The dilapidated and rat-infested conditions in which Dorothy Henry lived shocked housing officials yesterday.
As Minister of Housing Michael Lashley and MP for the area, Patrick Todd, toured Cats Castle in The City yesterday, youngsters drew their attention to Henry’s plight, causing Lashley to immediately order the evacuation of the 73-year-old, who has been living in the deplorable conditions for over 20 years.
Henry, who was almost moved to tears when Lashley told her he would do something immediately, pointed out how she slept across the front of the doorway, often exposed to the elements.
“I need her moved from here immediately . . . We have to find somewhere for this lady to live now,” Lashley ordered personnel from the Urban Development Commission.
Within less than an hour, a location was found, and Henry is scheduled to be moved to a two-bedroom wooden home at Plymouth Square, Cave Hill, by 9:30 this morning.
She was one of two senior citizens that Lashley said needed immediate help.
The other was 78-year-old Horace Jones of Padmore Village, St Philip, whose home had been scheduled to be fixed by the Rural Development Commission, but had suffered as a result of the recent rains.
Although Jones has been relocated, interim director of the RDC, Randolph Outram, pointed out that work on the house would commence in the next three weeks.
“We visited the house last week and we have made an assessment, and within three weeks, work here will start.
“The contractors have already been told that the work on this home is to be fast-tracked, so we expect the work to be finished in about five or six weeks,” he noted.
