Fairbain Pasture man gets new house

Last September, heavy rainfall resulted in Errol Caine’s two-room wooden house at Fairbaine Pasture slipping from its foundation and leaning precariously at a 45-degree angle.{{more}}

Back then, the man, who is reported to be mentally challenged, said that sleeping in the house wasn’t “too bad”.

But those who know better have replaced that house with a new, neat, concrete house, which is a testament of the Unity Labour Party (ULP) administration’s consideration and care for the poor, elderly and challenged, according to West St George’s parliamentary representative Michael Browne.

In a brief ceremony to hand over the house last Saturday, April 18th, Browne, who was then acting Prime Minister, said that it was precisely for small gestures like the building of that house that the government was elected – because it represents a bigger principle of caring for those who are underprivileged and in need.

“Left on his own, Errol Caine could not have been able to reconstruct the house,” Browne told the handful of people gathered.

Browne said that the building of the house shows that the ULP administration is willing to defend the defenceless.

Caine was not on hand to receive his new house, which was constructed by the combined efforts of the Prime Minister’s Office, the National Emergency Management organization (NEMO), and the ULP party group in the area.

Browne explained that originally, NEMO was planning to build a plywood house for Caine, but the decision was made to mobilize the extra resources to construct a concrete structure.

SEARCHLIGHT told of Caine’s plight on that first day of September 2008 in an exclusive story.

Caine told SEARCHLIGHT that he escaped seconds before the house tipped over on its side; this is after he peeped out his window and saw it slipping.

Caine, also known as “Warbean”, had been living in that house for 12 years, but has spent all his life in the area.

Judging from his reluctance back then to answer SEARCHLIGHT’s questions, it was no surprise that he chose to skip the fanfare of the cutting of the ribbon and the singing of the anthem and speech.

Browne, in his short address, used the opportunity to boast about his government’s efforts in the area of providing housing for the poor, noting the hundreds of low income houses that have been built all over the country and the plans for the Venezuela-sponsored no income houses. (KJ)