Homeless for Christmas

The aroma of baked ham and cakes could be smelt as you walked or drove through some communities.

However, Alicia Hackshaw, 36, could not enjoy or partake in the festivities as she and her five children slept on the streets of Malabar and Arima.

As a matter of fact, she and her children have had no fixed place of abode since August 20 when the house, in which she was born and grew up, was demolished by a relative who obtained a court order.

Newsday caught up with Alicia as she had just arrived at her sister’s small abode. Her sister, who lives behind the demolished house, occasionally keeps her children during school hours but is unable to facilitate a permanent accommodation.

The children have not been to school regularly since the eviction and, according to her 11-year-old daughter, Tishawna, all the children attending school have done poorly in their work.

Alicia said, “I sleep by people house or an abandoned house.

Other than that I have nowhere to go. I asked the MP (Ancil Antoine) for help. He wrote a letter to HDC (Housing Development Corporation) and they forwarded it to Social Welfare.

Social Welfare came and took pictures of where I store what’s left of my belongings.” According to Alicia, she stores her remaining property at a warehouse located at the O’Meara Industrial Estate, where the temporary Arima Fire Station was located.

She stated that the family house, where he she spent all her life, was occupied by her brother, sister and herself when the first court order was delivered in 2008. After her grandmother died in 2010, they received the second legal notice.

Since then, her sister has built a small dwelling place behind the family house and her brother has also moved out and started his own family. On August 28, her uncle, who she claims is behind her removal, sent police officers and a bailiff to the house to evict her.

“They took out the doors and windows and put everything out on the road. I lost my groceries, wares, jewellery, bed that I’m still paying for, refrigerator and chair set. I only have a few house items and my clothes.” She stated that no other help came from Antoine.

On September 24, Newsday reported that mother of six, Abigail Phillip, who lost her house when it was destroyed by fire the previous day. She too sought help from Antoine but received none. Abigail lives in the street after Alicia.