IT IS ONE thing to state facts and numbers, but another to see the faces filled with pain and hear stories of loss.
On Sunday morning, a DAILY NATION team accompanied a Barbados Coast Guard contingent on a patrol vessel laden with bottled water for St Vincent, where more than half the population suffered in some way when torrential rains caused widespread damage and loss of life.
At the furnishing business of Cardan Knights in Cane Grove, Buccament Valley, there was evidence of both. He said he lost everything – more than EC$2 million in damage – and now had to start all over again.
However, even worse was that bodies were found on his property – an 18-year-old woman named Hesla James and her two-year-old daughter Shelani.
Labourer Andrew Nero found Shelani and spoke of the experience.
“When I came to work this morning, the police were already here. I smelled something which I took for an animal at first and when I went looking, I saw a person under a piece of galvanize and showed the police,” he said.
Reports indicate a third woman came close to death, James’ mother Stella, but she climbed a tree to escape the floodwaters.
The James family lived nearby and were deep in prayer and mourning when the NATION team arrived. They declined to speak. It was understood, however, that the father of the child was Barbadian.
An irate Knights said he had already reported he suspected a body was on his property but the police took too long to respond. As for his business, he said he believed his financial losses were in the millions.
“I had a big factory, Knights Cardan Foam Products, where we made furniture, cushions and foam products. Now all the machines and products are gone, more than EC$2 million. I believe I have lost the most in St Vincent,” he said dejectedly.
Unfortunately, the damage spread to other members of the Knights family. His son Martello was also counting his losses when floodwaters invaded his home, almost claiming his life. He was too distraught to speak but his girlfriend, Gina Stapleton, explained:
“We live downstairs the bar, Marty’s Sports Bar, and everything is completely wrecked down there. He went downstairs to save something when the floods started and the water came in when he was down there and he had to swim out. It happened in just 15 minutes.”
Stapleton said the floodwaters did not affect the bar to the same degree and they would therefore live upstairs until the damage could be assessed. Despite it all, she was thankful they were safe.
“Some people lost their lives so I am thankful we are safe. I guess it’s just nature,” she said.
Martello also managed a gas station next door that was damaged.
Scenes of devastation could be seen all around areas located near to rivers. One such place was Palmyra Restaurant & Bar in Pembroke, Kingstown. Owner Gary Browne and some employees and friends were washing down the outside of the restaurant which was fillled with dirty water.
“Everything get washed away, we haven’t started to count the losses yet. I will have to start from scratch again,” he said, adding that he had fire insurance but no flood coverage.
As we passed by a bushy area, a disturbingly foul odour could be detected with a few onlookers surveying the damage nearby. The source of the odour was not immediately known, however.
carlosatwell @nationnews.com
