Better houses for the victims of Hurricane Richard

Since Hurricane Richard hit Belize in late October, many of those left homeless and with damaged homes have been attempting to rebuild their lives.  Many of the houses that did buckle under the category one force winds were made of material whose integrity was already compromised. In the wake of the devastation, many agree that new construction should be able to withstand at least a category one hurricane to avoid a repeat of the level of damage experienced.  Marion Ali has a report on the types of housing being provided under the Government’s Poverty Alleviation Project.

Marion Ali, Reporting

This was the open space near the Caribbean Sea in the Yarborough Area where after Hurricane Richard completely washed away five houses.  Three of the families were squatting on a portion of a street designated for the area while two were squatting on land which can be legitimately used for housing purposes.  None of the families could rebuild on their own, so relying on the government to provide them with adequate shelter was their only option.

Soon after the storm, the affected residents took up temporary shelter under tiny tents given to the by the National Emergency Management Organization, NEMO, until the government started providing them with money to pay for the rental of apartment rooms, at least until their new homes are finished.  That will not happen until the families are relocated elsewhere.  For those who were living on legitimate land, the Ministry of Works is providing free houses under the Poverty Alleviation Project.  But how sturdy are those wooden and plycem houses that are being provided?  Who better to tell than the occupants themselves? So we visited with a few of those had received the same types from before the hurricane.

Barbara Cleland, home owner, Poverty Alleviation Project

“Ih fair off good you know because everything stand up on it.”

barbara cleland

Marion Ali

“You noh have nothing the leak?”

Barbara Cleland

“No ma’am, ih strong. Before I get this one yah twenty odd years. I think this one yah strong though. Ih strong cause I noh mi believe ih mi wah stand up to Richard and nothing never happen to it. Nothing blow off. Everything strong bout the house. Cause I surprise myself fi see ih stand up with the storm, all that breeze, the water.”

Voice of Darlene Lockwood

“Our house I woulda seh is a blessing cause ih noh rock, nothing; ih hold up like hurricane shelter—noh wah zinc, nothing noh gone off.”

Marion Ali

“And people mi come shelter here for the hurricane?”

Voice of Darlene Lockwood

“Well I had my lee sister besides the people weh ina our house. We have five people eena our house and my sister come also as well come shelter and we stay right here throughout the whole weather.”

Marion Ali

“Neva rock or anything?”

Voice of Darlene Lockwood

“No ma’am neva rock or nothing.”

Laverne Cain was one of the families whose homes were destroyed by Richard. She says her new house makes her feel safer now.

laverne cain

Laverne Cain, new home owner, Poverty Alleviation Project

“Mi house mi deh yah right in this same sport here and wah ‘nother house from dah side come pan top of the house and mash it down. Then the back house too was bruk up. Then the minister they come back here and da so we get this house now.   This better, next one dah mi just wah small one room house I had before. Now this dah wah bigger one: two bedroom, bathroom, kitchen hall, nice.”

Marion Ali

“Stronger?”

Laverne Cain

“Yes stronger too.”

Cain says now she has one plan for the near future.

Laverne Cain

“We lost everything and now we get we house now so hopefully Christmas; we wah deh in deh by Christmas, you know.”

Marion Ali for News Five.