Hungry under lockdown
Waterhouse residents lament lack of support as supplies run low
Published:Friday | September 3, 2021 | 12:12 AMAsha Wilks/Gleaner Writer
Residents of sections of Waterhouse in St Andrew Western battled hunger while others made quick dashes to corner shops with an eye out for patrolling soldiers during the last three-day lockdown, which ended on Tuesday.
When The Gleaner visited the area, some residents confessed that they were struggling to provide for their families and had receive none of the promised assistance under a $189-million initiative announced by Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke to help low-income families over the period.
Under the scheme, each member of parliament (MP) is allocated $3 million to provide care packages for the needy in their constituencies.
Up to this week, some MPs had not yet claimed the parcels to reduce the stress on constituents who were unable to adequately stock up on supplies.
Rose Marie Williams, a Penwood Road resident in Waterhouse, inhabits a house with up to seven members and was yet to see anyone in the area receiving assistance.
“We nuh get nothing from the first time and none from the second time ... . We just have to sit down and gwaan swallow we spit and do what we can do,” Williams explained during the second in the series of three-day lockdowns.
Her daughter, who has a newborn, did not get a chance to buy baby formula or diapers as the household lives from daily earnings and buys supplies, including food, on a day-to-day basis.
Pointing to a feeding bottle filled with a sugar-water mixture, Williams said that that was all that her daughter could give her baby as she rocked him back to sleep.
Admitting to having to take the risk of possibly getting arrested for violating the no-movement orders, residents said they had resorted to calling ahead to place orders as they dashed to nearby corner stores to sustain themselves.
“We run go and run come back,” Williams said, stating that she had to purchase a pound of flour one day and had to buy a pound of chicken back the following day.
With soldiers a part of the zone of special operations in the community, residents say that there is much patrolling taking place.
Sharon Smith, a resident and mother of four, was frustrated by the no-movement orders.
“One $5,000 me have, and me spend it off!” she exclaimed, adding that the orders that were announced by Prime Minister Andrew Holness on August 19, along with experiencing five days without water, made for a miserable experience.
CHALLENGE TO STAY INSIDE
One resident, who requested anonymity, explained that she gave her last to her children as “when me can bear it, them can’t bear it”, highlighting that she had stocked up on snacks, diapers, and other items for her two children and one-year-old grandson.
Many residents said that it was a challenge to stay inside when there was no food.
“Watching TV and hungry hot!” she added, describing the high level of discomfort felt trying to stay inside with nothing to do.
Mario Wallace, administrative assistant to MP Anthony Hylton, told The Gleaner on Tuesday afternoon that package deliveries were under way.
Leaving from the constituency office at 60 Salkey Avenue, care packages were being distributed through the councillors and institutions such as churches at approximately 4 p.m.
The delay in distribution, he explained, was due to assessments that took place during last week’s no-movement days. These assessments were aimed at effectively identifying those who were truly in need of assistance.
Hylton told The Gleaner yesterday that the exercise was ongoing and that several residents of Penwood Road had received packages.
“More will [get] in coming days. Not everyone will. It was never the case that each household would or could receive a package,” he said, adding that the need was “real and extensive”.
The MP said: “Unless more resources are identified, not only from Government, but also the private sector, significant numbers of the needy will not receive a package. The socioeconomic condition of several – not all – communities in the constituency dictate that further assistance will be needed.”
He added: “To date, over 500 packages have been distributed. More to go!”