Seated in a circle, a group of Sea Lots residents were playing dominoes on Wednesday. On cue, they listed their names as Hakeem Charles, Vanessa Roberts, Sasha Joseph, Kito Joseph, Derrick Grant and Roanne McGilvey. Asked if they intended to relocate from Sea Lots, they chorused: "No." But they were not pleased at Government's snail's pace in the aftermath of the tragic accident.
Borrowing a hookline from soca superstar Machel Montano's hit, they said: "We going and fog up the place." Sasha Joseph said, "If we see no improvements. We going and block the highway in about a month's time. Nobody moving or going to work. This time we going and fog up the place." Her grand plan was met with uproarious laughter. The reality was they were "dead serious."
Up came resident Elwin Grant who said, "They promised us crossing guards."He then pointed to the shimmering sea. "We need a retaining wall at the edge of the sea to keep it from encroaching. This is our home." While they lambasted the authorities for playing politics, they heaped praise on Pastor Junior Bedeau. "He is doing a good job–especially with the kids. He cried for the kids," said Roberts. Asked if they had seen Port-of-Spain South MP Marlene McDonald, they said, "She came and went to church there."
Residents Sheldon Beete, Christopher John and Dave Bertrand said the community planned to band together and continue marching for justice.They had just attended a cottage service at the home of accident victim Abbigail Assing at which everyone offered words of consolation. Beete said, "We will be marching up to the hospital. We will continue our vigil. We will be doing it until we get justice."
Bertrand felt the driver should have had the courtesy to visit the families. "Even if he didn't want to come in here alone, he could have come with the police. He could have written a letter. He should have shown some compassion. He should have said sorry. He should have apologised.He also said they were doing it out of love and compassion for residents Amanda Lalla and Ryan Rampersad who remained warded at Port-of-Spain General Hospital.
"We want to show the country the people of Sea Lots care about each other," Beete said.
Youngsters tryingto do the right thing
Struggling with a kite, two little boys opted to sit next to the standpipe on a curb alongside the flagship Sea Lots Open Bible Church. From an open drain murky water flowed out to the sea which is within walking distance. As far as the eye could see, patches of cotton float delicately on outstretched boughs.
Shrubs and palms dot the landscape. Old barges ebb and bob gently. Ramshackle dwellings are home to some Sea Lots residents. The tartness of the sea lingers. Opposite the curb, another group of older boys are liming. Some Sea Lots residents had begun assembling for prayer. Although the church is a modest wooden structure it looks august among the Sea Lots community. Inside, the setting is cosy. Green drapes form a backdrop against the pulpit.
Holiness etched in gold letters reminds the congregation about the Almighty's desire upon their lives.The group of boys sitting on the curb comprised Renaldo Rampersad, and children Jabin Gittens, Sherkeem Fraser and Patrick Dyer. The majority of them attend Eastern Boys' RC School. Asked how he felt living in Sea Lots, Rampersad, the spokesman for the group, said, "No complaints."
He was still hurting since his brother Ryan Rampersad had been involved in the accident. Up till Wednesday, he remained warded at Port-of-Spain General Hospital.Asked if he ever worshipped at the local church, Rampersad said, "Once in a while." But he was appreciative of Pastor Junior Bedeau's and the congregation's interest in his sibling's welfare. "A lot of the people came and prayed for him. They comforted my mother. They were there for us," said Rampersad.
Painting a portrait of boyhood days, the group said they played football in the makeshift court and fished at Bain's Dock. As night fell, a game of basketball attracted spectators. With the price of fish normally high during Lent, they were cutting costs for their parents."We catch red fish and grouper. We carry it home and our parents to cook it," said Rampersad.
Asked about their future careers, they cherished ambitions about becoming soldiers and engineers. Asked if they were aware of drugs and guns in Sea Lots, Rampersad said, "We don't know about it. I try to encourage them to do the right thing."
Resident feel isolated
Brushing past the shrubbery which stood like a green pillar to the right of the church, a resident paused to greet church elder Stephen Mitchell. Asked if she would like to be relocated, she said, "If they want to relocate me, they can't take me and just dump me anywhere. I am not rubbish."
She added, "We buy papers and read. And it does hurt me when people say bad things about us. We are human, too. "I'm not averse to moving. But it must be something better. It's only negative things they say about us. We look out for each other."Asked if she felt she was living in a crime zone, she said, "There is crime all over the country. I couldbe in San Juan and there is a shoot-out. It does have shooting all over... Chaguanas, Arima. How come is only Sea Lots tainted with crime?"
During her tete-a-tete, a few more residents arrived from work. They stopped to exchange pleasantries. "Let them know we have teachers, engineers and respectable people living in Sea Lots. We have people studying law. They getting on like if is not humans living in Sea Lots. We have feelings, too."
Among the young men Bedeau had led to the Lord were residents Sheldon Beete, Christopher John and Dave Bertrand.Asked if they would like to relocate, they said they were okay but it had to provide a chance at a better life.Beete said he had had been hearing about relocation for the past 31 years. "But it was always a pushover. They were putting it in place. And then we heard nothing."
He admitted the last time, plans to relocate them were circulating took place under the Manning regime. Commenting on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar's administration, Beete said, "Since this Government came into place, it is though the people of Sea Lots are isolated. They isolate us. I remember around election Jack Warner came down in here and promised to help us. They had jerseys all by the sea."
Having survived a massive stroke, Bertrand had drawn closer to God.Asked if he would like to be relocated, he said, "Yes, once the area is crime free, that would be wonderful. It would be nice to be relocated to a better environment. I would be a nice start for a family. We want a proper place for betterment and progress."
John was adamant about getting a home. "No plannings. I want a proper home where me and my children could be happy," he said.Beete added, "If they have to relocate us from town, we would prefer somewhere closer like San Juan or Barataria. If the opportunity comes and it is done in the right way."
Vision about flood
Up came Arnold "Tiny" Nnamani, 49, and her brood of grandchildren. Asked if she would like to relocate, she said, "I don't have a problem. It would not be difficult for me to move. I'm not going to fight against it." In 2009, she had a vision about a Sea Lots flood which cemented her decision. "I dreamt the sea had come up. Water rose to my ankles.
People were running all up by the lighthouse. All up Laventille. It was sheer chaos." Home is where the heart is. But she wondered about the future.Nnamani added, "Sea Lots is a nice place. But what would happen in the future?"She has a parlour but already she feels the sea is set to reclaim the land."The ground is sinking. I don't want to be here when the great flood comes," she said.Asked about the crime, another resident said "I does be in my house."
Sea Lots tragedy update
Recently Transport Minister Emmanuel George had promised to consider a walkover for residents. Traffic wardens were posted soon after at Pioneer Drive to assist pedestrians in crossing. The policeman involved in the accident has since been suspended with pay.
Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) Gillian Lucky expressed concern over the delay in the investigation of the deaths, speaking at Couva North MP Ramona Ramdial's constituency office, Chase Village, Chaguanas. Lucky said she wrote to Acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams seeking an update on the investigation and the results of the blood samples taken from the officer involved.