The Tribune

By SANCHESKA DORSETT

Tribune Staff Reporter

sdorsett@tribunemedia.net

MINISTER of State for National Security Keith Bell said efforts are being made “to construct proper housing with proper facilities” for the displaced families of last week’s shanty town fire in central New Providence.

In a brief statement to The Tribune yesterday, the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) candidate for Carmichael, said his branch is in the process of rendering “immediate” assistance to the seven families who lost their homes in the blaze.

The massive fire started shortly after 9pm last Wednesday and quickly spread through the small community, just west of Cowpen Road at the rear of Flamingo Gardens. When officers arrived on the scene they found four homes completely engulfed in flames.

Seven homes were destroyed, leaving eight adults and 20 children homeless.

Senator Bell said also the Department of Social Services has provided temporary relief for the families.

“The fire occurred in an area behind Flamingo Gardens just off Cowpen Road. Please note that Social Services has begun rendering assistance and I visited with several of the families affected,” Senator Bell said.

“The PLP Carmichael branch is in the process of rendering immediate help and assistance through food, shelter and clothing assistance. I am advised that the destroyed homes are on private and not government land and once this is confirmed, efforts will be made to construct proper housing with proper facilities for the affected families.”

Last Thursday, a father of seven told The Tribune that he has nothing left as he expressed fears that Department of Immigration officers would take him and his family away because, he said, all their documents were destroyed when his house burned down.

“I woke up and I saw fire. Everything was on fire. I don’t know how it got started, but I just wanted to get everyone out of the house,” the man, who did not want to be named, said.

“I was sleeping and next thing I know fire was everywhere. We tried to get water and put out the fire, but it was not enough. Everyone was screaming. We just wanted to get the children out. We lost everything - clothes, bed, everything.

“All my immigration papers for me and my wife gone. We have seven children and nowhere for them to go. We slept on the floor in one of the houses that burned down but we can’t stay there. All the children school uniforms are gone. They didn’t go to school today, I don’t know when they will go back because we don’t have anything for them to wear.

“I don’t know what we are going to do. Everything is gone.”

Activist Louby Georges made a plea to the public last week to help the families in any way they can. The investigation into the cause of the fire continues.