Nowhere to go! Persons told to vacate shelter

More than 40 persons who were left homeless after Hurricane Irma wreaked havoc on their homes are now in a state of quandary after they were reportedly told they have until November 30 to vacate the Multipurpose Sports Complex.

The Complex, which is located in Road Town, has been operating as an emergency shelter since Hurricane Irma struck the territory on September 6.

“When they told us we have to move by month end, they put we in the middle of the road [basically]. If I had somewhere to go, I wouldn’t have come to this shelter,” one woman told our reporter, adding that they have been hit hard by the news.

While revealing that her home was destroyed during the hurricane, the woman said Government should have assisted them with rebuilding their homes before giving them notice to leave.

“Give us two zinc and two plywood to do what we got to do at our house!”

She added that while multiple agencies have promised to help, those promises have not materialised.

Another occupant, Clinton Oliver, told BVI News that the majority of his family’s home in Road Town, near Peebles Hospital, have been destroyed and he has nowhere to go.

“Three-quarters of my roof blew away and after the storm, I come here… But where are we going to go?” he questioned.

Winding Down

When BVI News Online contacted one executive member of the Rotary Club, which is in charge of the shelter, she refused to divulge much information but pointed out that operations at the facility are ‘winding down’.

“The most that I can say is that we are considering winding down because it’s been a little while. But I really can’t comment on when it is going to close,” said Delma Maduro who is the District Governor Nominee for Rotary.

“We have been operating the shelter at the Multi-purpose Complex, for over two months now. Right now I think that houses around 43 persons,” she added.