ALL THIS YOUNG LADY WANTS FOR XMAS IS HER HOUSE.....

 
Morisoon shows her refrigerator which, she said, was damaged during the unrest. - Dwayne McLeod

Seven months after the invasion of Tivoli Gardens, and with the Christmas season fast approaching, it is an angry Patricia Morrison which is lamenting the fact that her house, which was damaged during the incursion, is yet to be repaired.

Morrison, 34, told THE WEEKEND STAR that during the police/military invasion of May 24, her house, which is located on Bustamante Highway, was burnt and damaged. She has been living with friends since.

"Inna mi house dark and black and fava tunnel. Mi couch, mi bed, component set and mi fridge mash up. All di tile dem inna mi bathroom mash up."

She explained to THE WEEKEND STAR that her house, which has been unoccupied for the last seven months, is uninhabitable, and said she was forced to buy a new door recently, at a cost of $6,000, in order to keep out cats and goats which had taken up residence there.

The disgruntled resident said she received a cheque of $15,000 from the Social Development Commission, but explained that that figure could not even begin to effect repairs. Instead, she used the money to purchase back-to-school items for her niece who has been living with her since her mother passed away.

"I used dat money fi help my niece, get ar likkle back-to-school tings dem wa bun up, dat couldnt do nuttin pan mi house." She told THE WEEKEND STAR that others from her community, who did not suffer as much, received up to more than five times that amount.

The advent of the Christmas season is frustrating Morrison even more.

"How Christmas fi come ketch mi a people house? Nobody not even come look pan mi place fi see di damage. Nobody nuh seh nuttin to mi! Jesus, God, man! Christmas a come ketch mi a kotch a people yard, while everybody else deh a dem yard a eat turkey and drink red wine. All mi waan do a deh a mi house a eat likkle tin bun and some dumpling, an mi wi satisfy. Good, God, man! Mi cyaan deh a people yard Christmas!"

But even though Morrison is convinced that she registered with the Office of the Public Defender, which she blames for neglecting her, Public Defender Earl Witter, told THE WEEKEND STAR there was no record of a complaint from her.

He explained that the Ministry of Social Security, along with the Social Development Commission, were the bodies that issued the cheques.

Witter said he did see evidence that Morrison had received the cheque which she mentioned. He, however, said if she could prove that the damage she sustained outweighed the value of the cheque, and the damage is in fact attributable to the events of May 24 and the actions of the law enforcement officials, his office would be willing to investigate her cause.

He said, however, that it might be difficult for her to prove the damage she claims, since so much time has elapsed since the incident. He also stressed that his office was not a poor-relief or storm-relief office, but was set up to investigate injustices committed against citizens by agents of the state.

Anyone willing to assist Morrison may contact her at 363-2947.