Desperation turns to disorder

What was once the commercial heartbeat of St Elizabeth has now been reduced to devastation and desperation. In the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, widespread looting has gripped Black River, as residents say they are simply doing what they must to survive.

For two days, blocked roads made the town completely inaccessible. When The Sunday Gleaner finally reached the area on Thursday – navigating through Williamsfield and wading through floodwaters in Pondside – what awaited on Crane Road leading into the town square was haunting: broken buildings, looted shops, and people frantically loading vehicles with whatever goods remained.

“People need things so dem have to take what dem can get. Most a dem dung yah a look food,” one woman said, hurrying past with grocery bags in hand.

Michelle Dowmans, who said she had walked through several feet of mud from Vale, said she came to Black River to get supplies.

“A Vale me a walk from. Mi nuh come from here, but me come get things,” she said. “Thank God fi the Chiney dem because them really good to we. One Chiney man from Bridgeport just open up the store and say we fi come tek what we want,” she said.

“Look, mi only tek a few things that me need, a only baby things,” she said, pointing to four grocery bags filled with pampers, wipes, toiletries, and canned food.

The woman said although she experienced flooding in the storm, the damage to her house was not as severe as what she was seeing in Black River.

“Mi still nuh hear from my daughter weh live in Westmoreland,” she added.

Nearby, a man from Clarendon said he had been in the town since morning. “Mi pack up fi move now,” he said, gripping a bottle of liquor.

One taxi driver transporting residents in and out of the town said he refused to carry looted goods.

“The people dem lift off the zinc dem weh leff off people housetop and the store dem. Dem take out everything. All Courts nothing nuh leff in deh,” he said. “Black River a go tek ‘bout six weeks fi see the slightest comeback. If you look pon the map, you nuh see nowhere name Black River. Mi nuh indulge inna what dem a do so mi nah carry none a dem inna mi car.”

Among those scavenging for supplies was Sakeena Dennis, who said she needed items to celebrate her daughter’s 11th birthday.

“We can’t stay hungry. We lose everything already so we haffi have something fi keep wi going,” she said.

By the time The Sunday Gleaner reached High Street, people were pushing shopping carts, balancing heavy loads on their heads, and rummaging through muddy bags.

Sinead Hyatt and Mark Peynado, from Brompton, said they walked over three miles for food.

“By the time we got here, everything done. We get lucky Kwuntong open up and give we some food. Some people all a tek weh dem nuh want,” Hyatt said.

Peynado pointed across School Street to the coast.

“Right now, two body deh down a Galleon Beach from Tuesday and no police or soldier fi go fi dem. Two elderly people – one man and one woman. There is also a next body over there,” he said, gesturing toward the coastline still churning with rough waters.

Frustration with the Government’s response was evident among the hurricane survivors.

“Andrew Holness did say him a go turn down here into the ‘new city’. Well, this is the new city because it’s not Black River anymore,” one man said.

Former Jamaica Labour Party 2024 councillor candidate Dr Adeniyi Bamidele condemned what he described as the Government’s slow and disorganised response.

“The Government failed us! They’re waiting for assessments to be done. You rather assess or just step in and do what needs to be done? They have failed in the mobilisation aspect of it. Who are they looking for?” he said.

“You have looters all over Black River and the police are nowhere to be found. There are looters everywhere. Most of the problems we are having here at the bridge are because of looters. We can’t pass. I’ve been here in this traffic for an hour,” he added.

Bamidele told The Sunday Gleaner that Red Cross volunteers attempting to bring supplies into the area had to turn back.

“The centre of the hurricane, the destruction is really here, so where is the relief? Where is the rest of the police and where is the JDF?” he asked, referring to the Jamaica Defence Force.

Having lived in Black River for 35 years, Bamidele said the community’s suffering was compounded by poor leadership.

“They need to do better. This is self-inflicted trauma on us now. I walked with Floyd Green and I’ve told him the same thing; he has also failed us,” he said.

Around 7 p.m., The Sunday Gleaner finally spotted Jamaica Defence Force tankers entering Black River via Crane Road, hours after looters had already stripped businesses bare.

tiffany.pryce@gleanerjm.com