Janet Christie points to the bedroom she occupied in her burnt out home. - Jolyn Bryan photos

Jolyn Bryan, Star Writer

On the 7th of July in 2014, Janet Christie lost the house she shared with her two grand-children to fire.

The six-apartment dwelling on South Avenue in Morant Bay, St Thomas, went up in flames, despite Christie and neighbours' best efforts to stop the blaze. And to date, Christie says she has been struggling to find a permanent place for herself and her grandchildren, who are both under the age of four. Christie alleges that she has had little to no assistance from various state agencies, and her situation is becoming desperate.

"I have been looking for places to rent, but I can't afford the money they are asking for. I just do a little selling. I can't afford the $15,000 and $20,000 a month for one room," she told The weekend Star.

Christie explains that she now lives with her adult daughter, but that the owners of the house her daughter occupies are hostile to her presence. She indicates that she has made representation to the Member of Parliament, Dr Fenton Ferguson, submitting the Fire Department's report on the fire to his office. She also indicates that she has received $15,000 from the National Insurance Scheme, but the money could not help with repairs to the structure she once occupied.

"I just want a roof over my head. My customers have helped me. Some of them gave me some clothes to start me off selling again, and sometimes if they pass they will give me a little thing, but I haven't heard anything from Government," she said.

Christie still uses the stall in front of her burnt out home on South Avenue, also called Jackass Hill, to sell clothes. She is one among many vendors who line the street.

A unit from the Morant Bay Fire Station responded promptly to the blaze, but was unable to navigate to get to the hydrant or the house. According to records at the fire department, this is not the first time the unit has been unable to access the lane to carry out their duties.

Deputy Superintendent of the St Thomas Fire Department, Denzil Roper, told The weekend Star that the stalls along South Avenue have always been a major concern.

"It is definitely a concern for the department. We cannot carry out hydrant maintenance or access the street when there is a fire. It is a big safety concern for us. There have been several fires on the hill that have resulted in total loss of property," he said.

Other authorities are also concerned with the congestion of stalls. Corporal Donovan Gordon, from the Community Safety and Security arm of the St Thomas police, pointed out that there are many issues with South Avenue.

"The street harbours criminals because it is not lit. There have been reports of several robberies in that area. Sexual activity is rampant in the stalls at night, sometimes with girls who are underage," Corporal Gordon said.

Formerly a two-way street, South Avenue is now hardly more than a track for pedestrians, and some vendors who spread their wares out into the roadway become aggressive when their goods are trampled. But vendors say they have paid for the privilege of using the street, several indicating that they pay $50 every Friday to representatives from the St Thomas Parish Council, the organisation responsible for vending zones in the town.

Secretary Manager Errol Green told The weekend Star that he has no knowledge of regular payments being taken from the vendors, pointing out, however, that they would be charged for illegal vending. He explained that a meeting would be held in short order to determine how the problem would be solved.

Despite the controversy, Christie and her grandchildren still remain without a home, and she is pleading for assistance from anyone who is willing to help.