Gratuity housing investment falling apart

When her husband died two years ago, Marilla Patterson-Logan used his gratuity to build a house for herself and her five young children.

However, Patterson-Logan and her children are now facing the possibility of homelessness as their newly built home is crumbling into a landslip at Third Branch Road, Monkey Town, New Grant.

Patterson-Logan said heavy rains over the past few weeks have caused extensive damage to the foundation of her house. Each night she hears creaks as the house crumbles. 

“It is frightening because any day now the cracked walls could fall down,” Patterson-Logan said. 

She added, “I don’t allow my children to go to the back of the house. It is too dangerous. It pains me to see the house which I built falling and I cannot do anything to stop it.”

She explained that after her husband Tyril Craig Logan died from a heart attack at the age of 36, she was forced to move out of his family’s home. She said $175,000 from his gratuity was used to build the house at New Grant.

Patterson-Logan has five children- Tyrell, 14, Tishawn, 10, Tyrese, eight, Tah-maria, four and Tyrikk Logan aged, six. Tyrell attends the Princes Town West Secondary School while Tishawn and Tyrese attend the New Grant

Anglican school. Tyrikk has a disability and attends the Princes Elizabeth school in Port-of-Spain. Patterson-Logan said she pays $300 every week to take Tyrikk to and from school.

She said since her home started to crack, she has been fearful about the safety of her children.

“My son is disabled and he was born premature. I am worried that one of these days the wall could fall on him. I want the Minister of Housing to assist us in getting a proper place to stay because it would cost too much to fix this house,” Patterson-Logan said. 

The young widow said she wrote letters to Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal with the hope that he could provide a proper home for her family. Patterson-Logan, who was previously employed with Trinidad Cement Limited said she desperately needs help.

Moonilal yesterday promised to look into the situation. Anyone wanting to assist Patterson-Logan and her family can contact her at 360-0762.