Latest update March 29th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jun 02, 2021 News
Kaieteur News – Two houses in Laing Avenue were damaged after a tree fell on Sunday morning, while a third was completely destroyed. On visiting the scene, our reporter saw a group of persons working together in the yard to clear the debris and broken branches.
Aubrey Garraway, 69, told Kaieteur News that he left his home to go to the market. After returning home a little after 9am, he decided to light a kerosene stove to make something to eat. As he was preparing to light the stove, Garraway said he heard a loud crack, like a gunshot.
“Bhai, I look up and all I de seeing was bare sky. Is then I see the tree falling and run out fast. I barely mek it out,” he told this paper. It was his tiny house that was completely demolished.
Garraway showed the reporter the few things he had so far saved from the rubble – the kerosene stove he was about to light, his savings in a small glass jar filled with a few coins and a stack of Kaieteur News newspapers.
Garraway told this paper that he has been living in the small cottage for little over year now, moving there after his daughter, Michele Garraway, died. When asked about where he’ll be sleeping that night, the man said that he had no other choice than to sleep within one of his neighbour’s homes.
Mathew Fraser, one of the residents whose house was severely damaged, stated that the tree has been situated within the yard of the three houses for over 40 years. His sister, Zinzi Shepherd, who shares the home with Fraser, stated that seeing that the tree was still standing over all this time, there was little to no concern over it falling or becoming a hazard. She said that the cause of the tree falling was due to the heavy rains and the erosion of the soil. The roots of the tree were not strong enough to anchor the tree down, causing it to inevitably collapse. The two siblings shared their house with seven other occupants. The third house, which is situated behind Garraway’s, had also received significant damage.
The families were given a chainsaw by a neighbour to help cut the tree for easy removal. They also mentioned that the Campbellville Fire Service greatly aided in helping to cut the tree and gave great praise to them.
Kaieteur News asked the residents if any Government official came to visit the scene of the incident and was told that the Mayor of Georgetown, Ubraj Narine, visited them and informed them that he would render some assistance. Kaieteur News contacted the Mayor on the matter to which he stated that he will indeed give as much assistance as he can to the affected residents, stating: “Because of the rainy weather, these things will occur and it must be dealt with to the best of our abilities.”
As this newspaper was leaving, one of the neighbours, in the midst of clearing out the wood, broken glasses and other rubble from the aftermath of the incident, salvaged a clean sheet and gave it to Garraway so that he could have some sort of comfort for the night.
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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