90-year-old needs help to finish house

Karen Sudu, Gleaner Writer

EWARTON, St Catherine:

"DEM A try build one room fi mi, but it need help fi finish it," Melbourne Rose murmured, pointing to his partially finished one-room board house.

The hearing-impaired 90-year-old of Gidden district in Ewarton, St Catherine, was left homeless after Hurricane Ivan hit Jamaica in 2004.

"Gilbert mash up part a mi house and Ivan finish mash it up," he mumbled as he walked slowly towards the building, with the aid of a piece of stick, carrying a bag with canes on his right shoulder.

Though he was coming from his cane field, his dirty clothes and tattered shoes told the story of an unrelenting senior in need of urgent care and financial assistance. He has been living with his 87-year-old sister, Edith Rose-Martin, since his house was destroyed.

"Him nuh have no children, no wife. Him nuh have nobody fi take care of him," she explained. "When him did have him strength, him work and buy him clothes and food and look after himself, but him never have any wife or children."

A concerned Rose-Martin said she is anxious to see the completion of her brother's house.

"Mi well want him room fi finish because mi need the room dat im in, but mi can't throw him outside because is mi bredda, but mi need di room," she told The Gleaner.

It was through the assistance of Beverly Jobson-Grant, councillor for the Ewarton Division, that construction of the one-room board house began, for a second time. But according to Rose's 85-year-old brother, Luther, it requires the input of good samaritans to complete the building.

"Miss Jobson-Grant get di material and mi grandnephew and some other people work pon di building and take it to where it is. But if we even get little more material ... . wi nuh have no money fi pay somebody to finish make the house because mi grandnephew gone a farin," Luther explained.

For Melbourne, who relies on his sister, brother, and those around for food, his greatest desire is to someday soon have his own roof over his head.

Extremely difficult

And even as his siblings are willing to help him, it has become extremely difficult for them to do so as they are not well.

"If him sick, a mi affi get him go doctor. Him nuh have no help and mi sick miself. mi have diabetes, and wi sista nuh well either," lamented Luther.

Despite his dilemma, Rose, a beneficiary of the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education, is thankful for the support of his family and concerned citizens.

"Mi affi thank God and everybody who help me, but mi hope more people find it in dem fi help dat mi room can finish," he said.

- rural@gleanerjm.com