Photos by George Henry
LEFT: Ira Pencil (left) and Leslie Thompson (right), two of the disappointed residents who did not get units at Shearer's Heights in Clarendon, in discussion with another resident of Portland Cottage. RIGHT: Ida Ramdanie, one of the recipients of a unit at Shearer's Heights in Clarendon, about to enter her house after being given her keys on Thursday.

George Henry, Gleaner Writer

Portland Cottage, Clarendon:

Some Portland Cottage families were forced to leave angry and disappointed after turning up at Shearer's Heights in Clarendon on Thursday, to collect keys for housing units at the relocation scheme set up by the Office for National Reconstruction (ONR).

The 100 one-bedroom and studio units in the scheme were built for persons whose homes had been devastated in September 2004, during Hurricane Ivan, but were told it was not their day to receive a new abode.

Leslie Thompson, one of the disappointed homeseekers, told The Gleaner that despite his house being extensively damaged, two of his grandchildren drowning in the flood waters and his name being set down as one of those to receive a housing unit, he did not get any at the final handover-of-keys ceremony.

Not even clothes saved

"Where I live is a pond and two of my grandchildren, my brother-in-law and his grandchild drowned there too," Mr. Thompson said. "Four dead out of one family and I lose everything. Not even clothes I did not save, and I was promised that I would get one of the houses, and I come here to get my keys and don't get any."

He said his relatives from overseas were going to assist him in the reconstruction of his house at Salt Pond, but he was told by the ONR not to build any house there again as he would receive one of the 193 units in the new scheme.

Mr. Thompson, who is in his late 60s, added that persons who did not own any house in the first place received units, while he and other residents have been overlooked. He added that he now has no choice but to go back where his house is located near the swampland, while putting his life at risk.

Similar sentiments were echoed by another resident, Ira Pencil, who is also in his late 60s. He said he too experienced serious damage to his house by flood waters and was promised a housing unit when his name was taken on a list. However, he also left without keys.

Mr. Pencil, who called for the ONR to investigate the matter, said several persons who did not own houses before the hurricane received units.

Councillor for the area, Winston Maragh, said some of the persons who complained about not getting a unit are part of a group who were not interested in relocating from the hurricane-damaged area.

He said persons were selected within a certain boundary that was decided on by the Mines and Geology division in the Ministry of Agriculture and Land.

Mr. Maragh said persons who received units are now required to make a monthly payment of $1,000 for the next 25 years.