A woman is
speaking about her reason for squatting after it was revealed at Wednesday's
sitting of the Standing Finance Committee of Parliament that a third of the
Jamaican population are squatters.
Velma Brown who lives in a section of Rose Heights in Montego Bay, St. James which is known as "Beirut" said this was not a life she would have chosen but her circumstances led her to becoming a squatter.
"I've tried to get a little domestic work but nobody really wants to hire anyone fulltime because they say they can't afford fulltime helper. It's hard to put food on the table for my five children and now to put a roof over dem head, find food and send them to school at the same time, I can't manage and that's why mi over here so a kotch up," she said.
Keeping a roof over her children's head
And with the harsh economic conditions in Jamaica, Ms Brown said she was not have been able to own her own property so squatting was her only solution.
"It feel bad because that is not what I want my children to grow up and see but that's what mi have to do now because all over the world people have to live and occupy because time rough and mi cyah do nutten bout it. Mi naw go tief ... mi try and wash two piece a clothes here and there fi give then lunch me and keep a roof over dem head so mi have to just ketch a little piece for the time being," said Velma Brown, a resident of a squatter settlement in Rose Heights, Montego Bay.
Velma Brown who lives in a section of Rose Heights in Montego Bay, St. James which is known as "Beirut" said this was not a life she would have chosen but her circumstances led her to becoming a squatter.
"I've tried to get a little domestic work but nobody really wants to hire anyone fulltime because they say they can't afford fulltime helper. It's hard to put food on the table for my five children and now to put a roof over dem head, find food and send them to school at the same time, I can't manage and that's why mi over here so a kotch up," she said.
Keeping a roof over her children's head
And with the harsh economic conditions in Jamaica, Ms Brown said she was not have been able to own her own property so squatting was her only solution.
"It feel bad because that is not what I want my children to grow up and see but that's what mi have to do now because all over the world people have to live and occupy because time rough and mi cyah do nutten bout it. Mi naw go tief ... mi try and wash two piece a clothes here and there fi give then lunch me and keep a roof over dem head so mi have to just ketch a little piece for the time being," said Velma Brown, a resident of a squatter settlement in Rose Heights, Montego Bay.
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