Gracie Rock, another community affected by Hurricane Richard
Earlier in the newscast we told you about families in the Ladyville area that are struggling from the destruction of Hurricane Richard. Elsewhere in the Belize District, residents of Gracie Rock are still in shelters while the community of Freetown Sibun has lost their main source of income. News Five’s Marion Ali has the story of two communities struggling to get back on their feet.
Marion Ali, Reporting
It has been one week since Hurricane Richard ripped through central Belize, toppling houses and trees. Many people still find themselves living in hurricane shelters, after the storm rendered them homeless. News Five took a trip to Gracie Rock Village, a community about twenty-two miles west of Belize City, and spoke with residents who lost their entire homes.
Gilford Hoare
Gilford Hoare, Rendered Homeless by Hurricane Richard
“Dehn guys seh dat ih gone down and when I come back and give me di news dah like wah shock. Due to weh I deh amongst all that crowd, I play like nothing gone on but I really mi feel it inside.”
Marion Ali
“Have you had any kind of assistance since?”
Gilford Hoare
“Dehn just come and do measurement and take estimate, but they no give me no response on when they wah come back or when dehn wah start to do work.”
Carlton Young, Rendered Homeless by Hurricane Richard
Carlton Young
“I lost everything ina di house. I staying with my mom right now. They could just give me some material and I can help myself. I am builder right and I do carpentry work and so that’s no problem for me.”
Marion Ali
“How has the response been from NEMO?”
Samuel Brakeman
Samuel Brakeman, Hurricane Victim
“It’s kinda slow. I think they need to speed up a little bit more—ina material-wise they need to move up pan the material cause people waiting. They do assessment and they say they’ll come back but up to now, no one no one arrive as yet.”
But while patience is growing thin among those most severely affected, at the National Emergency Management Organization, the work is much more time-consuming than people can appreciate.
Judith Alpuche
Judith Alpuche, Chair, Relief and Supplies Management Committee
“We have already offered alternative housing to some families and some have outright refused believe it or not. It’s a very complex situation on the ground because a lot of people are squatting for instance and they don’t want to move because they tell us plane, if they relocate, they are going to take away our land. People believe that if they are not right there, they won’t get the construction assistance that they seek to rebuild their homes. So it’s a very complex situation. What we did was to provide people with tarps to temporarily and people in the rural areas have been very proactive in trying to put back what they can and utilizing what we gave them. So that’s a temporary fix until a more permanent construction and reconstruction can happen.”
And while NEMO is able to assist the homeless hurricane victims with a more permanent place to call home, in Freetown Sibun, the residents did not lose their dwellings, but Richard still dealt them losses that will impact their lives for years to come.
Wilda Murrillo, Resident, Free Town Sibun
“The coconut, ah mek mi income off of it. I am self-employed and I use the coconut fi extract coconut oil and dah so I make mi income.”
Marion Ali
“You lost everything?”
Wilda Murrillo
Wilda Murrillo
“Almost everything gone down.’
Marion Ali
“How are you getting by now?”
Wilda Murrillo
“Well yesterday they come in and they give we some ration by other than that we just no know how we wah get wi life back agriculture-wise.”
Marion Ali
“How long does it take to replant?”
Wilda Murrillo
“Wah coconut sibling takes five years before ih bear—that dah before you get wah drinking coconut and botu eight to nine years before you get wah dry oneto make oil. So dah wah great loss.”
Marian Conorquie, Chairperson, Freetown Sibun
marian Conorquie
“Well, I lost all mi coconut, oranges, grapefruit, breadfruit trees because mostly that’s what we live on.”
Marion Ali
“So this has put you back how far now?”
Marian Conorquie
“Marion I can’t even tell you. It puts us a long way backwards because until everything get back in bearing again; that’s a long time.”
Marion Ali
“How are you gonna survive? Have you worked out a way yet?”
Marian Conorquie
“Well we wah try. I haven’t worked out a way because I am still confused. I am still confused but we’ll try.”
The effects of Hurricane Richard will be felt for some time. Many continue to rely on rations from NEMO and await construction supplies to rebuild their homes and their lives. But for others who rely on the nearby river for water consumption, the inconvenience is complicated due to contamination. The only use they have of the river at this time is to reach from point A to point B. Marion Ali for News Five.
The government need to come up with better building codes and enforce them. If a home is built correctly they will be able to stand up to a Cat. #1 hurricane. There would be no property loss and no loss of life. Same reason so many died in Haiti during their earthquake.
Hait and Belize has something in common. They are 3rd world…so, not everyone can afford the materials necessary to build something “up to code”. This is the risk these people take, without income they have to survive and this is how they do it. Unfortunately, when the storm does come, they are the ones most affected and they live day to day so there is no savings to pull from to re-build. 3rd World…what has always been the hallmark of these types of communities or countries is that people are there one for the other…they help each other out. This is how they will get through.
how about if the govenment let belizeans brings thier materials from the USA,but no,every little thing one brings to belize from the USA,one gets a 70% duty,while the million$$$$s oil company in spanish look out gets 7% tax,how about that?
IF YOU ARE “The Educated One”……. You would know that the term is “Developing Nation”!!! ….. not the RACIST……..THIRD WORLD!!!!
where is barrow when we need him, another george bush in the making.
Gilford, Carlton, many of the kids have Facebook pages, please ask them to post info about what you need to get a decent roof over your heads. Please include the other residents in whatever info you post & let’s try to get the word out, everyone does not read the news, it’s depressing.
The Educated One, New Orleans is in the US & portions of it are still a ghost town. Most people regardless of where they are cannot afford to rebuild without insurance or some help.
You are right about the sense of community that usually gets us through tough times like these & maybe this is our opportunity as Belizeans to pull together. I know Clifford, Carlton & many of the residents who were affected & I also know that Gracie Rock was & still is one of those close knit communities, Clifford’s house was very modest & I will assume the same about Carlton’s. He says he is a builder, I will donate $500.00 in building supplies purchased in Belize, I ask that you & everyone else who can do the same or just buy a sack of cement or panel of zinc, whatever you can afford. All I ask is that each home be built to withstand another major flood & hurricane.
We’ve thrown enough stones at the management of our resources & lack of discipline in just about every segment of our society, let’s stop talking about grassroots & actually do something.
If we really believe the Government does not care about us, we have to start caring about ourselves & each other & take control of our own lives & communities.
Lance, I will stick my neck out & vouch for your integrity, I know that you will make sure there is equitable distribution of whatever building supplies you receive, show the rest of the country how Sibun does it, I will call around & send out emails begging & hopefully get something going.