, who seemed bitter and angry with “her mother’s child”: “What was that building before Mr Saunders moved into it?” She replied: “That was an old storage house.” I asked about the condition of the building and it leaking heavily during rainy seasons. She continued, “It’s like that, because he wants to live that way. He hasn’t grown up as yet; and until he does, that is the way he let himself live.”

I asked whether Mr Saunders collects pension and other benefits from the government. She said: “Oh yeah ... he gets that, and he also works. But unless one of you three gentlemen can teach him how to be a man, he wastes away his money, and have to live like that.”

“Did you said that he works?” I asked

“Oh yeah, he’s a carpenter. A very good one. He could fix that roof himself. But like I said: he doesn’t know how to be a man”.

I then asked about the septic and it overflowing during the rainy season. “Well, he did told me that something wrong with the pipes in there. The plumber, who initially set that up, connected it the wrong way so it doesn’t flow the way it should.”

My follow up to that, was: “Do you let him use the facilities in your house?”

Her response was: “Oh no! I used to, but I has since stopped, because he is too wicked.”

“Where does he use the bathroom and clean himself?”

“He uses the toilet in there, and tote water in the buckets to flush it. In the small bathroom section, he cleans himself using a bucket.”.

I proceeded to ask how does he eat or prepare his meals. She said, “I don’t know, and really, I don’t care! He has his girlfriend and my sister who lives right there (attached house). I think she gives him food.”

With that, one of the gentlemen asked: “He has a sister that lives there?”

“Yes! If you drive around and see a little (colour) car, she’s home.”

Mr Williams, who was with me, was able to look into the house and saw some things that troubled him. We asked if she needed anything. She simply replied: “I want nothing. But if you gat a lot of money, I’ll take that!” We smiled, thanked her for talking, wished her well and left.

The three of us got into the car and drove around. The coloured car was parked in the driveway of the sister’s house so we decided to stop. The lady was in the kitchen preparing her family meal and beckoned us to the side of the kitchen door where she stepped outside.

A nice, settled lady, calm and humbled spirited, she said that Mr Saunders was her brother. In regards to his living situation, she said: “He was staying with a lady Lewis Street, and he use to paint, do her lawn and others chores to cover his rent. But he has sugar diabetes and pressure, and after he took sick and was unable to work around her place. He had to move. He was practically homeless without any place to go. So my husband built that li’l place for him to be in. You see, that was an old toilet that my husband filled in, leaving the bowl, and built around so that he would have a place.

“This was our mother’s place, but we all have our family differences. I took this piece that you see fenced off; my sister is in the other part, and he got that piece in the back.”

As if I hadn’t heard, for confirmation and the satisfaction of all of us, I asked: “What was that place before Mr Saunders stayed there?”

“It was an old toilet,” she replied.

I then asked about the amenities such as cooking, toilet usage and shower and she confirmed most of what the other sister had said in regards to how he gets by. She also confirmed that he gets a small pension, and said that now and again, she and other family members would give him a plate if he comes over and requests it.

I then asked about the job. She said, “No (he) doesn’t work. He is not healthy. After he took ill with sugar and the pressure, he can’t do very much for himself as far as working. He does need help. People tries to help him, but ... they’re not treated very well from my sister (among other things) so they doesn’t bother.”

Once she was done sharing, I told her who I was and what I had done on her brother’s behalf as far as sharing his story. She said she hadn’t seen it, but would try to get a copy of the newspaper. I asked both sisters if anyone from Social Services was at the house, and had brought any help to their brother. Both said “they hadn’t seen or met with anyone”.

Finally, as I did with the first sister; I asked if she and her family were ok and did they needed anything. She said her and her family was making it alright. The only problem she said they had was flooding of the yard during rains, which makes it difficult for them to get in and out. She said they were “promised proper drainage” but have yet to get any work done in attempt to solve some of their flooding issues. With that, I thanked her for meeting and chatting with me, then left.

The majority of citizens in this country have issues, and respectively, need a little help in one way or another. Although I, too, am going through personal struggles, I unselfishly shared the story of someone elderly and helpless. I, too, have to seek the assistance of Social Services, NIB and others for a helping hand up not out. I was blatantly denied and was told by heads of departments why I couldn’t get a helping hand up. After putting in almost eight years of service at one of the Government entities which paid my contributions on time, every time ... struggling, and after almost nine weeks of back and forth, and waiting ... I went to NIB where I was told why I couldn’t get back any benefits despite the number of years of payments that were taken out and paid on my behalf.

Therefore, I know all too well what it is like dealing with people, and government staff who treat most as though they are a problem to them, and that the funds which were allocated for the purpose of helping struggling people are theirs. They have all of these claws that prevent people from getting help, even at times when things are desperate and people are hurting. It’s coldhearted!

So please, heads of Government departments, don’t make an excuse and act as though you care because from personal experiences, I know you don’t!

Rather than taking the time out to comment on an article, Mr Saunders and thousands like him who are deeply in distress and struggling, should have had help taken to them at the same time the “investigation” took place. This man, and others like him, has been living this way for years, and people accepted it for what it was, and continued with their busy lives. This includes politicians.

However, I saw it and did something. I respectfully ask, that you do the same.

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