EIGHTEEN PERSONS are still in shelters, weeks after heavy rains from hurricanes Dennis and Emily lashed the island.
Among those in shelters is a family of nine in Yallahs, St. Thomas and three families from Taylor Land in Bull Bay.
Ronald Jackson, acting deputy director general at the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) told The Gleaner that these families were still in shelters because they lost their homes to raging flood waters and have no where to live.
Paulina Robertson and her nine children remain the sole occupants at the Yallahs Primary School in St. Thomas.
She was forced there after Hurricane Dennis destroyed her home and shop, her only source of income. Since then, Miss Robertson said that life at the shelter has become unbearable.
"Even the children have got frustrated. Sometimes they cry right now I just want to get back a shelter," she bemoaned.
She said that since her story was told in The Gleaner she has received assistance from persons living in England and Canada who sent her money. Locally, she said the Red Cross visited with her and gave her counselling and two beds.
Despite this help, Miss Robertson said she longs to be in the comfort of her own home.
WILLINGNESS TO ASSIST
"If I could get back a home, I would be very grateful," she said.
Mr. Jackson, however, disclosed that the ODPEM was currently in dialogue with their partner agencies to assist in relocating these families. One of the partners is Food For the Poor that has shown a willingness to assist these families.
"We are trying to move very swiftly to assist them," he said. He ,however, pointed out that the problems lie in identifying lands that were in secure areas.
"The discussion at this level is very advanced," he assured.
