Frightened man runs as storm lifts roof

WESTERN BUREAU:

Sheldon Moreland’s worst fear became a reality on Wednesday evening during the passing of Hurricane Beryl.

Moreland, 25, told The Gleaner that he was frightened after seeing the roof of his board dwelling in Zion, Trelawny, lift from the building before falling back into place due to strong winds associated with the Category 4 hurricane.

“I was inside there, and I saw the breeze lift up the building top. Mi run out wid wah garbage bag because when mi see the roof lift up, mi start wonder if this tree did go drop dung pon it,” Moreland said, while pointing to a large fruit tree in his yard.

“Even mi neighbour run come and say, ‘man you nearly dead, you nuh see, come out of the building’. Mi frighten bad man because the whole thing look like it did a go come off,” he added.

“Mi did affi come out and put two steel pon the roof fi hold it down.”

During a visit to his community on Tuesday afternoon, Moreland told our news team that he believes his roof would not stand a chance against the then Category 5 hurricane that was barrelling towards Jamaica.

Not strong enough

According to Moreland, while he prepared to secure his one-bedroom board dwelling, the structure was simply just not strong enough to overcome a natural disaster.

“Right now mi a worry enuh fi tell you the truth because if the rain comes with breeze, my house top gone and everything gone,” Moreland admitted on Tuesday.

When The Gleaner revisited Zion on Thursday afternoon, Moreland approached this reporter before saying, “Miss, I told you that my roof couldn’t manage the hurricane.”

He then requested that our news team accompany him down a dirt track to the board house that he calls home.

While explaining that he has been occupying the board structure in Zion, a flood-prone community near Martha Brae, for many years, Moreland said that he is hoping to receive some assistance to rebuild a home. He, however, pointed out that he is also on the hunt for a tradesman job in the construction sector.

“A couple years the house deh here and some old ply boards did deh bout and because no work nah too gwan, mi buy some new ply and try fix it up,” he explained.

“A construction work mi do, but nothing nah too gwan inna it ya now. I can build blocks and I can also flash wall and render it.”

When asked about his family life and support system, Moreland admitted that his family members have turned their backs on him due to his actions as a teenager while attending the Albert Town High School in south Trelawny.

“I have been trying life by myself. Mi stop go school from mi a 14. Mi did tek up war and get kick from school and then my parents threw me out because of that, so I have been on my own,” he stated.

“Mi change my life whole heap because mi nah go a no jail and mi nah put myself in any problems,” he quickly added.

At the same time, Moreland said that he would appreciate some help in landing a job as he wishes to improve his standard of living.

“Mi nuh have no fridge, no TV or no stove. I don’t even have a dresser. I don’t have anything. I just have wah likkle piece of bed,” he said.

“A true mi tough mi just a try hold it. Mi nah try fi rob a man. Mi just wah try fi work a honest bread,” he told The Gleaner.

rochelle.clayton@gleanerjm.com