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Family refutes accusation of “evicting elderly from home”

Nov 20, 2010 News

The family of Gopaul Singh is refuting the allegation that they are responsible for Gopaul living on the street.
Shirley Singh, Gopaul’s wife, stated that approximately 35 years ago, he sold the house they were living in for $750 to one of his sisters and her husband, The two are now deceased.
She was inside the house preparing meals for her six children when Gopaul’s family “started throwing out her belongings on the street”.
Shirley said that at that time she asked Gopaul’s family to repay them the $750, for her children’s well-being. However her in-laws refused her request. She said that she then asked for “some time to get a place” but she was also denied this.
According to Shirley, a number of neighbours “rescued” her with her six children and assisted in providing a place for them to stay. The woman tried in vain to locate an apartment to rent but was unsuccessful. She had six young children and persons would be skeptical in allowing them to rent an apartment.
When Kaieteur News visited Shirley yesterday, she explained that her eldest child was Ronald, who was only 16 years old. He had to leave school and work as a cane cutter to assist his mother and siblings, Shirley said.
Shirley was a “domestic” and her salary was very small.
Gopaul’s youngest child, Sharmilla, told this newspaper that she was only 16 months old when her father sold the house and caused them to be thrown on the street. She does not know many details. However, while she was growing up, many neighbours told her what Shirley faced to “raise her children”, she said.
The daughter stated that she did not grow up with her father and he did not raise any of his children but that she and her brother, Ronald, would supply him with meals. She explained that she has two young children with a very small house and is a widow with no extra place to keep her father.
Kaieteur News was told that when Gopaul sold his house, his sister who is called “Ello”
(the one who resides in Guyana) used to have Gopaul at her house in Herstelling, East Bank Demerara (EBD).
According to sources, Ello, used to take Gopaul to “watchman her house when his two feet were good” and then when he became sick, he “had to find his own way”.
Shirley said that it was due to the kind hearted neighbours in the area that she and her children were able to survive. Gopaul was an alcoholic even before he married Shirley but she was not aware of this until after marriage.
While she was staying at her neighbour’s house, with the villagers assisting her, she proceeded to the Housing Ministry and eventually located a little spot, where she is currently living.
She further stated that Gopaul was already living on the street, doing little jobs for a particular neighbour since she would also give him meals.
Some neighbours said that they witnessed Gopaul’s wife and children being thrown out over 35 years ago.

One neighbour said, “This lady struggle to raise her children. He can’t expect them to mine him when he didn’t do nothing good for them.”
Another neighbour stated that Gopaul used to “beat Shirley badly” and was “very abusive”.
Another neighbour said, “If God didn’t give him anything, he give him a good vocal chord”. She said he would curse Shirley and his children constantly whenever they passed the street where he was. He even attempted to hit her with a stick once.
Shirley, her daughter Sharmilla, her son Ronald and neighbours told this newspaper that no shed was ever built in front of Ronald’s house and he did not pay anyone to move his father from anywhere.
According to several neighbours, Ronald, his wife and Sharmilla would ensure that they give Gopaul as many meals as possible, even though he was never a father figure for them or never played a part in their upbringing.

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