Fish vendor, family homeless after #43 Village fire

Apr 12, 2017 News

Eight persons, including a nine-month-old are now homeless after the home they

Achana and her family.

occupied for just over a year was completely burnt to the ground.
The family of Number 43 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, is now contemplating the next move since the blaze.
Achana Rawana aka ‘Shereen’, told reporters that approximately a year ago she, her husband, who is a fisherman, bought the two-storied wooden structure and moved it to the location where it was burnt.
“Meh move it by the school street fuh rest am down. About six months now me carry over me wardrobe, bed and everything. After the rain me na bin get fuh do nutten more. Then yesterday me daughter seh leh we move over dem clothes and me seh today we gun move over completely. I never know this morning meh house go ketch fire with all meh ting inside.”
The woman who is a fish vendor at the Rose Hall Town Market, related that she is presently staying in a house and was expected to vacate the home within a week. She stated that when the week is up she will have nowhere to go and will have to resort to renting a house to stay in with her husband and children.
The devastated mother of five said that she suspects arson since there is no electricity on

Remains of the home.

the property and no-one was at home. Her husband who is out at sea is not aware of what happened but is expected to return within the next 15 days.
According to her, “Meh husband na know nothing cuz me can’t get contact with he till he come back”. She lamented that it took her over ten years to achieve the little she had and with this tragedy she will have to start all over again.
All of her children are teenagers with the eldest being 19 and the youngest 14. She also has a nine-month-old grand-daughter who stays with them. The only items she was left with are a refrigerator, a television and a microwave which were not moved over to the house as yet.
The building which housed two bedrooms in the upper flat and a kitchen downstairs was bought at a cost of $500,000. The woman stated that nearly $2 Million went up in flames. The fire reportedly started at 2:30 Tuesday morning; the fire service when contacted arrived an hour later.
Through her tears, Achana Rawana pleaded for any assistance that may help her to rebuild all that she and her husband worked tirelessly for. Persons desirous of making a contribution may contact her on cell number 689-8662/325-5172 (Shereen).
Investigations are ongoing into the origin of the fire.