Dear Christine,
Greetings in the name of Jesus!
I am writing to you with a heavy heart. I am a 63-year-old woman who was born and bred on the spot where I currently live.
When I was 15 years old, my sister went to England and left her eight-month-old baby with my mother and I.
I helped to care for that child until she was 14 years old, after which she joined her mother overseas. She visited the island regularly and became friendly with a Bajan guy.
She sent back lots of money for this man to help build a house so they could be together.
After the house was constructed and she returned, our family was shocked to hear that the man had married and had a child she knew nothing about.
She tried to retrieve her money but to no avail because she had nothing to show. She was 35 years old at the time and is now age 47.
She eventually got a good job here and decided to stay. It was the worst decision ever, for she has made my life a living hell.
I had encouraged her to stay, but little did I know she would try to own the house I worked so hard to build. My mother (deceased) and I were very close and she had a great relationship with my three children.
My brother and I used our hard-earned money to renovate the family home from wood to wall.
I still live there, but my brother married and moved out. My mother gave my brother land in exchange for the money he had spent on the house over the years and I paid for the repairs – both inside and outside.
Christine, I am at my wits end. My niece has moved back in. Before my mother died, she asked that my niece stay in the house until she got married. Now, she wants to own everything. She claims the things that I purchased and property belonging to my mother are hers.
She found a new boyfriend and they have been together for 11 years. My mother gave her land with the hope that the man would marry her but to no avail.
This man is content to be a leech and live off my niece’s money. He even lived in our house for almost nine years but I put a stop to it after my mother died.
He too became intent on making my life miserable and I asked the police to put him out.
Now, my niece seeks to find ways to disturb me and my family. I have a ten-year-old granddaughter who lives with us and the atmosphere is not conducive to her education.
My niece behaves very strangely and does some crazy things to start arguments.
She has destroyed several taps in the house and tries to provoke my family by doing silly things such as fluffing the cushions when someone is sitting in a chair. She also padlocks her bedroom door.
The arguments have reached the point where both my daughter and granddaughter have severe headaches.
I suspect that my niece believes in witchcraft or obeah. She is always seen marking her door and there is always a strange smell around the house when she is at home.
Christine, she has no money in this house and I have worked hard to make it a home.
I want to respect my mother’s last wishes but this woman is driving us all insane.
Why is she tormenting us like this?
– ?
Dear ?
I believe your niece is a very unhappy woman who has never gotten past the disappointment and hurt of long ago.
I also believe she needs professional counselling. However, based on your letter, who will confront her concerning this?
I will also be bold enough to say that while you highly esteem the wishes of your mum, you have done your best to carry them out.
However, based on what you are currently going through, you may now have to take alternative measures – like asking your niece to leave.
– CHRISTINE