House needs a strong foundation
Ronald Campbell, a 70-year-old farmer, is seeking help to construct a proper foundation for his home in Alps, Trelawny.
The two-bedroom house is made of marl, cement and barbed wire, and was built by his late father in 1955. Large pieces of wood serves as pillars to hold up the structure. While many have expressed concern that the building could be a disaster waiting to happen, Campbell says his home has weathered all the storms over the past 63 years.
“Earthquake, storm and hurricanes come, everything pass through and don’t touch my house,” Campbell told WESTERN STAR . “Gilbert, Ivan and all other hurricane mash down people house and don’t touch this one.”
“Mi not afraid, but people might a scared fi mi because sometime me deh at the window and people shout out, ‘Lawd, you nuh afraid it drop down,” he said. “But mi naw sleep an fret because the stick holding up the house is brazalic and bun eye. A solid wood them, man.”
Campbell said the house has been home for his family, including his two siblings, since he was seven years old.
FATHER’S WORK
“I watched him build this house,” he said. “A friend helped him frame it out, but he build it on his own ... for his family.” “So right now mi would be happy fi get some help fi make a proper foundation,” Campbell continued. “I would get some block so I can fix it up, because I never forget how hard he work to make things better for his family.” “Mi nuh have nuh toilet, but is something mi thinking about for a couple of months now, that if I could just fix up the place, people would stop worrying,” he added. “What I make from mi farm, just enough for food ...I just don’t want to see my old man work destroyed.”